Charity's Woodstock Bread

Thanks to a lively discussion on home-made breads using our bread machines with my CCAI chat group, I got this wonderful recipe from Charity for making her famous Woodstock Bread. It over-rose a bit when I made it, so I'll have to adjust the recipe slightly (she has a fancier bread machine than I do with more controls to adjust). It's a whole wheat bread with lots of seeds in it. I can't wait to take a bite out of it this evening! YUM!! If only there was smell-o-vision with this blog...

I did it again...

I think I'm getting old. I don't know how I did it, but I have an impingement and rotator cuff injury on my left shoulder. It's been bothering me for close to a month and nothing has helped so I finally went to the doctor the other day and got the official diagnosis. Now, I have to have physical therapy and it's going to delay my re-entry back into the swimming pool. I was supposed to start my masters swim class on June 9th, but that's going to be put on hold for a few weeks or months, depending on how therapy goes. This is now the second time I've had a rotator cuff injury. Not fun!! Let's put it this way, I can't lift my arm straight up any more without being in excruciating pain. Simple tasks are no longer simple. Oh well...

Welcome to geezer-hood for me!

The 5th friendliest city in America

By Barbara Corcoran, Today Show contributor

What makes a city friendly? We looked for certain standards like safety, diversity, pedestrian and bike friendliness, as well as the presence of parks and public spaces. Then we looked for something unique, like a place that always has big, fun public events or someplace with a lot of farmers markets. Most importantly, we talked to brokers to get their personal stories of friendliness. And finally, we took a look at statistics that help make a place friendly, such as enough hotel rooms to welcome visitors, enough bars to have a robust happy hour, enough tourists willing to visit and, of course, budget-friendly home prices.

Here are some notes, findings and quotes from our 5th friendliest city:
Madison, Wisconsin: Friends help friends through the snowstorms

“It’s pretty hard to walk down the street of any neighborhood without getting a friendly smile or a friendly wave. Madison is a very active town with many bike paths, parks and lakes for residents to enjoy. Having so much in the way of outdoor activities really does get Madison’s residents interacting with each other in a fun environment.

Madison gets its share of snowfall every year along with some bitterly cold weather. It's not uncommon to go a week or two without cracking 10 degrees. You might think this would put everyone in a bad mood. It seems to have the opposite effect on many Madison residents, however. This past year, and really every year that I can remember, neighbors have gone way out of their way to help those who need assistance to make it through the winter. Every year there are one or two big snowstorms and even before the snow has finished falling there is the sound of people snow-blowing out the driveway of their house and many of their neighbors', or sights of people helping push cars through the snow of condo complexes, or just checking on their elderly neighbors and friends. My uncle used to fire up the snowplow in the morning and clear out the sidewalks of his whole street.” — John Schroeder, Madison real estate broker

Did you know?

• There are 15 farmers markets throughout the city.
• Voted #8 in the 100 Best places to raise a family
• Madison ranks No. 1 on Prevention Magazine’s list of most walkable cities.
• It’s a college town, and the thriving student life at the University of Wisconsin makes the area a vibrant epicenter for music, art and theater.
• State Street is downtown’s pedestrian mall.

This is how you know you have an old kitty

This is what happens when you're an 18 year old kitty and you are approached by an angry mom Robin. Her baby decided to land about 2 inches from our little cutie and what does she do - nothing!! Her feeling - I'm just too darn old for this! I used to like to chase birds, but now it makes my arthritis hurt too much. I'd rather soak up the morning sun!

Here's a short video clip of the event. Enjoy!

China's Earthquake: Donations Needed

On the afternoon of Monday, May 12, 2008, a massive earthquake, measuring 7.8 on the Richter Scale, rocked China. The epicenter was Wenchuan County, Sichuan, northwest of Chengdu. They are currently fearing that death tolls could reach up to 50,000 people - many of them, children. Below are 2 wonderful organizations that are taking donations to help the children and orphanages of China.

Half the Sky Foundation:
In cooperation with China's Ministry of Civil Affairs, the ministry responsible for disaster relief in China, Half the Sky has created the HTS CHILDREN'S EARTHQUAKE FUND. Your donations to the fund will be used to provide emergency and long-term relief to children in Sichuan and Chongqing affected by the quake. If you wish to make a gift, please visit our quake relief donation site at Global Giving or, if you prefer, donate directly through Half the Sky's earthquake donation page. Either way, we can promise that your gift will reach the children who urgently need help.
http://www.halfthesky.org

Update: You may also use Global Giving's website for Half the Sky.
http://www.globalgiving.com/pr/2100/proj2086a.html

Love Without Boundaries:
Earthquake Aid: A 7.8 magnitude earthquake struck Sichuan Province, China. Our heartfelt condolences are sent for lives lost and damage incurred as a result of this disaster. While we know there was great devastation and we are seeking further information from our China staff, we will not know the extent of the damage for a period of time. All of us at LWB are very concerned for the safety and well-being of all affected by this disaster. We are currently working on assessing the situation as it relates to the children in LWB programs and those orphanages impacted. We are starting an Earthquake Relief Fund to be able to provide immediate assistance.
http://www.lovewithoutboundaries.com

Our Neighbors

Our neighbors stopped over the other day and I had lots of fun playing with the girls with our Fisher Price farm, puzzles, and books. Both of their daughters drew a picture for our future daughter from China. Lhanze was so cute in wanting our daughter to come already (as are we...) Here is what Lhanze (age 7) drew for our daughter. I'm saving it for when our daughter does come home.

Happy Mother's Day!

Wishing all of us a Happy Mother's Day and a Happy Mommy-To-Be Day! Wishing everyone all the best.

One of the worst months, again...

Well, as usual, it was another horrifically bad month for referrals. ONLY 3 DAYS!! LIDs of January 10 through 12, 2006 got referrals this month. It seems like time to our referral keeps getting stretched out further and further each day. 183 more days worth of log-in dates to go...

Robert's First Solo Flight!

Today is a momentus day... Robert solo'd for his very first time after only 10 or 11 hours of flight instruction. His instructor, Pete, said he was the earliest of all of his students to be ready to solo. He started with a lesson from his instructor and then his instructor left the airplane and he did 4 take-offs and landings with only himself in the airplane. Pete had called me on Friday to let me know that he'd be soloing and for me to secretly be there to witness. Robert didn't know I was there until he had landed after his 4th beautiful landing. He was so happy that I was there to witness this special occasion. He's been wanting to do this since he was a little boy.

Here's a short video clip from his 4th and best landing. Please excuse the poor quality... It was a pretty landing, but hard to see on this clip...



Here's what a husband looks like after a job well done!

Chinese Zodiac Quilt

Well, I've bought all the fabric I need for the sashing, border, and backing of the quilt. Now it's time to sew it. I just love all the squares that I received from my 100 Good Wishes Quilt Group. My mom is going to help me sew it all together. Wish us luck! Neither of us has ever sewn a quilt before... This quilt is going to be her carry around quilt. Later, I'll be working on her twin-sized one. Gotta start one at a time...