The Prez came to MY town!!!!!!!!!

How very exciting that President Bush was in my little town yesterday. Chris said he even saw Air Force One fly over Notre Dame.
Actually, the only interesting thing I took from the news of his fundraising visit was the salsa recipe he apparently enjoys:

"GRANGER -- U.S. Rep. Chris Chocola just thinks he's the reason President Bush comes to St. Joseph County so often. The president's fascination with visiting here actually may have more to do with his taste for Astrid Domenick's "Don't Mess With Texas Salsa."
As everyone knows by now, the president will be at Bethel College in Mishawaka today to campaign for Chocola, R-2nd. It's the president's SEVENTH visit to the Michiana area in as many years.


Don't Mess With Texas Salsa

2 lbs. tomatoes, boiled, peeled and cored
1/2 large white onion, chopped
4 medium jalapeño peppers, toasted, peeled, seeds removed and chopped
2 small, red serrano peppers, chopped (optional)
3 tsp. minced garlic
1/4 tsp. black pepper
1/2 tsp. ground cumin
1/4 tsp. finely chopped cilantro
3 tsp. sea salt
1/4 cup olive oil

Chop the tomatoes in a blender. Sauté the onions, garlic and peppers in olive oil until cooked down a bit. Put the tomatoes in a stock pot. Add the cumin, salt, black pepper and cilantro to the tomatoes. Add the sautéed onion, garlic and peppers. Simmer for three hours to concentrate the flavor and reduce the acidity of the tomatoes. Garnish with fresh cilantro. Serve warm.

I may just have to make this and serve it at our party next week......I don't think I'll invite George doubl-yaa, though

My dog

 

Here is Maggs on her "baby" blanket with her pink Teddy Bear. She is such a girly dog! And her report card from doggie day care today said "I love how Maggie sits so pretty for her treats". 

Poll

 

Cast your vote for which onsie the kid wears home from the hospital!!! Outfits were a generous gift from joh3n and WHN 

Summer thoughts

 

Just thinking this picture of green grass, the sun on the lake, and that shiny red tractor might just brighten a dreary February day! 

Great Day

I resisted eating a piece of the yucky left-over V-day cake we had at work and so I didn't have a sugar crash this afternoon, had the confidence to tell the front desk people to reschedule my last patient because she was 25 minutes late and I wanted to leave on time tonight to get home to poor Maggs (we are sans Chris this week), got home in 29 minutes tonight instead of 30 minutes, it was still light out when I got home so I took Maggs for a walk through the Res woods. AND the smoking ban in our county just passed! Welcome to the 21st century, South Bend!
>>SOUTH BEND -- The St. Joseph County Council voted Tuesday to override the county commissioners' veto of an anti-smoking ordinance, but promised to meet soon to begin addressing a variety of concerns that have undermined the popularity of the measure....When it goes into effect April 10, the measure will ban smoking in restaurants and most other public places, including stores, shopping malls sports arenas and stadiums.Bars and private clubs would be exempt from the measure.As it currently reads, the measure would ban smoking in private businesses, including in break rooms and designated smoking rooms.That provision will likely be among the first to be addressed, although there is plenty of time for the council to act, as the measure gives businesses a one-year phase-in period from the effective date of the ordinance.


I guess it's the little joys in life that get us through all the other stuff....don't get me started on those things!!!

Olympics

Has anyone else been trying to watch the Olympics? I used to love watching them but have been disappointed and bored with it so far...except for the men's cross-country ski race on Sunday. First....why does Michelle Kuan get so much press? I suppose because she draws so many people to watch the sport...but really, it's not too surprising she had to drop out. Don't quite understand why she went in the first place and not quite so sure why it's so tragic that she "didn't get a gold". She's had her time in the lime light and did pretty darn good for herself. Be happy with that and move on. Second, WHY DO THEY SHOW SO MUCH OF THE DARN SNOWBOARDING. What a totally boring "sport". Isn't it more of an Xgames sport or am I just dating myself? Ugh....perhaps I like the summer olympics more...swimming, gymnastics, soccer, etc. I think I'll go do my yoga video and then call it a night.

No topic in particular

I just went to my midwife appointment.....I gained 7 lbs in just under 3 weeks! WHOA!!! Can anyone else top that one???? No wonder I'm feeling a bit like a Moose these days...

Home visiting family and friends this past weekend. Chris gave a talk at the U and we went to a GBS concert Friday night. They played at the Fitzgerald theater which is a very odd place for them to play (this is the same theater where I saw Prairie Home Companion as a kid---didn't like it at all! We were glad GBS didn't invite Garrison to sing with them...). We've seen them all over the country (they just happen to play in areas where we have been...Baltimore, Madison, San Diego, Amherst, Mpls). Everywhere else we've seen them has been in a small venue..more like a bar-with-band type place. First time we've ever had seats. Ours were just extra chairs set up on the side and the floor was slanted...so we had to be a bit careful! I was, however, thankful to have a chair for most of it. The first half was more of the serious slow stuff and the second half was the faster festive stuff. It was, all in all, a great concert. Last time we saw them in San Diego they were pretty blah...

Hung out with the niece and nephew...they are hilarious. M said to me "Boy, it must take you a long time to count your freckles when you are in the bathtub". She said she has 23. I told her I bet I have 23 just on my right forearm! Bones decided our kid should be named Sherlock...and had us sign a petition in support of that. Chris wouldn't sign..so Bones whispered to him "I'll babysit if you sign this". Also saw a Great Horned Owl in the backyard. Heard him hooting at night, too. That was cool!!

Back to grindstone here in Michiana....still no snow to ski...sigh....

This weekend is full of projects. But also some fun. We are going to YAPPY HOUR at Maggie's doggie daycare/boarding place. Great news...looks like their webcam is now working! Hilarious!!! Also going to the Carbon Leaf concert at ND Saturday night. DOesn't start until 10pm...I forget how late things start at college!!! I'll have to take a nap. GBS and Carbon Leaf are probably the only bands we keep up with these days...pretty cool that we get to go to both concerts in the same month