Family Christmas

The infectious joy of children's laughter. The thundering herd of little feet. Wails of tiredness & lack of ability to share. Attempting to remember a recipe for coconut cream refrigerator pie I'd never made before and brought all of the ingredients but forgot the instructions. The mystery of the disasppearing pillows. Watching the dog try to figure out how to smell the parakeet and the parakeet totally ignoring him. Yummy broccoli and cauliflower and cheese and sour cream and cracker casserole. Peach and blueberry galette. Sinking up to the tops of my shoes in the mud pit that used to be the front lawn. Visiting with my sister and my mom. Discovering that two family pets didn't live through the Christmas Season, and how sad their families are. The surreal scene of my BIL surrounded by people and food and festivities but talking over a headset with World of Warcraft players online. Listening to adults try to figure out how to text on a cell phone. Sympathizing with my Lovely Sister who has to write 4 20 page assessments (among other arduous requirements) to qualify for a national certification in her specialty.

Nickel Roast

First, let me pat myself on the back for making up a menu and a shopping list before going grocery shopping. Second, a gold star for remembering to bring the lists to the store. Let the story begin.

Last Sunday after church the kids and I went grocery shopping. Around and around we went (not in our usual store & so we played seek & find) crossing off as we discovered things. In the meat department I start digging through the pork roasts and pull one out of the back. Startled by a little green button I take a closer look. Only to discover the roast is priced at .05~ Yes that's right. A 4-5 pound pork roast for one nickel. The green button turned out to be a pop up thermometer.

Naturally I couldn't believe my eyes. So Younger Son took the roast to a price check scanner, which merely said "priced as marked." At the check out my clerk was all of 17, if you're generous, and didn't pay a half a wit's attention to the price of our precious roast. Which did indeed ring up for one American Nickel. Amazed and afraid the grocery store police would chase me across the parking lot accusing me of theft, I bundled My Precious into the car, kids too, and rushed home.

Tonight our little Nickel Roast was braised in apple cider in the crock pot. Delicious.

Thursday 13 @29- Observations about Germany

Brought to you by Daughter, newly returned from Munich and Berlin Sunday evening. Please keep in mind, Daughter is 15 & this is her first trip outside the U.S. Click here to read my previous post about Daughter's trip.

Thursday 13 is a regular feature on Technorati whose purpose is to enable bloggers to get to know each other better. Leave a link to your 13 in the comments and I will link to you here. Click link in title above to see a list of other Thursday 13 participants.

1. The ice cream is much, much better than ice cream here- even Ben & Jerry's. Favorites are mango and tropical.

2. Veal blood sausage is gross. *Mom aside: Daughter is pretty much vegetarian anyhow, but apparently this came as part of a meal*

3. America is filthy. Germany sparkles. *Mom again: The Graduate said this about Scotland too. It would seem that we're pretty much the armpit of the industialized world as far as litter and general cleanliness goes.*

4. There is quite a bit of green space within the city limits & it's easy to feel like you've escaped into the countryside.

5. More people use bikes or walk or take public transit than in the U.S.

6. Every *Mom- EVERY??* department store has a food store in the bottom.

7. The hostels were very clean and don't deserve the "dirty" reputation they have. * I think she means hostels in general, not German hostels specifically*

8. Schnitzel is excellent as is German macaroni and cheese. *I told you she'd figure out how to ask for macaroni and cheese while she was there!!*

9. Fresh cheese and bread are the best way to begin a meal.

10. Minerwasser is everywhere.

11. Nuclear bunkers are very claustrophobic and dark. Not to mention scary.

12. Always sleep on a 9 hour flight.

13. German subways are much more efficient than ours. *DUH!*

Family fun

Played Super Scrabble with the kids tonight. 2+ hours and we still hadn't hit the bottom of the letter bag. Hubby & Son #2 were a team and the rest of us were on our own. We had a great time. The hubster made ham and beans with fresh hot biscuits- YUM!

I've been sorting out my reading stats for the year. I'm planning to do at least one post of 4th quarter stats (Oct-Dec) plus a post of annual stats, maybe more. Depends on how creative I can get. One more book and I'm one over the 2005 annual count. Not sure I can make it, though. It'll be down to the wire!

This N That

Husband has brought home homemade bulgogi. Absolutely my favorite stuff. A lady who works with him loves him to bits & knows we LOVE authentic Korean bulgogi. Also- potstickers and kimbap (Seaweed rolls). Anyhow, Ms. Shin makes us pounds of this stuff every year at Christmas, God love her. So we've all pigged out.

It's rained all day. It turns the traffic horrider (yes, that's my new word). Two fatal accidents in our area. SUV drivers are the worst. Them and the young ones who like to weave in and out at high speed in those teeny rigged out imports. Stupid fools.

Half our Christmas lights are out. Can't figure out what the problem is except that maybe the rain has gotten into the wiring. Dunno. They're the LED lights we bought last year, darn it. Naturally the older cheap ones are fine.

What else? Finished Kushiel's Scion last night. I'll post my thoughts tomorrow if I find the time.

New Obsession

Pomegranates. Is it possible I've survived to my advanced age without pomegranates? My Husband will tell you- I much prefer fruits to vegetable anyday- everyday. I remember eating them with friends early in high school, but not after that. Last week the kids and I were grocery shopping & they had no idea what they were. So I bought two. Opened them and seeded them and..the little monsters wouldn't eat them. "We'd rather just buy Pom, mom. It's easier." Uh, no it isn't. I've had several more since then. They're yummy & delicious & scarlet & I don't have to share them! except with Husband.




by ahalevy


by 854847


by 854847

New Discovery

If you go to Maili's her header had a white kitty wearing a fruit cut up in the shape of a helmet on its head. Turns out an astute reader told us it is a fruit called a pummelo.

While out shopping Black Friday I happened to stop in my favorite Asian/Latino grocer. Lo and behold, they had a big display of pummelos. I remembered Maili's photo and bought one. For curiosity's sake it was 20" in circumference and weighed 2 pounds 12 ounces and was a uniform medium lime green. After peeling the extremely thick rind, nearly an inch in places, it proved to be a giant green replica of red grapefruit.

Very yummy & a wonderful breakfast. Most likely excellent cut in half and baked with honey drizzled all over (my favorite way to eat a grapefruit).