The New Vegetarians

Today my eight year old turned vegetarian. She hasn't been eating well lately, so I offer her anything and she turns it down. My anything is a lot of meat though. Today she said she doesn't want to eat anything that had to die to feed her. She was disappointed to find out that pepperoni came from a pig but willing to give that up. She also informed me that being a vegetarian was better for the environment. I know that it is true but I wonder how she did. I'll ask her tomorrow.

I didn't want to encourage or discourage, because unfortunately I have a freezer full of meat! Of course. But if she is going to be a vegetarian I can't eat meat in front of her, that would be quite unsupportive. I was a vegetarian for three years in high school, well until I had Big Mac attack. That Big Mac made me sooo sick, but I figured I couldn't be a hypocrite. Now I am a major carnivore! I just don't think about where the food came from just how it tastes.

I drove her to the farm stand and she picked out green beans, tomatoes, and a potato. She ate the beans and the tomatoes raw in a vege taco and then had mashed potatoes. Later I took her to the supermarket to get nuts and seeds. We'll see what she eats with that. She bought sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, and trail mix. As long as she gets her protein it'll be ok.

Later she talked about being a vegetarian again and said that she didn't want animals to die to feed her because everytime an animal dies a little piece of her dies inside like her cells or veins. I told her veins don't die they just clog up, but cells do die. Beyond that if a little piece of her dies inside now I can NO way eat meat in front of her. I am hoping that I lose some weight not eating meat...

Hooray for the Sea Otters!

The Sea Otter Research and Recovery Act passed in the House this afternoon! Yay! It supports research and recovery for the little otters. Of course now it has to pass the House. If you want to check it out www.seaotters.org. The sea otter is the largest species of the weasel family and the smallest marine mammal. I've never seen one because I've never been to the Pacific, but aren't they cute!

Weird Weather

If you have been in New England this summer you have no doubt about serious climate changes. This has been the weirdest weather ever. Today there was a huge thunderstorm with torrential rain and the sun was out. I still don't even have my air conditioners in the windows and July is almost over. Today it was humid after the storm however, I might have turned it on for a bit if it was in. But we really don't need it. I wonder if it is going to be 100 degrees in September. Who even knows what is going to happen. If the summers are getting cooler that's truly started and the winters are getting warmer it should be a mild winter.

I don't have anything deep to say, I just wish I had an electric car. Don't you feel guilty everytime you drive? I do. And everytime I fill up. Even though it's not $4 a gallon anymore we still use too much gas. I think people stopped caring so much when the price went back down...

Whatever happened to the "Give a Hoot Don't Pollute" owl. The Forest Service should bring him back!

National Health Care gets my vote!

Jimmy Kimmel cracks me up! Did everyone watch our President Obama on health care tonight? He was good, to the point. I believe in national health care myself, while I was on welfare going to college I had Medicaid and it was wonderful. They covered whatever I needed no questions. I didn't have dental care but beggers can't be choosers. Anyway back to Jimmy he says the President gave a brief address tonight. Then they edited the President, "Good evening everyone. I have great health insurance. Good night." And he left the podium. It was a riot. Or maybe I'm just tired...

Sharing is Caring...

Playing Monopoly tonight I learned that my highly competetive daughter is very giving. When she picked a community chest card and received $20 as an income tax return she insisted on splitting it with me. That it so nice. I hope when she is older and files her own taxes she'll split her return with me, ha ha. After all I pretty much split mine with her...

I love Monopoly - where else is my kid going to learn to give change for a $500 bill!

Captain Hogwash...

We Miss You. Captain Hogwash we sincerely miss your wonderful blog. I kept hoping it was just a mistake and you'd be back. No such luck!

Here's hoping that you and yours are all well, safe, and extremely happy. I hope that you have found something so incredible over there in NZ that you don't have time to blog anymore!

Best wishes.

Even at 40 I learn new things!

Today's life lesson - when your cactus is falling - LET IT FALL!!!
Do not catch it!!

Where are those tweezers?

In case you didn't get the President's 4th of July email...

Email from our President -

This weekend, our family will join millions of others in celebrating America. We will enjoy the glow of fireworks, the taste of barbeque, and the company of good friends. As we all celebrate this weekend, let's also remember the remarkable story that led to this day.

Two hundred and thirty-three years ago, our nation was born when a courageous group of patriots pledged their lives, fortunes, and sacred honor to the proposition that all of us were created equal.

Our country began as a unique experiment in liberty -- a bold, evolving quest to achieve a more perfect union. And in every generation, another courageous group of patriots has taken us one step closer to fully realizing the dream our founders enshrined on that great day.

Today, all Americans have a hard-fought birthright to a freedom which enables each of us, no matter our views or background, to help set our nation's course. America's greatness has always depended on her citizens embracing that freedom -- and fulfilling the duty that comes with it.

As free people, we must each take the challenges and opportunities that face this nation as our own. As long as some Americans still must struggle, none of us can be fully content. And as America comes ever closer to achieving the perfect Union our founders dreamed, that triumph -- that pride -- belongs to all of us.

So today is a day to reflect on our independence, and the sacrifice of our troops standing in harm's way to preserve and protect it. It is a day to celebrate all that America is. And today is a time to aspire toward all we can still become.

With very best wishes,

President Barack Obama

July 4th, 2009

P.S. -- Our nation's birthday is also an ideal time to consider serving in your local community. You can find many great ideas for service opportunities near you at http://www.serve.gov.

Happy 4th of July

I hope everyone had a great fourth of July. Happy Birthday America. My fourth was quite shitty, literally - I stepped in dog crap at my girlfriends wonderful party so I took off my flip flop and I was good. Then I stepped in another landmine and guess what, um no shoe on - squish. And it got on my pants cuff, gross. So I had to borrow pants and flops. Man. The rest of the party and fireworks was fine.

When I got home however there was a huge dead bluejay on my welcome mat. Welcome my ass. I screamed like a girl, for lack of a better expression, three times. I had almost stepped on that, that goodness I didn't. Damn cat, what the hell that pisses me off. The natural cycle is not excuse either because she didn't eat it. I guess it was a present but I could have lived without it. I hope all of this wasn't a bad omen, and the blue jay on the mat hasn't but a pox on my house!

I did get to see my ex-fiance and that went well, and someone I loved and haven't seen in ten years. And I was so proud and happy. So I am blessed for that and shit on every other way.

I hope everyone's fourth wasn't as crappy as mine! My jeans are soaking in the sink, off to the laundrymat tomorrow... Good night.

Wow it's been a whole month, sorry... Cookie Alert!

If you've seen me in person you may be able to tell by my stylish physical form, hee hee, that YES I am on Nestle tollhouse's email list. Of course! In case you aren't I wanted every one to know that they are recalling their refrigerated cookie dough because of e-coli. This stuff is so great for moms. Everyone thinks you baked all day but you didn't. Here is a copy of what they emailed to me:

We want to keep you informed of the latest information regarding the situation with NESTLÉ® TOLL HOUSE® Refrigerated Cookie Dough. Nestlé continues to work closely and in full cooperation with the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on its ongoing investigation. Unfortunately, on Monday, June 29, Nestlé was informed by the FDA that it confirmed evidence of E. coli 0157:H7 in a sample of our refrigerated cookie dough (for more details please see our press release on www.VeryBestBaking.com). We are very concerned about those who have become ill from E. coli, and deeply regret that this has occurred.

Nestlé was first made aware of the FDA and Centers for Disease Control (CDC) investigation late Wednesday, June 17. Less than 24 hours later, we made the decision to voluntarily withdraw all of our retail NESTLÉ® TOLL HOUSE® Refrigerated Cookie Dough from the marketplace because the safety of our customers has always been and will continue to be our number one priority. We announced the voluntary recall on Friday morning, June 19.

As we have stated before, you can rest assured that no other NESTLÉ® TOLL HOUSE® products are impacted, including already baked NESTLÉ® TOLL HOUSE® cookies purchased outside the home, all varieties of NESTLÉ® TOLL HOUSE® morsels, chocolate baking bars, or cocoa, and Dreyer's and Edy's ice cream products with NESTLÉ® TOLL HOUSE® cookie dough ingredients.

We are asking that if you have any unused NESTLÉ® TOLL HOUSE® refrigerated cookie dough at home that you return it to your local grocer for a refund. I would also like to ask you for your support by helping us spread the word to your friends and family and remind them that raw cookie dough should not be eaten.

Please visit VeryBestBaking.com for regular updates or contact Nestlé Consumer Services with questions at 1-800-559-5025. I will continue to send you updates as we learn more.

*Did you see that they don't want you eating raw cookie dough. I say well then don't make it, because it is delicious! Although now that I have matured, a little tiny bit, I do not take a spoon to the whole raw roll and eat it anymore! Ha ha, those were the days.

I have taken my stand for the cookie, don't abandon the toll house, just make your own!