Not the America I know

Today, a 22 year old man shot Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords and about 17 other people as she met with her constituents in Tuscon. 6 people are dead, including a 9-year-old girl and a federal judge.

Is this really what we've come to? We shoot the people who don't agree with us?!?

I have never heard of Congresswoman Giffords before today. From what I can tell, she's a moderate Democrat who just won a hard-fought re-election campaign against a Tea Party candidate. She is the only member of Congress who is married to an active member of the U.S. military.

I remember being taught in government class how the peaceful, orderly transfer of power in the United States of America after an election was amazing in the 18th and early 19th century. You didn't barricade yourself in the White House, refusing to yield power. You didn't send an army after your opponent. You lost the election, you packed up your shit and went home. You wrote your memoirs, hit the lecture circuit, set up a library. That's the way we do things in America.

The media has been hotly debating the role of hateful, violent rhetoric from the folks on the political Right.  (Disclaimer: I am a bleeding-heart liberal Democrat) Sarah Palin had Ms. Giffords congressional district "in the cross-hairs". Giffords office was vandalized after the health care vote in March. Giffords Tea Party opponent apparently had invited people at a rally to shoot an automatic weapon. The ugly phrase, "don't retreat, reload!" has been heard.

It seems to me the shooting of a Congresswoman, and the murder of a little girl, amply demonstrates this atmosphere of violent speech against political opponents has gone way too far. That's not the way we do things in America.

Blind Date

During our visit to the Pastors Dodge for New Year's Eve, I met with Elizabeth the Amazing, my potential cooking student. People were all freakin' out that I invited a complete stranger to my house, where my children live, just because I freaked out that she couldn't cook. Honestly, I couldn't see what the big deal was. But I try to respect the opinions of my nearest and dearest, so I emailed Elizabeth about hooking up.

We made plans to meet for lunch on New Year's Eve in Brentwood. As I arrived at the Tavern, there was one, tiny lady with glossy dark hair near the hostess desk. I figured this must be my date. She was dressed beautifully, in black and grey, wearing a vintage-looking rhinestone collar I'd have killed for in my musical theater days. I was dressed in what I like to call "wine country chic". (Incidentally, "wine country chic" looks a lot like "housewife frump")  I wore denim trousers, a casual sweater and my cowboy boots. With pearl earrings, to provide the "chic".

We said our smiling hellos, and I promptly hugged her. I felt very tall.

We sat at our corner booth for two and a half hours, yapping away. It probably took us at least 45 minutes just to order, because we were so busy talking. My classiest moment came when taking my first bite into my "Grand Fromage" sandwich (grilled asiago and prosciutto - yum!) Naturally, a large slice of the proscuitto slid out and dangled from my teeth onto my chin. Deciding that spitting it out onto the plate would be tacky, I used several fingers to stuff it into my already full mouth. Yep, that's me; elegant and posh in every way. (If this had been an actual first date, I'm quite certain there wouldn't have been a second....) Elizabeth graciously declined to notice, bless her.

After a couple of hours, Miles appeared. Apparently, he'd been trying to contact me and concluded, correctly, that I was ignoring him. He walked into the restaurant, said hello, and told me it was time to go, Johan was parked in the red zone. I reluctantly tore myself away. Elizabeth walked out to meet the little girls and Johan and as we said our goodbyes, I hugged her again.

Having met Elizabeth, I feel pretty confident about my safety and that of my children when she comes to get her cooking lesson. For one thing, I've got about 5 inches, 70 pounds and 15 years on her. Pretty sure I could her take if it came to fisticuffs.

Christmas recap

We did things a little different this year.

We relaxed.

As a family, we agreed to cut back this year, to not indulge in a frenzy of consumerism. Still, nine people plus just a couple of gift each from each person still makes for a heap of packages under the tree.

Miles and I did not stay up 'til all hours on Christmas Eve wrapping gifts. We were in bed (with a glass of champagne!) by 11pm. And since Cameron was at his mom's house*, we got to sleep in until 8am.

We leisurely opened some gifts, then packed up our show and headed to SLO.

By the late afternoon, we had all run out of gas. Even the dog.

*Cameron was up at 4am, trying to convince his mom it was time to open gifts.

Troubles with the Wee Folk

In the last week, I've had three major and one minor appliance either die or give me trouble.

First, and most aggravating, my furnace died on Christmas Day. My only-three-year-old, new furnace. The repair guy was stunned to discover a dead motor. "I've never had to replace one. Ever!" Of course, he promptly ordered one, but due to Christmas backlog in the shipping biz, it won't arrive until Thursday. Possibly Friday.

One week, in the winter, with no heat. I am not happy. OK, I know it's a California winter. Not that big a deal, right? But it gets damn cold in the house. 52 degrees ain't my favorite temperature for a living room!

Next up, my dryer wouldn't dry. I had a just few pieces of warm clothing in there, I was still in my flannel jammies and long johns keeping warm while waiting, and after an hour and a half, they clothes were still wet. The girls were driving me up the wall and the dryer thing sent me over the edge. Miles heard the shrieks of frustration from down in the Bat Cave. He came up, laid on hands and, presto! The damn dryer began to work. I'm certain he think this was an ID10T problem.

Next day, I'm pulling the rest of that load of laundry out of the washer and loading it into my resurrected dryer. There was a long tablecloth I was pulling out, when the dripping wet end flew out and smacked me in the face with icy water.  All the clothes in the washer were dripping wet. I abandoned the laundry and went to hide under the covers to have a good cry. Incidentally, Miles has used the thing since and it works just fine for him.

Which brings us to today. Today, my Kitchen Aid mixer started having issues. First, it was making a rattling noise. I discovered a loose screw and tightened it up. After which, the lowest speed wouldn't work and the next lowest setting worked at the highest speed. After getting a face full of flour, I turned the blasted thing off and stomped down to the Bat Cave and flung myself into Miles' comfy chair with a snarl.

"What?!?"

"My Kitchen Aid is broken!"

"No!!!"

Clearly, I have offended some celestial being or, maybe, the Little People. I'm gonna leave bread and milk outside the the back door to try to appease them. Also, I plan to throw salt over my left shoulder. Then I will find my holey stone and keep it in my pocket to keep the bad fairies away.

Ironic note: The furnace was repaired and now we're too warm.

Cruelly ironic note: Upon returning from LA after New Year's, the furnace is out again.

You be the judge

So, we're having our Annual Tree Trimming Party this weekend. I've been working out what I'm gonna feed all my eager decorating elves and I have a question to put to you, my devoted readers.

I'm seriously considering making a molded jello salad, a recipe of my Gram's she used to make for parties.

Is that lame, or coolly retro?

Addendum: I made "Zippy Ruby Salad". Grandma Nettie's recipe.

I just couldn't help myself

At choir practice. A rather loud soprano mistake.

Me: "That was me. Dotted half-note, check."

A tenor: "Admit nothing! Deny everything!"

Me: "But I'm not a Republican."

Entire choir: "Oooooooh...."

I may have done something slightly crazy, part 2

Where was I?

Ah, yes. The lady I don't know, with the starving 10 year-old daughter, whom I invited to my house.

Elizabeth wrote about our email exchanges regarding my offer here.  We also made plans to meet for lunch somewhere in LA, when Miles and I are visiting the Dodges' at New Year's. You know, so I can meet her and make certain she's not an ax-murderer who will attempt to slaughter my children, steal my good silver or BBQ my cat.

So, she's coming sometime in February for Jen's Cooking Survival School - the Emergency Version. I have grand plans running around my head which involve a cookbook, with LOTS of room for notes and a really obnoxious apron. (I'll show her to threaten me with ugly garden statuary!) Now I just have to figure out exactly what I should teach her.

Here's my criteria:

• Recipes should be basic and not involve complicated techniques, like flambe or juggling.
• Recipes should not "re-invent the wheel". She can buy a salad at Trader Joe's.
• Results should be able to be used in more than one dish.
• Result should be reasonably nutritional.

Any suggestions, people?