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  • 2010
    • September
      • Could "Vampires Suck" Suck Any Harder
        09/03/10
        With high hopes I crammed a bag of wasabi peas in my pocketbook and hustled off to the local cinema to see the movie "Vampires Suck" tonight. We don't often splash out hard-earned cash to visit the cinema, so this was to be an occasion, or so we hoped.


        Image courtesy

    • August
      • Amusing Japanese Inventions
        08/20/10
        Amusingly serious Japanese inventions.

      • Vacation!
        08/19/10
        We took a little last minute vacation to St Pete Beach, Florida, and found it really nice. Friends living there warned us against the trip saying it was too hot. I told them we live in Texas. It's humid. We live in Texas. We went anyway. I'm sure it isn't normal for there to be squall

    • July
      • Indian Grocery, Indian Food
        07/25/10
        Okay, I suppose those might follow one another for many. Although I had been to the Indian grocery before to pick up good deals on certain spices, I'd never made Indian food. I'd been watching each new item posted on a great cooking instructional site, and don't worry I'll wait w

    • June
      • More Japanese Anime Fun and a Trip to Killeen
        06/14/10
        The excitement from the Anime convention is winding down now. Lots of pictures from A-kon showing up on flickr, facebook, and youtube slideshows. Still no luck finding a picture of my daughter in her Will of Abyss we idiotically did not take a picture of. At least 20 people stopped her in her first

      • Cowboy Bebop Home on the Range
        06/09/10
        Had a wonderful weekend at A-kon Anime convention. If you haven't been, Anime conventions are like Halloween for grown-ups and older teens, the extended version. To start with, they last all weekend. There is music, dancing, and a special type of dance called "ParaPara".

        P

    • May
      • Japan Itinerary
        05/17/10
        I think this is as good as it will get.

        Day 1 - Arrive Narita Airport, pick up Suica / N'ex pack, swap exchange order purchased in advance for the JR Rail Pass, take train to Tokyo, check into hotel (Shinjuku), Takashimaya Department Store across the street from Shinjuku Station'

      • Planning Japan Itinerary
        05/10/10
        Planning an itinerary sounds so much easier than it has turned out to be. I suppose it would help if we didn't have three people with vastly differing tastes, and on top of that at least one of us wants to SEE IT ALL! hrm. I finally hunted around for suggested walks on travel sites and travele

      • Getting Serious About Japan
        05/09/10
        Yup, time to get serious about a trip to Japan. No, we aren't going that soon, but we want to see well...everything! We've been reading about Japan and learning bits of Japanese. Ok, so daughter has learned a lot of Japanese and I can say hello, ask about the restroom, and read the typical

      • Vegetarian Moroccan Eggplant
        05/08/10
        Looking for something with a bit of kick to use the eggplant that has been in the fridge since I got that late-night call to rush down as my daughter's water had broken, I reached back to my earlier Moroccan Lamb Meatballs and made this:



        Too bad we don't have smell-o

      • How Sugar Affects You and Your Diet
        05/08/10
        Found a great youtube posting of Robert H. Lustig, MD, UCSF Professor of Pediatrics in the Division of Endocrinology's discussion of how fructose and fiber are affecting us. He's got a great explanation of how too much sugar and too little fiber is driving the average 25 pound weight gain

      • ***NEWS ***
        05/07/10
        A week ago Thursday night my phone rang with the news my daughter was in labor. Friday morning we welcomed my first grandchild. I've been staying with my daughter and her hubby all week, ostensibly to help her out. -*wink*- In actuality, I've spent the week whispering little hints to the l

    • April
      • French News - Bye Bye Burka
        04/29/10


        This picture, from popular English-language news channel France24, highlights an issue that is causing a lot of fuss just now in France and Belgium. Both countries are seeking to ban the burka from public spaces, although the King of Belgium seems to have succeeded in halting the push in

      • There She Blows!
        04/29/10
        I don't know how many have been following the explosion of the oil rig out in the Gulf of Mexico. Based on my last visit to south Texas beaches, the last thing they need is more slimey substances in the water. And then there is the toll on wildlife to consider. It does make one wonder if we sho

      • Moroccan Lamb Meatballs
        04/21/10
        I used to think I would not like lamb. I have no real idea where I got that notion, I'd never had lamb. Then someone served me roast leg of lamb with young vegetables and I enjoyed it.

        I was a bit nervous of trying Moroccan or Indian food. Some of the ingredients I had never come acr

      • Seafood Feast Success
        04/19/10
        Today was a good day. I really thought it was starting out to be an annoying day as I had to run to the grocery for one ingredient for the shrimp bisque planned for dinner. I decided to get it over early and ran by the grocery after the early morning chauffeuring run to school, and it turned into my

      • New Favorite Seasoning ~ Ponzu~
        04/18/10
        I have a new favorite seasoning called Ponzu Sauce. I saw it in the grocery while looking for the sweet thickened soy that is made with the remains from making palm sugar and soy sauce. I noticed it because of the lemon on the label, probably because I was at that time trying to keep in mind I neede

      • I've been a very bad Gertie
        04/14/10
        and failed to post in much too long!

        I have a hall pass of sorts, however. Between helping my lovely, now nine months pregnant daughter get moved, the wonderful massive case of allergies I picked up when picking her up in Georgia, and getting the garden rolling out front, I've been a

    • March
      • Sometimes it's a good idea...
        03/20/10
        To read hubby's blog. Yeah I know, bad Gertie! You haven't been reading it all along? In my defense, he doesn't really update all that often. Like me, it tends to come in fits and starts. Lots of times he tells me when he has updated it. Or, to be more precise, he crows it from the ro

      • I wonder if it comes in fish flavor.....
        03/19/10
        ???



        Sadly for me, you have to go to Oz to find out. -*emosadface*-

      • A little Music to Set the Tone
        03/18/10
        Just a few things I came across in my wanders.



        and this one I am sorry to say I do not know how to embed, but you can take a peek and enjoy it anyway. :)

      • Joining a Movement
        03/02/10
        I tend to not be hugely a joiner. Some have intimated this is because I am so independent, and perhaps it is part of the story, but I find I am particularly disinclined to join on the internet because they want you to blithely hand them a pile of personal information for the privilege. As a blogger

    • February
      • Manners and Language in France
        02/26/10
        Recently on several of the travel forums I like to visit, there has been a lot of discussion regarding manners and how one is treated if one attempts to speak French in France. I think a lot of this "the French are rude" is more truthfully misunderstanding at work between those of us visit

      • The Difficulty is....
        02/24/10
        Me. Muse. Whatever you wish to call it. Sometimes the words come, while I am cleaning or as I am working on other things. Other times, it's like trying to dig with a toothpick in solid rock. Prying out a piece seems impossible. It isn't that nothing is happening. Just that I don't kno

      • Paris Free and Cheap
        02/04/10
        Just a compiled list.

        Nothing says Paris like Fashion and attending one of the weekly fashion shows at the Paris Galleries Lafayette department store (grand magasin) is free. They are held each Friday at 3 p.m. Reservations required so e-mail or tel. +33 [0]1 42 82 36 40.

        The M

    • January
      • Paris Poulet Roti à la Sunshine
        01/31/10
        One of the hardest things for me is to come up with ideas for what to cook for dinner. Tonight I can thank a wonderful cook, Sunshine, for this recipe which she posted on OurParisforum.com recently.




        This recipe originates in the Joy of Cooking, and is very adaptive. I c

      • How Bad Can It Get?
        01/31/10
        Evidently pretty bad. As if it weren't bad enough, they're shoving a McDonald's under the Louvre. I wasn't thrilled there was a shopping mall under there, but this really adds insult to injury. I find it so sad we're managing to export our worst traits. McDonald's, Star

      • On Loosing my Mind and Other Trips
        01/30/10
        Although my diagnoses is unlikely to carry much weight, seeing as it is a self-diagnosis, I believe I have irretrievably lost it. Maybe it's writer's block. Sometimes I read the blogs of others and wonder how they can be so courageous, writing out for all to see their hopes, fears, humilia

      • Baybe it's COLD
        01/28/10
        I like the cold weather. When it turns cold outside, the warmth in the office here is just right. When it turns warmer, the heat from the computers and such makes it just that little bit stuffy. No one wants to exercise in a stuffy room. The only thing I am really disliking are the gray skies. Hard

      • Oh to be in Paris!
        01/27/10
        Lately I find myself drawn to pages about Paris. Perhaps I can blame it all on Gitte and her wonderful stories of her trips in that city. For shame, tempting me with tales of wonderful meals and beautiful, sunny days roaming and exploring! -*makes tisking sound between teeth*- What shall we do with

      • Great Book - Paris on a Budget
        01/22/10
        Paris is a wonderful place, but can be expensive. I recently came across a wonderful book which amazingly tells of some great free things to do in the city. I can't wait to use it on our next trip! Thanks to Kay for the email suggesting it. And even if I never make it back, this book can take y

      • Dreaming of Paris
        01/22/10
        I dream of Paris sometimes. Odd, that a city half way around the globe could enthrall me that way. I went with my daughter on my first visit. As we looked out the windows of the train from Charles de Gaulle airport, everything about the place looked different. Like nothing we had ever seen before, a

      • Watch out for Malevolent Stationary Bikes
        01/20/10
        It stands there, lying in wait. Mocking me with the seeming innocence of line and function only a malevolent spirit can achieve. Look at it. I know. You don't see it, not until it is too late does it reveal what it has in store, waiting with a Machiavellian insouciance for me to climb astride.

      • Shopping for A GREAT Deal
        01/15/10
        So I've been shopping for a great deal on a trip to somewhere romantic for our anniversary. With all this whining about lack of tourists, one might think really great deals would be out there. Unfortunately, it doesn't seem to be true. At least not traveling from around here. I checked up

      • What to Cook
        01/15/10
        Sometimes it's so hard to come up with something to cook. I find at times despite the boredom I feel a twinge of envy for the cook who serves always the same thing on the same night. If it is chicken casserole, it must be Tuesday. At least they never feel like an artist absent their muse. Of co

      • Packing for Your Trip
        01/14/10
        Seems like everyone has their own ideas about perfection in packing, and I think I have tried every one of them. When I was a young woman and got sent on a few business trips, I tried rolling. You can fit a lot, but it seemed to cause a lot of wrinkling in some items. Basically, if your item was low

      • Romance
        01/13/10
        Ahhhhh Romance! Conversation this morning turned to anniversary plans, and now I am left wondering what would constitute a "Romantic" holiday. Certainly there are the obvious. Fancy dinner, a stay in some secluded Bed and Breakfast or boutique inn, or perhaps a trip to Paris, Venice, or so

      • Brie has a nose and don't you touch it!
        01/10/10
        The brie police will get you if you do!

        Seriously, what is the nose on brie? I was just reading up on some French etiquette pages and they mention the height of bad manners is cutting the nose off brie. Odd, the brie I purchase is round. I don't see anything like a nose but hey, it&#

      • So that's Spinning
        01/10/10




        Can I ride behind the hot hunk? Wha? I'm just askin!

      • Preparations and Exercise
        01/09/10
        Been looking at the calendar and realizing we're looking at a lot of activity in the next year. At least one trip is certain, Georgia for the birth of the first grandchild (be sure to razz Restil about being a gramps), and more trips are hoped for. Finally decided I have to get into shape for a

      • Who Can Resist the Chocolate Mousse?
        01/07/10


        Certainly not I! =)

      • Food Again! Oh no!
        01/07/10
        While of course it seems obvious, I had hoped my rice and cheese would manage to hit that same spot as homemade mac and cheese. When I took it from the oven, I knew already I had lost. Though it smelled cheesy and good, rice just smells different than noodles. There, I said it! It was, of course, de

      • Homemade Mac and Cheese
        01/05/10
        I've never made homemade mac and cheese. I know homemade mac and cheese is out there, but I grew up in a boxed mac and cheese world. Somehow it is one of those odd things I never really thought about. When you say the words "mac and cheese" it just conjures up that brilliant orange pl

      • Paris Dreaming
        01/05/10
        There's been a lot made lately of the drop in travel and how that is affecting prices. Just for grins, I put in some of my favorite destinations on a few of the travel websites. Imagine my surprise when I located a spring break week in Paris on one of them for only $925 each for myself, DH, and

      • Success! Escargot stuffing stuffed chicken breasts are a hit!
        01/05/10
        The chicken breasts I made stuffed with escargot stuffing were a great success. The family ate all I made and begged for more! What I ended up doing was sort of butterflying chicken breasts, then I smashed them out a bit between two pieces of plastic wrap. I put equal amounts yellow onion, escargot,

      • Travel on my mind.
        01/02/10
        With the recent cheaper airfare, travel has been on my mind. Too bad I am not rich enough to take major advantage! I've been reading up on Paris of the beaten path and looking over information on Tokyo. I had heard it was cheaper to rent apartments and ryokan stays on Japanese language websites

  • 2009
    • December
      • Success!
        12/17/09
        The fall play has come and gone, and was a resounding success, despite troubles with the rigging for the flying bicycle. Had a great time helping out at the high school, and found out though no trip is planned for this year, next year they will be traveling to Scotland. Had such a wonderful time in

      • Christmas is coming!
        12/15/09
        GaaaaaH!

        I have come to fear the Christmas shopping. It's not the crowds, or the prices, or anything intrinsic to that end of the matter. No, it's the selection of what to purchase. One would think having a grip on the general favorite activities of the parties involved would ma

      • Christmas is coming!
        12/13/09
        The goose is getting fat!

        I've been wondering why our use of foodstuffs has changed so much over the years. I saw a TV show where they went to some of the historical homes around Washington, DC, and one of them had a traditional Christmas dinner where they invite the wealthy who supp

    • October
      • What's New, Recipes, Cooking Plans, and the Holidays
        10/25/09
        So it's been a while. Getting ready for Thanksgiving now, things are pretty calm. For those lacking interest in babies (my daughter is expecting), travel, the odd silliness, or recipes...get out now! Run! -*chuckle*-

        Still here? Well, you're probably bored enough to try the Ball

    • July
      • There and Back
        07/12/09
        Went to Tokyo in Tulsa anime con and must say it was an extraordinary experience. Overall, the whole thing was well done. Lots of activities suitable for the younger set at all hours. Nothing like wearing them down well for the parents to make it a good weekend for all. I overheard more than once th

    • May
      • Anime and Conventions
        05/14/09
        In preparation for the trip to Japan, we thought we'd take a look at one of these "Japanese Culture Festivals" commonly held in the US, better known as an Anime-Con. Nothing says Utaku like spending a whole entire weekend immersed in anime and manga dressed in a costume hanging out in

      • Hm What about a Forum?
        05/11/09
        Ooooooooo! Did someone mention forums? I think forums would be a great addition to what we're already doing here. I'd like to devote an entire section to forum games! hehehe Hijack my thread! The Person Above! and perhaps my favorite Quotation Abuses! whoooooo! ~.^

        -*chuckle*-
      • Happy Mother's Day
        05/10/09
        Happy Mother's Day to all the moms out there! I'm going to sneak back upstairs into bed so I can enjoy the fab breakfast my family has planned to "surprise" me with. I am just so excited, my darling daughter makes the most heavenly scrambled eggs. :)

      • Dollfie and Other Ball Jointed Dolls
        05/10/09
        Oh wow did I find something my darling daughter (hereafter known as "DD") will love! Check out these pictures from dridoller's blog:




        Wow! Awesome! How about another?




        I just love these and think it will be so much fun shopping f

      • Taco Chicken Salad
        05/10/09
        1 carrot
        1 small granny smith apple
        1/4 large onion
        1 large can chicken breast, drained
        1 handful baby spinach
        3 teaspoons taco mix
        two or three twists freshly cracked pepper
        2 tablespoons sweet pickle relish
        3 tablespoons mayonaise

        Toss everything

      • Habits of Happiness
        05/08/09
        Konnichiwa! What a wonderful thought.



        I wish you joy and happiness in all your days. Konbanwa!

      • Japan Picture Pages - Geisha
        05/07/09


        Yes yes, I know about Geisha not being correct and maiko and all that but come on folks, just enjoy the picture. :)

      • Rice Cooker Bread
        05/05/09


        First loaf of bread baked in the rice cooker is somewhat of a flop, although it tastes great. As you can see, it failed to rise as it should have. A niggle in the back of my mind is that instant yeast isn't meant to be used in bread you rise twice, despite the assurances from the bl

      • Inventive Cooking
        05/02/09
        I love inventive ideas and I was quite intrigued when I saw an article in entitled "The Rice Cooker that Dreamt of Being a Bread Maker" while reading about my favorite subject of study on the net recently, which is of Japan. Anything that makes a household gadget do double duty is certainl

    • April
      • Do Your Part to End SWINE FLU!
        04/30/09
        That's right, do your part to end swine flu! Shoot down the sickly porkers here. -*ebil grin*-

        Don't you wish it were this easy to get rid of swine flu? I guess at least it is something to occupy the kiddies who are home from school because of this nasty porcine bug.

      • Honeybee Crisis
        04/27/09
        I had read some things in a science mag about this whole thing of bees dying out. No one can quite figure out why, but without the bees, we are all in trouble. Have a look here for more info. You can even make your own bee! :)

        I made a cute bee, I'll be adding it here as soon as I c

      • Allergies
        04/26/09
        I have succumbed to my allergies yet again. I am not sure why this spring has been so allergy-ridden for me, but it seems as though I am not the only one. Probably the lovely cool, damp spring weather we've enjoyed has also proved perfect for the growth of every pollen-producing plant there is.

      • The Hot Springs of Hikone
        04/24/09
        Hikone is situated on the shores of Lake Biwa. One of the oldest lakes in the world, Lake Biwa is also the largest lake in Japan. Originally formed four million years ago, more than fifty species are confirmed unique to this valuable ecosystem. Providing a stable water source for four prefectures a

      • Kiso Valley, Japan
        04/23/09
        So far, I've talked about the modern cities of Japan. Certainly they have so much to offer. Great food in Osaka, shopping in Harajuku and Ginza in Tokyo, and all the wonderful historic sights of Kyoto. Hakone was recommended to me early for the great ryokan with onsen, some of which even allow

      • Picture Pages Picture Pages
        04/23/09
        A few pictures of interest :)



        That red sticker sports the Kanji for half off, a sticker to look for around 7 pm on the fresh sushi in the grocery markets. Be prepared to pull out those elbows and edge your way past the J-mama's intent on those discounts.

      • Dreaming of Japan
        04/22/09
        Oh man, hearing about the cheap flights and thinking about stuff to do in Japan has got me absolutely salivating! Sushi!



        Kuidaore Osaka! (literally bring ruin upon oneself from the food!) Okonomiyaki, Udon, takoyaki!




        And what about the history? Os

      • OMG! Flights to Japan in July only $362!!
        04/22/09
        Yes, you heard me! Flights to Japan on sale now for only $362 for travel in July. -*dies*-

        So I told my dearest darling sweet baboo. I don't think his eyes have rolled back yet. Haha!

        Wish we had the money to do it right now. I can see it now, rolling into Narita Internat

      • Maybe after all I should head for Sweden?
        04/22/09
        Somehow, I don't think you'd see this in Japan! ahahahaha!

      • Penguins! woo!
        04/20/09
        I leave you with cute penguins! Konbanwa!


      • Going to Japan
        04/20/09
        ~~Getting Ready to Go to Japan~~

        A friend read my blog and asked about my plans for visiting Japan. Apparently when her parents visited some years ago they went through quite a lot of work to obtain a visa to be able to enter Japan. Happily, it is no longer necessary to obtain a visa ju

      • Wondering about all this Japan stuff?
        04/19/09
        For those of you who might wonder why I am going on in entry after entry about Japan, the reason is simple. Laziness. Since we are not going right away, chances are good if I just looked over information and made bookmarks, by the time we are ready to finalize plans the sites might have changed or

      • More about Japan - Osaka
        04/18/09
        My recent studies of Japan have been centering on the areas we'd like to visit outside of Tokyo. While our planned two week trip to Japan is not long, and I don't want to spend all the time rushing from city to city, I think it would be good to see something more than just Tokyo. Friend

      • Solar Ovens Wind Power and Saving Money Ahoy!
        04/15/09
        I have been thinking a lot about renewable energy sources like solar and wind energy. Not because I am all into a concern for the environment directly, but more because of an interest in the money saving aspects of these ideas.

        One of the items I've been looking at seriously is th

      • Konnichiwa!
        04/14/09
        Toire wa doko desuka

        Yes, I can now ask where is the toilet in Japanese. As soon as I figure out how to install Japanese hirigana character to my keyboard, I will show you that I can also write it in hirigana. Yay me! Yes, I can now speak Japanese on a pre-k level and write it on a kin

      • Cleaning Out
        04/11/09
        So the time has come for spring cleaning! Spent two days helping the mil clear out stuff for a big garage sale next week and now it's my time to pack as much as I can into some big bins and get rid of all those outgrown kid clothes.

        Debating the whole color eggs issue as the kids

      • About Japan
        04/05/09
        The trip to Japan is just in the planning/saving stages and isn't expected to take place for two or three years, so I promise to try to talk about other things occasionally, just so as not to bore everyone too much. Why, you may ask, am I then making lists of places I want to see and things I

      • Yay finally
        04/05/09
        A blog for Gertie! :) Happiness.

        So not sure what will be blogged in these pages. Just random Gertiness mostly. Right now, that probably means Japan as we are currently discussing the possibility of a trip to Japan. I have about a million ideas, but I think we will only be staying in