Frog and Goat

The job news is disappointing and annoying. We received the new organization chart yesterday and it is still packed to the gills with a management level which is exactly what we heard the head muckety-muck say he didn’t want the other day when he met with us. The org. chart screams “I’m saving my friends and the hell with the little people”. As a little people it annoys the ever-loving out of me. Our unit was slashed and we’re still patting out the fire on our backs (or maybe that’s staunching the wounds in our backs from all the knives that have been thrown lately). We currently have 6 positions that do what I do and in the new configuration we’ll have 3. We still don’t know who will stay and who will go.

As if I weren’t already in a fabulous mood, I talked to a work friend a little while ago about one of her courses that I’d done some work on for the elearning group. I was supportive of her and talked about some of the things that are going on with that course but it sounds like I’m completely cut out of that project. I think what happened was the rude SOB I had problems with at the beginning of the year left the organization and those remaining in that unit were desperate. They asked me to do some work and now that I’ve done the grunt work, they have cut me out of the project. I didn’t let on to my work friend my theory since she’s not really part of that whole mess. I’m really beginning to think that no matter how much I’d like to move into the elearning side of training that I don’t need to work in a snake pit. Of course all of this could be some crap I made up in my head…only usually when I make stuff up in my head I’m the superstar and not the one taking a slippery slide down the shaft.

Here’s what we had for dinner last night and it’s just as well that I don’t have a picture because it didn’t look like much but it had a great taste.

Quinoa, Vegetables and Smoked Salmon
Prepare the quinoa according to package instructions. It’s a lot like making rice so give yourself about 20 minutes. I used chicken broth instead of water.

Saute a shallot and a few cloves of garlic (whatever amount you like–I used 3). I sauted in some pork drippings and olive oil.

Chop up, pretty finely, a few button mushrooms. Toss those in. Chop up a roasted red pepper and throw that in as well.

Pick a yellow squash from your garden (or buy one) and then chop it up and throw it into the pan as well.

I then chopped up two small beets from the garden and put them into the mix as well and then whacked up the greens and added those at the very end. If the pan gets too dry, add the oil from the roasted red peppers until the pan is a little moist. If it gets really dry, pour in a little white wine.

I only added salt and pepper to the vegetables and quinoa. When the quinoa was ready, I mixed the vegetables in and then plated the mixata. I opened the smoked salmon packet (Keta salmon, if you want to know) and split the fillet between two plates. The fillet was room temperature and it mixed in well with the quinoa and vegetables. I really think the whole dish could have cooled to room temperature and been just as good.

We served a Pacific Rim Riesling and the food and wine paired pretty well.

Have you heard of the Theremin?

Have you heard the song Crazy by Gnarls Barkley? If not, which cave are you living in?

It’s like your peanut butter in my chocolate.

We went to Little Venice the other night to celebrate the better-half’s birthday (he’s a solstice baby) and enjoyed a wonderful meal.

We started with cocktails and I had a slightly goofy moment when the waiter asked me what vodka I’d like in my vodka tonic. I looked at the better-half and asked “what’s that stuff I like?” He answered, “SKYY” (the stuff I’ve been drinking for years but am a big old goof and can never remember the name–usually I just bumble around mumbling about the blue bottle).

We ordered the calamari and it was faintly breaded and served with a lemon wedge and marinara. The calamari were delicious just with the lemon but the marinara was also delicious and very fresh. While we were eating the appetizer, the owner came by to say hello. The restaurant definitely has its neighborhood regulars and it was a nice touch to have the owner stop by to our table and we’re hardly regulars.

The house salads were just standard iceberg lettuce with decent dressings, but the main courses were pretty damn good. The better-half got pollo saltimbocca and I got a special, flounder almondine. Both were served with green beans and roasted potatoes. The better-half’s plate could have been placed back on the shelf it was so clean when he finished. I ate more than three-quarters of my dish but decided to stop so there’d be room for dessert.

There was a very nice name for the dessert we ordered, but I can’t remember it. It was a chocolate creme caramel and it was really delicious–chocolately and caramelly. While we were waiting for the dessert, the owner came back around to our table with two large shot glasses filled with a milky liquid. I asked him if he was giving us a glass of milk and he said “No, limoncello creme. It’s like liquid viagra–good luck to the both of you.” I haven’t been comped a drink in years and this was an excellent drink to remind me how nice it is to have a drink on the house.

If you find yourself in Richmond, make your way to Little Venice. I’ve only been there twice but both times have been impressive.

I ran through the house in a wet bathing suit shouting Turkeys! Turkeys! Turkeys!

When the better-half and I finally got back to the room with the best vantage point, we realized the hens had brought their poults by to visit.

I decided to walk around the yard this evening and take some pictures.

Here’s a lily and a ladybug:

We’ve been calling these our VA Tech lilies:

It’s hard to tell in this shot but the bumblebees love the lavender:

This hydrangea bloomed last fall. I’m glad it is back on a regular schedule:

He does not approve:

Looks like dog puke doesn’t it? It is actually slime mold:

The Niece will be upset, but the blueberries are finally turning blue:

And, finally, our friend the rail lizard…the better-half has been referring to him as CSX:

I think there needs to be a moratorium on using the words nine-one-one when discussing the attacks of September 11, 2001. The words nine-one-one indicate the phone number used to contact emergency responders. So, I think anyone who uses nine-one-one when they mean nine-eleven should be charged $25. And, if you do it on the teevee or the radio you should be taken out and shot. Media people should know better and whether they like it or not, they help set up the way people use language and by misusing this phrase they are saying to anyone who can hear their voice that it’s OK to sound like a moron. It’s not.

There’s a large sign near a local gas station/convenience store that advertises a family feast of a boatload of fried chicken for the low price of $7.99. They also use the word snack on the sign. So, which is it? A feast or a snack? Last night, as we were driving by, the better-half slowed way down so I could get a good look at the sign and then I went off. I’m prone to that, I guess. I declared that if I owned a sign store that I would have to kick customers in the ass while holding the door open because I would refuse to print signs that were stupid and contradictory. I wouldn’t be in business long.

Have you seen the Arizona iced tea bottle that tells you the tea is made with ginseng and jasmine honey? Actually what they mean is that it is there are three flavor ingredients–ginseng, jasmine and honey. Because they decided to let design win out over the appropriate use of commas, people are going to think there is either something called jasmine honey or that commas are just unnecessary. Maybe commas cost extra money and the Arizona tea company decided to save a hundredth of a cent.

This makes my heart go pitter pat.

We went to The Niece’s pre-school graduation this afternoon. The other kids were cute but none of them could touch The Niece’s effervescence. She had full-on excitement, smiles, giggles, waves and appropriate use of being out of step with all the other kids during their musical performances.

The new niece, whom I still must moniker, was more interested in flapping the graduation program and drinking her dinner (that’s my kind of girl, heh). I did have to break the news to her that she doesn’t have a sister so much as a ham bone. I think maybe my joke went over her head, but I’m sure she’ll laugh about it later.

I’m up to here in news that sucks and I’d really like to hear something good now. The list is actually pretty long and the items on the list include but are not limited to:
health problems that are annoying and include a round of Cipro
health problems that are long term and include an upcoming ultrasound
no news is not good news as far as the job is concerned; staff meeting just made everyone in my unit rage with the stupidity
divorce (no, the better-half and I are fine)
and, I can’t remember the other thing but, damn, I’m ready for vacation.