Wordless Wednesday – Happy Halloween
The Existential Death of Lou Reed
October 29, 2013 By
If you haven’t heard, Lou Reed died. He was 71.
When I heard of his passing and his age (we never want to admit just how old we really are, but hearing about an icon of our youth passing and finding out how old their were, well, it is very jarring) I began to think about just how old, or young, he really was. He was only 27 years older than me. As a math major I realize just how small a number 27 really is. It is nothing. It is a flash in the pan, a blink of the eye, and all those other minuscule cliches we have. But then I really started to think about how much younger he was than my parents. My mother is 80 and my father is 86. They have both enjoyed rather long lives and as of their last physicals they are both in fairly good health.
But none the less it made me think about their mortality. The fact that time is not on their sides. Eventually they will shed this mortal coil, and then what? For years I had been a very good Catholic (and don’t get me wrong it is still my religion of choice) and during that time I never questioned the existence of heaven. I assumed that whatever life force a person possesses, it would not just dry up and be gone once a person dies. But after years of my own existence I’m starting to question just that. When flowers die they simply dry up and return to dust. No one knows what happens to that energy, that thing that made them alive.
If I remember correctly from my science classes, energy does not get used up, it simply changes form. It may go from inert to kinetic, but it doesn’t go away. So does that support or disprove the existence of heaven? I really don’t know. I have had my own near-God experiences and for years I was doubt free. But memories fade and real, every day life takes over. Those certainties I had as a 20 something have turned to questions.
So Lou Reeds death has helped me to realize (even if it is for a very brief time) that life is short. That we have absolutely no idea what waits for us on the other side, or even if there is an other side. I want to advocate for doing those things you love so very much. Enjoy life, because what if this is it? What if there is nothing more? I want no regrets when I close my eyes for the very last time. I want to know that I loved life.
Gluten Free Meal Plan for the Week with Greek Spaghetti Squash Recipe
October 25, 2013 By
I have really been trying to focus on the family eating at home. Not only does it save your budget, and who doesn’t need to save their budget? I mean really, even Hillary Swank clips coupons. But it also allows you to make sure you know exactly what is in your food. And for a mom of 3 who has to keep us all on a gluten free diet, being prepared is the only way to fly. So to speak.
This week I’ve decided to utilize some of our grass fed steer we buy every year. We have a ton of ground beef and some steaks still in the freezer so they are a big part of my weekly inspiration.
Gluten Free Weekly Menu
Monday – Greek Roasted chicken with roasted potatoes and mixed veggies
Tuesday – Gluten Free Meatball Subs made with Schar rolls
Wednesday – Greek spaghetti squash with feta cheese
Thursday – Steak with twice baked potatoes and brocolli
Friday – Ham steak with cinnamon mashed sweet potatoes and homemade cranberry sauce
Greek Spaghetti Squash Recipe
1 medium sized spaghetti squash
Butter
kalamata olives
feta cheese
Cut the spaghetti squash in half and remove the seeds. Steam or roast the squash until it is tender and you can run a fork through it to create the “spaghetti” strands. In a saute pan melt butter to make a sauce, add olives and spaghetti squash. Mix until evenly coated. Remove from heat and add feta cheese. Sever immediately.
Austin TX and a Kia Rio 5-door
October 22, 2013 By
disclosure: I was proved with a Kia Rio, by STI Fleet Services, to facilitate this review.
Austin, TX is a great city! I had so much fun there last week. My friend (and neighbor), Franki, and I went to Austin for a long weekend just to get away and have some fun in a place we have always wanted to visit. And although Austin is a great town to walk around, it is even better with a car. STI Fleet Services was kind enough to provide us with a Kia Rio 5-dorr for the trip. The Kia Rio was just the perfect size for the two of us and our luggage.
We used that Kia Rio to hop over to South Congress St, we were staying on the other side of Lady Bird Lake, way up on North Congress, and from there we visited Allens Boots, Amy’s Ice Cream, lots of cool little shops and even Magnolia Cafe. Allens Boots were a MUST-STOP sort of place with the most amazing selection of fine boots. Franki even picked up a pay of Old Gringos. But South Congress is rear-in, diagonal parking only! Yikes. Good thing the Kia Rio is compact, with a fantastic turning radius. Lets just say I put that turning radius to the test a few times on this adventure. Shh. And the Kia Rio had an in-dash backup camera. I loved it in helping me park on the busy South Congress street.
But we didn’t just putz around on South Congress, we took the Kia Rio out to the famous Salt Lick barbecue restaurant. We utilized the built in navigation system to help us find our way. It was about 30 minutes out of town and has this really fun BBQ atmosphere. The Kia Rio rode wonderfully on the highway as well as the dirt parking lot of Salt Lick. Probably one of our favorite excursions was down First Street to visit some of the food trucks. We stopped at Torchy’s Tacos and Wholly Cacao where we got fried avocado tacos and lavender/orange cake bites, plus a really decadent frozen hot chocolate.
While the temperature in Austin was in the 90’s, our Kia Rio kept us super cool as we jetted all over town stopping at the original Whole Foods store for some awesome and local Kombucha. The Kia Rio was such an asset in such a fun town, and with the push start button we could get back on the road quickly. It allowed us to easily hop from destination to destination without eating up a ton of gas. It had plenty of space for our luggage and packages, and it fit easily into the parking spaces we could find. Austin is a busy city and there were days when parking was at a premium. I needed all the help I could get.
Our Kia Rio came in a beautiful electronic blue and was decked out with all the extras. I really enjoyed our time in Austin and am very thankful for having the Kia Rio to take us all over town exploring and having fun.
