Lemon Pasta

1 lb egg noodles, cooked, of course
1/4 c extra virgin olive oil
Juice and zest of one lemon
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil (I might try dill here too)
1/4 cup grated romano (or parmesan)
sea salt; cracked pepper

As you might have guessed, precise measuring is overrated on this one. ;-) Enjoy.

Foaming Soap Pump Bottles

Do you like the convenience of this kind of soap? Well, if you do, there is NO reason to buy these bottles over and over unless you are also a fan of spending too much money. The only ingredients needed are liquid soap (a little) and water (a lot). Open the empty bottle, put a healthy squirt of soap in the bottom, and then fill the bottle with warm water in a slow stream. Trust me, they LOVE to sell this stuff because the profit margin is through the roof. Use whatever soap you like, or if you're like me and want to control the ingredients get a soap like Dr. Bronner's (in the lovely bizarre bottle, LOL) which is a great consistency for this kind of thing. Voila! You've saved money wit no loss of usefulness.

Seen in a tourist trap not far from Teleios (but far enough so we don't have to see it): "How most men define marriage: a very expensive way to get your laundry done free."

Another use for Kale, that wonderful healthy veggie...

If you think I measure any of this, you don't know me very well.

2 cups kale
1/2 cup walnuts
1/2 cup Romano cheese
1/2 cup olive oil
3 cloves garlic
Blend all together in food processor.

From "Man's Search for Meaning"

"Freedom is only part of the story and half of the truth...(it is) the negative aspect of the whole phenomenon whose positive aspect is responsibleness. In fact, freedom is in danger of degenerating into mere arbitrariness unless it is lived in terms of responsibleness. That is why I recommend that the Statue of Liberty on the East Coast be supplemented by a Statue of Responsibility on the West Coast." -Viktor Frankl

When it looks like this outside your window, you'd have to work really hard at being stressed at Teleios

Normal Abnormality

I think it was Lessing who once said, "There are things which must cause you to lose your reason or you have none to lose." An abnormal reaction to an abnormal situation is normal behavior.

--Victor Frankl

I was thinking about I Corinthians 6:19-20 last night; you know, the "your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit" stuff. I have heard plenty of talk about how we need to take care of our physical health as an aspect of these verses. It dawned on me last night, though, that it also refers to all aspects of my body; brain included. We don't emphasize our spiritual and emotional health too; we surely cannot function well with significant lack in either of those areas. Recently I made a list of some things I can do to refresh and restore my mental state of being and I would encourage all three of my readers ;-) to do the same. :-)

Spring Hill's GM plant (just down the road from our fair city) is being idled. Union workers will get 70 to 75 percent of their pay for up to 52 weeks and then up to 50 percent for an additional 26 weeks. No wonder GM is broke.

A friend of mine is headed to Asia soon for a few weeks. As an experienced professional who works with children, her skills will be put to good use training orphanage workers who work with disabled kids. Most will never be adopted. If you want to help with supplies for the kids or in other substantive ways, leave me a message. Thanks!

KLP

That's Key Lime Pie, y'all.

Hubs loves it. I had no idea he did until this year. It just goes to show you; never assume you know everything about your husband even after twenty-five years of marriage.

They looked like something beyond my pay grade, so I would get the store bought frozen ones. All seemed to meet his expectations, so I stuck with that.

Then I thought I'd check and see how hard they are to make. Let's just say that you can handle it. Really.

I used the basic Nellie and Joe's Key Lime Pie recipe. Then slather some whipped cream on top if you like. I don't mind slumming and using Cool Whip, but that's anathema to my dear love.

They tasted so good to my hubs, I told him he had to work out to get some more of them. He didn't seem to mind that thought, so the taste must be powerful. Whether or not it's just wedded schmoozing, you will have to decide for yourself, but he insists they are better than the store-bought. Let's just say they are definitely WAY cheaper.

I like to freeze them, for a lovely texture. But your mileage may vary.

Look at all the other lovely recipes on this page, including lower fat and sugar possibilities. I'm definitely going to try them.

Chai-yi-yi

Apparently in some places of the world "chai" just means "tea". Well, whatever it means, I like it. Lately I've been thinking that cutting out some soda would be a really great idea.

A couple kinds I like are: Decaf Coconut Chai from Celestial Seasonings, and the lovely chais from Stash Tea. The coconut chai is available right here in Nashvegas grocery stores, as is some of the Stash Teas, but both companies offer online ordering if you desire.

A Venti Chai with soy at Starbucks is my drink of choice, but it ain't cheap, either in price or calories. I still do that just to savor the experience (it's one of the few faux-sophisticated places on this side of town that has yet to close), but I don't get that many Starbucks gift cards (hint hint! ROFL!).

If you are slender, and in need of no particular dietary things, sweetened condensed milk, or cream or reg milk, would be added to this tea with other sweeteners, perhaps honey. I don't do that.

My recipe: brew a couple cups of strong chai. Add stevia to taste, while it's hot. Then pour over a tall glass of ice. Add soy milk. Stir. Enjoy pretending you're a barista.

No, it's not the rich creamy chai, but it's pretty guiltless. So I enjoy it.

Soy is quite excellent from a dietary standpoint. We middle aged chickadees benefit from the plant estrogens, and it's also a good thing for one's heart, my physician reports. The estrogens do seem to improve one's mood, too.

I think I'll get me one before I head out to the northern outpost, right now! Time for that quick dash from Teleios to Nashvegas.