I rode the bus to school for 13 years. I lived further away from my high school than anyone else who attended. I one time calculated that I had spent something like 2/3 of a year on the bus. I was one of the few girls on the bus, and the boys on the bus gave me quite an education, from teaching me how to give the finger in second grade, to explaining to me what a scrotum was in sixth grade, to teaching me how to play pitch in high school. The guys on my bus were less than cool. They were grungy before grunge was cool. But they were funny, and entertaining, and hey, I was with them for two hours a day. I haven't thought about those guys for a long time until I saw this snack truck the other day. One of the guys, Pete, had moved from Montana, and he was into horses. He smelled like fried chicken. His real first name was Darwin. His last name was...Steinmetz. Wonder what those boys are up to now?

John is trying hard to imitate Alton Brown. He got lots of stuff for Christmas that Alton recommends, and he made this outstanding rib roast last night using one of Alton's recipes. Now all he needs is the T-Rex Flame Tamer and he's good to go.

This is a better picture of the new 'do. Finally a good hair day. Surprisingly, this picture makes me realize it looks a lot like this 'do.

Lifetime Goal

One of my lifetime goals is to go here for New Year's Eve.

Fantasy Survivor

So, Survivor is over. I, personally, wanted Ozzie to win, but he didn't. O'well. In the game of survivor, our fantasy survivor online game, the results are as follows.

Ronin: 3614
John: 2369
Elaine: 2263
Cori: 1816
Mike: 411 (he only answered 3 out of the 14 weeks, and he really only got 260, but I said I would give him the equivalent of my first weeks' points because I sent him to the wrong website)
Sara: 95 (she only got her picks in one week)

So, you can see John beat Cori and I. Cori was ahead, but then didn't get her last picks in. The real question is, who is "Ronin?" Whoever you are, please come forth, because you have schooled us all. How in the world did you get all those points?

My Oatmeal Toasting Bread with the green pumpkin seeds

Good Eats

We had a great weekend of great food. I made two Rachael Ray recipes, a Pumpkin Pasta with Sausage and Wild Mushrooms, and Sauteed Sweet Chicken Breasts with a Spicy Fresh Tomato Chutney and White Rice, both found in the 365 No Repeats Cookbook. This morning we ate Alton Brown's Overnight Oatmeal.

The best part of the food this weekend, though was Farmgirl Susan's Oatmeal Toasting Bread. When we were in Germany, every morning we had freshly sliced bread with butter or Nutella for breakfast. The bread had many different seeds on the top, including these little green seeds. Susanne and her mom both had bread slicers that fit in one of the drawers of their kitchen. They'd open the drawer, the slicer would pop out, they'd slice a couple pieces of bread, and there was breakfast. I have been looking for a similar bread ever since we got home, and John is convinced we need a slicer in one of our drawers. I finally saw the little green seeds at a Italian grocery store on the Hill here in St. Louis. They are shelled pumpkin seeds. When I saw Farmgirl's Oatmeal Toasting Bread, I thought it would be similar to the bread we had every morning in Germany. I made three loaves, and they are really really awesome. That farmgirl really knows how to do it.

New Addition

I think most of you who read this blog actually know me. I know there are a few out there that don't know me, which is fine; welcome. Those of you who do know me, or have been reading this blog for some time, know there are a cast of friends that surround me of which I give updates. Today I am happy to say there is a new addition. My cousin, Heather, had her second baby on Thursday morning. His name is Jacob Donald and they plan to call him Jack. He was 8 lbs, 7 oz. Congratulations, Heather!

You can read more about Heather and I and see some pictures here, here, here, here, here, here, here, and lastly (whew!) here.

Tom was determined to help us find the perfect tree. I think he choose wisely. (Pay no attention to the bad hair day I was having.) It's hard to see the tree with us standing in front of it, but, believe me, it is a beauty.

To Give or Not To Give

I talked to Martha Stewart. I was on the phone, on the radio, with Martha Stewart. Martha is rarely on the radio live. She broadcasts her daily tv show on the radio, and occassionaly she has an "Ask Martha" show that is live. I called in. I'm always calling in. She had a Holiday show about food, and I called in and told her we made apple butter, and I wanted to give some away for Christmas, and I asked what was the best way to decorate the jars. She had good suggestions. She told me I should put our family name on the jar, along with the year, and also maybe put something like "enjoy with butter on toast." She's so smart. She asked me if we made it in the oven or on the stove, and I told her we made it outside over an open fire in a copper kettle. She said that was the best way to make apple butter. Martha said we did it right. John says he wished he could have been there when I talked to her because I tend to get a little giddy around celebrities. I am that annoying fan.

Towards the end of my short conversation with Martha, I offered to send her a jar of apple butter, and she said she would like that very much. John said I shouldn't send it because she'll never eat it. I think I should send it, because, really, I have like 50 jars in the basement, and plus I told her I would. Lauren from the morning show remembers me when I email her now. In fact she just recently invited me to the studio. Guess I'm going to have to start planning a trip to New York City. Can that be a work expense? Maybe if I send the apple butter to Martha, she will remember me as the crazy fan that sent her apple butter and won't get off her phone lines.

This is dad and I in the tank room at the winery. Notice the new, shorter, darker do.

Anyone want to guess what John is making for his holiday party?

This is John and I on our way to get our Christmas tree today. Like my hair? The truth is, there isn't a good picture of the hair yet, that's why I'm stalling.

Halleluja

If this not does put you in the Christmas spirit, your heart has stopped beating. (video courtesy of Geri) I'm playing bassoon, John is playing tympani, and our friend, Cori, is playing the french horn.

Pictures of the hair coming soon.

Chuck and John shared some pictures over the weekend. Chuck took this picture of me in the summer of 2005 at Zoofari, and I think it's my favorite picture of myself. Oh, my hair was so long back then...

I blew it. I did put much effort into it though. Towards the end, I was sick of posting every day, but now I feel like I like the routine and might try to keep it up.

This is the dock next to the dock where my sister's boat is stored.

This is where my sister's boat is stored down at the Lake of the Ozarks. We all have our fingers crossed that this dock does not collapse. It's clear Mother nature means business.

Mother nature is confused.

apparently we're confused too

Our old school gate

Neighbors have to peer through icicles to see our house.

Water over the bridge early Thursday morning