Someone Else’s Vacation
How
much
Cabo San Lucas
do you
want to see?
Isn’t it a regular joke that friends and family will bore you to tears with pictures of their vacation? That or make you envious. I’d just as soon not subject you to either condition. But, Andi said she wanted to see a lot more than the few measly pictures I was able to post so far. How about you? Do you want to hear about my vacation?
Food in Cabo
I was really hoping to be able to share some pictures of food with you, even if I couldn’t come up with a recipe this week. But alas. No go. I made the mistake of taking the pictures with my own camera, which I can’t down. As soon as I get a chance I’ll go to another camera store and try to replace the cord. My problem is the camera is a few years old, and discontinued. It’s getting hard to find things like memory chips and cords for it.
The food I had in mind was a bubbling cauldron made from volcanic stone served directly to our table. You really do have to see it. It was cool. We had a lot of cool food on this trip to Cabo San Lucas. I had prawns drowning in mango sauce, a salad featuring pickled heart of palm, and my own home-made fried chicken which turned out well.
Edited: 7/12/09 10:00 am
Can you tell I’m back in the USA?
I’ll be visiting at my mother’s house for a couple more days, then off to the Romance Writer’s convention, then back here. I intend to keep blogging, but my have some interruptions based on lack of internet access.
Meanwhile, my book is due back on my editor’s desk in a few days. Gotta go.
Edited: 07/12/09 3:24pm
Hey look who found her cord! It was under some kids clothes left on the floor. Anyway, here is the cauldron thing I wanted to show you:
They served it there in La Playa Grande at a restaurant called the Brigantine. When it arrived at the table the thing had been heated up and the liquid around all the seafood was bubbling. Half an hour later we were almost done and the liquid still bubbled. I looked around in the Mercado to see if anyone had a cauldron for sale, but there weren’t any volcanic anythings around – just silver, Fiesta style plates, T-shirts, and wrestling masks.
Anyway, the cauldron serves two. My mother and I split it. See the fancy plates they brought out for each of us? That’s a grilled chili looking all dark and smoldering on the right side of my plate. I love they way they mold the rice there. So cute.
This is what I had at Mi Casa:
Those shrimp were huge! The only ones I’ve ever had that were bigger were raw tiger prawns the size of my hands. These were merely palm sized. It came in mango sauce or tequila. I wish I’d gotten the tequila instead because it would have been flaming, which would have made for a better picture, but I was really in the mood for mango.
You should have seen the decor. It went really well with the plate.
This is the salad.
I know, it just looks like strips of chicken on lettuce, but it was really good. The heart of palm is hiding in the back there toward the right and left. There was also avocado and a really nice dip. Yum.
Trashed
Jill: Watch out! All the animals will get out!
Jack: Aaaaa, too late. (whack)
Jill: Quick, Tonic! Catch him!
Jack: (crash)
Jill: Great. Right in the trash. Jack? Are you all right? Do you need help out?
Jack: No, I got it.
Jill: Hey, what’s that in the trash behind you?
Jack: (long pause) An airline ticket to Cabo San Lucus.
Today’s theme is garbage
Previously in Jack and Jill In the Pink
Saturday photo scavenger hunt
The rules for Photohunt can be found here.
Be sure to visit the home page.
Suzie’s House 121: Home Visit
When Suzie answered her front door, she knew right away the woman standing next to Gene must be the social worker on his case, the one who had called about him. Gene darted into the house like a stray dog coming home, but the woman remained standing on the porch.
“Mrs. Hammacker, do you mind if I come in? There are a few things I would like to discuss with you and Gene.” The woman, Kathy, didn’t look nearly as much like a bureaucrat as she sounded. In fact, Suzie rather envied her broomstick skirt.
(more…)
Piece of Candy
Click on picture to go to hub.
“Ha-ha! The maid left another piece of chocolate. Quick! Eat it before The Boy finds out. If he knows about the chocolates, he’ll eat them all from now on. Can’t let him know the maid leaves them. Oh no! She was here while I was gone. He saw! No more chocolate for me.” – The Girl
13 Points About ATVs
My family and I went riding on ATVs for the first time on Tuesday. Mr. Al, being of the hiking and cross country bicycle persuasion, tends to say nasty things about ATVs and those who ride them, but I tried to approach this with an open mind. Here’s what I learned.
1. ATV’s are fun!!!!
2. If you can do your first time out with a tour group like MotoSol, then you will be miles ahead.
3. MotoSol did things like provide us with a hunky, patient, and considerate tour guide (Hi Rene!!!) who will do things like get your ATV back on the track when you insist on driving into bushes.
4. It wasn’t me! Mostly. It was The Boy. Keep in mind that he’s only 14 and as never had the control of any motorized vehicle before. It was all very, very new to him. And he only lost control three times.
5. It’s possible to stand up and drive/ride at the same time. This is great for keeping the bounce down while riding over bumpy tracks, not so good for steering.
6. Sit down on curves!
7. If you do stand on a bumpy curve, don’t stop and think “Oh, a bush. I should turn” before actually turnings.
8. I only went off the track once. Still, it’s very embarrassing, especially after having been told you’re very good for a complete novice.
9. If you’re riding at the front of the line, you don’t REALLY need the goggles or bandit-rag they provide, but near the end of the line where all the dust that has been kicked up is still in the air they are invaluable. As to the helmets with brims, I’m always in favor of brims.
10. You don’t really need to see someone’s face to know who they are. Even if they are all on the same color ATV.
11. Riding on the flat is not like riding on dunes or hills. On dunes and hills it’s good to be able to shift. The gear shift on the ATVs we used was next to your left foot. Starting from neutral, you stop on the lever once for each of the four gears. First gear is great for going up steep hills, not so good for catching up with the people in front of you. Fourth gear is great for racing ahead when you aren’t supposed to, but awful for wallowing through sand.
12. If you stall out, or for any other insane reason actually turn the motor off before the end of the tour, do NOT keep stomping on the lever in an effort to get back to neutral so you can start again. If repeatedly turning the key and pressing the little black button don’t do anything, then keep pulling up the lever until you are sure you’re through all 4 gears and are in neutral again. This may involve getting off the ATV and using your hand because doing it with your foot is a pain.
13. To back up you put it in neutral, push the red button next to the left hand brake, squeeze the left hand break, then beg the tour guide to do it for you because that really should be enough, shouldn’t it? And yet it isn’t. Hey, I only had to back up that one time.
In order to get the permalink from this post you must both put your URL in the Mr. Linky thing and leave a comment. I’m going to try to catch up on all the permalinks in the next couple of weeks. I’m sorry it’s taking me so long.
More Thursday Thirteen participants can be found here
And here.
As always, I welcome the link to your Thursday Thirteen in my comments as well as in Mr. Linky.
Tamy ~ 3 Sides of Crazy
Hazel
Sue@Stay at home mom
Paige Tyler
PopArtDiva
CountryDew
Christine-Romantic Crush Junkies
emily/randomability
My Home Comforts
Pamela Kramer
Wacky Mommy
By George! He’s Really Taken Ill.
Life can be so hard for a royal who isn’t getting his way. When George IV can’t railroad through a divorce, he tries drinking himself to death.
The newly minted King George the IV remained seriously ill for some weeks. Both friends and enemies were discussing the possibility that one of the Dukes might soon become their new king. For the Whigs. Any Duke called upon would be bad news. The Duke of Kent seemed to lean toward the Whig camp, but his position was merely in opposition to his father. He didn’t really hold any Whig principles. This possibility was soon mooted when the Duke died before His Majesty had recovered.
(more…)
This is Where I am Right Now
Playa Grande in Cabo San Lucas
It’s a time share in Cabo San Lucas. I am so lucky to have been invited to come here, even if the result is that I am forced to play when I should be working. I borrowed a camera so I could share some of it with you. Yeah, the pictures are muddy. It wasn’t really the best time of day to take them, but I’ll take what I can get.
Anyway, how’s it going where you are?
FWD: Stupid Stuff… But Funny
I was going to post pictures of Cabo, but have lost my camera’s cord. Par for the course, I guess. I’ll post them as soon as I can download them. For now, I bring you junk from the mail bag.
1. How Do You Catch a Unique Rabbit?
Unique Up On it.
2. How Do You Catch a Tame Rabbit?
Tame Way.
3. How Do Crazy People Go Through The Forest?
They Take The Psycho Path.
4. How Do You Get Holy Water?
You Boil The H_ _ _ Out Of It.
5. What Do Fish Say When They Hit a Concrete Wall?
Dam!
6. What Do Eskimos Get From Sitting On The Ice too Long?
Polaroid’s.
7. What Do You Call a Boomerang That Doesn’t work?
A Stick.
8. What Do You Call Cheese That Isn’t Yours?
Nacho Cheese.
9. What Do You Call Santa’s Helpers?
Subordinate Clauses.
10. What Do You Call Four Bullfighters In Quicksand?
Quattro Sinko.
11. What Do You Get From a Pampered Cow?
Spoiled Milk.
12. What Do You Get When You Cross a Snowman With a Vampire?
Frostbite.
13. What Lies At The Bottom Of The Ocean And Twitches?
A Nervous Wreck.
14. What’s The Difference Between Roast Beef And Pea Soup?
Anyone Can Roast Beef.
15. Where Do You Find a Dog With No Legs?
Right Where You Left Him.
16. Why Do Gorillas Have Big Nostrils?
Because They Have Big Fingers.
17. Why Don’t Blind People Like To Sky Dive?
Because It Scares The Dog.
18. What Kind Of Coffee Was Served On The Titanic?
Sanka.
19. What Is The Difference Between a Harley And a Hoover?
The Location Of The Dirt Bag.
20. Why Did Pilgrims’ Pants Always Fall Down?
Because They Wore Their Belt Buckle On Their Hat.
21. What’s The Difference Between a Bad Golfer And a Bad Skydiver?
A Bad Golfer Goes, Whack, Dang!
A Bad Skydiver Goes, Whack…..
22.. How Are a Texas Tornado And a Tennessee Divorce The Same?
Somebody’s Gonna Lose A Trailer.
Now, admit it. At least one of these made you smile
Banana Drop Cookies
This is another from the Better Homes and Gardens New Cook Book.
2 c flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp cloves
1/2 c butter
1 c sugar
2 eggs
1/2 tsp vanilla
1 c mashed banana (approx 2)
1/2 c chopped walnuts
Beat butter, add sugar, then eggs, then vanilla. Mix other dry ingredients together, then add to butter mixture. Add bananas then walnuts. Drop by the teaspoon full 2 inches apart on cookie sheet. Bake at 375F for about 10-12 minutes. Cool on rack. Frost with Banana Butter Frosting.
2 C powdered sugar
1/4 c mashed banana (1 small banana)
2 Tbsp softened butter
1/2 tsp vanilla.
Mix well (I found it a bit thin and ended up using another cup of powdered sugar)
Click the picture to go to the hub
If you posted a recipe or a food oriented picture today, leave your link in the comments and I’ll link to you here.
Kristen with Blue Cheese Potato Salad
Tamy with the hub
In the Pink
Jill: We really shouldn’t. Just because Tonic, or whatever the dog’s name is, found the key doesn’t mean we should go inside.
Jack: Sure we should. Didn’t the owner of the house tell us to meet her here now? Didn’t we see OUR Tonic sitting inside there large as life? We’ll just open the door long enough to switch dogs back the way they are supposed to be, then lock it up and put the key where it was. No harm, no foul. Right.
Jill: I don’t know, Jack… Wait, Jack… isn’t this the dog you said was Tonic coming up now?
Jack: What? I can’t hear you from the door. Just a minute, almost got it.
Jill: Wait! Jack! This dog is the one, right?
Jack: Yeah, the one with his nose against the window? That’s the one. Why? (click)
Jill: But Tonic’s nose isn’t pink!
Today’s theme is pink
Previously in Jack and Jill Temptation
Saturday photo scavenger hunt
The rules for Photohunt can be found here.
Be sure to visit the home page.
No, I did not oh-so-conveniently skip “flag” last week. I’m sure I’d have come up with something. I simply couldn’t pull it off with all the computer problems and time crunches. I’m in the parking lot of a public library right now, and consider myself lucky.
Anyway, leave a comment. I’ll get back to you as soon as I can.
Upon Waking Up With Cracked Ribs
Click on picture to go to hub.
White sheets. White curtains. White walls.
Hospitals are full of bland.
Gene fingers the button to call the nurse.
Where are his clothes? Should he take them?
Then what, home to Dad?
Not likely.
Decisions overwhelm him.
Can’t decide anything with a fuzzy head.
Gene rolls over. Sleeps. Lets the Social Services lady
have her way.
I can’t get at the file where Suzie’s House is right now, but I can still write a little something about it. So this is for my regular readers. Sorry about the hold ups.
More Apologies
Gosh, this is getting old. I am, again, so sorry about Suzie’s House. This is twice in a row, which I consider unconscionable. I was so sure I’d be able to post it today, but have run into computer issues. Nor will there be a Jack and Jill tomorrow, for the same computer-related reasons.
13 Things I Did This Week
It’s been one heck of a week. I managed to go no where fast in a whole bunch of different ways.
1. I moved my web site. I moved my blog to my domain, ditched my old web site, and ditched my old host all in one fell swoop.
2. I learned how to turn a blog into an entire web site with multiple pages and everything.
3. I broke a bunch of links. Seriously, by the time I was done I must have broken nearly a thousand of them. It’s going to take me months to clean it all up.
4. I broke one too many, and lost my site entirely. I had no site at all for a couple of days.
5. I missed my regular weekly postings – all of them – for the first time in over a year.
6. I rebuilt my web site from scratch and had it back online in a mere two days.
7. I made parts of three shirts and two skirts. I’m hoping to finish them all tomorrow. I completed one skirt and shirt.
8. I got two laptops that had been limping along fixed. One now has Linux. Now I have to learn Linux. That’s still better than the mangled form of vista that had been running on it.
9. I bought and installed a printer/scanner/copier machine.
10. I removed my Craig’s List ad for and I.T. guy as a lost cause. They all acted like answering my ad was doing me a favor, and most didn’t understand what I was looking for.
11. I checked my P.O.Box, collected about a pound and a half of mail jammed into a small box and didn’t rip anything.
12. Discovered a renewal notice for my car’s license plates in the P.O. Box. It was due that day.
13. Went to the DMV, took a number, sat down, and discovered they were running two hours behind. Thought about all the sewing I still had left to do, and walked out without getting renewed. Guess what I get to do today. This time I’ll bring a laptop. Might as well learn Linux while I wait.
In order to get the permalink from this post you must both put your URL in the Mr. Linky thing and leave a comment
More Thursday Thirteen participants can be found here
And here.
As always, I welcome the link to your Thursday Thirteen in my comments as well as in Mr. Linky.
Willa-Happy Canada Day
Hazel
Julia Smith
Pamela Kramer
Celticlibrarian
Carleen
Alexia Reed
PopArtDiva
