Now, what to marinade? We used four chicken thighs, but you can just as easily use other chicken parts or even eggplant (something my daughter would love). We placed the chicken thighs in a rectangular plastic dish (one with a tight sealing lid) and added all the marinade. We shook it up a bit to even distribute the liquid and then placed the container back in the meat drawer of the refrigerator for about an hour.
A stiff south breeze brought almost balmy temperatures (lower sixties), so rather than broiling the chicken, we fired up the outdoor grill. Thirty minutes later we had perfectly grilled chicken. We complemented the meat with a baby spinach and spring mix leafy green salad and a steamed fresh broccoli head (trimmed to just the florets and broken into bite size pieces). A slice of my fresh baked honey wheat bread rounded out a delicious Sunday lunch.
Sadly, we were so eager to eat our freshly grilled chicken that I neglected to take any photographs. I did, however, remember to add this recipe in my Spark recipe box, so I have the all-important nutritional information.
Contrived and over-the-top preachy. Yes, I know, it’s a Christian film so it’s supposed to be that. But I disagree. It could have been much better. It barely rose above the level of what I would see performed at a local church as a liturgical drama. I guess I just prefer a subtler approach and something that reaches people where the are right now with a bit more real world. You can still tell a great story and send your audience home with a message, without giving them a concussion (from the two-by-four of theology or Bible quotations you hit them over head with).
Sean, Terry and I ventured downtown Saturday evening to listen to several local bands perform in a benefit concert at the American Legion hall to help raise funds for Sara Warren. Wolfguard‘s lead guitarist, Steve Bequette, had reunited with former band mates to play a couple of sets as the old Junction Box band. Other local bands included Silas Dogan and Southern Reign. I must apologize for the blurriness of the two photos I took last night with my cell phone. If I’d been thinking, I would have brought my good Canon digital camera along to get back shots.
We were fashionably late, arriving just as Junction Box finished setting up their equipment. We missed hearing the Silas Dogan band, but enjoyed hearing Junction Box cover ‘Takin’ Care of Business’ (BTO), ‘Dreams’ (Molly Hatchett), ‘Gimme Three Steps’ (Lynard Skynard), ‘Three ‘Whiskey in a Bottle’ and other classic and southern rock favorites.
Between sets (Junction Box switched out the percussionist and bassist once each), raffle prizes were drawn. I had purchased a few tickets when we arrived, but didn’t expect to win anything. The third ticket drawn happened to be one of the ones I’d purchased, so I retrieved a nice golf or polo shirt sporting ‘Effen Vodka’ on one sleeve. Being a medium, I handed it to Terry.
Eric Gassen with Southern Reign performing Stranglehold
After Junction Box wrapped up, Southern Reign took the stage again, but not before local guitar legend Eric Gassen (current project the Edge of Forever tribute band) treated us to a song that’s primarily a guitar solo … Nugent’s Stranglehold (also the first song I ever heard Terry play on his Ibanez Artist). Eric borrowed Steve’s guitar and Line 6 pedal while Southern Reign’s guitarist, bassist and percussionist provided the backup.
Southern Reign closed out the concert with a short set including ‘Can’t You See’ (Marshall Tucker Band), ‘Don’t Stop Believin’ (Journey), and ‘I’m the Only One’ (by Leavenworth’s very own Melissa Etheridge). Terry and I left, waving goodbye to the band, as they performed the last song of the evening ‘Sweet Child o’ Mine’ (Guns & Roses).
A few minutes later, we were on the road, headed south through Leavenworth and Lansing. Once back in the house, I removed the present my daughter and her boyfriend gave me for Christmas: opal earrings. Opals are my birthstone, since I’m an October baby.
We had a good time listening to some local Leavenworth talent and hopefully helped ease the burden for Sara Warren.
Our First Fire of Winter 2012 in Our Newly Repaired Fireplace
Good old Murphy messed with my Friday workday. Too many meetings, deadlines, herding of cats, things of that nature. Nothing catastrophic occurred, but much absurdity reigned. I fairly ran to the van when my time came to leave work and head home to enjoy a long three-day weekend (my last paid holiday until Memorial Day in May). As I drove west, I wondered if the sunset would blossom into something interesting, but true to form, as I arrived home, I entered the house and completely forgot about sunsets or clouds or moons or stars.
Terry had called me earlier in the afternoon and expressed his desire to have a fire in the fireplace. The wicked north wind had been blowing incessantly for a couple of days, leaving our great room feeling chill. I rearranged some furniture safely away from the fireplace and then started carrying in armloads of wood. Since we hadn’t had any fires for over a year, the wood in the wood pile was very light and dry. I did not anticipate having any trouble starting the fire.
While the split logs began to crackle, Terry and I defrosted the remaining filling from the chicken pot pies we’d made earlier in the week. Rather than making a crust from scratch (like I normally would), we opted to use a tube of refrigerated ready-to-bake croissants instead. Even though it took less time, we both preferred my pastry, mostly because the croissants were too sweet.
The MGM channel aired the movie Valkyrie last night, which we recorded while making dinner. We started watching the movie while we ate our improvised chicken pot pies. Even though we saw this in the theatre back in 2008, I always enjoy rewatching a movie at home, where I can pause and scrutinize a scene or a frame meticulously. As an example, I loved the detailed recreation of the interior of Hitler’s Berghof home in the Bavarian Alps, none of which survived the end of World War II. And except for Tom Cruise (who has never been a favorite actor of mine), the international cast of characters delivered outstanding performances. We reluctantly stopped watching at the one hour thirty-five minute mark so I could get my cardio workout done before I got too sleepy. I did much better at Rhythm Boxing, but I still can’t beat Terry’s score on Advanced Step.
I fed the fire for a couple of hours, but eventually Terry warmed up enough that I could let it die down to coals. A pleasant evening and a great way to start the weekend.
I said goodbye to my daughter early Thursday morning because by the time I returned home from work, she would be waiting to board her plane at KCI. She did send me a couple of photos of the sunset. She brought the warm Texas winter temperatures with her in late December, and now as she flies south for the rest of the winter, she seems to be taking those milder temperatures with her, at least for one day. When I got in the van this morning, the thermometer registered barely ten degrees.
I came home to an empty house. Roxy couldn’t be bothered to stir from the hideaway bed and Apollo wouldn’t budge for Roxy’s dog bed on the floor. My dad called me about the sunset, as he and Terry were returning from KCI through Platte City and Leavenworth. While I was on the phone with him, my daughter sent me the above photo text message. No sooner than I hung up with dad, than Rachelle called to ask if I’d received her photos. So, I got to speak with her one last time before she boarded the plane. I asked her to call me as soon as she landed at Love Field in Dallas.
Terry made it home safely (this was the first time he’d driven himself since before his surgery in late December). Roxy perked up as did Apollo but neither Terry nor I could be bothered with cooking dinner. We opted for a quick supper at Pizza Hut, which was deserted. Terry ordered honey barbecue boneless wings and I ordered a thin crust Hawaiian personal pan sized pizza (of which I only ate two slices). We were back home by 6:45, ten minutes before Rachelle’s flight was scheduled to take off.
While I did my Wii Fit fitness routine, Terry returned a call to a friend who had left him a voice-mail message while he was driving back from the airport. Terry retired to the band room while I beat his score on Advanced Step and improved my Island Cycling and tried Rhythm Boxing for the first time.
We sat down to watch the latest Bones episode and got about halfway through it when Rachelle called me. It was only 8:10 p.m. (her flight was scheduled to land at 8:35). Obviously, the north wind helped send her back to Texas. Terry and I finished watching Bones and then the Rotts and I retired for the night. They both wanted to be near me because they already missed Rachelle, just like Terry and I do.
May is so far away. That’s the next time I’ll see her, when she performs her senior recital and graduates from the University of North Texas.
The Kansas City Public Library launched the “Destination: Anywhere” 2012 Adult Winter Reading Program on Monday, January 9, 2012. I plan to participate, although I may not read many (or any) of the suggested books. For the first time since I started following their adult reading programs, I saw non-fiction titles listed in their suggestions. I often need extra motivation to read non-fiction books, as I much prefer to escape to a place that you can’t find on any real map. I am most at home on other worlds, in other dimension or in completely imaginary places.
Of the fiction titles suggested, I now have motivation to read Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte (something I probably should have read decades ago). I am also intrigued by The Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingslover, which also has a book discussion scheduled for Saturday, February 18th 2:00 p.m. at the Trails West Branch.
Whether or not I attend any of the events or read any of the books, I look forward to adding to my collection of adult reading program coffee mugs. If you don’t live in the Kansas City metropolitan area, an alternative way to participate would be through the library’s GoodReads group.
My daughter continues providing meals to her father (and I benefit as well). One of her suggested menu items happened to be stromboli. She called her boyfriend last night for the recipe, but he had a bad day at work so supper at the Moss Home quickly became leftovers. Rachelle called me later while I was out at the grocery store picking up items for today’s return of the chicken pot pie. She needed French bread to make her stromboli. I told her I needed a minimum of three to four hours to make that type of bread. I asked her if I could make some French bread on Sunday afternoon so she could make the stromboli on Monday. She agreed and eventually left to spend the evening (and night) with friends.
Monday morning, I reviewed the stromboli recipe via the King Arthur Flour web site. I placed the ingredients for the dough in my bread machine and added time to the dough cycle so that the dough would be ready for Rachelle around 4:30 p.m. I went merrily off to work and called her at 3:00 p.m. to make sure the bread machine started on time and that the dough looked like it should. She told me it looked great and smelled wonderful.
Our Stromboli looked very much like this one (sorry, I forgot to take a photo of ours)
I got home at my regular time and the stromboli was already baking in the oven on parchment paper on the pizza stone. The house smelled glorious. Within a half hour, we took the baked stromboli out of the oven and let it rest and cool for ten to fifteen minutes. I sliced it while Rachelle heated up some marinara sauce. We each enjoyed at least two slices, if not three.
Later, after we’d stuffed ourselves, Rachelle realized she should have let the stromboli rise before baking it. Neither of us had thought about that and had not allowed for that second rise time in our evening dinner planning. Next time, we’ll definitely let the stromboli rise for at least a half hour or longer. This recipe is a keeper!
I am composing this quick reference guide (or workflow or flowchart) for persons who shall remain anonymous. I plan to refer them to this page (encouraging them to bookmark it in their browser) the next time I receive yet another request for how to get an ebook transferred to their Nook.
1. Barnes & Noble Nook Books: It is not necessary to click the Download button after you purchase a Nook Book. This is tempting, especially if you are sitting at your computer, browsing through the Barnes & Noble website and not actually shopping via your Nook Color (using a wifi connection).
(a) Press the n button on your Nook Color and select the Library item.
(b) Press the Sync button in the lower left-hand corner of the screen (which looks like two arrows chasing each other in a circular pattern).
(c) Any new books you have purchased will appear after the sync completes.
2. Non-Barnes & Noble eBooks: Anything you purchase from a non-B&N retailer, even if the price is ‘free’, will most likely be ‘protected’ by DRM (digital rights management), which actively prevents you from copying the downloaded ebook file from your computer to your Nook Color. If you are lucky enough to find an ebook without DRM protection, please skip down to the last step below. Otherwise, the only approved method for transferring ebooks you legitimately purchased involves using yet another piece of software called Adobe Digital Editions. This transfer process may vary depending on the vender and assumes you have downloaded, installed and activated both your copy of Adobe Digital Editions and your device (Nook Color) in that software.
(a) Download the ebook from where you bought it and make note of the file name (in case you have trouble remembering where your computer downloads file to – usually the Downloads folder). Windows may automatically associated the downloading file with Adobe Digital Editions, which is a good thing. Let it launch ADE after it downloads the file if need be.
(b) Connect the Nook Color USB cable to your computer, then connect it to your Nook Color.
(c) ADE should now display your Nook Color device as available in the left-hand navigation pane.
(i) To add the ebook you just purchased/downloaded, select Add Library Item (or press Ctrl+O to open) from the Library menu in ADE.
(ii) Navigate to the folder where you downloaded the file (in a Windows 7 environment, you may already have a favorites item called ‘Downloads’ available).
(iii) Select the ebook and click the Open button. ADE should now display the cover of the ebook as a thumbnail in the left-hand area. Or, if your view is currently set to the List option, then new ebook will be listed by Title, Author, etc.
(iv) Click the thumbnail of the new ebook cover and drag it to your Nook Color device (listed in the left-hand navigation pane of ADE).
(d) Close ADE and safely disconnect your Nook Color from your computer.
(e) Back on your Nook Color, there are two ways to find the ebook you just transferred from your computer:
(i) Using the Library application:
(1) Open your Library and switch to the My Stuff area (last tab/button along the top).
(2) Drill down to the Digital Editions folder and click on the ebook file name you just transferred from your computer to the Nook Color.
(ii) Using Search
(1) Type the file name or title of the new ebook.
(2) Select the ebook from the search results.
3. Library eBook Lending: Most libraries also use Adobe Digital Editions to managed the ebooks you borrow. Your library may already provide you with instructions and a tutorial. I know mine did:
(c) You can use the same process described above to find the file on your Nook Color (either through the Library application or by Searching for the file name or title of the ebook).
4. Public Domain eBooks (DRM-Free): Those ebooks downloaded from Project Gutenberg or the public domain section of Feedbooks, should be DRM free and thus will not require the use of Adobe Digital Editions to copy the ebook file to your Nook Color.
(a) Download the ebook and note the file name and folder location.
(b) Connect your Nook Color to your computer.
(c) When prompted (an Autoplay dialog box should pop up), click the ‘Open folder to view files’ option.
(d) Drill down to the My Files folder on your Nook Color and open the Books subfolder.
(e) In a separate Windows Explorer window, find the ebook file and Copy it (Ctrl+C).
(f) Return to the Nook Color window that should be open to the Books subfolder of the My Files folder and Paste (Ctrl+V).
(g) Close all Windows Explorer windows and safely disconnect your Nook Color from your computer.
(h) You can use the same process described above to find the file on your Nook Color (either through the Library application or by Searching for the file name or title of the ebook).
To manage all your DRM-free ebooks, I would suggest using Calibre, an open source software package. I give you fair warning, however, that Calibre is not as easy to use as it could be, but I have hopes that the user interface will improve with each update. I only recommend Calibre to people who are not technology challenged.
I missed this status update from the Lyric Opera last week (posted on their Facebook page on Friday, January 6, 2012 at 4:00 pm):
Please join the Lyric Opera of Kansas City to celebrate 20 years of educational programming this Sunday, January 8th at 2PM at Rockhurst High School. We are honoring those that have made our programming a success. All are welcome to attend this presentation and reception.
I also missed a similar Tweet sent out by them sent out at about the same time. So, Sunday afternoon, as Terry and I prepared to make home-made Chicken Pot Pie (first attempted successfully back in March 2011), my daughter woke up, read her e-mail and promptly rescheduled my entire Sunday afternoon.
And if I had paid attention to the Kansas City Star, I might have caught the article they published Saturday about both the Giver and the 20 year celebration.
Obviously, my performing arts radar malfunctioned this past week.
Lyric Opera Campers (Current and Alumni) gather onstage to honor and celebrate 20 years for the Education Program and it's Director, Paula Winans
While Rachelle scrambled to find something appropriate to wear for performing (slim pickings since most of her clothes are back at her home-away-from-home in Denton, Texas), Terry and I got the first stage of the chicken pot pie completed and stored the results in the refrigerator until our return from the celebration. Rachelle and I traveled to Rockhurst High School (my first time to visit this facility) and spent a pleasant afternoon. Rachelle joined current Lyric Opera Camp attendees and alumni (she is both an alumnus and a past counselor for the camp) on stage to sing a song they all learn during camp.
After refreshments were served, Rachelle also had an opportunity to perform a piece from Così fan tutte. She spent a few minutes (before and after her performance) providing an update to the staff and students on what she’s been doing the last couple of years at UNT. If Rachelle wasn’t returning to Texas this Thursday, she and I would probably attend the world premiere of The Giver opera this Saturday at 2:00 pm.
We returned home and finished crafting our Chicken Pot Pies. We popped them in the oven and enjoyed them for a late supper. A good thing that recipe is very filling, as supper was the only meal either of us (Rachelle or I) ate Sunday.
Sunrise 31 Dec 2011 (looking northwest over Lansing City Hall)
Terry and I attended the local City Council meeting this past Thursday night. We opted to attend in person first because agenda item number seven directly affected us (see my previous post on the ‘no parking’ sign installed and uninstalled last month on Bambi Court) and, second, because we cannot watch the ‘reruns’ of the council meetings on Channel 2 since we do not subscribe to Time Warner Cable (we are DirecTV customers, at least for the time being). However, after digging around on the City’s website, I found their media center and discovered they had already posted the video from Thursday night’s council meeting for viewing online by the time I started composing this post on Saturday morning. Regardless, we arrived about thirty minutes early because we did not know how well attended the meeting would be. We also thought we would be searched for security purposes, but we were not (a sign posted next to the council chamber entrance stated the obvious restrictions – no weapons, etc.). A printed agenda lay before the sign, but no printouts of supporting documentation (in particular the two ordinances placed on the agenda).
During the Audience Participation portion of the meeting, we heard a report on the success of the past two year’s Kansas Sampler Festival. At the conclusion of the report, I expected the Mayor to ask if anyone else present had a non-agenda item to present, but instead he immediately skipped to the first agenda item, that of the presentation by Coffman and Associates of the results of their Site Selection Study for the Leavenworth County Regional Airport. Rather than repeat their entire presentation here within my blog post, I will instead refer you to the public website hosting all the studies (including the Site Selection one): Leavenworth County Airport Study
Exhibit 3F (Site Selection Study)
I was surprised (well, perhaps not) that the recommended site, of the three sites found feasible, happened to be just a mile or so south of my residence in Lansing, referred to as the Gilman Road Site. Probably not the most ideal spot from my perspective as a home owner (prop planes flying directly overhead at much lower altitudes than the large commercial jets that fly over to land at KCI on the other side of the river), but I can appreciate the positive economic impact this site would have for Lansing in general and Leavenworth County at large. Apparently, though, the Leavenworth City Council, and Commissioner Phil Urban in particular, does not agree with my take on the recommend site. He was quoted in a Leavenworth Times news item (published the day before the Lansing City Council meeting) that he ‘hated seeing everything going south.’ He further stated he would vote against the City of Leavenworth ‘being involved in building an airport at the Gilman Road site’ but would vote in favor for either of the other two sites (Coffin Road northwest of Leavenworth or Eisenhower Road to the west – see map above). The lone commenter to that Leavenworth Times article observed the obvious, but did raise some points of interest.
The regional airport for Leavenworth County is by no means a done deal. Two more studies need to be completed, but first a sponsor needs to step forward. A regrouping with the other municipal and county entities looks to be the next action item before anything further can proceed.
The meeting proceed apace soon after the Site Selection Study presentation, with the tabling of agenda item number three. I did not completely follow the gist of the conversation between the Mayor and the City Administrator, but someone vital (either from the LCDC or another local organization) had planned to attend but obviously had not made it to the meeting.
Agenda item four was quickly approved (unanimously) and we moved on the agenda item five, a request to purchase police vehicles (specifically two Dodge Chargers and a Tahoe). After a brief explanation by the Chief of Police (at least I assumed he was the Chief of Police … we were not formally introduced) and some questions and discussion from the Council Members, the item was approved (again unanimously).
The next two agenda items dealt with city ordinances (specifically numbers 899 and 900). Having worked in the legal field for over twenty years, and read many legal documents (including statutes, regulations, municipal codes, briefs, etc. etc. ad infinitum), I really wanted to get my hands on the text of the ordinances. I held my piece, however, since I had no real options as an observer. Yes, I could have stood up and inserted myself into the discussion, but I refrained (or restrained) myself as the Council Members were doing a good job of asking appropriate questions and stimulating debate.
Ordinance No. 899 was a rezoning action request for several lots in the Carriage Crossing area. Greenamyre Rentals owned the lots and needed them rezoned and replatted. Many questions and concerns were raised, including the ‘chicken and egg’ observation that replatting couldn’t be done without rezoning, but ultimately the action passed (with one dissenting vote by Council Member Andi Pawlowski).
Ordinance No. 900 was a proposed amendment to the Lansing City Code regarding the regulation of parking on public streets during snow and ice removal within the corporate city limits. Obviously, this is the moment we’d been waiting for. And although neither Terry nor I stood up to partake in the discussion, we were pleased with the Council Members questions, concerns and actions. While our two Council Members (for Ward Two) cast dissenting votes, the amendment passed. My concerns about parking in the cul-de-sac during the other ten or eleven months of the year were alleviated earlier during the debate. I was again shocked though by the Mayor’s assumption that the discussion had concluded, without opening the floor up to others for questions or comments. If I had felt very strongly, I would not have hesitated to stand and assert my opinion, regardless of any resulting embarrassment or impoliteness. The Mayor asked if there were any further questions, but then immediately, without taking a breath, called for the vote.
The meeting quickly wrapped up and adjourned soon after the last agenda item approval. No reports were delivered by the City Engineer, the City Attorney, the City Administrators or others. I made my way to the secretary (at least I assumed she was the meeting secretary since she appeared to be taking down the minutes for the meeting) and asked if the ordinances were available for review online. She said no, at least not until signed, but she would gladly e-mail me a copy of Ordinance No. 900 as soon as it was available. I left her my business card.
Terry and I returned home, sooner than we thought, the meeting only taking a little more than an hour to complete. I need to reach out to our Council Members and thank them for listening to their constituents and representing their interests well during the council meeting.
Our brief foray into civic participation ended on a more upbeat note than we originally thought it might. Perhaps we’ll do it again next month, just for fun.
Sadly, we were so eager to eat our freshly grilled chicken that I neglected to take any photographs. I did, however, remember to add this recipe in my Spark recipe box, so I have the all-important nutritional information.
