June NaBloPoMo

 I know I keep lagging on these, but I'm gonna keep trying!

Monday, June 2, 2014
Do you have commenting guidelines for your readers? Today is a great time to let them know the commenting policy for your blog (or set some new expectations).

Tuesday, June 3, 2014
Who owns the comment section: the blog writer or the blog readers?

Wednesday, June 4, 2014
Have you ever deleted a comment? What would make you delete a comment?

Thursday, June 5, 2014
Are there any comment sections online that you refuse to read?

Friday, June 6, 2014
Would you read a personal blog without a comment section? How do you feel when a comment section is closed?

Monday, June 9, 2014
Are you good at holding your tongue, or do you need to say what is on your mind?

Tuesday, June 10, 2014
Do you think you get "enough" comments? What constitutes "enough"?

Wednesday, June 11, 2014
Write on Someone Else's Blog Day: instead of writing a post on your own blog, go leave five comments. It still counts as writing!

Thursday, June 12, 2014
After you leave a comment, do you go back to check and see if people responded to your comment? Why or why not?

Friday, June 13, 2014
For Friday the 13th: have you ever received a comment that scared you?

Monday, June 16, 2014
Tell us about the best comment you ever received.

Tuesday, June 17, 2014
Tell us about a comment you left that was a masterpiece.

Wednesday, June 18, 2014
If a comment is getting too long, do you turn it into a post on your own blog? Point us towards a post that grew out of leaving a comment.

Thursday, June 19, 2014
Tell us about the best advice you ever received from a reader.

Friday, June 20, 2014
Have commenters ever made you change your mind or helped you make a decision? Tell us about that time.

Monday, June 23, 2014
How much weight do you give reviews? Do you write reviews?

Tuesday, June 24, 2014
Do you tend to write more good or bad reviews? What moves you to write a review?

Wednesday, June 25, 2014
Do you ever go back and re-read the comments on old posts? Dive into your archive and talk about the comments on an old post today.

Thursday, June 26, 2014
Do you think you "live and let live," or do you think you comment a lot on other people's lives?

Friday, June 27, 2014
Do you strongly support freedom of speech? Do you think it should have limits?

Monday, June 30, 2014
Leave your readers this month with commentary about their comments.

Food Network Can Drop By Anytime

If I had to make a meal for a professional chef, I'd probably go about it like I would when cooking for the family. I'm a bit of a perfectionist already, and I usually save experimental stuff for Husband and I.

I'd pick a dish I knew a lot of people have liked, which would add to my confidence. I mean really, without context beyond just grabbing a bite, I'm not really seeing the pressure here. Whoever it is will either like what I made, or they won't. No big deal.

I guess if there was something at stake, like a prize or something, I'd feel a little more pressed, but even then, I don't claim to be a great cook, so I don't expect much.

Yeah, I'll Eat That

I'm trying to think of something I had to eat, but didn't enjoy, and off the top of my head I've got nothing.

Even during lean times, my mom always managed to make "poor man" meals palatable. You'd probably have to ask her about my youth to find out of there was something I detested, because honestly I just don't know!

I Like To Eat, Eat, Eat...

Which food makes you feel happy when you eat it?

All of the food. All the food makes me happy to eat it.

Am I hungry? Now I'm eating? I am happy.

Noms.

Artwork was stumbled on in DeviantArt and made me laugh inappropriately.

Allergies Won't Stop Me This Time

I like the idea of eating outside, enjoying a view or soaking in some sun while stuffing my face with deliciousness. However, nature has a way of proverbially flipping me off anytime I actually try to follow through on it.

I have a ridiculous amount of environmental allergies, on top of my lovely food allergies (thanks, Mom) which makes going outside pretty much hell for 3/4s of the year. Pollen is basically my kryptonite, and a vast majority of living creatures are pertinent in spreading it, which also means bugs and small animals are out to kill me too.
Anyone who has spent a summer with me knows I am borderline phobic of moths, and until Husband and I sussed it out one Fourth of July I had no idea why. Those little fuckers are like the harbingers of death with their fuzzy little pollen coated bodies coming at me in kamikaze assaults, dusting my world with pain and anguish.

Luckily, I've found some mostly not-killable plants that smell icky to the things that want to kill me, and also have a low pollen production. Grace and Mom were nice enough to come by and help me put them in, and already the bugs have fled in what I can only imagine is their reaction to a Chernobyl-like disaster. I stepped outside this morning with my Sam, relishing in the herbal scents of lavender, mint, and rosemary, cackling atop my front porch in victory.

Once my little lovelies have fluffed up and spread a little more, I plan to move the little fire pit and table from my back porch out front. I got lucky and scored some hand-me-down chairs that match the yard quite nicely,so adding the table and pit should give our upper front yard a nice courtyard feel, potentially making for a nice outdoor dining experience.

BBQ: An All Day Affair

When I think of summer food, I immediately go to barbeques. I'm sure most people do, since all of the holidays with grilling traditions are in summer.

It's nice, the social norms surrounding a barbeque. Everyone gets to enjoy the weather, all of the mess and heat from cooking is outside (way more manageable), and it's pretty much acceptable to get your booze on once the grill is lit. It's not nearly as crowded or annoying to hover around the cook, as us Pollocks tend to do, since you're out in the open instead of a cramped kitchen.

With my extended family, barbeques are kind of an all day event in which you bring the lighter stuff to munch on while the meat is cooked for most of the afternoon until dinner. That means you get there around noon, crack open a beer, and dabble in cheese and crackers, fresh fruit, and veggie platters for close to five hours while the kids run amok with water balloons and squirt guns.

As the meat starts to finish, the snacks get switched out with potato salad, baked beans, fresh salad (which is a loose term ranging from sliced cucumbers to full garden) and coleslaw, surrounded by whatever condiments go with the main course. The last couple of Kedrowski grillings have been hosted by my Uncle Buck (berry pie), who is increasingly dominating the palette. This generally means there will be some kind of pulled pork, hot dogs/sausages, and ribs. I think there's been chicken a few times, but red meat is definitely his strong point. He usually grills the corn on the cob too, which is particularly exciting for me because I rarely eat that anymore. It's like my summer version of pecan pie - totally worth the itchy.

After we've all tucked in and demolished my Uncle's culinary glory, the desserts begin to creep out. "Dinner" doesn't get picked up because my family likes to "graze," picking away at the leftovers for the rest of the night. Summer desserts are pretty awesome, since they usually center around fruit. My Aunt Yolanda has some great recipes, especially her "Patriot Cake." It's a vanilla sheet cake, topped decoratively with strawberries and blueberries to form our flag. It's pretty much the best thing ever. I generally only get to enjoy it at family gatherings, after which if I remember to, she'll let me take a few pieces home to freeze. It's not worth the effort to make that stuff for myself, since really I can only eat a little bit at a time.

So to answer the question - which summer food I love best - I'd have to answer, Yes.

Just ONE Kiss!

I am perpetually harassing both Husband and Sam now for affection. They've made it a game now to tease me when they're together and I ask for a kiss, which consists of them rolling their eyes together and grumbling about how it's "never just one."

Not A Church-Goer

I am increasingly not a fan of  going to church.
I've seen religions work beauty in many people, filling their lives with enrichment, meaning, and the motivation to be good people. A lot of people need that in their lives, answers, hope, and reason.
Like anything, there are awful people involved too, who twist teachings or are just plain ignorant. If we didn't have religion, those types would still be around, perverting some other code of conduct for whatever their reasons, so I definitely don't blame the whole for the loud minority.

For me, it's just not fulfilling. I've grown up Catholic, and for a long time I did my best to abide by its constructs. The last few times I attended mass, it was just going through the motions, marking off the ritual checklist. It became a chore, with nothing produced once it was completed.
Of course this went alongside my current explorations of morality, and what that means to me, which hasn't really stayed inside the lines of Catholicism. I'm not saying it's necessarily wrong or bad, I'm saying I need to figure it out for myself, and odds are I won't be going back.

I'm pretty sure there's some higher power involved in the world. I don't think it's the Christian concept of God, because frankly the depictions of him are inconsistent at best and contradicting at worst. As far as death and "the other side," I don't know what to think. I've witnessed some strange things over the years, and either science can't explain it yet, or it's something we're not meant to understand as humans.

In my lifetime I've been exposed to a few different Christian sects, all of which are variations on the original, so I'm very sure they are not the community I'd partake in if I ever sought one out.
I'd really like to learn more about non-Christian faiths, like Islam, Hindu, Muslim, and Buddhist practices before I write off religion completely. It would be close-minded not to.

My Soul Gets Borken Sometimes

I have yet to figure out how to effectively "nourish my soul" when I get emotionally depleted.

When it's bad, I just get drunk a few days in a row, say a lot of stupid things I'll regret, sober up, and take stock of all the nice things I potentially ruined in my inebriation.

To this day I have no idea how Husband endures my sometimes self-destructive behavior, but I assume it's because I don't "go off the deep end" too often, and usually spend many days apologizing. He's entirely too patient.

In a healthier sense, I'll more often just hideout for a day, eating my absent feelings and trying to provoke my old self by watching movies and shows I love. The occasional snuggle inserted by both Husband and Sam helps too.

Help Me and Hurt Me

Writing can be both cathartic and a chore, depending on what all is going on. Sometimes a prompt just stumps me, and I'll procrastinate and procrastinate, hoping something will click, but eventually I just cave and force myself to say something.

Other times, I feel strongly about a subject, and then it's like artistry with words, putting my feelings or information together to make you nice people enjoy it.

Obviously it's a little easier to cover personal subjects over these prompts, but during the week I just don't have enough inspiration to concoct material on my own. That little nudge helps, and also makes it more restrained to a point that I can zero in on what I really want to be writing about.

Someday

I cannot stand meditation. I have no patience for it, which is probably the main reason I should try harder at it. It's pretty hard for me to hold still for any length of time, and even harder if there isn't some sort of stimulation involved, like reading.

Yoga, on the other hand, would probably make a happy medium of activity and calm. I keep saying I'm going to try it, but then I find something else to do instead, like Candy Crush, or actually being productive around the house. I get more things done when I'm trying to put off something else.

Do any of you nice people meditate, or do yoga? What styles and methods do you use?

My Sister Got Older Kind Of

Hey people, look at this kid.

She's 21 now, and that's kind of cool. It's also sad because she's on the other side of the country where I can't coerce her into drinking too much and eventually vomiting her feelings on someone's shoes.

That's important, ya know.

Happy Birthday T-bird!!

Tastes Like Feels

Beyond food, there's not much else I do to "nourish" myself. I suppose surrounding myself with pleasant (read: funny) company might count as nourishment, but usually I don't visit people when I feel crappy.

I seriously have a borderline problem with food. I am a very emotional eater, which we all know is a short road to disaster.

It's such an easy fix most days; sad, eat tastiness, enjoy tastiness, feel tastiness fill the belly = happies. What's more nourishing than that?

Happy Birthday, Husband!

Day Six: Hello, Again

My beloved Checo's.
We didn't have a planned stop for San Antonio on the way back, since we thought they wouldn't be open, and it just didn't fit in the time schedule. We passed through around lunch time, and Husband suggested we buzz by to see if they were open, if not, we would hit Hu Hot again.

Obviously, they were, and I was thrilled! We got our usual, and this time I got some Tres Leches so Husband could try it. Vallarta still wins for best Tres Leches, but this one was pretty good too.

I visited their restroom this time, and discovered they had toilet rooms instead of stalls. Since it's Mexican food, I definitely find this appropriate, especially with an individual switched light in each room. I imagine it might be a little scary for little people though.

After stuffing ourselves with an unexpectedly awesome lunch, we chugged along until we reached Tucson. There was a really nice Best Western tucked in with a ridiculous amount of other moderately priced inns, and I'm glad we got this one. It was unusual.

I have no idea why this towel was there and labeled that way. I tried my damnedest to figure it out, but it remains a mystery.

Even after Checo's, we found ourselves famished from booking it through New Mexico, so we checked out Dominick's Italian. Yelp says their garlic knots are to die for, and everyone is absolutely right.

Husband had their minestrone with his order, and it was the only thing that didn't wow us.

I opted for their loaded cream of potato, admittedly not a healthy pick, but it was the only other soup option. It was worth it!!

Husband, being an Italian archetype, tried their lasagna. It came very obviously hand crafted in it's own mini dish. Both the cheeses and sauce balanced beautifully with a moderate amount of meat to make an impressive dish.

I went basic with their chicken parmesagna, which also impressed me. The breading was not just plain, but infused with oregano and parmesan, topped generously with mozzarella.

Of course we couldn't leave without dessert, and since their signature cheesecake had run out, I opted for their Tiramisu. Husband had never had one before, and this one was the shining example of what Tiramisu should be.

Day Five: Aaah-yeeeeee

And thus we began our return trip, landing in Houston just in time for dinner at our beloved Woodrow's Heights. Husband was already burnt out from the lengthy weekend, so I opted for a light cocktail before dinner instead of my usual boozefest.
The waitress recommended what I can only understand as daiquiri crack, but she called it Skyy Strawberry Lemonade. All I can say is, if you're into sweet and tart drinks, find this and consume happily.

Husband got the standard Bloody Mary this time, since he didn't want to lose all his feeling in his face like he did with the Ultra Cajun one from before. It was tasty.

Since it was spring, awesome things were happening in the Cajun world of cuisine.

Husband indulged in soft shelled crab, something we rarely can find made correctly. I stuck with my crawfish ettouffee and key lime pie. Deliciousness was had all around.

We tucked in for the night in a nice little inn, hoping to rest up well for another marathon of driving.

Mother's Day Weekend

Mother's Day weekend yielded some mixed results, as loved ones with Alzheimer's Dementia often do. It's a struggle day to day, whether the Nana will be willing to have company. She's always been a private woman, and the side effects of her condition enhance this ten-fold.

We did have the pleasure of seeing Husband's John and his ever-pleasant wife, Stacy. It's always been a good time to see them, especially since Stacy and I are the only "outlaws" in the Duet family. We get to commiserate about our husbands' habits, as well as how sweet they can be, while also just enjoying some good old fashioned girl time.
One of our nieces was with us, and I had a chance to enjoy geeking out over nursing college with her. She's a good kid, and I see her doing a lot of great things.
Unfortunately I flaked on my usual paparazzi-like photography, and only have this shot to offer from our evening with them.

I got to be cute for about fifteen minutes, as it was pouring the entire weekend. I always seem to bring the rain, because the day before and after we were there it was dry as a bone.

We managed to squeeze in a special visit with a blast from Husband's past , and more specifically his father's past. Husband had been in touch with a member of his father's band from the late 60's, and he had agreed to a meeting to talk history and music.

It was an eye-opening experience to hear about his parents from an outside perspective, and when things got a little more private/personal, I made myself a new friend.

He was the sweetest pup, demanding a lot of affection, so of course we got on great!

Finally we got to see the Nana for a brief visit to wish her a happy Mother's Day and bring her flowers.

It was actually a pretty full visit for the couple days we were in town, and I'm surprised at how much was packed in. Soon after the visit, we sped off for home, as Husband had another group of clients clamoring for his attention as soon as we had hit the road.