Cat

I had a class today from 7am to 3pm after working last night until 11pm. Jeez I'm exhausted.

Here's a funny for ya, no offense to you Irish folk.

AN IRISH BLONDE IN A CASINO

An attractive blonde from Cork , Ireland arrived at the casino.
S he seemed a little intoxicated and bet twenty-thousand Euros on a
single roll of the dice.

She said, 'I hope you don't mind, but I feel much luckier when
I'm completely nude'.

With that, she stripped from the neck down, rolled the dice and
with an Irish brogue yelled, 'Come on, baby, Mama needs new clothes!'

As the dice came to a stop, she jumped up and down and
squealed...'YES! YES! I WON, I WON!'

She hugged each of the dealers and then picked up her winnings
and her clothes and quickly departed.

The dealers stared at each other dumbfounded.

Finally, one of them asked, 'What did she roll?'

The other answered,

'I don't know - I thought you were watching.'

MORAL OF THE STORY -

Not all Irish are drunks,
not all blondes are dumb,
but all men...are men.

ஜ~§Quote of the Day§~ஜ

I cook with wine, sometimes I even add it to the food.
W.C. Fields

ஜ~§The Question Of The Day§~ஜ

Do you prefer texting or talking on the phone?

ஜ~§The Word Of The Day§~ஜ

Au Fait

PRONUNCIATION:
(o FAY)

MEANING:
adjective: Being well-informed or skillful in something.

ETYMOLOGY:
From French, literally "to the fact", from Latin facere (to make or do).

USAGE:
"Some technology degree holders took two years in a job before they were au fait with the practical skills."

ஜ~§What I'm Reading§~ஜ

JD Robb: Promises in Death

ஜ~§What I'm Watching§~ஜ

Tonight is: Ghost Whisperer, Flashpoint, Numb3rs, Terminator: TSCC, Dollhouse and Battlestar Galactica

ஜ~§Poem Of The Day§~ஜ

Cat

The fat cat on the mat
may seem to dream
of nice mice that suffice
for him, or cream;
but he free, maybe,
walks in thought
unbowed, proud, where loud
roared and fought
his kin, lean and slim,
or deep in den
in the East feasted on beasts
and tender men.
The giant lion with iron
claw in paw,
and huge ruthless tooth
in gory jaw;
the pard dark-starred,
fleet upon feet,
that oft soft from aloft
leaps upon his meat
where woods loom in gloom --
far now they be,
fierce and free,
and tamed is he;
but fat cat on the mat
kept as a pet
he does not forget.

JRR Tolkien

ஜ~§Recipe of the Day§~ஜ

Panang Tofu Curry




Ingredients:
1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 cup finely chopped shallots
2 tablespoons finely grated peeled ginger
4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1/4 cup organic peanut butter
2 teaspoons turmeric
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon hot chili paste (such as sambal oelek)*
1 cup water
1 13 1/2-to 14-ounce can organic light coconut milk
3 kaffir lime leaves or 3 tablespoons fresh lime juice and 1 1/2 teaspoons finely grated lime peel
1 tablespoon (firmly packed) golden brown sugar
2 14-ounce packages organic firm tofu, drained, cut into 1-inch cubes 1 1/2 cups 1/4- to 1/3-inch-thick slices peeled carrots (about 3 medium)
1 1/2 cups 1/4- to 1/3-inch-thick slices peeled carrots (about 3 medium)
1 large red bell pepper, cut into 3/4-inch pieces

Preparation:
Heat oil in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. Add shallots, ginger, and garlic; cook until shallots are tender, about 6 minutes.

Add peanut butter, turmeric, cumin, and chili paste; stir until fragrant, 1 to 2 minutes. Whisk in 1 cup water, then coconut milk, lime leaves, and brown sugar; bring to simmer. Season sauce with salt.

Add tofu, carrots, and bell pepper; simmer over medium heat until carrots are tender, adjusting heat to medium-low if beginning to boil and occasionally stirring gently, about 20 minutes.

Season to taste with salt.

DO AHEAD: Can be made 3 days ahead. Cool slightly, cover, and chill. Rewarm over medium heat before serving.

* Available in the Asian foods section of many supermarkets and at Asian markets.

Brightest Blessings,
~S~

On Imagination

Here's a quick funny for ya. (Caveat-I'm not a teacher, it's just how the story reads)

Show and Tell

One day this little girl, Erica, a very bright, very outgoing kid, takes her turn and waddles up to the front of the class with a pillow stuffed under her sweater.

She holds up a snapshot of an infant. 'This is Luke, my baby brother, and I'm going to tell you about his birthday.'

'First, Mom and Dad made him as a symbol of their love, and then Dad put a seed in my Mom's stomach, and Luke grew in there. He ate for nine months through an umbrella cord.'

She's standing there with her hands on the pillow, and I'm trying not to laugh and wishing I had my camcorder with me. The kids are watching her in amazement.

'Then, about two Saturdays ago, my Mom starts saying and going, 'Oh, Oh, Oh, Oh!' (Erica puts a hand behind her back and groans.) 'She walked around the house for, like an hour, 'Oh, oh, oh!' (Now this kid is doing a hysterical duck walk and groaning.)

'My Dad called the middle wife. She delivers babies, but she doesn't have a sign on the car like the Domino's man. They got my Mom to lie down in bed like this.' (Then Erica lies down with her back against the wall.)

'And then, pop! M y Mom had this bag of water she kept in there in case he got thirsty, and it just blew up and spilled all over the bed, like psshhheew!' (This kid has her legs spread with her little hands miming water flowing away. It was too much!)

'Then the middle wife starts saying 'push, push,' and 'breathe, breathe'. They started counting, but never even got past ten. Then, all of a sudden, out comes my brother. He was covered in yucky stuff that they all said it was from Mom's play-center, (placenta) so there must be a lot of toys inside there. When he got out, the middle wife spanked him for crawling up in there.'

Then Erica stood up, took a big theatrical bow and returned to her seat.

ஜ~§Quote of the Day§~ஜ

Hatred is blind, as well is love.
Oscar Wilde

ஜ~§The Question Of The Day§~ஜ

What's the story behind your username?

Aha! I knew you always wanted to know this about me. Surry is a shortened form of Surreptitious. Surreptitious is my FAVORITE word in the dictionary. When I first started chatting my FIRST ever username was Surreptitious_Poet. When I was in yahoo chat it was shortened to Surry. Later I found that my favorite flower was the Sweetpea, smells nice, easy to grow. (so I'm told, I have a black thumb) I was getting too much junk mail under surreptitious_poet, so I created a new account. Piscean_river_walker (don't freakin ask, I believe I was just getting into learning about pagan paths) the 'Nickname' under my new account is now SweetPeaSurry. YAY. That's my story and I'm stickin' to it!!!

ஜ~§The Word Of The Day§~ஜ

Coeval

PRONUNCIATION:
(ko-EE-vuhl)

MEANING:
adjective: Having the same age or duration.
noun: A contemporary.

ETYMOLOGY:
From Latin coaevus, from co- (in common) + aevum (age), from Greek aion (age). Ultimately from the Indo-European root aiw-/ayu- (vital force, life, eternity) that is also the source of ever, never, aye, nay, eon, eternal, medieval, primeval, utopia, Sanskrit Ayurveda.

USAGE:
"Charles Darwin and Abraham Lincoln were born in the same year, on the same day: Feb 12, 1809. ... Instinctively, we want to say that they belong together. It's not just because they were both great men, and not because they happen to be exact coevals. Rather, it's because the scientist and the politician each touched off a revolution that changed the world."

ஜ~§What I'm Reading§~ஜ

I forgot my book today, didn't bring it to work ... so I'm reading erotica instead. *giggles*

ஜ~§What I'm Watching§~ஜ

Tonight is: Ghost Whisperer, Flashpoint, Numb3rs, Terminator: The Sarah Conner Chronicals, Battlestar Galactica and Dollhouse. (I'd better stop and get some more wine)

ஜ~§Poem Of The Day§~ஜ

On Imagination

THY various works, imperial queen, we see,
How bright their forms! how deck'd with pomp
by thee!
Thy wond'rous acts in beauteous order stand,
And all attest how potent is thine hand.
From Helicon's refulgent heights attend,
Ye sacred choir, and my attempts befriend:
To tell her glories with a faithful tongue,
Ye blooming graces, triumph in my song.
Now here, now there, the roving Fancy flies,
Till some lov'd object strikes her wand'ring eyes,
Whose silken fetters all the senses bind,
And soft captivity involves the mind.
Imagination! who can sing thy force?
Or who describe the swiftness of thy course?
Soaring through air to find the bright abode,
Th' empyreal palace of the thund'ring God,
We on thy pinions can surpass the wind,
And leave the rolling universe behind:
From star to star the mental optics rove,
Measure the skies, and range the realms above.
There in one view we grasp the mighty whole,
Or with new worlds amaze th' unbounded soul.
Though Winter frowns to Fancy's raptur'd eyes
The fields may flourish, and gay scenes arise;
The frozen deeps may break their iron bands,
And bid their waters murmur o'er the sands.
Fair Flora may resume her fragrant reign,
And with her flow'ry riches deck the plain;
Sylvanus may diffuse his honours round,
And all the forest may with leaves be crown'd:
Show'rs may descend, and dews their gems disclose,
And nectar sparkle on the blooming rose.
Such is thy pow'r, nor are thine orders vain,
O thou the leader of the mental train:
In full perfection all thy works are wrought,
And thine the sceptre o'er the realms of thought.
Before thy throne the subject-passions bow,
Of subject-passions sov'reign ruler thou;
At thy command joy rushes on the heart,
And through the glowing veins the spirits dart.
Fancy might now her silken pinions try
To rise from earth, and sweep th' expanse on high:
From Tithon's bed now might Aurora rise,
Her cheeks all glowing with celestial dies,
While a pure stream of light o'erflows the skies.
The monarch of the day I might behold,
And all the mountains tipt with radiant gold,
But I reluctant leave the pleasing views,
Which Fancy dresses to delight the Muse;
Winter austere forbids me to aspire,
And northern tempests damp the rising fire;
They chill the tides of Fancy's flowing sea,
Cease then, my song, cease the unequal lay.

Phillis Wheatley

ஜ~§Recipe of the Day§~ஜ

Pan-Roasted Pork Chops with Cranberies and Red Swiss Chard

Ingredients:
For Swiss chard
1/3 cup minced shallots (2 medium)
1 tablespoon minced garlic
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 lb red Swiss chard, stems and center ribs cut out and chopped together, leaves coarsely chopped separately

For pork chops
4 (1 1/4-inch-thick) rib pork chops
1 1/2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

For sauce
1/3 cup minced shallots (2 medium)
1/2 cup dry red wine
1 cup fresh or thawed frozen cranberries (4 1/2 oz)
3/4 cup chicken stock or broth
3 tablespoons packed light brown sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme or 1/2 teaspoon dried, crumbled
2 tablespoons unsalted butter

Preparation:
Preheat oven to 400°F.

Prepare Swiss chard:
Cook shallots and garlic in butter in an ovenproof 12-inch heavy skillet over moderate heat, stirring, until golden, about 5 minutes. Add chard stems and center ribs and cook, covered, stirring occasionally, until crisp-tender, 3 to 4 minutes. Add leaves and cook, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until tender, 6 to 7 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, then transfer chard to a heavy saucepan and wipe out skillet.

Cook pork chops:
Pat chops dry and season with salt and pepper. Heat oil in skillet over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking, then brown chops, about 3 minutes per side.

Transfer skillet to oven and roast until an instant-read thermometer inserted horizontally 2 inches into meat registers 155°F, 7 to 9 minutes. Transfer chops with tongs to a platter, leaving fat in skillet, and cover chops loosely with foil to keep warm.

Make sauce:
Sauté shallots in fat remaining in skillet over moderately high heat, stirring, until golden, about 5 minutes. Add wine and deglaze by boiling over high heat, scraping up brown bits, until reduced by half. Add cranberries and stock and simmer, stirring occasionally, until cranberries begin to burst, about 2 minutes. Stir in brown sugar and thyme and simmer, stirring, until berries are collapsed, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in butter until incorporated, then season with salt and pepper.

Assemble dish:
While sauce is cooking, reheat chard over moderate heat, stirring. Divide among 4 plates and top with chops, then spoon sauce over.

Brightest Blessings,
~S~

No Man Is An Island

Hey guys!

I've been a bad little bloggy friend. I haven't really blopped or done anything. No particular reason for it, except I've been playing alot on FB and less on BS and Twitter. I'll try to do better, I'm following so many interesting blogs, and now that I'm so far behind, it's like I'll never get caught up!

Anyway, I taught my first Safety Culture class as a certified instructor the day before yesterday. I think it went really well. There are some people who are completely against the process, and that was forseen. It's still difficult when there is dissention though, as I really believe in the process, not only for safety but as a philosophical way of life.

In addition, I found out the other day that one of the other certified trainers, one that I spent two weeks with in Denver for the train-the-trainer courses is currently bad-mouthing the way we're progressing with the Safety Culture roll-out. That is also disconcerting to me, how are we to expect other's to keep an open mind when one of the trainers won't even do it. It's very frustrating. I'll keep ya'll abreast of how things are shaking down on that front, as I'm sure you're waiting with bated breath for the information on the outcome. :)

and now ... for the REST of the story!

ஜ~§Quote of the Day§~ஜ

He who laughs most, learns best.
John Cleese

ஜ~§The Question Of The Day§~ஜ

What is your personal motto or favorite quotation?

My personal favorite motto is: Two things are infinate, the univers and human stupidity, and I'm not sure about the former. (Einstein)

Keep in mind folks, I love it when you answer this question in comments, but feel free to expand upon any of my questions of the day in your own blogs, if it suits you. (love and light)

ஜ~§The Word Of The Day§~ஜ

Mug's Game

PRONUNCIATION:
(mugz gaym)

MEANING:
noun: A foolish or futile activity.

ETYMOLOGY:
From mug (slang for a fool), from Scandinavian word mugg/mugge (drinking cup). In earlier times drinking cups were adorned with grotesque faces, which resulted in the various senses of the word, nouns (face, dupe, thug) and verbs (to assault, to make faces, to photograph).

USAGE:
"'Because we're dealing with so many unknowns, forecasting is an absolute mug's game at present,' says Westpac chief economist Brendan O'Donovan."

ஜ~§What I'm Reading§~ஜ

Jewels of the Sun and Opposites Attract, both by Nora Roberts.

ஜ~§What I'm Watching§~ஜ

Tonight is: TV Catchup night. Last night BSG was freaking amazing again. I had stated that Ghost Whisperer, Flashpoint, and Numb3rs was on my radar for last night, but they were re-runs, so I don't have too much catching up to do. :)

ஜ~§Poem Of The Day§~ஜ

No man is an island

No man is an island entire of itself; every man
is a piece of the continent, a part of the main;
if a clod be washed away by the sea, Europe
is the less, as well as if a promontory were, as
well as any manner of thy friends or of thine
own were; any man's death diminishes me,
because I am involved in mankind.
And therefore never send to know for whom
the bell tolls; it tolls for thee.

John Donne

ஜ~§Recipe of the Day§~ஜ

Ginger Glazed Mahi Mahi

Ingredients:
3 tablespoons honey
3 tablespoons soy sauce
3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger root
1 clove garlic, crushed or to taste
2 teaspoons olive oil
4 (6 ounce) mahi mahi fillets
salt and pepper to taste
1 tablespoon vegetable oil

Preparation:
In a shallow glass dish, stir together the honey, soy sauce, balsamic vinegar, ginger, garlic and olive oil. Season fish fillets with salt and pepper, and place them into the dish. If the fillets have skin on them, place them skin side down. Cover, and refrigerate for 20 minutes to marinate.

Heat vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Remove fish from the dish, and reserve marinade. Fry fish for 4 to 6 minutes on each side, turning only once, until fish flakes easily with a fork. Remove fillets to a serving platter and keep warm.

Pour reserved marinade into the skillet, and heat over medium heat until the mixture reduces to a glaze consistently. Spoon glaze over fish, and serve immediately.

Yield: 4 servings

Brightest Blessings,
~S~