Sight Seeing

Last Friday the weather suddenly changed. It was the first day all year above 50 degrees, in fact it made it into the low 60’s. Heaven! I ditched the jacket and opened up all of our windows and practically danced through the commissary parking lot. It was amazing after all the cold and clouds we’ve had since arriving in ND.

It’s also a bit comical how warm 60 degrees felt. In California 60 would have been considered chilly, sweatshirt weather. So I suppose we’re acclimating faster than I thought.

Saturday was even warmer, in the low 70’s! Heat wave. Although it was windy and on the cloudy side I was determined not to spend the day indoors. So we went exploring over to Turtle River State Park. It’s right outside the base here, about 20 miles west of the town. Despite the temperatures there is still a lot of snow on the ground here, so we stuck to walking along the paved areas of the park. Even so, it was lovely to be outside and warm. In a stark contrast to all the flat agricultural land around town, (a fancy way of saying there’s no trees) there are trees everywhere in the park. And the river was pretty, very high at the moment, and just rushing and loud! There are pretty spots and shelters for picnics with grills, and lots of trails off the road, camping, fishing, biking, etc.

We stopped for more frozen yogurt on our way home.

Worst book of 2013 thus far

 The Horror of Love by Lisa Hilton was, to be completely cliché, horrible.

This book sounded good on the jacket, but reader beware. You absolutely must be a Mitford aficionado before undertaking this. The author dives into her story assuming the reader is not merely familiar, but deeply knowledgeable about both the Mitford family and their dramatic history (down to the relationship and histories between various cousins and in-laws), as well as Nancy Mitford's writing.

Characters both in real life and out of Nancy's books are talked about interchangeably and without reference to who they actually were. Many times I found it difficult to determine whether fact or fiction was being discussed. That makes for quite tedious reading. As well, the author not only was supremely unhelpful in identifying people, but her history of Nancy Mitford and her lover Gaston is hugely unorganized, chaotic and boring. It's more a collection of facts, not at all a readable or relatable narrative.

I learned a bit about French history, especially as it related to WWII. And found some of those pieces interesting. Overall, a badly done book. Definitely not a good place to start reading about The Mitford's. Don't waste your time like I.

Wednesday last

I had high hopes for Wednesday. It was the day I went to have my hair cut and “tweaked” for the first time in 4 months. It ended badly. I don’t even think it deserves to be detailed. I would NOT recommend this local salon. Needless to say I remain on the hunt for a good salon and stylist here. Le sigh.

Part two of my day went better; a massage. Let’s be honest, how badly can you mess that up?! I thoroughly enjoyed the experience (at Truyu Aesthetic Center); great facility, a heated massage table and I liked the therapist. I will be going back there! Conveniently enough it’s in the same building as the gym we joined. 

The last part of the day was picking up our brand new car #2! This is the car that we bought (instead of leasing) and had custom built. It is a 2013 GMC Acadia; seats up to 7, or has massive amounts of cargo space, towing capable, two sunroofs, navigation, heated and cooled seats, leather, Pandora, well you get the picture.

J had decided before we arrived in ND that we needed two all wheel drive cars, the bigger the better. Once we actually arrived the weather convinced me in about 3 days that he was right! So we bought the Acadia (basically a big toy with all the gadgets J’s heart could desire) in the hopes that it will last us and meet any possible need for years to come. You can pack it to the gills, you can tow, you can chauffer around adult visitors in comfort, and it’s rather a beast and can handle the weather, snow and ice here. Plus it’s really pretty.

Cooking

I’ve been cooking up a storm lately. I’ve really missed my kitchen. Here are a few new recipes I tried over the weekend.  The first is a soup. A few months ago I started soup Saturday. I figure after the pizza and usually popcorn of Friday we need to keep it light the next day. An unforeseen bonus to this is that it gives us lunch for the next 2-3 days as well! I’m not a lover of leftovers, but leftover soup almost doesn’t count; it’s still just soup. Add a salad or crusty bread and ta-da!  This soup was pretty good. J was against it before he even tried it because of it’s lack of meat. He’s got a thing about meat; it’s not really a meal if there is no meat. Whatever! He ate two bowls and didn’t starve or die.  Some things I did differently: There was no bean and water puree, I simply drained/rinsed the beans and put them in whole. I added one of the called for cups of water and left out the other. I thought a TBSP of basil and parsley seemed a bit heavy handed so I didn’t put quite that much in. I guestimated the pasta amount and made too much! I also boiled water and made the pasta separately which I’m glad I did because I don’t think there would have been enough liquid otherwise.  Things I’d change the next time I made it: Use vegetable broth. It was fine with chicken, but it was sorta one dimensional, a bit bland. Lots of the rave reviews came from people who used the veggie broth so maybe it makes a difference. I’d like to add more beans, maybe a can of red kidney beans. Although I made this super fast (about 30 minutes from start to eating) and it was fine, I’d like to give it more time to simmer, thicken and let the flavors come together. This definitely tasted better on day #2. And finally, I’m going to sauté the carrots. They were a little undercooked for me.  Oh and I almost forgot! I had a gargantuan onion that I used about half of the other day, so I froze the rest. I used my frozen onion in the soup. It was awesome! No peeling and chopping because I’d already done it. Next time I need an onion I’m going to chop extra and freeze it.

Pasta Fagioli (Pasta and Beans)
Skinnytaste.com
Servings: 5 • Serving Size: about 2 cups • Old Points: 5 pts • Points+: 6 pts
Calories: 254.5 • Fat: 3.4 g • Protein: 10.3 g • Carb: 47.5 g • Fiber: 6.8 g
Ingredients:

1 tbsp olive oil

1/2 onion

3 cloves garlic, chopped

1 celery stalk, chopped

1 carrot, finely chopped

1 15 oz can cannellini beans

15 oz can tomato sauce or crushed tomatoes

1 large bay leaf

1 tbsp basil

1 tbsp parsley

1 tsp oregano

2 (14 oz each) cans fat free chicken broth (or vegetable broth for vegetarians)

2 cups water

salt and pepper to taste

6 oz dry Ditalini pasta or other small pasta

grated parmesan cheese for topping (optional)

Directions:In a deep pot, sauté onion and garlic in olive oil over medium heat.
Blend the can of beans with one can water in electric blender until almost smooth.
Add blended beans to pan then add the can of tomato sauce, celery, carrots, chicken broth, basil, bay leaf, parsley, oregano, salt and pepper. Add 1 cup water and bring to slow boil. Let simmer for 20 minutes stirring occasionally. Add pasta and cook uncovered until pasta is al dente, according to pasta directions.
Ladle soup into bowls and top with grated cheese (extra).

My Mom has been making this really yummy applesauce in her crockpot. We had it when we were at home for Thanksgiving and Christmas last year. I keep asking her for the recipe, which exists solely in her head (aka. there isn’t one). So I got something as close to a recipe as I could out of her and went to work last Saturday. I measured everything as I went and wrote it all down so in the end I had a real recipe. I’d better be able to duplicate these results too because the applesauce is amazing! It’s almost like apple pie sans the crust. And cold. I’ve got to figure out how to can it next. But for now here’s the ridiculously easy recipe!

“Momma’s” Applesauce

Ingredients

Approx. 3 lbs. granny smith apples, peeled, cored and cut up

1/4 cup water

3/8 cup raw (turbinado) sugar

1 tsp. cinnamon

Directions

Place all ingredients in a crockpot on low for 3 hours. Stir occasionally. If there isn’t enough liquid (apples are sticking) you may add more water. Sweeten to taste (add more sugar if needed) at the end. That’s really it, enjoy!

I divided my batch in half and froze one container. I also think you might need more cinnamon if you don’t use the amazing, special vietnamese cinnamon I did. This stuff is potent and really delish! You should just go buy it.

Frozen Yogurt

In celebration of J passing his PT test with an excellent on Tuesday we treated ourselves to Cherry Berry, the local frozen yogurt place, that afternoon. It may still be cold, but the sun was shining! We were also very impressed with the yogurt! They had a lot of different choices and a huge topping bar. We will be going back, probably a lot. 

Silver Wedding

  This was an OK Maeve Binchy book. It wasn't as good as Scarlet Feather, Quentin's, Circle of Friends, The Copper Beech, or Night Class! Not nearly. However it was better than Firefly Summer (my most loathed of Binchy's books), or Light A Penny Candle. Obviously not a favorite, but it's alright.
This is one of her more depressing books, although I thought it ended happily on the whole, and for what this author is capable of. Though bits are quite sad, there are some good life lessons to be learned.
As always the author does a lovely job of portraying her characters, endearing them to her readers and making them real and relatable. Each chapter, each story told from a different voice is unique yet entwined with all the others; classic, trademark Mauve Binchy.
It was a fast and easy read. It might make a good travel book if one was looking for something of length to hold ones interest without being overly taxing. I'd recommend it with reservations. There are far superior novels by this author!

The Apartment

We’ve come a long way from the first few days of chaotic boxes. But it’s not quite how I’d like it. We have hung nothing on the walls, there are no window coverings anywhere, We’ve not opened whatever box my kitchen rugs are in, and my sewing area is non-existent.

 

I’m not sure that anything will make it on our walls here. I am going to wash up all the dusty, grimy decor that was sitting on top our old kitchen cabinets and put it back out here. (Technically it is out here, in a hodgepodge above our current counters and dirty.) We need to at least hang bedroom curtains, there are blinds here that provide privacy, but they do nothing about light. And I’d like to dig around in our boxes to assemble my sewing space, once the weather warms up. I’d like to do a quilt this summer.

 

Otherwise this is it for now, hopefully not for long. We’re praying for a house by the fall. But this space works, we have our own essentials back. And yes, there is a guest room/office. Once our paper mess is more organized and I have a sewing corner in the 3rd bedroom arranged I’ll post more pictures.

Unbroken: A Story of WWII Survival, Resilience & Redemption

 

This book was not at all what I was expecting. I started to read and instead of finding a story remotely close to a WWII saga you begin with a young boy always in trouble. The trouble leads to running and a life of track and field. We get to know Louie as a child and then a college boy who is developing into a world class runner, a runner who made it to the Berlin Olympics! And then suddenly there is a war and everything changes.

 

If you read anything at all about the book (like the back cover or the jacket) you'd know that the WWII story involves a plane crash and a survival story. I checked this out eBook style from the library so I had no physical book to look at and read over, I just started right in with little clue as to the story line. So the war time events came as quite a shock to me. It is an incredible, heart wrenching story. I don't usually cry over books, but I did over this one.

 

However after the end of the war the story doesn't end. It addresses various characters who have become a part of this huge tale as well as the many issues facing returning veterans. There is definitely a Christian story, though downplayed, but miraculous and incredible to find. I liked that the book didn't end with the war, I liked that rarely discussed element of post-WWII being there.

 

The writing style was interesting. It's not so much narrative as factual. I've never read this author, but her book reads almost like a scholarly paper and not a novel. I liked the book, and wasn't put off by the style but it has a definite flare all it's own. It's not overly warm or chatty, perhaps because of the content covered. Even still you get to know the characters and cheer for them!

 

This is an absolute must read.

Birds of A Feather (Maisie Dobbs #2)

 

         

This book (#2 in the series) was a bit of a slow starter. At first I was afraid the first book of the series had been the best and I was in for disappointment. I'm glad to report I was wrong. It ended up picking up speed and the story was quite interesting. I think the issue with the start was too much summary of the previous book/back story. Although set in 1930, it still has much to-do with WWI. And this book introduces a romantic plot on a personal level, just at the end which leaves you dying to get into the next book. Very smart! Especially since I thought through much of the book that I might not read anymore. I will be back.

Lately

It continues to snow well into April. Depressing really, and this coming from a girl who actually likes snow. Well, I did.

Our latest winter storm hit last Sunday night around 7. Monday morning there was a white out beyond the bedroom window making it difficult to tell how much snow we'd gotten. It was a lot. When the major highways and state legislature close, it's not a good sign. Blessedly J didn't work that day. He did have a doctor's appointment in town that morning. Another painful injection to his foot, but the dermatologist said it's looking better. We did decide the gym was a lost cause.

The previous weekend was quiet. We made it to a church Sunday morning. It was alright. Very friendly, but not quite us. The big weekend story; How about The Masters?! One of our favorite sports events of the year is Augusta and it did not disappoint this year. My sister and I were video chatting during the play off. And people say golf is boring!

Every morning since Monday we've woken up to yet more snow. Not much, but enough to notice. J is having serious golf withdraw. But we've made it to the gym, and J has flown a few times this week. He's prepping for a PT test next week. Those are never fun!

Tonight I have my first squadron social. I'm hoping that people are friendly. It's been a bit strange without a constant stream of friends here. I'm used to having people pop over and having dinner guests frequently. We'll get there.

About Town

Since moving into the apartment we’ve been getting to know the town better.
Monday we joined a gym! It just opened in September so it’s beautiful and it’s huge. They have lots of equipment, a pool, track, classes, you name it. They even share space with other businesses, so you can have a spa day there, or eat lunch at the little cafe. It’s all of 3 minutes from our new little home and so far we love it!

Tuesday I got a library card! The location is a bit strange, and the building is old. They also still have things like VHS tapes which made me chuckle. But the librarian was quite friendly and I found a few items to check out just browsing before I left. I’ve yet to try their online system, but I’m hopeful! Now that I’ve got a tablet and we use Amazon Prime I’m not terribly worried about a lack of books and movies, we may just have to pay to buy or rent them electronically.

I visited a new chiropractor! It’s a husband and wife team and their office is again, about 3 minutes from our apartment. I actually found them while hunting down information on local CSAs (they are a drop site for a CSA). I enjoyed my visit this morning; the practice seems a bit more holistic and he talked about stretching and strength training to make the adjustments last longer as well as acupuncture (yikes!) and diet, etc. I was impressed. He’s also an avid golfer and a member of the local country club, so I’m sure J will like him too. Now just to get him in to see him…?!


I’m still on the hunt for a hair stylist and a dentist, but I’m optimistic! It’s not quite CSA season here in the great north, but I’ve found one, so more on that later.

We’re In!

It’s been a smidge hectic at our house, but at least we are back to having a place to call our own! The moving is pretty much complete and we are settling into the new apartment whilst we await base housing (hopefully this summer/autumn). Here’s a family email that I sent out a few days ago to play catch up…

This moved has proved to be ... eventful.

Last Wednesday the moving company was here for 11 hours! I really don't have to say more. What a long day. And at the end of it we had broken furniture (a side table at that point, we’d later find a lamp), no pump for our sleep number bed (we slept in the guest bed that night), and missing boxes(3 of them). As one can see above, our tiny little space looked like a tornado had hit it! What a mess. Moving is never fun, but moving a large house into a small 3rd floor apartment proved to be quite wretched.

So we have spent every day since unpacking, putting away, hauling empty boxes down 3 flights of stairs, etc. In other words, we’ve been busy!

The good news is we are only down to 1 missing box (though we’ve no idea what’s contained therein), we found the parts for our bed and have been sleeping wonderfully in it, and the damage is limited to said end table and a lamp. However, we haven't unpacked everything and we aren't going to. There just isn’t any room. About 1/3 of the boxes and quite a lot of furniture is in our 2 car garage and it’s still in the 20-30’s and that stuff will just have to stay put and unexplored. We might get around to some of it with warmer weather, and it may just remain untouched until we move into a house. So we will really find out if we have everything and of it's all in one piece the next time we move.

We are #5 on the housing list. Slowly but surely inching forward. I talked directly to the base commander about the housing situation here during the newcomer orientation. I’m sure it didn’t do any good, but it made me feel better. Please pray we are able to move into a house before bad weather returns in the fall!

For now we are fairly settled. There are a few items I'm going to dig in boxes for (sewing supplies, more checks, pots for planting), but the essentials are pretty much unpacked. Now it's a matter of going back through and attempting to organize. Ha!

We do have a guest room! :)

It snowed again yesterday. I must admit I didn't really mind since we were cozy inside with a beef roast in the crockpot and homemade bread in the oven. How I love having my kitchen back!

We tried a Baptist church yesterday. It was pretty good. Probably our best try so far. But it still just wasn't our old church. We are going to have a difficult time trying to replace that! Maybe we will try the Methodists or the Lutherans next week.

Happy April

The snow is still deep and the temperatures brisk, but the sun is shining!

We got keys to our apartment today. Move in tomorrow. I'm trying desperately to remain optimistic! It is after all our own place and we get our things back. But it's dreadfully small.

I've been re-packing on and off all day. Still got to load the car...

Most importantly one of my favorite TV shows is back on! Call The Midwife season 2 premiered on Easter. I didn't watch because J and I were watching the season finale of The Bible. But I brewed a cup of tea this afternoon while J was at the gym (Don't judge me, I woke up and worked out first thing this morning.) and got caught up. Lovely!

And I finished my current book today. Once the new nest is somewhat in order, I simply must get a library card!