VACATION!!

For the first time in about four years, we are able to join my family for our annual family vacation. A week in Cayucos/Morro Bay/SLO/Pismo area is something we have done since I was about 5 years old, but for the last few years our schedules and financial situations kept Uciel and I from joining everyone. So I am ecstatic to be back at the coast for a few days with my family and the Beberians! I smile especially as I slip on a sweatshirt to go for a walk; in Fresno I would have been in tank top and shorts and still sweating!!

Ahhhhhhhhhhh.... vacation!

And the other shoe drops

I seriously considered writing a blog last week about how well things were going. I had time off, which is rare, and with Uciel not working we pretty much had a whole week to ourselves, very rare...the reason I wrote no such blog is mainly that I was too busy doing nothing...and enjoying every minute of it. The other reason, though, is that I didn't want to jinx everything; stuff was going pretty well and I was afraid saying it out loud would cause the other shoe to drop, so to speak.
Evidently I didn't need to say it out loud, it dropped. In the last couple of weeks, among my family and friends, we have been presented with 3 deaths and 4 failing marriages. One would think I would be happy that the deaths and failures were not in my own personal life, but anyone who knows me well knows that I am an empathetic person and I tend to feel the pain of those I love.
I am blessed in my life and I strive to keep that in mind, but I cannot seem to release the sadness I feel for the plight of those around me...struggling with unfaithfulness, addiction and death, even murder and I feel overwhelmed.

My Favorite Summer Food!

When I posted that I am not a good cook I had forgotten about my skills in this area:

Homemade Salsa!!

When our neighbor, Max (the normal one), gave us a sack full of tomatoes grown in his back yard, my first thought was salsa! It is one of my favorite summer foods and his tomatoes exceeded our expectations...it came out really good! And now I am off to take him some :)

Rachel Ray I am NOT

I am not a good cook. There, I said it...it is out in the www for everyone to see.

Don't get me wrong, I feed my family, but I am not a good cook. I only cook a few times a week and it is always the same thing. I have about 5-6 meals that I can make with my eyes closed, one specialty that I can make for special occasions, but I really need help in this area. Recently a friend revived a recipe club on email, and Natali (see right) is always sharing recipes that sound (and look, when she posts them on her blog) wonderful, but I can't seem to get out of this culinary rut.
I think it started when I got pregnant. I had gotten into the habit of cooking almost every night, but when nausea hit I hated dealing with raw meat. I ended up losing the habit and now rely entirely too much on pre-made, boxed or drive-thru meals.
I have other obstacles: I HATE my kitchen--cooking in it ends up irritating me more than anything, my husband is even more picky than I am--he doesn't really like potatoes or pasta so sides are usually an issue, and healthy & tasty food is expensive--I have said for a long time, if they want to help the obesity problem in America they need to make healthy foods cheaper! I don't go out of my way to shop at Trader Joe's and Whole Foods and the healthy stuff @ regular stores tastes like dog food. I also hate that we don't have a table to sit at.
If anyone has suggestions or can empathize with this problem, let me know. If I am going to correct it, now is the time, while I am off work, before things get crazy next month.

"Victims" of the Recession

I keep hearing this term "vicitms" of the recession...this loss of work and money and security is indeed massive compared to the thigs we are used to...but does that really make us "vicitms"?
I gotta say, I am somewhat enjoying the benefits of a recession...
I have read so many blogs and facebook status, etc that say how much everyone is enjoying summer, relaxing with their family. I see pics of everyone having BBQs at home, playing in their own pool instead of the ocean. With everyone not having money to travle etc. the words relaxed and lazy and family keep coming up...I don't associate these words with victim.
As for us...techinically we are "victims" of this recession because Uciel got laid off, but I don't really feel like a vicitm. There are so many people worse off than even the worst in our country (on a side note I think some people in our country-specifically my generation and younger-NEED to struggle...they have no clue what it means to survive, without everything handed to you, as our parents and granparents had to do during war & depression).

I have a hard time feeling bad about not hitting the beach if I am happy to just have gas money to get to work and back; I can't get pitiful about being stuck at home if I am ecstatic to even have the TV working! I can't really complain about the fix-its needed in my house because, hey! I have a house!
I am going to stop using the term victim...
We, along with millions of others, are laboring through the recession.

Blogging from my Garage

Its a pleasant afternoon in Fresno, sitting in my garage.

Pleasant? You say.
...in Fresno?? You say.
...in a garage??
...in July?!
Actually, yes.

I sit here with a swamp cooler pointed directly at me in an open garage so I can see the sun shining and hear the birds chirping, instead of being in the sun burning and under the birds pooping.
I originally came out to the garage because Uciel was working on his truck stuff, as usual. I have newfound freedom with this wireless Internet card...no more being stuck to the desk! It is slower, but for the mobility and lower price I can deal with it. I brought the computer to show him something and end up sitting here long after he has finished.
The warm, fresh air reminds me that its summer and I get happy...I get even happier that I can relish in summer in spite of the fact I am still working because I get a long weekend and I am completely caught up at school and can enjoy a July 4th with family....

Blogging instead of working
Ahhhhhh.....

I am back!!

After what has felt like 10 years without Internet I finally have a wireless card! So I not only have Internet @ home, but everywhere I go!! So, I will make my way back into the blogging world; first, I have to catch up on what everyone has been up to. For now, her is a picture of my beautiful girl to catch you all up on how big she is getting.

Summer school has been fairly easy this year so we have gotten to relax a bit...here she is sittin on a stump @ Lost Lake when we had a random afternoon BBQ :)