Takes One to Know One

I moved to Minnesota in September of 2000. Since I have been up here we have had our share of cold snaps and spells, of below zeros and snow drifts aplenty. But never, in my 9 years of being embedded, have I seen this much snow accumulating this early in October. What a crazy year. The first week of July we had long johns on at softball games. I thought for sure summer would just come later but it appears I blinked and missed it. Last year at this time I was lying in bed bargaining with God regarding my pneumonia (God? Seriously. This is how I’m going down? Dude, come on. This? Bogus!) and as a result simply stopped smoking after 28 years (I wasn’t a heavy smoker so it wasn’t that big of a deal). This year I have the sniffles right now. No fever, no aches, just the sniffles and sneezes. Let’s keep it that way. Sarah went on a church youth retreat “up north” where two kids had to be picked up early due to illness and she arrived back at Sodium Manor last evening very ill. Symptoms indicate it could be H1N1 according to the doctor Tammy spoke with this morning. I’m going more for the TOKO strain of it, known as the “Takes One to Know One”, illness myself. So we’re keeping her home from school and will power wash Jake when he walks in the door tonight. I call it the Silkwood. Tammy’s bleaching all the doorknobs and handles and things. No fun that’s for sure. Sarah is a pet cuddler too so I better Silkwood the dogs and cats. Might as well do the fish while I’m at it, sorry Charlie. We don't want fish with good taste. We want fish that tastes good.

The bright side to all of this, yes, there is a bright side, is that it is chilly, wet, and cold outside and that means…MINNESOTA HOT DISH! WOO. You can say casserole all you want but it is hot dish up here and since I’m embedded like Donny Brasco, I say it now too. Tammy made this hamburger rice hot dish thing-a-ma-jig yesterday in the crock pot that is to die for. She’s doing a chicken thingee today since she is home with the germ monkey. And may I just mention how much I love that Tammy bakes? She is such a good baker, it’s like she went to military school at Pillsbury, was taught by General Mills, and roomed with her good friend Betty Crocker. I just finished my second oatmeal chocolate chip cookie. A couple weeks ago it was homemade banana bread. She says the secret to that one is using sour milk. I say, too much information, just slice it up please. If I want to get grossed out we can talk Lutefisk and Haggis, just don’t rain on my banana bread woman! Me? Oh I can cook too. I make a mighty mean meatloaf and I am a breakfast cooking Goddess, and as most of you know and have tasted, I AM the Grill Master (I’m waiting for Bobby Flay to throw me down, but for baking its Tammy Graham, no question)

The highlight of the weekend was that we finally joined Net Flix. Now Cathy has nothing to pester me about. Bwahahaha. Actually now I can sit and watch Joan Crawford in “Straight jacket” instantly. How cool is that? Jake’s already found the TV show place so has been watching Drake and Josh like a crazy man.

My Twins lost in three straight, sigh. Yanks took 'em down. Um, yeah, when you leave ducks on base every single inning to the total of 17 you aren't going to win. 17 men left Friday night. No team has left men on base in every single inning since 1912 and no, that's not a typo. 1912. Boo. Oh well, they tried. Bears were off this week. Vikes won. Big whoop. Their "real" schedule is about to start. You know the one where they actually play decent teams, not the soft underbelly of the NFL. (eyeroll - hee hee)

As for me this week, I'm going to drink plenty of fluids and get plenty of rest and stay away from Sarah's cooties. Poor kid. No school tomorrow either for her. Guess that's about it from here. Take care.

Love,
Diane