2 days ago
Sunday, February 27, 2005
Butter (cont.)
The butter turned out okay. Better than okay. It is amazing! And it was fun to make, too. Athanasia, the little bo... whoops!... the "big boy" and I took turns shaking the cream. We put two pints of heavy cream in a 1 liter plastic container, added a big marble and shook it a long time. We had whipped cream in a jiffy, but it was a long long time (15 minutes?) before the whipped cream turned into butter. So, in case you are wondering, 2 pints of heavy cream yields about 1/2 pound of butter and a glass of butter milk. But this is not like the buttermilk sold in stores. The kind bought in stores isn't really buttermilk. It is "cultured buttermilk", a fermented milk product. What we made yesterday was sweet, or "old fashioned" buttermilk. (Dr. David Frankauser will happily explain the difference.) In short, sweet buttermilk is yummy, while cultured buttermilk is reminiscent of baby puke. I think I might have to make butter every week just to get some of that yummy buttermilk. Of course, that will be after Great Lent.
Saturday, February 26, 2005
Friday, February 25, 2005
Wild Mushroom and Sausage Lasagne Rustica
Below is the recipe for the Lasagne I built yesterday. The key is quality ingredients. If a cook skimps on ingredients the final result is not as wonderful as it could be, and reflects poorly on the cook. Always, use only the finest ingredients you can find. God has given us beautiful things to eat. So be thankful to him, and also reward the craftsmen and farmers who work so hard to produce the best ingredients.
For the Red Pepper Sauce
1/2 pound lean italian spicy sausage (I perfer Whole Foods sausage recipe but any butcher who takes his work seriously will serve you well.)
1/2 pound lean italian mild sausage (Again, I prefer Whole Foods meat counter for this.)
2 table spoons cooking-quality olive oil
1 pound white mushrooms, sliced 1/4 to 1/8 inches thick
2 1/4 cups finely chopped yellow onion
3-6 large garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon fresh rosemary needles, minced
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes (this ammount can vary wildly because "red pepper" on a spice jar label can mean almost anything.)
4 red bell peppers, finely diced but not minced
2 1/2 pounds plum tomatoes, finely diced but not minced
Ham fat, as needed
For Wild Mushroom Sauce
2 ounces dried porcini mushrooms
1 1/2 cup hot water
1/2 stick (1/4 cup) butter (not margerine)
1/4 cup all-purpose flour (I prefer Gold Medal brand. King Arthur is good, too.)
2 cups non-fat milk (Horizon Farms and Strauss Family Creamery are my local favorites, with Berkely Farms in a close third.)
Freshly grated nutmeg, to taste
Other Ingredients
1 box of Ronzoni oven ready lazagne
2 cups coarsely grated mozzarella cheese. Do not skimp on the cheese. Buy full-fat, high moisture.
2 cups coarsly grated Parmesan cheese. (Remember, if it is not made in Parma, Italy, it is not Parmesan cheese. I'm not kidding about this. If it comes in a box with a green lid it is not Parmesan cheese.)
Balsamic vinegar, just a splash.
Making the Red Pepper Sauce
In a 12" cast iron pan, cook the the sausage (if it has casings remove them before cooking) over medium heat, stiring it and breaking it up. Using a slotted spoon, transfer cooked sausage to a bowl. If thee is more than 1 table sppon of fat in the pan pour off the excess. If there is less than 1 table spoon of fat in the pan, add some ham fat (reserved in your freeszer from the last time you cooked a ham) until you have 1 tablespoon of hot liquid fat in the pan. Ad 1 tablespoon of olive oil, white mushrooms, salt and pepper to taste. Cook white mushrooms on medium heat until all water given off is evaporated and mushrooms are the color of milk caramel. Stir in onions, rosemary, red pepper flakes, garlic, salt and pepper to taste. Cook until onions have softened. stir in the bell peppers and tomatoes. Cook uncovered on medium heat for about 20 minutes. Stir often. Add sausage and cook for five more minutes.
Making the Wild Mushroom Sauce
In a small bowl soak the porcini mushrooms in hot water for 30 minutes. Drain muchrooms in a seive, making sure to reserve 1 cup of the liquid. In a heavy saucepan melt the butter over low heat. Stir in flour to make a roux, whisking for 3 to 4 minutes. Add milk and reserved liquid from porcini mushrooms, bring to a boil while whisking constantly. stir in porcini mushrooms, nutmeg (I only use 1/2 a teaspoon). salt and pepper to taste. Simmer over low heat whisking often until thickend, about 4 or five minutes.
Assembling the Lasagne
Pre-heat oven to 375 F.
In a large bowl of very cold water (Consider using ice cubes or refrigerated water if your tap water is warmer than 50 F.) soak the lasagne until soft, about 10 to 15 minutes. Drain the squares but do not pat them dry. Just shake the excess water off.
Use remaining olive oil to prepare a 13" x 9" baking dish.
In a small bowl mix the grated Parmesan and mozzerella cheeses together.
Layer 1 - Spread a small amount of the red pepper sauce in the bottom of the pan.
Layer 2 - Arrange three lasagne sheets on top of the sauce.
Layer 3 - Spread some of the mushroom sauce on top of the lasagna.
Layer 4 -Spread some cheese on top of the mushroom sauce.
Repeat layering until all lasagne sheets, red pepper sauce, mushroom sauce, and cheese has been put in the baking dish.
When the top layer of cheese has been put on splash with a little balsamic vinegar and put it in the middle of the oven 40 minutes. Remove from oven and let stand 10 minutes before serving.
I think this would be a fun dish to prepare with someone you love.
Happy eating!
For the Red Pepper Sauce
1/2 pound lean italian spicy sausage (I perfer Whole Foods sausage recipe but any butcher who takes his work seriously will serve you well.)
1/2 pound lean italian mild sausage (Again, I prefer Whole Foods meat counter for this.)
2 table spoons cooking-quality olive oil
1 pound white mushrooms, sliced 1/4 to 1/8 inches thick
2 1/4 cups finely chopped yellow onion
3-6 large garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon fresh rosemary needles, minced
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes (this ammount can vary wildly because "red pepper" on a spice jar label can mean almost anything.)
4 red bell peppers, finely diced but not minced
2 1/2 pounds plum tomatoes, finely diced but not minced
Ham fat, as needed
For Wild Mushroom Sauce
2 ounces dried porcini mushrooms
1 1/2 cup hot water
1/2 stick (1/4 cup) butter (not margerine)
1/4 cup all-purpose flour (I prefer Gold Medal brand. King Arthur is good, too.)
2 cups non-fat milk (Horizon Farms and Strauss Family Creamery are my local favorites, with Berkely Farms in a close third.)
Freshly grated nutmeg, to taste
Other Ingredients
1 box of Ronzoni oven ready lazagne
2 cups coarsely grated mozzarella cheese. Do not skimp on the cheese. Buy full-fat, high moisture.
2 cups coarsly grated Parmesan cheese. (Remember, if it is not made in Parma, Italy, it is not Parmesan cheese. I'm not kidding about this. If it comes in a box with a green lid it is not Parmesan cheese.)
Balsamic vinegar, just a splash.
Making the Red Pepper Sauce
In a 12" cast iron pan, cook the the sausage (if it has casings remove them before cooking) over medium heat, stiring it and breaking it up. Using a slotted spoon, transfer cooked sausage to a bowl. If thee is more than 1 table sppon of fat in the pan pour off the excess. If there is less than 1 table spoon of fat in the pan, add some ham fat (reserved in your freeszer from the last time you cooked a ham) until you have 1 tablespoon of hot liquid fat in the pan. Ad 1 tablespoon of olive oil, white mushrooms, salt and pepper to taste. Cook white mushrooms on medium heat until all water given off is evaporated and mushrooms are the color of milk caramel. Stir in onions, rosemary, red pepper flakes, garlic, salt and pepper to taste. Cook until onions have softened. stir in the bell peppers and tomatoes. Cook uncovered on medium heat for about 20 minutes. Stir often. Add sausage and cook for five more minutes.
Making the Wild Mushroom Sauce
In a small bowl soak the porcini mushrooms in hot water for 30 minutes. Drain muchrooms in a seive, making sure to reserve 1 cup of the liquid. In a heavy saucepan melt the butter over low heat. Stir in flour to make a roux, whisking for 3 to 4 minutes. Add milk and reserved liquid from porcini mushrooms, bring to a boil while whisking constantly. stir in porcini mushrooms, nutmeg (I only use 1/2 a teaspoon). salt and pepper to taste. Simmer over low heat whisking often until thickend, about 4 or five minutes.
Assembling the Lasagne
Pre-heat oven to 375 F.
In a large bowl of very cold water (Consider using ice cubes or refrigerated water if your tap water is warmer than 50 F.) soak the lasagne until soft, about 10 to 15 minutes. Drain the squares but do not pat them dry. Just shake the excess water off.
Use remaining olive oil to prepare a 13" x 9" baking dish.
In a small bowl mix the grated Parmesan and mozzerella cheeses together.
Layer 1 - Spread a small amount of the red pepper sauce in the bottom of the pan.
Layer 2 - Arrange three lasagne sheets on top of the sauce.
Layer 3 - Spread some of the mushroom sauce on top of the lasagna.
Layer 4 -Spread some cheese on top of the mushroom sauce.
Repeat layering until all lasagne sheets, red pepper sauce, mushroom sauce, and cheese has been put in the baking dish.
When the top layer of cheese has been put on splash with a little balsamic vinegar and put it in the middle of the oven 40 minutes. Remove from oven and let stand 10 minutes before serving.
I think this would be a fun dish to prepare with someone you love.
Happy eating!
Thursday, February 24, 2005
Three Friends
Today was a good day. Woke up early and built a wild mushroom and sausauge lasanga rustica. I'd never made lasagna before. It is a fairly complicated recipe with two wildly different sauces but it was good. The reason I made the dish is that my friends Jeff and Rick came over for lunch. I've known both of them since 1993. Was room mates with Rick for a while. We used to make late night runs to Denny's. Back then we were both extremely poor. Rick taught me about eating at happy hours. We knew when every bar in the area had a happy hour and we would go, order one drink, eat a bunch of free food and then leave. We think that we might have put a couple of the happy hours out of business. Anyway, it was good to be with my friends.
Oh, in case you are wondering, there are even more reasons besides those I have enumerated previously to hate suburbs consisting of single-family detached houses. Not only do they destroy communities of the living, they also molest the final resting places of war dead.
Oh, in case you are wondering, there are even more reasons besides those I have enumerated previously to hate suburbs consisting of single-family detached houses. Not only do they destroy communities of the living, they also molest the final resting places of war dead.
Tuesday, February 22, 2005
Gene Scott is Dead
If you never saw Gene Scott on T.V. you will not understand why this guy was so great.
Back in the 1960's Gene was the pastor of a big A.G. church in Glendale. My Dad was pastor of a big P.C.G. Church in Higland View. (Both are in L.A.) They were both fairly prominent in their respective denominations. But Gene went whacko. There is no doubt that he was an educated man. He had a Stanford Ph.D. but he was nuts.
According to my dad, Gene's bizarre behavior began in the early 1970's with rumors of fraud and an investigatin by his denomination. Eventually, he was either kicked out of, or volutarly left the A.G.
He wen't totally off the deep end in 1977. I will never forget the time he lined up a bunch of wind-up monkeys and said, "this one is Governor Brown, this one is the Attorney General, this one is..." and he wen't on to name all of his accusers.
And some of his cigars were huge!!!!! I mean they were monsterous!!!! The enormity of the man's tobacco was was beyond words. And what fire he could shoot out of them! It was as though he was a human flame thrower. Sometimes, it would take him 5 minutes for him to get the things lit. And the whole five minutes the camera would be getting a close up of his face. It was crazy!
Sometimes he would sit and read other people's books to his T.V. audience, stop after about an hour and say "Man, this is good teaching. You gotta pay for teaching like this. Get on the telephone." Then he would walk off the set until enough people called in to donate money. And when he was off the set the crew would run tape of him or his wife riding one of his 300 horses. Or even more strangly, a live shot of his empty chair for 15 or 20 minutes at a time.
In the early 1980's he taught on the pyramids. It was fascinating. Utterly useless and possibly heretical, but fascinating none the less. Especially, to the 12 year old boy I was then.
But when he taught on the Bible, he was brilliant. There might not be another man in the late 20th century who had more knowledge about the Bible than Gene Scott. His preaching on Ruth and the kinsman-redeemer had me in tears for several nights as I watched the telecast in my childhood. It was amazing preaching. But I remember thinking, "What he is saying is true but he doesn't belive it".
One thing that a lot of people do not understand about Gene Scott is that he wasn't just a hedonist. He was a telological hedonist. I believe he was really trying to find Salvation by follwing the Reformation (particularly Martin Luther's) teaching on Galatians. But his egoism was nearly unbearable.
Now that he has certainly met God, I hope Gene recognized Him as the peace he never seemed to have on earth.
Back in the 1960's Gene was the pastor of a big A.G. church in Glendale. My Dad was pastor of a big P.C.G. Church in Higland View. (Both are in L.A.) They were both fairly prominent in their respective denominations. But Gene went whacko. There is no doubt that he was an educated man. He had a Stanford Ph.D. but he was nuts.
According to my dad, Gene's bizarre behavior began in the early 1970's with rumors of fraud and an investigatin by his denomination. Eventually, he was either kicked out of, or volutarly left the A.G.
He wen't totally off the deep end in 1977. I will never forget the time he lined up a bunch of wind-up monkeys and said, "this one is Governor Brown, this one is the Attorney General, this one is..." and he wen't on to name all of his accusers.
And some of his cigars were huge!!!!! I mean they were monsterous!!!! The enormity of the man's tobacco was was beyond words. And what fire he could shoot out of them! It was as though he was a human flame thrower. Sometimes, it would take him 5 minutes for him to get the things lit. And the whole five minutes the camera would be getting a close up of his face. It was crazy!
Sometimes he would sit and read other people's books to his T.V. audience, stop after about an hour and say "Man, this is good teaching. You gotta pay for teaching like this. Get on the telephone." Then he would walk off the set until enough people called in to donate money. And when he was off the set the crew would run tape of him or his wife riding one of his 300 horses. Or even more strangly, a live shot of his empty chair for 15 or 20 minutes at a time.
In the early 1980's he taught on the pyramids. It was fascinating. Utterly useless and possibly heretical, but fascinating none the less. Especially, to the 12 year old boy I was then.
But when he taught on the Bible, he was brilliant. There might not be another man in the late 20th century who had more knowledge about the Bible than Gene Scott. His preaching on Ruth and the kinsman-redeemer had me in tears for several nights as I watched the telecast in my childhood. It was amazing preaching. But I remember thinking, "What he is saying is true but he doesn't belive it".
One thing that a lot of people do not understand about Gene Scott is that he wasn't just a hedonist. He was a telological hedonist. I believe he was really trying to find Salvation by follwing the Reformation (particularly Martin Luther's) teaching on Galatians. But his egoism was nearly unbearable.
Now that he has certainly met God, I hope Gene recognized Him as the peace he never seemed to have on earth.
Monday, February 21, 2005
Much rain yesterday. I don't watch the news, but I've heard that the storms killed three people. But this morning, it looked like it was going to be a much less rainy day.
So we jumped out of bed, ran and got bagels and coffee at House of Bagels, and then drove to San Francisco. Our final destination? Stowe Lake in the heart of Golden Gate Park. We rented a rowboat and went around the perimiter of the whole lake. We saw many turtles sunning themselves, mallards and cormorants and gulls floating. At one point we had a flock of gulls swiming along behind us in the wake of our bark. We rowed past the Japanes Pagoda, under the "Roman" bridge and the old "rustic" bridge. We avoided the speed demons in the paddle boats. (We didn't rent one because they cost an extra $2 per hour and besides, we weren't in a hurry.) It's funny, all the years I lived here I've never been rowing on the lake. Today was the first time for all three of us. I wish we had taken a camera.
So we jumped out of bed, ran and got bagels and coffee at House of Bagels, and then drove to San Francisco. Our final destination? Stowe Lake in the heart of Golden Gate Park. We rented a rowboat and went around the perimiter of the whole lake. We saw many turtles sunning themselves, mallards and cormorants and gulls floating. At one point we had a flock of gulls swiming along behind us in the wake of our bark. We rowed past the Japanes Pagoda, under the "Roman" bridge and the old "rustic" bridge. We avoided the speed demons in the paddle boats. (We didn't rent one because they cost an extra $2 per hour and besides, we weren't in a hurry.) It's funny, all the years I lived here I've never been rowing on the lake. Today was the first time for all three of us. I wish we had taken a camera.
Sunday, February 20, 2005
This day
Woke up too early. Got the boy dressed. Got the food together. Got out the door. Unfortunately, got to church too late to do a confession. (The proskimede was already going on.) So, no communion for me. A little bummed by that. Lunch at church went well. Arnold palmers didn't move well. I think we have a wine crowd. Next time we'll just serve wine.
Speaking of wine, tonight with dinner (chateaubriand (it was on sale for 1/2 price!), raw milk blue cheese aged in caves in the Alsace-Lorraine, gala apples, grueyere, bagguetts, mixed greens salad with lemon tahini dressising.) I had a bottle of 1998 Napa valley syrah. It was amazing.
Oh, Father Victor liked his birthday cake today. Athanasia made 4 three layer carrot cakes. I can hardly stand to see him suffering like this. He has lost most of his hair. But he seems to be bearing it patiently. God sustains, especially in difficult circumstances.
Speaking of wine, tonight with dinner (chateaubriand (it was on sale for 1/2 price!), raw milk blue cheese aged in caves in the Alsace-Lorraine, gala apples, grueyere, bagguetts, mixed greens salad with lemon tahini dressising.) I had a bottle of 1998 Napa valley syrah. It was amazing.
Oh, Father Victor liked his birthday cake today. Athanasia made 4 three layer carrot cakes. I can hardly stand to see him suffering like this. He has lost most of his hair. But he seems to be bearing it patiently. God sustains, especially in difficult circumstances.
Saturday, February 19, 2005
Anthropology
Two interesting stories in the news:
1) A prominent anthrpologist is found to be a fraud. He was making up the carbon-14 dates.
2) It seems that the tomb of St. Paul has been rediscovered.
1) A prominent anthrpologist is found to be a fraud. He was making up the carbon-14 dates.
2) It seems that the tomb of St. Paul has been rediscovered.
Cooking
Cooking for the parish tomorrow.
Baked: 3 bone in shank-end hams
Chopped: An entire field of onions, ditto carrots, mushrooms
Baked: 3 cakes
We'll get to church early. Hopefully, there will be a priest available to hear my confession. Then, I'll run down stairs and help Athanasia with the cooking. Our goal: Have every thing finished by the chanting of the Creed so we can be back in the temple before Communion.
Baked: 3 bone in shank-end hams
Chopped: An entire field of onions, ditto carrots, mushrooms
Baked: 3 cakes
We'll get to church early. Hopefully, there will be a priest available to hear my confession. Then, I'll run down stairs and help Athanasia with the cooking. Our goal: Have every thing finished by the chanting of the Creed so we can be back in the temple before Communion.
Thursday, February 17, 2005
Dresden and the rules of War
Fr. John Whiteford has written something in response to some Germans feeling victimized by the British firebombing of Dresden. It is grim. It is worth reading.
I'm So Glad Jesus Set Me Free
I first believed the Gospel and was baptised when I was 8 years old. At about the age of ten I began to wonder about the doctrines that are wrapped up in words like election, sovereignty, and free-will. By the time I was 16 I was completely convinced of the truth of Calvinism. (My dad, who is Arminian was not happy about this.) I am so glad the Orthodox Church found me before I did something as stupid as getting a tatoo of TULIP on my arm.
Tuesday, February 15, 2005
Man, I feel better.
So, after last nights bad news regarding the math test I was pretty much bummed out. I couldn't get to sleep until after two this morning. I kept thinking "If I can't pass this class, what am I going to do?" Tonight I met with a counselor. She said "You shouldn't be in that class. That's for engineering majors. You were supposed to take this class" In short, I had registered for a class I was not prepared to take. Boy what a relief that was. So, I can drop the class I'm in now without damaging my GPA and take the class I qualified for next quarter. Man, I wish I'd talked to the couselor before I registered for this quarter. It would have saved me a huge headache. But I am surprised that I was allowed to enroll in a class for which I wasn't qualified.
Evangelism via food in my anthropology clas
The assignment: "Bring to class a food item from another culture. Describe how it is prepared, and talk about any ceremonial use."
I made kolyva. (3 cups boiled wheat grains, 2 cups finely chopped toasted pecans, 2 cups honey. Cross of raisins on top.)
I talked about how the family brings the kolyva to church, described some of the prayers, talked about Jesus' ressurection and our resurrection. Talked about how kolyva is sweet because for a Christian death is no longer bitter, quoted Jesus' words about a grain of wheat falling to the groud. Everyone seemed to like the kolyva.
Response? Two (out of 30) people asked me for more information. Taking books to them on Wednesday.
In other news, I thought I understood what I was doing in Statistics and Probability. I was wrong. I just got the results back from the midterm exam. Worst grade I have ever received. It is looking less likely that I will pass this course. Oh, well. I can take it again next quarter.
I made kolyva. (3 cups boiled wheat grains, 2 cups finely chopped toasted pecans, 2 cups honey. Cross of raisins on top.)
I talked about how the family brings the kolyva to church, described some of the prayers, talked about Jesus' ressurection and our resurrection. Talked about how kolyva is sweet because for a Christian death is no longer bitter, quoted Jesus' words about a grain of wheat falling to the groud. Everyone seemed to like the kolyva.
Response? Two (out of 30) people asked me for more information. Taking books to them on Wednesday.
In other news, I thought I understood what I was doing in Statistics and Probability. I was wrong. I just got the results back from the midterm exam. Worst grade I have ever received. It is looking less likely that I will pass this course. Oh, well. I can take it again next quarter.
Monday, February 14, 2005
Valentine
This isn't about any of the three people known as Saint Valentine. This is about my wife.
On St. Valentine's Day four years ago I was sitting in a restaurant with a woman I knew I was going to break up with. There were several reasons for the soon-to-occur break up. One of them was that 8 days before this dinner, I had become aware of the woman to whom I am currently married.
Don't Let the Perfect be the Enemy of the Good.
After a long time of dating a lot of women (over 100 in a 2 year period) and not finding "The One" I had pretty much decided to settle for less than perfect. She was nice - an accountant, about 11 years younger than me. And I had pretty much decided that I would settle. She was good. Except, I was still looking for perfect.
Happily Ever After
When I tell my little boy stories they always start the same way - Once upon a time. Not today. Not yesterday. But a long long time ago.... And they always end the same way - And they lived happily ever after. The 1990's were bitter years. It was like I was in some kind of surreal fairy tale wherein the wolf was after me but I kept running in reverse, from the brick house, to the stick house, to the straw house. My sister thinks I had some kind of death wish. I don't think that was true, but I was very unhappy. Oh, I knew how to have a good time. I was quite a bon vivant. A good-time charley. It is amazing how much fun you can have when you are desperately trying to keep dispair from breking down your door. "Happily ever after"? No, the "ever after" I was accustomed two was starting my day off with a cup of gin, the smell of old cigar smoke in my hair, and most terribly, aloneness and purposelessness.
But then a woman walked into my life in the most strange way. Amazingly, she was the perfect I had been looking for and not finding. It wasn't easy. I'd been living for myself for so long that it was a struggle to live for her. But as I learn to do that, I see that "happily ever after" is here right now.
Four years ago on this day, Athanasia and I had not actually met. But already she was having an impact on my life. We would meet a few weeks later, and marry 6 weeks after that. I cant even begin to tell you how happy I am that I didn't settle for good, but stumbled across perfect.
On St. Valentine's Day four years ago I was sitting in a restaurant with a woman I knew I was going to break up with. There were several reasons for the soon-to-occur break up. One of them was that 8 days before this dinner, I had become aware of the woman to whom I am currently married.
Don't Let the Perfect be the Enemy of the Good.
After a long time of dating a lot of women (over 100 in a 2 year period) and not finding "The One" I had pretty much decided to settle for less than perfect. She was nice - an accountant, about 11 years younger than me. And I had pretty much decided that I would settle. She was good. Except, I was still looking for perfect.
Happily Ever After
When I tell my little boy stories they always start the same way - Once upon a time. Not today. Not yesterday. But a long long time ago.... And they always end the same way - And they lived happily ever after. The 1990's were bitter years. It was like I was in some kind of surreal fairy tale wherein the wolf was after me but I kept running in reverse, from the brick house, to the stick house, to the straw house. My sister thinks I had some kind of death wish. I don't think that was true, but I was very unhappy. Oh, I knew how to have a good time. I was quite a bon vivant. A good-time charley. It is amazing how much fun you can have when you are desperately trying to keep dispair from breking down your door. "Happily ever after"? No, the "ever after" I was accustomed two was starting my day off with a cup of gin, the smell of old cigar smoke in my hair, and most terribly, aloneness and purposelessness.
But then a woman walked into my life in the most strange way. Amazingly, she was the perfect I had been looking for and not finding. It wasn't easy. I'd been living for myself for so long that it was a struggle to live for her. But as I learn to do that, I see that "happily ever after" is here right now.
Four years ago on this day, Athanasia and I had not actually met. But already she was having an impact on my life. We would meet a few weeks later, and marry 6 weeks after that. I cant even begin to tell you how happy I am that I didn't settle for good, but stumbled across perfect.
Sunday, February 13, 2005
This morning
Couldn't go to church this morning due to plumbing emegerncy. (There is a problem with the pipes here. Copper is joined to galvanized. Watter running through the joints causes a charge to build up on the galvanized. The charge acts like a catalst for rust and broken pipes.) Anyway, I was able to do morning prayers before the plumber got here. I also took a little test to see how well I know my own language. Not very well, it seems.
Here are my results.
You are a STUDENT of the English language!
You are on your way to becoming
gramatically sound; however, you must keep
studying if you ever want to become a master.
You do manage to speak better than most
Americans, but then again, that's not really
saying too much. Keep studying, little
Student.
How grammatically correct are you? (Revised with answer key)
brought to you by
Here are my results.
You are a STUDENT of the English language!
You are on your way to becoming
gramatically sound; however, you must keep
studying if you ever want to become a master.
You do manage to speak better than most
Americans, but then again, that's not really
saying too much. Keep studying, little
Student.
How grammatically correct are you? (Revised with answer key)
brought to you by
BARF!!!!!
What is going on?!?! Has Rome lost its mind? When I first saw this I was embarassed for the priest. Then I started giggling. But now I feel kinda sad. I hope this never happens in the Orthodox Church. I doubt it would be Orthodox anymore. Why? Because, the focus would no longer be on God but on the feelings of the congregants. But the trumpets have a nice effect... if you're Johnny Cash looking for a brass accent to use on Ring of Fire.
And as long as we are on the topic of trumptes, Johnny Cash, and are right around the corner from St. Valentine's Day (yes, he is a real person.) I thought I'd point you in the direction of this episode of This American Life. The shows topic is love. One of the love stories it tells is that of Johnny Cash and June Carter. It will make you laugh so hard you pee your pants if you're a girl. Men, feel free to roll on the floor and cackle uncontrolably.
Props to Erica for pointing out the dance-along Gospel procession.
And as long as we are on the topic of trumptes, Johnny Cash, and are right around the corner from St. Valentine's Day (yes, he is a real person.) I thought I'd point you in the direction of this episode of This American Life. The shows topic is love. One of the love stories it tells is that of Johnny Cash and June Carter. It will make you laugh so hard you pee your pants if you're a girl. Men, feel free to roll on the floor and cackle uncontrolably.
Props to Erica for pointing out the dance-along Gospel procession.
Saturday, February 12, 2005
Busy day
Athanasia had to work in Scotts Valley today. The little boy and I went with her. We photocopied our hands in her office and then used hi-liter pens to color the pictures. After that the little boy and I went to Covered Bridge park in Felton for a long time. While we were there I witness two Mormon missionaries try to make some headway with an evangelical protestant. Wow! He had them so tied up they had no idea what to say. Just a little walk up a dirt road from the park was a boarding stable. We walked by all the stalls and looked at all of the horses. Then we watched some of them being exercized in the big corral. The little boy enjoyed it. Then we went to New Leaf market. It is one of my fave stores. Its like Whole foods but smaller funkier and crunchier. We almost stopped at the Abbot's thrift store, but, you know what? I have enough stuff already. So we didn't do that. Instead we drove up a one lane dead end twisty road up a mountain. Being that we were in a pacific temperate rain forst it was a beautiful drive. Until I had to drive back out and met a mail truck. That took a while. Got stuck in mud, burned some rubber. ground some gears. About three we picked up Athanasia and got some pizza then came home.
I'm staying home with the little boy while my wife goes to Vigil in San Francisco. As soon as he is asleep (in about an hour) I'll start in on the homework.
Oh, Concilliar Press has a new blog.
I'm staying home with the little boy while my wife goes to Vigil in San Francisco. As soon as he is asleep (in about an hour) I'll start in on the homework.
Oh, Concilliar Press has a new blog.
Friday, February 11, 2005
Something Wonderful
It looks like something wonderful is going to happen in my life. But I can't tell you about it for 4 more weeks. But it looks really good.
Thursday, February 10, 2005
Happenings
My building contractors are overwhelmed with work right now. I have work that needs to be done NOW because it is impacting tennants, but can't find a contractor who will come before Tuesday.
Going to a molieban to St. Nicholas tonight. Where? St. Nicholas Church, of course.
Going to a molieban to St. Nicholas tonight. Where? St. Nicholas Church, of course.
Wednesday, February 09, 2005
Noises
Today I have pool pasterers, brick masons, and gardeners working on the property. Lots and lots of noise. There is one machine that makes a humming noise that seems to fluctuate between an F and a G. The little boy sings alog.
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