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Tuesday, October 25, 2016

The Joys of being both a Paralegal and a Writer



So I’m just getting to work and I call my husband. He’s on the road also (like he always is). Today he has a ride-along trainee with him.

He gets cut off or something and yells “Idiot!” to the other driver. It's very loud and it makes me jump a little (I'm sensitive to that sort of thing).

The ride along guy asks if he was calling me an idiot.

My husband responds, “Naw, dude. I like waking up alive and in one piece.”

And he knows.

Because I’m a Paralegal and a Writer. That means I can orchestrate a really creative scenario and also come up with a plausible alibi.

Wednesday, October 12, 2016

Strange Dreams

I had a seriously strange dream last night, or maybe it was this morning. Once I dreamt it, I couldn't go back to sleep. It's been seriously hounding me all day.

I was in a parking lot, walking towards some type of large store, like a Walmart, when this fellow parked his vehicle in my path and exited his car leading a large wild boar, or warthog, or something like that by a leash, like the kind dog walkers use. The animal was large, seething and surly. His tusks were long, thick and pointed, his hair dark and coarse. 

I stood in front of the two of them, my feet frozen to the ground, engulfed in fear. All of a sudden, the animal broke free from the leash and charged right for me.

My first instinct was to just jump out of his way. The beast was so fast, like a blur, and I barely cleared his attack. I could feel the rough coarse hair brush the bottoms of my feet. He charged a second and third time. All three times I was able to get out of his way.

I woke a little shaky, not nearly as bad as when I was younger and woke from similar dreams.

It's been years since I've had an animal dream. I would dream of large bears, or lions chasing me as I ran through fog so thick it felt like I was running through water. It made me feel slow, sluggish. Anything could have caught me. I would fail to outrun the animal. He would catch me, claw at my flesh and maul me.

I would awake a screaming, trembling, sobbing wreck. It felt so real. I felt so helpless. It would take me a moment or two to realize it for what it was, a horrible nightmare.

I can only surmise that I may be getting better. It may be that I am better able to cope with my out-of-control past.

No longer a victim but a survivor.


Monday, October 10, 2016

Spanish Rice

My cousin, Kelly, in Martinsville, Indiana asked me if I remembered how to make Grandma's Spanish rice. I really had to think about this, because I only remember having it once, so it took a while to remember exactly what went into it.

But, yay! I figured it out and through trial-and-error, here it is!

Grandma's Spanish Rice

2 T. Butter or EVOO
1 small onion, diced
1 c. rice (I like Mahatma) rinsed and dried as much as possible
1 8 oz. can of tomato puree or sauce
1 7 oz can of Green Giant ® Mexicorn, drained
1/2 tsp. chili powder
1/2 tsp. chicken bouillon
1 1/2 c. hot water

Melt butter or heat EVOO in a skillet over medium heat.
Add diced onion and sautee for 2 minutes
Add rice to onion and oil and continue to sautee. Rice should cook until slightly browned.
Add the tomatoes and corn and stir. Simmer while you prepare fluid.
Heat water to boiling then add bouillon and chili powder and dissolve stirring constantly.
Add liquid to rice mixture and increase heat to boiling.
Cover and simmer (about 15 minutes) or until water is absorbed.

Makes about 4 servings.

You can add more or less of the chili powder depending on how much heat you want.