Knee Deep Blog

For One Day I Was A NFL Professional Photographer

Now had you ever asked me if I have ever dreamed about being or becoming a NFL professional photographer I would have looked at you and said, you mean my husband?  But sometimes opportunities show up that are just too good to turn away and you've got to grasp the opportunity by the horns, hold on and yell loudly - yee haw this could be a dream! Yesterday I had such an opportunity at the Seahawks vs. Jaguars game in Seattle.

The opportunity goes back to an old 20+ year friendship from Western NY, a phone call, and saying yes.

Why I Love My iphone and Grocery Gadget App

My facebook account with friends and past friends which I've been reconnecting heard me be excited  over my iphone and lament over which apps to get - but truthfully I know my favorite, it's the Grocery Gadget App.

Why might you ask?...because it's revolutionizing our husband / wife shopping experience.  In the past I had a small dry erase board that I'd write our list - and then I'd transfer it to a master list by store.  Like most people you can't get everything you want in one place, and with a younger child and working I never have enough time or energy to get to more than one or possibly two stores. 

Casa Corey Lentil Soup Recipe

We spent a wonderful weekend on Vashon Island at Frank and Marilyn's beach place.  Talk about good for the soul.  I of course cooked up a storm because I love to cook.  Here's the Casa Corey Lentil Soup Recipe - which is Eli's favorite comfort soup.   The first time he had it was during my chemo and a neighbor had brought some over.  The first thing he said was that looks gross, but agreed to try it - it was a match made in heaven.   Soup is one of the only ways we actually get him to eat a variety of vegetables, meats and beans.

I promised myself I'd start writing down what I'm cooking - I generally "look" at a recipe for inspiration and then do what I feel like doing.  The cinamon gives the soup a great homey feel.

Casa Corey Lentil Soup

Take Back Your Life - A System and A Book To Check Out

One of the things that is constant in my life is the amount of information that is constantly coming my way that seems to grow and often leaves me with the feeling of chaos and overwhelm.  Three weeks ago I bought a new laptop so that I could be more mobile, because it seems that as soon as Eli is in the picture the one place he doesn't want me to be is in my home office.  So he does things that many five year olds do to pester their mom and remind them that they are the center of their universe and wanting to be the center of mine - right now, did you hear me mom, right now and all the time.

My desk top has served it purpose, and even with a major overhaul of upgraded memory and a hard drive last summer I still find myself not having enough cache memory which means I spend a bunch of time waiting to take action when multiple programs are open and especially when I am on the internet and leave more then a few pages open.  This frustrates the hell out of me...imagine, you are in your total flow and your computer either freezes or tells you to close some thing so it can process your request.  Talk about letting the air out of flow, especially when what you need to close is what you are working on for your client.

Where to Buy Great Cheap Eye Glasses Online

It always feels good when you score a great purchase and people notice.  Of course they must because it's my eyeglasses and there's not much else to look at other then my earrings and very short crop of hair post chemo regrowth.

A few months ago my glasses fell and Tim ran them over - bummer because a I loved them and I had invested close to $400.  Hence I kept them for quite a while including replacing the lenses last time around.  Now I was in a place of either driving without glasses or with glasses that were two prescriptions ago while I waited for my new glasses.  I did both.

A Hiking We Did Go: Picking Matsutake Mushrooms

I'm not sure which is my favorite going on our annual wild matsutake mushroom pilgrimage to the Olympic Peninsula or the eating frenzy aka feast that happens afterward (with or without the mushrooms)!

We were excited to come home with a few pounds of these wonderful tasting mushrooms, especially since we waited too late last year and came up empty handed.  Note to self, yes it does freeze in the mountains before the end of October which means mushroom production stops and the rest become a slimy mess.  At least the hike is still fun!

From car, to ferry, back to car, across the peninsula and then winding along the mountain side for 45 minutes and you are there enjoying a beautiful stroll in an old growth forest listening to the water rush in the nearby creek with your eyes glued to the ground in anticipation of finding this white gold - the matsutake. 

Of course other than that I can't tell you the exact location because we had noticed that some one else had been there too so the secret is already out - and serious mushroom hunters never disclose the location. We spent much more time in anticipation then we did actually picking and admiring these very tasty mushrooms which I think is a big part of the fun.

The Plum Cordial is Brewing - Our Special Recipie

We completed our special plum cordial recipe just in time - it was the last plums on the tree and in a few more days they would have been past prime.  Each and every year it also amazes me that I can't find the recipe for the few weeks prior to making it.  It's as if that damn recipe eludes me long enough to think I'm becoming more wacky and then it always just shows up. (The recipe is below)

Literally I  had made a copy for a woman down the street and thought I had put the book back but I just couldn't find it.  This year I looked up a new jam recipe (from recipe-zaar - its the one with just plums, sugar and lemon- nothing else) but I couldn't find a good plum cordial one and was feeling pretty bummed because we loved the changes we made to the original recipe we found. 

Heck any time I write down how I made some thing  in the kitchen Tim celebrates - because there are very few things we have more than once. I'm a creator when it comes to the kitchen, I take a bit of this, that and the other thing...and some how people think I'm an amazing cook.  Kind of makes me laugh.  Anyway, I wanted a recipe with the vodka and brandy combo and spent close to the our on the Internet and couldn't find what I wanted.  I figured it was our 4th batch and I'd just wing it when low and behold there was the book just sitting on the counter. I guess that was the universe knocking...um-mm lady please do use this recipe.  At least next year I can just search my blog for the recipe!