Roller Derby

As of Sunday, I have been moved up a level on my roller derby team.  I am now level II Fresh Meat. Meaning, I can scrimmage with the team and I am one step closer to making the bouting roster.  I still haven't decided 100% on my derby name but I've got a few contenders.  I'll keep you posted.

A Cinderella Moment

The kitchen floor in our current rented home is - or once was - white linoleum.  I hate it.  It is disgusting.  Instead of white it is more a coat of many colors that grease and grime gave to me.  I've tried every cleaner on the market and even purchased a steam cleaner, but it never gets any less dingy.

Today while cleaning the kitchen I decide that I should do some old fashion brush and scrub on my knees to improve the floors appearance.  Here is a quiz for you, after deciding my course of action did I:

A. change into a Cinderella-esque  costume
B. Change into old sweats and tank top
C.  Just pull of my pants and do it in my undies

If you guessed C you either know me too well or are kinda perverted.  I couldn't risk having an A.D.D moment and losing momentum by going into another room.  So down on my knees in my skivvies with a brush and pot of really hot water, seriously like burning hot, I begin my medieval attack on the floor.

30 minutes later and half the floor to go, I loose steam and decide the brush and mop need to have a death match.  I do the rest of the floor with the same cleaning ingredients, but with a mop instead of the brush. The second half took all of five minutes.  Upon inspection of the outcome, I have decided this:

Cinderella's fairy-god mother was a BITCH.  She should have given her a mop.  There is no difference between the two sides of my floor.  Cinderella could have cut her work load in half, had time to hire out her services in order to make some money and buy a pair of properly fitting shoes.  I mean really how do we even know this Prince was in fact "charming"?  What if he turned out to be Henry VIII?  A mop would have looked pretty good to Anne Boleyn I bet.

In conclusion, I have this to say to all you ladies:  Don't lose your head.  Use a mop!

Cowboy Coffee Rub

For dinner last night, I made an excellent steak rub of coffee and spices (see the following recipe).  I've had mediocre coffee rubbed steak at the Grand in Big Timber, but I knew I could take the basis of that recipe, and turn it into some thing spectacular.

My canvas, a poor cut of angus petit loin, was greatly improved by the rub.  It turned an undesirable slice of meat into a tasty morsel.

Kevin at first was dubious, and announced with a look of disdain and an air of I-don't-eat-weird-shit-on-steak  that he would have his without. It only took a mere whiff of the concoction to change his mind. He later apologized (many times) and excused his snobbishness on the basis of not understanding: "I thought you were just going to rub coffee grounds into it."  As if I would do something so simple, and unrefined! Harumph!

As I said before, the steak, an offering from the local Albertson's, was not the best, but when it is your only option what can you do.  Kevin on the heels of each apology said, "This is excellent it would be out of this world on a nice cut of beef."   Basically, he would have eaten dog food with this rub he had previously snubbed.  I told him that was the purpose of the rub hence the name: Cowboy Coffee Rub.  

Working cowboys were not privy to luxury and the best of the table; they often ate the poorer cuts of beef and flavored them with what ever they had in their chuck wagon or saddle bag.  A stroke of brilliance really when they used ground coffee.  Many of today's best loved foods come from the less sophisticated culinary world.  Fajitas, for instance, were made from the undesirable parts of beef that were given to the vaqueros and the resulting dish has turned into a Tex-Mex staple.  Simple.  Good.

As the Mexican vaquero introduced the world to fajitas, I am introducing Kevin to the world of weird shit on steak.  The coffee rubbed steak will be a staple at our Crazy Tooth home, and when you come for a visit don't expect less; however, there is no need to wait.  Run out right now, buy some beef, fix this rub, fire up the grill (infrared for you Bry) and within minutes you will have a tasty dinner.

Buen provecha, Eet smakelijk, bon appetit,

Cowboy Coffee Rubbed Steak

Ingredients:

1 1/2 teaspoon chili powder

2 teaspoon finely fresh coffee ( I used french roast where some use espresso)

1/4 teaspoon dry mustard

1/4 teaspoon ground coriander

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/4 teaspoon paprika

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

*some people add 1/4 teaspoon of brown sugar, but I had omitted it due to low calorie restrictions.

This makes enough for two 8-10oz portions.  I did a slight olive oil rub into the meat before coating the top bottom and sides in the coffee mixture,and grilled about 6-7 minutes a side until the desired temperature was reached.

Closed

Remember that saying: If the good Lord's willing and the creeks don't rise?  Well they hath risen; therefore ending my service in Lavina a little earlier than expected.  Montana is socked in with all the rain we've had.  Billings had record fall just a few days ago. Rivers and creeks have over flown their banks, and the last little bridge connecting Lavina from the rest of the world was in a state of purgatory when I left this morning.

I walked into the cafeteria to say my good byes this morning and only 5 lonely high school kids were there.  The bridge according to the mt.gov site was already closed but no one at school had been informed.  The power lines were precariously close to falling into the river when I drove over.  Our superintendent doesn't communicate/make decisions/ or show leadership well; so I let the mt road officials make my decision and headed home before the local sheriff could follow through and enforce the closer.

As they close the highway 3 from Broadview to Lavina, I close another chapter in my teaching book.

Woman of the Year

I know you all are use to my blog being about me, what I like, what I want, what I did, but today I'm dedicating this post to Kevin's beautiful daughter, Katie Gustainis. Being a former coach of Katie, I would like to take credit for all her accomplishments. Kidding, I kid, I kid, I know you love a kidder. She just proves I haven't warped my students.

Miss Gustainis has received the Woman of the Year award from West Texas A&M. I am so very proud to know such an accomplished young woman, and look forward to seeing her continued growth and education in Boston.

Katie will be attending Emerson college this fall after her marriage to former Man of the Year and soon to be Luckiest Groom of the Year, Tim Vela. On their own these two are outstanding people both personally and professionally, and together they will take Boston by storm.

I think I'll make a shirt with her picture holding her Woman of the Year trophy and a caption that reads: I know her!

Congratulations Katie, I'm proud of you.

Recipe for Friends

For Rachel and Aaron,

Remember the shrimp tacos we use to make with the soy, ginger, lime, and cilantro? I turned that into a fancy ramen noodle dish that I make when Kevin is away. I made it today using your favorite chicken death sauce. Et schmakalik!

Boil 3 cups chicken stock and 1 cup water
Add 2 packs of noodles boil 3 minutes then add about a quarter cup soy, juice of 2 limes and grate a finger length of ginger. (I have added the chicken flavor packs but I've done it without too.) Then, put a table spoon, or more, of chicken death sauce.
In your bowls put chopped green onions, thin sliced mushrooms and diced silken tofu with chopped cilantro.
Ladle noodles and broth in bowl.

I miss cooking with you guys!

Down But Not Out

I have a terrible head cold complete with greenish grey gunk, and a stuffy nose that runs (how is that even possible?) a throat that feels ripped in two every time I cough, sneeze or hack (which is all I've been doing the passed 3 days), and through it all I've jeopardized hundreds of Montanans by not staying at home or wearing one of those hospital masks Michael Jackson made famous.

I woke up Monday with razor blades in my throat, and went down hill from there.  We had parent teacher conferences on Tuesday, but luckily I only had two couples to contaminate.  Yesterday, I helped spread my virus to hundreds of high school students by chaperoning our Quiz Bowl team.  I was sent home at noon by my fellow co-workers.  Did I follow their advice and go to the clinic? NOPE.

In my stubborn attempt to keep up with my fitness routine, I made Kevin take my grumpy wheezy ebola infected self out on a bike ride.  I would have used profanity the entire time had I been able to breathe, but instead I worked through it.  I think snails were going faster than me.  I am pretty sure I was passed up by an old man with a cane and a two legged dog (could have been a hallucination).  Did I mention I had to take an hour nap before we rode?  Then I rested for 45 minutes (maybe I was unconscious) before going to my first roller derby practice.

 I really had to suck it up there, not only did I have to skate for the first time since my 1996 debut as a roller derby dance queen for Vernon Regional Junior College, but I had to try and not fall down while actually attempting to fall down properly.  Oh and there were push-ups and crunches with deep knee bends, and  spandex. It was lovely.  I managed to keep the hacking and thick green fluids to minimum, and I think I did pretty good.  They invited me back for next weeks practice so it couldn't have been too bad.

If I made it through day 1 of derby feeling like a zombie think of how well I'll do when I am well.  I just hope I don't get Typhoid Mary as my nick name.  After all the shenanigans of the week, I did decide to do my rundown system a favor and stay home today.  I also needed to file my taxes, clean before company arrives and walk around with a tissue shoved up my nose and an ice pack on my derby bruises.

Speed Wobbles

I got a new Revel MTB Giant today. (That's a mountain bike)Kev and I took a ride this afternoon. We started easy just on the path by the house,but then we ended up below the rims on some trails that had a few ups and downs, and at one point I got the speed wobbles and scared myself. I had to hit the breaks to feel in control; then, I didn't have enough speed to make it back up the hill and almost fell over when I stalled out.

I have never owned any sort of bike with gears so I was on a learning curve too. When we got back to the house, I was beat and may have thrown up in my mouth a little bit. My taint is really hurty, but McKay at the Billings Bike Shop insured me that would diminish after a time. I hope so, but I figure my new carreer as a Derby Dame may be a bit more painful than my new bruised taint.

Remember when I was Badass

When I was little I was tough, I beat up some kids, knocked a few older boys down, kicked some ass pretty much, but lately I've been lame.  I haven't even fallen down or had a Spanish-speaking washing machine to contend with, but that all is about to change.

I'm joining the Billings Roller Derby Dames.  I need material for my blog, and to fit into my size 6 jeans again.  I decided to combine my workouts, effort to meet new people, and have a chance to knock someone down into one dynamic derby experience.

My first practice is next Wednesday.  I've got to order some skates (I'll start with the basic "New Girl" rookie package for now but maybe one day I can upgrade to the "I got a Sugar Daddy" package) study the rules, and decide between pig tails, braids or one bitchin' pony tail.

I'm hoping for one bad ass nickname like: "Ambruiser", or Amber "Dawn of the Dead" Isaacs, or maybe "Ambufoo fighter".  My Fresh Meat coordinator is called the "A-cup Annihilator"  that's pretty awesome.

I guess I'm getting ahead of myself though.  I have to pass the rules test before I can be assigned to a team within the BRDD.

So this weekend I'll be watching Kansas City Bomber and Whip It for inspiration, skating around my kitchen and studying my Women's Flat Track Derby Association rules.

Ballad of the Northland by Jason Barron

Our school elementary is participating in a literacy campaign to promote reading in school children. This years theme: Iditaread

Readings and activities are centered around the Alaskan Iditarod, and later this month we will be honored with hosting a presentation by an Iditaread author, Jason Barron.

As a lover of books, I'm excited about the chance to meet an author. I just received a copy of Mr. Barron's book. As I sat here this morning preparing to read, I had an odd feeling of mixed emotions: excitement and concern.

"Wow, this man will actually be here. Someone who has published, someone who has had the mental fortitude to do what I aspire to do." Then, I thought "What if I don't like his book." It is only as I sit here now that I realize it doesn't matter if I like the book. Right, isn't that what a lit teacher tells her students? There is value in literature whether you "like" the story or not.

I was preparing to passively read this book, and what a disservice that would be to me, my students, and the author. I'm putting on my literary analysis pants and getting to work.

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on the bus

We are on our way to the Lavina ski day at showdown mountain. One of my students, Courtney, has talked me into taking snowboard lessons. This may hurt.

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From Freezing to Phoenix

Tomorrow I'm taking Kevin to meet my youngest oldest brother, Gary, and his wife, Angel.  I can't wait it is suppose to be like 80 degrees there.  I think it is suppose to snow here in Billings while we are gone.

I still love Montana, the snow, mountains, etc.., but I am ready to go some place warm for the weekend.

I think I may even pack some shorts, but then again....my legs are real WHITE, we will see.

just do it.

With the help of all my available technology, I still can not seem to post regularly. You all will have to live with the insignificant trivial posts while I get back in the habit.

It is Monday, and I have no news or anecdotes to share, but I wanted to get back in the habit of posting.

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What do you mean he don't eat no meat

I just made my first batch of tahini paste which I used for my first ever hummus undertaking. Kevin was never a fan of this lovely Mediterranean dish, but now he loves it.

It's been a world tour of foods today we had sushi and udon for lunch, and right now I have a fat boneless leg-o-lamb in the oven that I plan to serve with a nice Greek salad, lots of feta and of course pita and hummus.

Et shmackalik, buen provecha

Happy Holidays and Happy Birthday

I just returned from my trip home to celebrate the new year with my soul blistas and in turn celebrate my mom's 70th birthday.  I am beat I had to take a 3 hour nap when I got back.  Right now Kevin is outside dealing with the car I ran out of gas (he's a KEEPER) and I am working on making Chiles Rellenos with poblano sauce.  Well, technically I'm writing this, but the peppers are steaming in the brown paper bag.

I had a wonderful time back home, and everytime I go I can't get enough of the food that I love so for the next little while I'll be trying to recreate the flavors of home.

It was a shock to see my oldest brother at the birthday party.  None of us thought he could make it with work and MaryJane having surgery, but he suprised us all and made the trip up from Houston.

It was a delight seeing all my nieces, nephews and their children. My family is huge and I feel like a barely know the little ones.  I'll have to correct that as much as I can this year.