Civil Marriage = Civil Right

Dan had some schoolwork to do on Saturday morning, so after I worked on Wombat's blanket (I'm so close to being done I can taste it) I headed down to the city and county building to attend the anti-prop 8 rally. The rally was held simultaneously in cities across the country, and the one in Denver probably had close to 1,000 people.

The rally was peaceful and beautiful. I just wish more people had known about it; I know PrideFest here attracts a huge crowd every year.

Here are some of the photos I took.

Things I dreamed about last night that I hope never to dream about again

1. Breastfeeding someone else's baby. WTF?

2. Getting an itemized bill at my work from someone who decided to charge me for commenting on my blog.

3. My family getting injured in a fiery flatbed accident.

4. My mom deciding not to put up Christmas decorations.

I didn't mind the part about modeling (like in ANTM) for someone with a camera, partially nude, with props like my cat's tail. It was all artsy and black and white anyhow.

Last night I made soup and it was hella good

Here is what I did.

First, on Tuesday night I rinsed and soaked about 1.5 (dry) cups of navy beans overnight. I changed out the water and continued to soak them all day Wednesday. When I got home at 7 PM, I chopped up one onion, 2 celery stalks, 1 large carrot, 1 small parsnip, and one small rutabaga and sauteed them in the soup pot for a few minutes in a little canola oil until they started to soften. Then I added the beans and 4 cups of chicken broth (I use water and a chicken base which is like non-hard boullion). I put the lid on the pot and let it cook at a pretty rapid simmer for about an hour. I added a cup of water. Then, I chopped up half a turkey kielbasa (into rounds) and about 3 large handfuls of baby spinach (coarsely chopped) and added that. 15 minutes later, it was done.

Seasonings were a little salt and pepper, some savory and some oregano. And the leafy tops of the celery stalks.

And it was SO INCREDIBLY good that this morning Dan said he may need to relinquish his title of King of Soup. I told him that I'm a girl so I could be the Queen of soup and he could be the king still. He said OK.

On becoming a grown-up: The Hotel Room

We go to California several times a year. We've gone 7 times since August of 07 which I think has to be some sort of record (granted, one of those times was to SoCal, but it was still California). When we go, we always stay with friends or family members because it helps cut down on the cost of the trip - and we've been fortunate enough to have enough people who like us that it hasn't been difficult to find places to stay.

This time, we plan to spend most of the trip staying at my mom's house up in the 'dale. But we fly in on a Monday and we'd like to at least have Tuesday in the Bay Area to do stuff (I have an H&M gift card I'm itching to spend). And we'd like to spend Monday evening with Leah and Simon (Wombat permitting). So, what to do? Leah and Simon have a baby imminent. My sister and her husband have my other sister in their spare oom. My cousin will be just getting back from a big trip around the world. Maybe the Irish German has space? or maybe one of Dan's relatives wouldn't mind putting us up for the night?

It suddenly occurred to me when I was at the gym this afternoon that we could get a hotel room in the city. That way, since we fly into SFO we only have to drive up to the city. We could meet Leah and Simon somewhere in the city. And we could already be there on Tuesday morning (no need to drive all over the bay area or take BART) for the shopping excursion I'd like to do. It solves our issues, nobody has to be put out, and we get to sleep in a bed.

This is the first time I've ever thought of doing this. It's the first time since we've been together, and traveling to CA together, that I even considered the possibility of shelling out a little bit of cash for a lot of convenience and privacy. I guess we're at the point (old, married, gainfully employed) where we can actually do that, instead of having to rely on the kindness of our friends and relatives. It's not worth saving a few bucks and putting other people out.

I think this means I'm officially heading toward adulthood. It's a little bit weird, but not entirely a bad place to be.

Totally random things that I really really hate

1. Those creepy flappy blown up arm waving thingies that they have at car dealerships and store grand openings. They scare the crap out of me.

2. The band Rush.

3. That the phone company never seems to actually send me the rebate they owe me when I buy a new phone.

4. When I'm in the middle of knitting something and I get to a part of the yarn where they HAVE TIED A KNOT IN THE YARN AND IT IS NOT CONTINUOUS, which usually results in me having to either start over or un-knit (tink) the whole row.

5. That someone apparently stole my ipod which was my Christmas present from Dan.

McLovin

Kimba, a new(ish? how long have you been reading?) reader and blogger, has bestowed upon me some blog love. Hooray!

In return, I'm supposed to pass the love forward. The rules, as I understand them, are:

Displaying the award.
Linking back to the person who gave it to you.
Paying it forward & nominating 7 blogs.
Leaving comments on their blogs telling them they’ve received one.
Enjoying the award.

Hm. Now I have to pick seven blogs that I love. But how can I choose when there are so many? These are the ones I've been loving most in the last month:

1. Great Big Nerd. Not only my husband, but also a mighty fine writer.

2. Jive Turkey, who makes me laugh or makes me think or both every time she posts something.

3. A Girl and A Boy. Because what's better than watching a friend gestate?

4. Nothing But Bonfires, who gets to travel for work and can make the most mundane events interesting to read about.

5. Smitten Kitchen: food porn extraordinaire.

6. Streaks on the China, whose election map kept my spirits high. Also, she is very pretty.

7. All and Sundry, which is by far my favorite "mommy" blog.

Disappointed in my home state

I have been wanting to write about this but haven't found the right words. Let me sum up: despite being elated at the result of the presidential election (and in particular how Colorado voted), the fact that Proposition 8 passed in California has cast a pall over the last several days. I am both flabbergasted and seethingly angry that California voted to make conditions more humane for farm animals, yet at the same time voted for a constitutional amendment to take rights away from people. Rights that my husband and I feel so strongly that everyone should be able to have that we used an exerpt from the Massachusetts Supreme Court decision on gay marriage in our wedding ceremony.

I...I just don't understand it. I don't understand the propaganda hate machine that somehow convinced 52% of the voting population that continuing to allow gay people to get married would equal children being "taught gay marriage in school", would mean that "churches would be forced to marry gay people!". Maybe I'm just an unfrozen caveman lawyer, and your world frightens and confuses me, but my husband and I got married in California and the few months California allowed gay marriage didn't affect our marriage one bit. Children aren't "taught" straight marriage in school, let alone gay marriage. During those months, nobody forced any church to marry anybody. Nor have these things happened in the other states that allow gay people to marry.

I know I've mentioned my favorite wedding photographer before, and it makes me feel good to know there are so many people in California (both in the wedding industry and not) who are so in favor of everyone having the right to get married. Jessamyn Harris wrote a beautiful post in her blog (and included some amazing photos she's taken of same-sex weddings this year) here. I hope that the energy that helped to boost our next president into the White House can continue in the fight against Prop 8, to restore what should be a civil right for every adult in this country regardless of sexual orientation.

Food on Friday, plus, it's time to celebrate!

Today was my last training of the year. Hooray! I don't have to travel any more for work. It's time to celebrate.

And what better way to celebrate than with pie? Or, to be more precise, with a browned butter pear tart? I made this last weekend and it turned out amazingly good. It was delicious warm; it was delicious cold. It may have been even better along with some gewurztraminer or other spicy white wine, or even some champagne. But we just ate it as it was, and Dan said it was one of the best baked goods I'd ever made. And that's saying something.

MLE's browned butter pear tart

Filling: 2 large ripe pears, peeled, cored, and sliced thinly (Comice worked VERY well)
1/2 tsp ground ginger
2 tsp white sugar

Crust:
2/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/3 cup whole wheat flour
1 tsp salt
1 tbsp powdered sugar
1/4 cup (half a stick) butter
enough ice water to make dough stick together

1/2 cup finely chopped or sliced almonds for topping

Oven: 375F

Prepare pears, gently toss with ginger/sugar and set aside. Melt butter in saucepan over low heat, stirring constantly. When butter has started to brown, continue to stir until butter is the color of brown sugar. Remove from heat and refrigerate until butter is solid again. Meanwhile, combine dry ingredients using pastry blender. Once butter is completely solid, cut into flour etc. until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. It will smell hella good. (Can you tell I'm from N. California?) Add ice water a few drizzles at a time and toss with a fork until the dough holds together OK. Transfer dough to a floured surface and gently press it out into a flattened circle with your hand, then roll it out enough to make approximately 10 inch circle. If you roll it out on waxed paper (like I do), you can lift it up and turn it over onto an ungreased cookie sheet. Pile pears in the center of the crust, then fold edges over so they overlap the pears an inch or so. Top with almonds. Bake for 30 minutes or until filling is soft and bubbly. Let it sit for a little while before you cut into it.

SO YUMMY.