[TahoeJeff]

Chipotle survived me. I had a Barbacoa burrito bowl because everyone knows that a tortilla is just filler unless its homemade. Please don't read this if you're in love with Chipotle. I was underimpressed. Don't get me wrong. It was good food. I just have a hard time getting excited about food that is not as good as mine. Which sounds horrible, but it is no less true. All that being said, it is an excellent concept and the little stories they tell on their cups are entertaining as well as informative. They buy pork and organic produce from Iowa. They do a swell job with guacamole. They ID'd my 56 year old salt'n'pepper father.

You make better burritos than chipotle?!!!! You must tell me how!

[MtlMom]

When I go to a restaurant - any restaurant, I always try to find something that I don't make myself so that I don't compare. Once you've figured out exactly what you like on your burrito, taco salad, etc. it's hard for any restaurant to compete. I will not order a steak, ever - because no chef can compete with Mr. M.

Our weekends at the cabin have slowed down my posting quite a bit. We have access there, but I don't like being at the computer up there, I'd rather be on the deck trying to read. I say trying, because people walk by and stop to talk.

[FTS]

Originally Posted by Mara's Mom

WHAT DOES HAKARU MEAN, KEPA? AND HOW DO YOU PRONOUNCE IT?

Oh sorry, I didn't see that.
Hakaru, I'm not sure if it's a real Maori word, but I've heard it thrown around
I used it in the sense of ugly, it generally means bad.
It's pronounced ha-ka-ru
The "r" is rolled though, but it's short.

[TahoeJeff]

Originally Posted by MtlMom

When I go to a restaurant - any restaurant, I always try to find something that I don't make myself so that I don't compare. Once you've figured out exactly what you like on your burrito, taco salad, etc. it's hard for any restaurant to compete. I will not order a steak, ever - because no chef can compete with Mr. M.

Oh really? I may have a steak to compete. The Maritime Pacific Brewery made a fantastic steak a couple weeks ago. It was a 10 oz. Strip loin of organic fed beef fire-grilled to my specification, served over fried garlic rounds and sauced with a rosemary-Nightwatch (Nightwatch is one of their beers)-blue cheese demi-glace.

I think Mr. M and MPB should have a steak duel. I will be happy to judge!

[Mara's Mom]

Originally Posted by TahoeJeff

You make better burritos than chipotle?!!!! You must tell me how!

I.don't.know.how. It just flows out of me, Jeff. *wink*

Originally Posted by MtlMom

When I go to a restaurant - any restaurant, I always try to find something that I don't make myself so that I don't compare. Once you've figured out exactly what you like on your burrito, taco salad, etc. it's hard for any restaurant to compete. I will not order a steak, ever - because no chef can compete with Mr. M.

I am the same way. I can make a club sandwich. I don't ever need to order one for as long as I live.

I love steak. As long as people don't mess with it and you are at a REAL steakhouse, you can get a good steak. The problem is that you pay through the teeth. We just went to a steakhouse in Omaha. Ohmyword. The first thing on the menu was $30.95 which is a lot in the Midwest. Mr. D's prime rib was like butter, though.

Our weekends at the cabin have slowed down my posting quite a bit. We have access there, but I don't like being at the computer up there, I'd rather be on the deck trying to read. I say trying, because people walk by and stop to talk.

Yes, time is definitely a factor.

Originally Posted by Kepa

Oh sorry, I didn't see that.
Hakaru, I'm not sure if it's a real Maori word, but I've heard it thrown around
I used it in the sense of ugly, it generally means bad.
It's pronounced ha-ka-ru
The "r" is rolled though, but it's short.

I don't roll my r very well, but I'm going to try to steal that word and make it Iowan. We'll see. Sometimes I like words, but they don't stick. Just depends on me. I'm sort of fickle. *grin*

Originally Posted by TahoeJeff

Oh really? I may have a steak to compete. The Maritime Pacific Brewery made a fantastic steak a couple weeks ago. It was a 10 oz. Strip loin of organic fed beef fire-grilled to my specification, served over fried garlic rounds and sauced with a rosemary-Nightwatch (Nightwatch is one of their beers)-blue cheese demi-glace.

I think Mr. M and MPB should have a steak duel. I will be happy to judge!

That steak sounds great, Jeff. I volunteer my services as judge for the steak duel as well. I don't mind making a sacrifice for the greater good. *solemn bow*

I am sleepy. I ate Taco Bell for lunch. I still haven't watched Aeonflux (sp?) and it is due back tonight.

Sophie is practicing her signature. It's looking good so far.

[Small]

Originally Posted by Mara's Mom

SMALL!!! Pastor Gabe read a funny thing about hymns last night. I should find it and post it. I hope this hymnsing was exceptional. *smile*

In a bit of a convenient twist, the place where we do these things has a mandatory quiet time of 10 PM, so it was less than an hour.

One more time...SMALL!!! How are you, young man?

MRS. D! Smiling broadly.

Your story confused me. Did your cousin rip open a giant flap of skin while chasing down the Amish buggy or when discussing the time he chased the Amish buggy? And this is beside the point, but WHY was he chasing an Amish buggy? Would that not frighten the gentleman driving the Amish buggy? And furthermore, why would his brother be dissatisfied with Amishmen? And why would that then cause him to pursue a blackbear on foot through a large meadow?

While chasing down the Amish buggy. He was chasing the Amish buggy for a variety of reasons, most of them that he has an interesting mental process. To ask him, (someone did) the reason was that "I live in ----------, we don't have any buggies there."
I bet it did frighten the guy driving. His brother was not unsatisfied with Amishmen per se, but he chased a bear instead, which would imply that Amishmen are not prey enough. It didn't, some bizarre mental process (see above) caused him to.

We watched them feed the bears at the zoo. I don't think they should ever be chased on foot. You should see what they do to an orange and an apple. Which are just smaller versions of the human head. Sort of.

Precisely. But the fact is, this particular specimen did run away from him, so take from that what you will about my cousin. He does have a large beard, and if you've ever paid any attention to anything Supa and I have said, you will remember that beards are like Superman, only they're attached to a human at the chin.

I would like to be a polarbear for one day. Just one. Sally said she wanted to be one and I think she meant forever. That is just plain crazy. She could hang out with Small's cousin's brother.

Unless he got unruly.

I am holding back in this blog. And it is SO NOT me. I apologize to any of you that have noticed and been bothered by it. Not saying that if you haven't noticed that you don't care. *wink* Anyway, I'm working on it. I wish I didn't feel things so deeply sometimes. That is when it would be nice to be a polar bear. Except that a polarbear might kill someone if they were angered and that would be bad. So the arrangement isn't perfect. I just like the part where you get to swim and dive for food.

I kind of/maybe/possibly noticed, but I doubt you will forever, and besides, who hasn't the right to remain silent? I conjecture that we, not just suspected criminals, have the right to say nothing. Besides, it doesn't make you any less awesome.

[Mara's Mom]

This is quite long, but it's funny. It is dedicated to Small and his hymnsings.

*loves her blog people*
~*~

Not long ago a farmer went to the city one weekend and attended the big city church. He came home and his wife asked him how it was. "Well," said the farmer, "It was good. They did something different, however. They sang praise choruses instead of hymns."

"Praise choruses," said his wife, "What are those?"

"Oh, they're okay. They're sort of like hymns, only different," said the farmer.

""Well, what's the difference?" asked his wife.

The farmer said, "Well it's like this - If I were to say to you:

`Martha, the cows are in the corn,' well that would be a hymn. If, on the other hand, I were to say to you:

`Martha Martha, Martha, Oh, Martha, MARTHA, MARTHA,
the cows, the big cows, the brown cows, the black cows,
the white cows, the black and white cows,
the COWS, COWS, COWS are in the corn,
are in the corn, are in the corn, are in the corn,
the CORN, CORN, CORN,'

Then, if I were to repeat the whole thing two or three times, well that would be a praise chorus."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

A young, new Christian from the big city attended the small town church one weekend. He came home and his wife asked him how it was.

"Well," said the young man, "It was good. They did something different, however. They sang hymns instead of regular songs."

"Hymns," said his wife, "What are those?"

"Oh, they're okay. They're sort of like regular songs, only different," said the young man.

"Well, what's the difference?" asked his wife.

The young man said, "Well it's like this - If I were to say to you, `Martha, the cows are in the corn,' well that would be a regular song. If, on the other hand, I were to say to you:

Oh Martha, dear Martha, hear thou my cry
Inclinest thine ear to the words of my mouth.
Turn thou thy whole wondrous ear by and by
To the righteous, inimitable, glorious truth.

For the way of the animals who can explain
There in their heads is no shadow of sense,
Hearkenest they in God's sun or his rain
Unless from the mild, tempting corn they are fenced.

Yea those cows in glad bovine, rebellious delight,
Have broke free their shackles, their warm pens eschewed.
Then goaded by minions of darkness and night
They all my mild Chilliwack sweet corn have chewed.

So look to that bright shining day by and by,
Where all foul corruptions of earth are reborn.
Where no vicious animal makes my soul cry
And I no longer see those foul cows in the corn.

Then, if I were to do only verses one, three, and four and do a key change on the last verse, well that would be a hymn."

[ICTHUS]

Do they have Chilliwack corn in the States? Chilliwack is actually about an hour and a half east of me. Adri lives there.

That was hilarious.

[Small]

Mrs. D, Mara's Mom is magnanimous,
She ought to run for president,
Her win would be nearly unanimous,
but of course, there would be a few dissidents,

Mostly the types who come out after dark,
Who push blind old women into the street,
Or scrawl profanity all over the municipal park,
And bethink themselves that devious behaviour is sweet,

And of course, that one old man from Cambridge,
Who smites you with death at the end of a wave,
Such folks who consider all that is good and pure sacrilege,
And if they could, would force David Crowder to shave,

But after elected, we expect that she'd abdicate,
To someone she considered capable to wear,
The trials of the world and the cares of the state,
As she lived at least an hour as a happy polar bear,

Yes, Mrs. D ought to be the Commander in Chief,
Like Colin Powel, she win if she'd run,
But to our sadness, and the world's unending grief,
A mother's work is almost never, if ever,
done.

A freestyle powm, for the writer of freestyle powms.

[MtlMom]

This blog is the winner. Cows, corn and powms.

[ICTHUS]

Originally Posted by Small

Mrs. D, Mara's Mom is magnanimous,
She ought to run for president,
Her win would be nearly unanimous,
but of course, there would be a few dissidents,

Mostly the types who come out after dark,
Who push blind old women into the street,
Or scrawl profanity all over the municipal park,
And bethink themselves that devious behaviour is sweet,

And of course, that one old man from Cambridge,
Who smites you with death at the end of a wave,
Such folks who consider all that is good and pure sacrilege,
And if they could, would force David Crowder to shave,

But after elected, we expect that she'd abdicate,
To someone she considered capable to wear,
The trials of the world and the cares of the state,
As she lived at least an hour as a happy polar bear,

Yes, Mrs. D ought to be the Commander in Chief,
Like Colin Powel, she win if she'd run,
But to our sadness, and the world's unending grief,
A mother's work is almost never, if ever,
done.

A freestyle powm, for the writer of freestyle powms.

Mrs. D should become a Canadian citizen and run for Prime Minister. Except, she would have to become fluent in French.

Have you ever seen this site, Mrs. D?

[Adri]

Ryan Chilliwack Corn is famous. [/whisper]

Hi Mrs. D.

To be truthful, we do have very good corn here. It is said to be one of the best in Canada-but I don't really know for certian. Every place would like to think they have the best of something I am sure. (good that is)

[Mara's Mom]

Originally Posted by ICTHUS

Do they have Chilliwack corn in the States?

Psst. Ryan. The U.S. doesn't need Chilliwack corn. It has Iowa. *wink*

Originally Posted by Small

Mrs. D, Mara's Mom is magnanimous,
She ought to run for president,
Her win would be nearly unanimous,
but of course, there would be a few dissidents,

Mostly the types who come out after dark,
Who push blind old women into the street,
Or scrawl profanity all over the municipal park,
And bethink themselves that devious behaviour is sweet,

And of course, that one old man from Cambridge,
Who smites you with death at the end of a wave,
Such folks who consider all that is good and pure sacrilege,
And if they could, would force David Crowder to shave,

But after elected, we expect that she'd abdicate,
To someone she considered capable to wear,
The trials of the world and the cares of the state,
As she lived at least an hour as a happy polar bear,

Yes, Mrs. D ought to be the Commander in Chief,
Like Colin Powel, she win if she'd run,
But to our sadness, and the world's unending grief,
A mother's work is almost never, if ever,
done.

A freestyle powm, for the writer of freestyle powms.

*bounces up and down and claps*

Yay! Youevenrhymedsometimes. [/impressed]

Originally Posted by MtlMom

This blog is the winner. Cows, corn and powms.

I always blush when my blog wins something. Awww, shucks.

Originally Posted by ICTHUS

Mrs. D should become a Canadian citizen and run for Prime Minister. Except, she would have to become fluent in French.

ARE YOU QUESTIONING MY LE FLUENCY, LE RYAN?!?

Have you ever seen this site, Mrs. D?

No, I have not. And I must sadly admit, that while it is true that I grew up in the Lutheran church, I have never understood a single lutevisk or Ole & Lena joke. I am missing a gene or something.

Originally Posted by Adri

Ryan Chilliwack Corn is famous. [/whisper]

Psst. Adri. I think you're thinking of Jimmy Crack Corn.

Hi Mrs. D.

Adri!! *bright smile*

How are you, dear?

To be truthful, we do have very good corn here. It is said to be one of the best in Canada-but I don't really know for certian. Every place would like to think they have the best of something I am sure. (good that is)

Yes, I think that's true. Though I am not sure that Cambridge, Iowa has the best of anything. I will have to ponder that one and try to come up with something.

[Ring of a bell]

I already know what Cambridge has that is the best. The D family.

Your hymn joke was hilariously amazing. I am tempted by the devil to record both.

Mrs. D! I worked a 12 hour day!

[Small]

Mrs. D! I've decided you should move to Columbus. Columbus may not have the best of anything (although periodically, we're the best at some college sport) but we do have Joe Blundo. His humor is more local in flavor, and therein lies a fantastic reason to move to Columbus--You would laugh harder at Joe Blundo columns.
There are, of course, other reasons, such as that we maybe exceed one hundred degrees two or three times a summer, (although sadly, our humidity is pretty much as bad as yours, I believe) and the coldest I ever remember it being was -20 F. Both of those are less extreme than Iowa. Of course, we have rain out the wazoo, but that's hardly important, except that your eldest daughter loves rain, and so would like Columbus.
Columbus vs. Cambridge--The only advantage is that Cambridge is closer to your friends, family, and church.