How to confuse your friends

Its an extreme sport in our family. And this video was posted by someone who is in my family-- no need to mention how we're related. Its the funniest thing I've seen all day, and I hope he doesn't mind that I stole it.

So, he's trying to explain how to play a simple dice game, but about 5 minutes into the explanation, I realize I would never want to ask for directions from this guy. And although I can totally see how this could quickly become fun a drinking game, if there is one thing these rules don't need, its the added complication of alcohol.

click here for the full link

Or just watch the video here:

Let the End Times Roll from Radical Warren on Vimeo.

Experimenting with Okra

If my plan to take over Delilah's job when she retires doesn't work out, I think I might have to be a take gross pictures of food professionally. The food itself is never gross, but all my pictures are. Remember Bob Evans?

Well, last night and the night before, we experimented with cooking Okra. Now, everyone says cooking Okra is tricky, and there a chance it'll end up all slimy if you don't do it just right, but every Okra recipe on earth involves bacon, so I figured the benefits outweighed the risks. Our first night we cooked fried Okra, fried in what, you ask? Bacon drippings and shortening of course! The Okra taste was kind of lost in all that corn meal and bacon grease, but it was still good. Kind of like fried clam strips; same texture.

The second night we had smothered okra, which still involves bacon grease, but also includes diced tomatoes, garlic, and hot sauce. This was the winner over the two nights. It was easier to cook than the fried was, and you could really taste the okra. And judging by the seven billion recipes on the Internet, anything that you might have laying around the refrigerator is fair game.


So, thank you, really cheap okra stand at the Davis Farmer's Market, for introducing a new vegetable into our home.

Another Day, Another Market

So, Wednesday is Farmer's Market Day in Davis as well as Saturday. And here's what we got this time:


The Kettle Corn in the back is Mike's, he got a little bag at the end of our shopping trip for being a good boy. All said and done, we spent 12 dollars. We'll be cooking the Okra tonight, so wish us luck.

Another interesting landmark on the way to the Farmer's Market was this:


Yes. Its the Bicycle Hall of Fame. What can I say? They like their bikes.

Express yourself

So I thought Vermont had some pretty liberal people, but Davis makes Vermont look like Rush Limbaugh. If I were in the left wing bumper sticker business, I'd make a killing out here. I don't think its possible for the people in this town to have a single private thought without making a bumper sticker about it. At the very least, every car must three bumper stickers: One expressing who they voted for in 2008, one proclaiming the importance of farms/local produce/organic produce, and last but not least, one sticker dedicated to the pet of their choice.

Slow Going...

If there's one thing I've learned about California in the four days I've been here, its that good things come to those who wait. And you'll do a lot of waiting here. I've always been a super fast walker, typer, talker, but in California, its even more exaggerated. Now I know how Superman felt when he'd slow down time so he could get a lot of stuff done.

Luckily, I've learned more than just one thing in the four days I've been here. Like the Chinese restaurant in the shopping plaza next to our apartment is amazing. And sometimes people at IKEA don't know what they're talking about, even when they say it in a really friendly voice. And, most recently, the farmers market in Davis on Saturday mornings is awesome.
Here's a picture I took of everything we got:



I can't wait to see what Mike makes me for dinner...

"You are a Master Ikea Shopper."

Mostly it's luck.

I might get addicted to this whole buying a ton of crap wicked cheap thing.

Because we got rid of almost all of our furniture before the move, Mike and I needed a few things for our new place: Two Dressers, a sofa, three bookcases, a trash bin, and a lamp shade. We also needed Swedish meatballs, and our new neighbor was nice enough to treat us to dinner at the IKEA restaurant. $21 bucks for four adults. We are a cheap date.

We cleaned up. IKEA's As-Is section was 30% today-- so we saved 62% on everything. WOOT.

We're using some of the money we saved on home delivery, which rocks since we live on the second floor and everything is already assembled, so tomorrow we'll be rocking out, sitting on our new, delivered furniture like kings. But for now, we just have meatball breathe, which is ok too.

Road Trip: On the Road Day Four

Miles thus far: 2482.0
Last night at the Motel 6 we met some very nice bikers who thought our cat was adorable because every time a new bike arrived, she'd jump up in the window and watch them.

The last day was shorter than the others, we took a nice route through Tahoe, and I almost got sick from all the swerving roads, but it was nice. Nevada, however, was not nice. 400 miles of desert, even driving 85 miles an hour, that's too much desert. Although, I did hit a tumble weed. that was cool.

6:42am 59 degrees: Departed from Motel 6
6:48am: Burger King, coffee: $3.93
6:56am: Departed from Burger King
6:13am (7:13am): Crossed into Pacific Time
6:53am: Entered Deeth Starr Valley
7:18am: Breakfast, McDonalds, $8.83, (PEED)
7:31am: On the road again
7:38am: Gas stop: $38.21
7:52am: Tunnel
10:52am 68 degrees: Stopped at rest area, switched drivers (PEED)
12:17pm: Gas stop, Carson City, NV $40.34
12:24pm: On the road again
12:36pm 68 degrees: 7,146ft Spooner Summit
12:30pm: Picnic Lunch, Shoals Vista Point (PEED)
1:00pm: On the road again
1:02pm: Tunnel
1:40pm 7,382ft Echo Summit
2:35pm: Switched drivers
3:35pm: Enter Davis!
3:48pm: Arrived at Clubside Apartments
Total miles: 3082.8

Even using our food money at the tolls, we made it all the way to Davis with 4 dollars left. It was a very successful, and eventless trip. And we've got photos. Oh boy, do we have photos...