Nineteenth Visit to Taft

Today is Memorial Day, a holiday where most of us are at the beach or pool and barbequeing hamburgers and hotdogs. Taft plans something for their men to honor our service men and women. I can't remember whether Ron said they would have corn dogs or barbequed chicken as a special treat. They try to make it festive but it's just another day.

Last week I said that Ron's new favorite phrase is "if it doesn't kill you it'll make you stronger". His experience at Taft will definitely not kill him, so he should come out strong. I believe he will, both physically and mentally. His health has improved dramatically since he arrived there in early January. He has lost 15 pounds, his diabetes is under control and the arthritis in his hands is no longer a problem. I believe that this experience may in fact add months, if not years to Ron's life. There's really no way to quantify how much it will prolong his life, but the physical outcome of being there is definitely positive.

The food. If it doesn't kill you it'll make you stronger. If he ate the food it might kill him, it's that bad. So he buys peanut butter and jelly from the commissary and has a sandwich for dinner several nights a week. His bunkie makes nachos once a week, and the rest of the time he struggles with what they offer. He eats bananas and apples everyday, one of the few fresh fruits available.

Mentally, Ron knows now how much a man can stand. He says we can all tolerate much more than we think. He's talking about things like isolation, abuse and loneliness. He refers often to the book by Viktor Frankl called Man's Search for Meaning that he read when he first arrived. I read it too, as I wanted to find out what he found so moving. This book was about the Holocaust, but there was alot in the book that the inmates at Taft could relate to. It's recommended reading by all how come to Taft. (recommended by the inmates, not the institution.)

Where do we get our strength from? Many get it from religion, although that has never been the case for Ron. However, he has joined the Jewish community at Taft and finds that he gathers strength from being part of that small community. He attends services on Friday nights and aggravates the Rabbi with his philosophy of religion. He enjoys the comraderie of the men and really looks forward to Friday night. I think we also gather strength from hope. Where there's hope, there's a future. Ron has great hope for his future. That's because he knows when his sentence will end. Many of the men at Taft have long sentences, and they really don't know what their future holds. Will their wife and children stick by them? Will they have a job and place to live when they get out? All of these questions are answered for Ron, and it just gives him strength knowing he has a future when he returns.

No, Taft will not kill him, it will make him stronger. From the inside out Ron knows that he can deal with anything life throws his way. He always has, he always will. His experience at Taft just confirmed that.

It's Strawberry Season

When March rolls around you can tell it's strawberry season. In Southern California the hills abound with ripening strawberries. Strawberry stands are temporarily erected and the air is fragrant with the smell of the delicious berries. My favorite strawberry stand is in Solana Beach at the Manchester exit on the 5 freeway. I have tried most of the stands in the area and this is my favorite. The berries are fresh from the adjacent field, and the price is right. What to do with all the strawberries? One of my favorite desserts is Panna Cotta with Strawberries. You can enjoy this dessert for the next few months.

Panna Cotta with Strawberries

1package unflavored gelatin + few tablespoons of cold water
3/4 c. cream (cold)
1 c. plain yogurt
1/3 c. sugar
3/4 c. hot milk
2 tsp. vanilla+ scraped out vanilla bean if you have it)

dissolve gelatin in cold water for 10 minutes. Add cold cream, yogurt, sugar and vanilla. In the mean time, Add the dissolved gelatin to the hot milk and blend, then add all the liquid ingredients together. Pour into single size ramekins and refrigerate for 8 hours, or overnight. Run a knife around the side and flip on to serving plate. Top with marinated strawberries (below)

Slice strawberries, add several tablespoons of sugar and several tablespoons of balsamic vinegar. Let the strawberries soak in the liquid for several hours. Place berries and a little juice on top of panne cotta. A delicious dessert and I hope you like it. I have not tried lightening it up, but you could do so by replacing half the cream with low fat milk. I think it will work.

South America On Sale

I love to travel, but in this tight economy most people are staying close to home, me included. I usually don't promote travel specials, but this is one I can't pass up. How about 10 days (eight nights) in South America, including air, breakfast daily and some other specials, for $1799 per person? That is one heck of a deal.

The tour is three nights in Rio de Janiero, two nights in Iguazu Falls, and three nights in Buenos Aires. I have visited all of these places and count them as among my favorite destinations. Iguazu Falls in particular is spectacular. Traveling by boat, visitors motor into the falls. It's a magnificent sight. If you have any interest in this tour, please give me a call. I hope some of you have an opportunity to visit South America. It's a special destination.

What is Groupon?

Groupon is here in San Diego, and I hope to stay. It means group+coupon, because in order to get a Groupon deal a certain number of people have to buy the deal. Here's how it works.

The ABC restaurant decides they want to offer a 30% discount on their meals, so they put an add on Groupon. If 100 people sign up for the deal (or whatever number the restaurant decides) then the deal is a go, and if you purchased it, you own it. It's really fantastic, both for the retailer and the consumer.

Groupon started in Chicago, and is now in dozens of cities across the country. My friend Michael works for the company and he expects Groupon to be huge. Retailers whose business is down or a company new in town, will offer a special to the public. They will get hundreds of customers from the Groupon promotion and hopefully these customers will become regulars at the regular price.

So what kind of businesses promote on Groupon? The answer is any and all. Just the other day a local tour company that does walking tours of San Diego restaurants had a promotion. The three hour $75 tour was available for $44. So I bought it, along with several of my friends, and we will have our own tour of the tastes of San Diego later this year. Spas, gyms, yoga studios, restaurants, dessert shops (cupcakes are big), tours of local attractions and car repair are just some of the many types of services you can find promoted on Groupon.

Go to www.groupon.com and check them out. If you register, you will get a new deal every morning in your in box. It's a great way to start the day. Most of them you won't buy, but every so often something great comes along that you can't live without. Take a look at what they offer and I hope you enjoy.

Let's Give Moroccan Flavors a Try

I am always looking for new flavors and spices in food, and new ideas for old favorites. I was watching a cooking show a few weeks ago, and the cook was making a Moroccan chicken dish. It looked so fantastic I couldn't wait to make it. The only problem was, the recipe called for preserved lemons, which take three weeks to make. So, I am giving you the recipe today for Preserved Lemons, and in about three weeks I will give you a fabulous chicken recipe using the lemons. I have never cooked with preserved lemons before and really don't know what they taste like, but I imagine they're sour and salty. I hope some of you will give it a try.

Preserved Lemons

Take a good sized glass jar and sterilize it. Put 2 Tablespoons of kosher salt in the bottom of the jar. Wash lemons, cut as if quartering them, but do not cut all the way through. Pull them apart to coat the inside of the lemon with kosher salt. Put the lemons in the jar, pushing them down, then cover with lemon juice and top with a little more salt. Close the jar.

Let the lemons sit at room temperature for about three days, then transfer to the refrigerator for three weeks. They're done. Before using, rinse lemons or they'll be too salty. The preserved lemons will keep refrigerated for up to six months. I can wait to taste them, and give you a great recipe using this unusual condiment. Also, you can add cloves, corriander seeds, peppercorns, cinnamon sticks or bay leaves to the jar for a different taste.

Eighteenth Visit to Taft

Ron is now into his 20th week at Taft. The bloom is off the rose, and boredom has set in. As with all new experiences, there is excitement, anticipation and a bit of fear at the beginning. Once you settle in, know that you are safe, learn your routine and realize that this is all there is for the next X number of months, the boredom begins.

That is exactly where Ron is now. His routine is well, routine. Up at 5:30, breakfast at 6:00, walk for an hour, then go to the garden. Lunch at 11:00, back to the garden for a few more hours. I think he takes a nap/rest after that, gets mail or reads or writes, then dinner at 5:00. After dinner he often umpires a softball game. Shower and a little boring TV and off to bed. Next day, do it all again. The only deviations are Fridays whene he has visitors and Saturday and Sunday when he has no work. The weekends are even more boring, there's nothing to do but hang out. He never talks anymore about movie night. Maybe they cut that out. Luckily he has a few good friends and they spend hours talking. Ron is looking forward to football season to spice up his weekends. If only he could find a fourth bridge player he'd have hours of fun.

What I've found happening is that because he has so much time to just sit and think, problems become exacerbated. For example, if he hasn't gotten a letter from a friend in a long time, he thinks about why they haven't written, imagines all sorts of things, when in normal life he would simply move on. There's a reason for the phrase "An idle mind is the devil's workshop."

I have to give Taft credit for trying to keep the men busy. They do have a lot of activities, but most of them don't involve using their mind. Ron was always thinking, learning and analyzing and to now be put in a situation where the most challenging thing he does each day is transplant tomatoes is very difficult. Thank goodness for sudoku, crosswords, books and articles and of course conversation.

So his challenge is to keep optomistic, positive and mentally active. He's still doing well, looking good, feeling great, and keeping that "the glass is have full" attitude. I am proud of him. I check off the weeks on the calendar, and realize that in a few weeks he will have one year left. That sounds like a long time when I say it, but I see these five months have gone quickly and I am optomistic about the next year flying by. Attitude is everything and he suprises me every day with his positive outlook. What choice do I have but to follow his lead? We had our best visit ever on Friday, which I will talk about next week. Ron's new phrase that keeps him so positive is "If it doesn't kill you, it'll make you stronger. More about that next week.

Food Expo Part 3

Drinks, drinks, drinks. I had no idea Americans could drink so much fluid, and the drinks I'm going to tell you about aren't even alcoholic! Coffee, tea, water, sparkling drinks, aloe drinks and Kombucha are just some of the liquid refreshment I sampled.

My favorite aloe drink was T'best, an aloe vera drink with real pulp in it. In addition, it contains plenty of vitamins, minerals and amino acids. For 60 calories per serving, it was delicious. It's a huge seller in Korea, and is just entering the American market. Look for it.

Kombucha was new to me until a few weeks ago, and is now available everywhere. It is made by many companies, including High Country Kombucha and Hain Celestial. What is it you ask? It's a fermented tea meant to detoxify your system. It contains live cultures from the Himalayas. I did not like it at all. They kept telling me it's an acquired taste. I'm not sure I want to acquire the taste for Kombucha. It tastes like vinegar. Honest. It comes in several flavors, including passion flower, lemon myrtle, honesuckle and koji berry. It can be found at Jimbos, Seaside Market, Sprouts and Frazier Farms. You've got to try it at least once. It's the new "in" drink.

Viovi is a new juice tea drink that comes in some unusual flavors, like pomegranete mojito, blueberry lemonade and blood orange. It's just a new twist on fruit flavored teas, this time with more unusual teas.

Kicking Horse coffee, is a new offering from Colorado. The coffee is strong and delicious, and comes in several blends, my favorite one being the Kick Ass blend.

One final drink I just loved was fresh Ginger le by Bruce Cost (www.freshgingerale.com). This was the most delicious ginger ale I ever tasted. It is made with real ginger, and the only resemblance between this and tradional ginger ale is in the name only. Look for it.

It's a shame to think that most of these companies won't survive. They can't. There is just too much competition. If the company is any good it often gets bought out by one of the big drink companies like Pepsi, Coke, or Lipton. It's so difficult for the little guy to survive. Hopefully, some of these drinks will catch on and survive, as they do give us some great new options.

Local News and Crime

I've been spending more time in Los Angeles over the past few months. Getting back to watching their local news at night has been alarming. The first fifteen minutes of the news are spent talking about robberies, rapes, car chases, gang activity, and murders. True. Since I've lived in the San Diego area for over seven years now, I've been lulled into a false sense of security. Occasionally we'll hear about something in our area, but back in the big city it's a big part of the news.

I became aware of this a few weeks ago while watching local news and hearing about a girl that had been attacked at night while walking her dog. Since my sister just moved to Hollywood from Pittsburgh, the story caught my attention. I would not walk my dog alone at night in Westwood (where my mother lives) much less Hollywood. My sister thinks it's perfectly safe, but I am trying to tell her it's not. You cannot walk alone in Los Angeles even in the very best neighborhoods.

My mom lives near UCLA, a very nice area of Los Angeles. She is aware of the crime reports in the area, most of which don't hit the newspapers. Hardly a week goes by that there's not an incident near campus of attempted rape or assault. It's hard to believe. Just last week a few young girls were ringing doorbells in the area asking to use the phone, then coming in and tying up the homeowners and robbing them! I told my mother not to open the door, day or night, for anyone she didn't know. So please, Madeleine (that's my sister), recognize that you are living in a dangerous area and take the proper precautions.

Not that San Diego is without crime. It isn't, and it's getting worse all the time. Gang activity in Solana Beach and Encinitas is something new, and gang taggings are popping up where I never saw any before. I've heard about people leaving their garage doors open 6-8 inches so their cats can come in and out, thieves crawling under the garage and into the house. I remember when I lived in Del Mar and used to walk with the dog up to Crest. There were some off the road trails that looked inviting, but I always thought they were too isolated. The bottom line is that we all have to take precautions, regardless of where we live. We've had two horrific murders here in the past year and have learned from that that no one or no place is safe. It's sad to think that you can no longer go for an afternoon jog in the park without worrying about your safety. Just as we have a new way of looking at the safety of our country since 9-11, we must also have new ways of looking at our personal safety.

Right In Our Own Backyard

A few months ago I went to a wonderful exhibit of contemporary teapots. Last month I went to a talk by the son of John Steinbeck, and yesterday I went to an exhibit called Tesoros Mexicanos (Mexican Treasures). Where? At the Carlsbad Dove Library. Who knew we had so much literary and artistic offerings in Carlsbad? I certainly didn't.

Mexican Treasures from two folk art collections was simply wonderful, and I urge those who haven't seen it to go. It is at the little art gallery next to the Dove Library until June 27. The exhibit is from the collections of two local residents, Lawrence Kent and Tom Pirazzini. They are both Carlsbad residents, and long time folk art collectors. Lawrence tends to enjoy the whimsical, colorful work of Mexico, while Tom and his wife Alma enjoy traveling to remote villages, meeting artists and trying to understand their culutre.

The exhibit included works from many mediums: terra cotta pottery, ceremonial masks made usually of wood, hair and other fibers, coconuts, maise paste, and many objects made from local materials and scraps. One of my favorite pieces were the sculptures of three Indian women. The material used to make the women is called pasta de cana de maiz. This is a lightweight material that was developed by the Purepecha Indians and the the three figures we saw were just beautiful.

Mexicans love music, and there there were two pieces there that must be mentioned. One was a band of some 20 musicians made out of corn husks. It was incredible. The detail was amazing, right down to the straps on their sandals. The other band was ceramic, very different.

Mexican folk art contains many symbols, among them the tree of life, fantastic looking animals called naguales, ghost or skeleton figures are also coomon, and of course masks. Masks are firmly rooted in pre-Hispanic and colonial times. Masking is an essential part of historical celebrations and other religious events. Interestinly, the masks shown in this exhibit were all well used masks. The collectors don't like to buy new masks, but only well worn masks. I don't know why.

Of course our morning at the museum was followed by a delicious lunch at Karl Strauss. Their black bean soup is delicious! It was great to sit and talk to old friends and meet and get to know some new ones. We always have such fun.

Get over to the Dove Libary when you've got an hour to kill. It's a trip worth taking, and if you can't get to this exhibit, go to the City of Carlsbad website and see what they have planned for the future. It's always something interesting.

More Earthquakes? Are We Next?

This morning I woke up to the news that Puerto Rico was hit with a 5.9 magnitude earthquake overnight. That's a pretty good shaker, but nothing compared with Chile, Haiti and Baja California earlier this year. So I asked the question, "Why so many earthquakes recently?" The answer is, there has not been an increase in earthquakes over the past few years. In fact, there has been a decrease in the number of higher magnitude earthquakes over the past few years. The reason we think there have been more is that our ability to detect earthquakes has increased dramatically.

The modern science of seismology is not all that old. The Richter scale wasn't even introduced to the U.S. until 1935 by U.S. seismologists Beno Gutenberg and Charles Richter. And the moment magnitude scale, which measures larger earthquakes even more accurately than the Richter scale, has only been used since 1993.

Powerful earthquakes have been happening since the beginning of time. We are just in the infancy of developing tools and techniques for measuring and predicting earthquakes. Actually, earthquakes cannot be predicted (except for a few second warning) even now. But from the science of seismology we know where earthquakes will occur. We just don't know when.

Early in history, and perhaps even today in some cultures, people think that Divine intervention caused an earthquake, but science proves them wrong. It has to do with plate tectonics and other things I know nothing about, but I'll take their word for it. We're going to have a big earthquake in California. The question is "When?" Nobody knows for sure, so all we can do is prepare. Our buildings today are built to withstand even the strongest earthquakes. Communities must not get lax in their preparations for the big one just because nothing's happened lately.

So, seismic activity is no greater than it has been in the past. It's just that our tools for measuring the earth's movement have improved so that we are completely aware of all seismic activity. All we can do as citizens is make sure that we are prepared in our own homes and our communities. I remember living in Los Angeles during several big earthquakes. After each one, neighborhoods got together to prepare for a big quake. There were team captains for each street and everyone had a specific job. This was great, but over time there was no earthquake, people moved out of the neighborhood, people forgot what they were supposed to do, and I believe that if there was a big quake today, most of these neighborhoods would have no plan in place. I don't know what the answer is. I just think each of us should know the basics for our own home. Have plenty of water on hand, know how to turn off your gas at the street, have a portable radio and flashlights available with fresh batteries and hope you never need any of them.

Seventeenth Visit to Taft

I have just returned from a two week vacation with my mom. That means it has been three weeks since I've seen Ron. What a long time! I woke so early this morning in anticipation of our visit I arrived about 15 minutes before the 8am visiting hour. I was so excited to see him. While on vacation I arranged phone service, and got a call from Ron almost every night we were at sea. Just hearing his voice for a minute or two kept us connected and happy. I loved our cruise and the opportunity to travel with my mom, but honestly, if I hadn't been able to just hear Ron's voice I would have been very unhappy. As it was, he had a hard time having me away for three Fridays. He missed me terribly.

At Taft today I got the opportunity to talk with several of his friends. They all said the same thing. Thank goodness I was back, so they could stop hearing how much Ron missed me. They all knew all about our cruise, too. He shared everything about our trip with the men at Taft.

I learned something in the past few weeks. Hearing someone's voice, if only for a minute or two can alleviate any fears you might have about him. Just the tone of his voice can tell you if he's happy, sad, excited or lonely. I knew Ron was lonely even though he tried to mask it. And seeing someone, well that's the best. Just our five hour visit today made everything right.

There was a man Ron pointed out to me who has been incarcerated for five years (he's in his 70's). His girlfriend was there to visit today. He has had very few visits in all these years, and my heart went out to him. How lonely life must be for someone who doesn't have any visitors! Every week you see the same wives and families there. These are the inmates with great support systems, and for the most part, these are the happiest campers. Ron is one of the happy campers. He's had at least one visitor per week since he's been there, and I intend to keep it that way for the next 56 weeks.

Back From Vacation

Just back from a two week vacation with my mom, I've got a lot to say, so as not to saturate you with travel, food and human interest stories all at once, I will spread them out over time. In short, our cruise from Southhampton, England to Rome was perfect.

So many people today are reluctant to travel due to the hassle. Yes, travel is not what it used to be, but for the most part, my experience was excellent. We flew non stop from Los Angeles to London on Air New Zealand in plain old economy. The leg room was adequate, food was good, service was excellent, and with our own individual entertainment centers and a choice of over 30 movies and TV shows, we were kept busy. Our cruise company, Crystal, picked us up at the airport, and from then on we were in their expert hands. But even Crystal can't control nature, so our return to the U.S. had some glitches.

The cloud of ash from the Icelantic volcano has effected business worldwide, and I suspect will continue to do so for awhile. We got to the airport for our United flight from Rome-Chicago-Los Angeles, only to find there would be a two hour delay due to the ash cloud over northern Europe. Ok, we had asked to be put on the upgrade list to business class, and luckily, the ticket agent asked us if we still wanted that. It was $400 per person (I don't know how it was that price but I wasn't going to argue) and we took it. Long story short, we took off four hours late due to an illegal flight plan (now that really makes you feel secure), but we were in business class. United recently changed their international business class so that each passenger has a seat that reclines into a full bed. I'd flown once like that in first class, but now in business, I couldn't believe it. We both stretched out and slept for about five hours. Because we had to fly a different route to avoid the volcanic ash our flight was an extra two hours, we missed our connection in Chicago, overnighted at the airport, and arrived home the following moring.

It was my mom's good instinct to put us on the upgrade list that made our return trip bearable. Yes, we were tired, but lying down for most of the flight home was so relaxing. Money well spent.

We found that overall security was easy and that airport workers here and abroad tried to make the experience as palatable as possible. Travel is not what it used to be, but it's still worth the effort. More to come in the future about the trip itself. Until then, it sure is nice to be home.

Breakfast Hash That's Good Anytime

Here's a recipe that you will make over and over again. It is simple, relatively healthy and can be eaten for breakfast, brunch or as a side dish with dinner. I love it for breakfast with a fried egg on top. It's great on a brunch buffet table, or serve it with meat or chicken as an alternative to rice. I hope you enjoy it.


Breakfast Hash

1 pound red potatoes
salt
2 T. olive oil
1/4 pound pancetta, cut into small chunks
3 leeks, washed and cut in half moons
2 T. paprika
1 T. red pepper flakes, or to taste
2 T. chopped thyme leaves
2 T. chopped parsley (i like flat parsley)
Freshly cracked black pepper

Cut the red potatoes in half. Bringa a medium pot of salted water to a boil over medium heat. Add the potatoes and cook until tender, approximately 10 minutes. Drain the poatoes and set aside.

In a large saute pan over medium high heat, add the oil. Add the pancett and cook until crisp, about 3-4 minutes. Stir in the leeks and cook until softened, about 1-2 minutes. Add the potatoes and toss well to combine. Stir in the rest of the herbs and spices and cook for 5 minutes. Season to taste, and enjoy. This is great for breakfast with a fried egg on top.

Under the Radar

We think we've come so far since the Civil Rights movement of the 1960's. Not so fast. Yes, we do have an African American President, a Latina woman on the Supreme Court, and a large percentage of minority students that become doctors, dentists, lawyers, scientists and PHD's. But public education in America is more segrated now than it was four decades ago.

I recently discovered a web site called Project Censored (www.projectcensored.org). These are stories that I say have slid "under the radar". They are largely ignored by mainstream media. If you don't dig deep, you won't hear anything about most of these issues. From time to time I will write about them.

Most of this information comes from a new study called The Civil Rights Project, done by UCLA. According to the study, public schools in the U.S. are 44% non-white, and minorities are rapidly emerging as the majority of students. Latinos and blacks, the two largest minority groups, attend schools more segregated today than during the civil rights movement. In Latino and African American populations, two of every five students attend intensely segregated schools. For Latinos this increase in segregation reflects growing residential segregation. For blacks a significant part of the reversal reflects the ending of desegregation plans in public schools throughout the nation. In the 1954 case Brown vs. Board of Education, the U.S. Supreme Court concluded that the Southern standard of "separate but equal" was "inherently unequal" and did irreversible harm to black students. It later extended that rulng to Latinos.

The study showed that the most severe segregation is in the Western states, including California-not in the South, as many people believe. Unequal education leads to diminished access to college and future jobs. Most none-white schools are segregated by poverty as well as race. Most of the nation's dropouts occur in non-white public schools, leading to large numbers of virtually unemployable young people of color.

Schools in low-income communities remain highly unequal in terms of funding, qualified teachers and curriculum. The report indicates that schools with high levels of poverty have weaker staffs, fewer high-achieving peers, health and nutrition problems, residential instability, and high exposure to crime and gangs.

So even though we may pat ourselves on the back and talk about all the accomplishments that people of color have made, we still have a long way to go. Unfortunately, because of the economic crisis and two wars, education reform has been put on the back burners. Hopefully our leaders will someday learn that the way out of poverty and joblessness is EDUCATION and make the appropriate steps to make sure that everyone in America has an equal opportunity to succeed. I know, I'm dreaming.

Making a List and Checking it Twice

I was out with my mother the other day running a couple of errands, when she said to me "What else is on our list?' It got me thinking about lists and how important I think they are. According to research, our mind can only remember about nine things to do, so if you've got more than nine things to do, you definitely need a list.

It's not just because I'm getting older that I think lists are so important. I've been making lists my whole life. When my kids were young and I was working full time, I always made a list. How else could I remember play dates, piano lessons, orthodontist appointments and dinner engagements? I usually make a list every night. I go to my calendar and see what I have planned for the next day, then add other items to the list to complete my day.

What is the value of making a list? First, it helps keep me organized so that I can complete all the tasks that I set forth to do in a timely manner. Second, it keeps me from procrastinating. If I put it on the list, I will do it. Third, it helps me make sure that I get everything done that needs doing.

Think about it. Would you like your airline pilot to take off without completing all the tasks on his checklist? When you take your car in for service, the mechanic completes a checklist of items. When I used to plan complicated European vacations for people I would make a check list everyday of the various people I had to call. Any complicated job involves great organization and many, many lists.

Finally, there is great satisfaction in crossing off items on a list. I always feel a sense of completion when I check off each item. As we get older, the need for lists is even greater. It's just a great way to avoid forgetting an engagement. I love keeping a list. It keeps me on track and on time.

Sixteenth Trip to Taft

It's been over 100 days since Ron arrived at Taft. That means that 20% of his time has been done. It seems like a lot of time, but there's still so much to do. You know I've learned a million different ways to count time. My favorites are the number of days (100 days sounds like a lot), percentages, and how many more months to go. When Ron's not busy counting time, he is writing lists. I'm a big list writer. I think lists help you stay on track, get things done. These days he's writing lists about what he plans to do when he gets out, making and remaking budgets for living, making lists of what he's learned at Taft, and making lists of the positives and negatives of Taft.

We did a little experiment a few weeks ago. Ron made a list of the positives and negatives at Taft, and I made a similar list. However, the items on our lists were'nt the same. Here is Ron's list of positives: exercise, free run of the yard, library, no traditional guards (no guns, etc), excellent bathroom facilities, unlimited hot water, lots of microwaves for heating food, beautiful gardens and sunsets, reasonable climate, unlimited mail, religious services available, sports activities, educational opportunities, and ability to share reading material. I thought that was a great list. Now here's my list of the positives at Taft: good medical care, freedom to go where you want within the camp, no prison uniforms (just khakki pants and white T shirts), reasonable climate, educational opportunities, lots of phone time, unlimited mail, no restriction on TV, movie nights, lots of group sports activities and good sleeping arrangements.

The negative list for Ron is quite a bit longer, so here goes: no mail on Saturdays, bad food, lack of sleep (too loud), bed and covers are inadequate, fan and noise in dorm, inconsiderate inmates (loud music, talking late at night), not enough visiting time, telephone limits, commissary limits, lack of furloughs, small tv's, walking on eggshells (don't want to make any mistakes), no e-mail yet, labor for 12 cents per hour, poor medical attention (takes too long), minimal dental care. Now for my list: not enough visiting time, no furloughs (a man's dad died and he couldn't go to the funeral), long drive (in the middle of nowhere), no one to call if there's a problem (except your lawyer..no one at Taft will tell you anything), no network of communication among the wives, terrible food in the visitors room vending machines, no packages or gifts allowed, no e-mail or computer access, not allowed inside the camp to see where inmates live.

You can see that we have some of the same complaints and some very different ones. I'm not on the inside, so I don't get to taste the food or sleep in the bed. Ron's not on the outside so he doesn't know what it's like not to hear from someone for a few days and know that there's no one to call. As in everything in life, we each come from a different perspective, thus we have different issues. All in all, things are as good as they can be under the circumstances. I'm glad Ron has adapted so well. He has accepted that this is his home until June, 2011, and he will make the best of it. As the inmates always say, Hope for the best, but expect the worst. E-mail should be there this summer, and that will be one item we can both check off the negative list.

A Great Vegetarian Dish

One of the great things about the Natural and Organic Food Show which I attend every year is that I always discover a new food. This year I found khorasan wheat, and am I ever glad. Khorasan is an ancient relative of modern durum wheat, originating in the Fertile Crescent region. It has a naturally sweet and nutty taste, similar to brown rice. It is highly versitile, has great nutrition and a smooth texture. It is higher in protein and minerals, including selenium, and can be eaten by many people who are sensitive to modern wheat. I bought it at Jimbos in bulk. It was not available the day I went to Henry's but I do believe they normally carry it.

Khorasan is also called Camel's Tooth or the Prophet's Wheat. Legend says it was the grain Noah brought with him on the ark. Here is a salad I recently made. This recipe will serve an army. Cut it in half for family use. Make the whole thing if you're taking it to a party. I just love it.


Khorasan Mediterranean Salad

2 cups khorasan berries (cook in at least 4 cups of water, they expand)
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp ground pepper
1/2 cup sliced black olives ( I used green olives for a salty flavor)
2/3 cup crumbled feta cheese
4 stalks diced celery
1 diced red pepper
2 Tablespoons blasamic vinegar
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
1/2 cup chopped flat leaf parsley

Preparation: Rinse khorasan grain and place in pot of water, salt and pepper. Use plenty of water, as the grain expands. Bring to a boil, cover and simmer for about 1 hour or until the grains are plumped and a few have burst. Remove from heat, drain and cool.
Place the cooled grain in a salad bowl, add all other ingredients, adjust salt and pepper to taste. Let salad stand for 30 minutes before serving. This recipe takes lss than 15 minutes to prepare (plus cooking time for the wheat). I just love this salad. It is great served with pita bread for lunch, or with roasted chicken for dinner. I hope you enjoy this new (to me anyway) grain.

The Many Uses of Petroleum Jelly

Petroleum jelly in it's raw form was a curse to the U.S. in the late 1800's. It had a parafin like consistency that stuck to the shaft of their rigs and caused them to seize up. The chemist, Robert Cheseborough created a gel by distilling thin oil rendered from the raw material the drillers liked to call "rod wax." In 1870 Cheseborough opened his first factory in Brooklyn, New York, under the brand name "Vaseline" as an ointment for skin injuries. Since that time people have discovered the wonder ointment is good for dozens of things. Here are just a few.

1. Water rings on wood furniture: rub petroleum into damaged area with your fingers and let stand for a few hours or overnight. In the morning remove excess jelly with a paper towel and buff with a soft cloth.

2. Super glue cap: often after it's first use, the super glue cap ends up stuck fast to the tube and can't be used again. Put a thick coat of jelly inside the cap threads to keep it from gluing itself shut. This will also work on any cap or lid that may stick.

3. Squeeky doors: quiet a squeaky door hinge with a coating of petroleum jelly on the hinge pin. Your door will be quiet and you don't have to worry about messy drips.

4. Hair coloring: to keep hair color from staining your sking, apply petroleum jelly along the hairline and ears before you begin.

5. Cuts and sores: when petroleum jelly first hit the market, it's purpose was to proct cuts and scrapes from bacteria and moisture.

6. Moisturizer: If you have sensitive skin petroleum jelly can be used as an all over body moisturizer. It contains no chemicals.

7. Outdoor lights: a thin coating of petroleum jelly on light bulb threads will prevent them from sticking when they need to be replaced.

8. Sticky drawers: apply petroleum jelly along the runner on a sticky drawer to make it glide freely.

9. Rough feet: If you have hard, calloused feet, apply petroleum jelly to your feet after bathing. Apply within the first few minutes before all the moisture evaporates. It will make yur feet softer, and act as a moisture barrier to keep your feet from drying out. Be careful, do not slip.

10. Makeup remover: use a tissue with petroleum jelly to remove makeup, especially mascara easily.

11. Diaper rash: use in place of expensive ointments and creams to prevent diaper rash.

12. Tight finger rings: apply to your finger and ring will easily slide off.

Why spend unnecessary money on countless bottles, cans and jars of chemical products when one inexpensive jar of petroleum jelly can do it all. It's easy on the environment, contains no allergens or chemical and is easy on the wallet. More to come later on beauty tips using petroleum jelly.

Jawz is Here

There's a new restaurant in Encinitas that is fresh, healthy, and inexpensive. What a great combination. Fran and I checked it out after a late afternoon walk in Solana Beach. Jaws is an island style grill serving fresh tacos, enchiladas, burritos and Hawaiian style pork ribs. They're from Kihei in Maui and you can check out their website at www.jawzfishtacos.com. They have opened several San Diego locations recently.

The Encinitas location took over what was formeraly Auggie's Crab Shack, a small non descript little place on Highway 101. They have redone it, with colorful oilcloth tablecloths inside and on the outdoor patio, TV's on the wall showing surfing films, and a very nice salsa bar. We had a taco plate for $5.95. Two large tacos, one chicken and one grilled mahi mahi, covered with shredded cabbage, a little cheese and some delicious pink sauce. Normally this is served with rice and beans and chips, but we opted for the tangy papaya cole slaw and the cilantro rice. Everything was delicious, in fact neither of us could finish.

The salsa bar has several varieties of salsa with four degrees of heat. We chose the mild pico de gallo and tomatillo salsa. They also have a spicy corn salsa, their famous pink sauce (a little like thin Russian dressing) and another hot jalapeno sauce. Lots of fresh lime, chopped cilantro and spicy carrots complete the salsa bar.


Also on the menu are sweet Hawaiian pork ribs served with ginger fried rice and spicy papaya cole slaw. I'll save that meal for another day. Big burritos, wet and dry, including a vegetarian tofu burrito. They serve breakfast as well, and offer a breakfast burrito in addition to eggs with beans and tortillas and chipotle chilaquiles. The restaurant hours are 6am-9 or 10 pm (varies by day) and breakfast is served all day.

This is a great choice for a healthy Mexican meal, breakfast, lunch or dinner. The taco plate was really big enough for two light eaters to share. The help is friendly and go out of their way to make sure everything is as you wish. I will try it again. I love pork ribs and their sweet sauce may be just what I've been looking for.

Compulsive Eating Compared to Drug Addiction

Finally, a recognized scientific study is showing what compulsive overeaters have suspected for years. The same molecular mechanisms that drive people into drug addiction are behind the compulsion to overeat. The startling findings came from The Scripps Research Institute study first released last October.

The study demonstrates clearly that in rat models the development of obesity coincides with a progressively deteriorating chemical balance in reward brain circuitries. As these pleasure centers in the brain become less and less responsive, rats quickly develop compulsive overating habits, consuming larger quantitties of high-calorie, hig-fat foods until they become obese. The very same changes occur in the brains of rats that overconsume cocaine or heroin, and are thought to play an important role in the development of compulsive drug use.

The scientists fed the rats a diet modeled after the type that contributes to human obesity-easy-to-obtain high calorie, high-fat foods like sausage, bacon and cheesecake. Soon after the experiments began, the animals began to bulk up draatically. They continue to overeat even when they anticipated receiving electric shocks, highlighting just how motivated they were to consume the palatable food.

What happens in addiction is lethally simple. The reward pathways in the brain have been so overstimulated that the system basically turns on itself, adapting to the new reality of addiction, whether its cocaine or cupcakes. The researchers determined that the D2 receptor in the brain responds to dopamine, in both drug addiction and obesity. The dopamine floods the brain, overstimulating the receptors, in both drug and junk food addiction.

So what does this mean for the future of obesity? It promises them hope, because the scientific community is now saying obesity should be treated as a disease. Yes, doctors do treat patients with gastric bypass or lapband surgery, but they are not treating the disease. How many health insurance companies pay for obese patients to go to a gym or get educated on proper nutrition? Not many. If it obesity is finally recognized as a disease, as alcohol or cocaine addiction is, there will be affordable treatment centers for those seeking help. Since obesity is one of our biggest (no pun intented) health problems, we can only hope that scientists and health care professional will push for proper treatment of obesity as a disease sooner, rather than later.

Fifteenth Visit to Taft

Cooking at Taft. It's a popular activity, not because the men like cooking so much, but because the meals served there are monotonous and unhealthy (especially for diabetics). Ron has taken up cooking, and I will tell you about some of his favorite "home made" meals in a minute.

First, a little bit about the Taft commissary. The commissary is available to inmates twice a week. They have a special shopping time alotted to their unit. The list of items offered ranges from basic necessities, like toothpaste, deodorant, razors and shaving cream, tc medications such as Tylenol and Benadryl including ace bandages, sunscreen, eye drops, cough medicine, etc. They also have batteries, office supplies like writing paper, stamps, drawing pencils, markers, playing cards and dictionaries. Clothes include everything from underwear to shoes, sweats, T-shirts, pants, shoes, gloves and sunglasses. Prices are reasonable. For example, a 4-pack of AA batteries is $1.41. Cough syrup is $2.27. About 1/2 of the commissary list is food. Since they don't have refrigeration available, there is no fresh milk or real cheese. They do have some ice cream items, but these are bought and consumed right away. A large ice cream sandwich is $.85. They have bread, tortillas,all kinds of Mexican sauces, Jam, Peanut butter, tuna in vac packs, squeeze bottle mayo, smoked oysters, velveeta cheese, chips, crackers, cereal, nuts, dry milk , candy diet cokes and crystal light, popcorn, spices, hot chocolate , Top Ramen soup, hummus, matzo, bagels, beans and rice, and finally, some fresh fruit. Apples, bananas, tomatoes, onions, avocados and lemons are about all they have, and there's a limit (usually 6) to what you can buy.

The food is reasonably priced. A 2-pack granola bar is $.45, a bag of tortilla chips is $1.70.

I'm telling you all this to explain what the men have to work with to create alternative meals. Most often dinner consists of rice with a little chicken in sauce poured over it, plus beans and tortillas and maybe pudding for dessert. Very high carb meal, which is not good for anyone. So Ron has started cooking his dinner. His favorite creation so far is PIZZA. To replace the crust he uses a bunch of ritz crackers, covers this with some kind of cheese (I think they have mozzarella), a little tomato sauce and some pepperoni. 30 seconds in the microwave and voila, you have pizza. He says it's good, but then he's comparing it to what he usually gets for dinner.

Other favorites are peanut butter and jelly (how can you go wrong), quesedillas, tomato, avocado and onion salad with oil and vinegar, and tuna salad (mix tuna with pickle relish and mayo). He also buys raisin bran, makes milk from dry milk, and slices a banana on top for a delicious breakfast. Also, Taster's Choice has replaced the institutional coffee, which Ron said is undrinkable. They have instant hot water, so he can make coffee, or iced coffee using his dry milk.

It's amazing what you can create if you have to. With no cooking experience Ron has learned to make some pretty decent meals. I assume as time goes on he will become more creative. I don't think any of these recipes qualify to be included in the ones I post on my blog. But compared to what he's been eating for the past few months, the meals are definitely improving.