It's Time For A Dog

It has been almost 2 years since Barney, our beloved pit bull/dashaund/bassett mix passed away. Ron and I have decided that the time is right to bring another dog into our home. My first reaction was to see what's up for adoption. I went to several of the many web sites advertising dogs that are in search of their forever homes. What I noticed immediately is that more than half of the dogs were pit bulls or pit bull mixes. There were also a large number of chihuahua or chihuahua

mixes. I loved my pit bull mix probably more than any other dog I have owned, but I had some reservations about adopting another one, due to public opinion. I decided to check out the pit bull rescue in San Diego and read more about the breed.

The pit bull rescue exists because "being persecuted is the pits". When I told some friends at the Y this morning that I was considering rescuing a pit bull, they all exhibited a look of shock. Why? Because they believed the many myths out there about this wonderful breed. Here are some of the myths.

Pit bulls are inherently vicious. Nothing could be further from the truth. A well-bred and well-adjusted pit bull is a wonderful addition to any family. A dog that has been neglected and mistreated cannot be considered a true representation of the breed. According to the Temperment Test Association, more than 84% of pit bulls passed the tempermanent test, which is higher than golden retrievers (83.8%), Border collies (79.6%), and beagles (78.2%). The test involves putting the dogs through a series of confrontational situations. If the dog reacts aggressively or fearfully, it fails.

Pit bulls make great guard dogs. Actually, they're completely useless, because of their love of all things human, they will consider strangers as friends.

Pit bulls bite more than any other breed. Again, untrue. Many other breeds are confused with pit bulls, and bite statistics are notoriously unreliable, because so many go unreported.

There are many other myths about pit bulls that have made them one of the most feared breeds on the planet. Many communities have tried to ban ownership of pit bulls. Denver is one such community. Legislation is underway in many areas to ban specific breeds. (BSL-breed specific legislation).

A lot is wrong with BSL, in my opinion. It is a knee jerk reaction, often to one specific incident. Banning breeds doesn't work. Far better than breed specific bans are strict laws to control aggressive dogs of any breed or mix. People are ultimately responsible for their dogs, and aggressive dogs should be confined to protect the public. It's not just pit bulls. Chow chows, rottweilers, german shepherds, akitas and dobermans are also considered dangerous. If you ban the pit bull, owners looking for agressive dogs will take another breed and teach them to be aggressive.

"First they came for the pit bulls and they banned them and killed them and their owners cried out in horror but I did not object because I did not own pit bulls. Then they came for the rottweilers and they banned them and muzzled them and their owners cried out in protes but I did not object because I did not own rottweilers. Today they have come for my dogs and they will ban them and take them from me as I cry out in outrage and anger and no objects because they do not own my dogs". Sound familiar?

All this being said, I decided to go with a small, friendly dog. I don't need to add more stress to my life, and taking a pitbull out in public is always stressful. If something goes wrong at the dog park, it's always the pit bull's fault, regardless. So I now have an adorable 15 pound schnauzer/poodle mix named Pepper. He is about 1 1/2 years old, very affectionate. He's a real cuddler. But he's also a little Houdini, escaping from the yard several times already. I've got to fatten him up a little so he can't get through the fence. Oh, how I've missed a dog. He is such a pleasure to have around, and adds great joy to our lives. I found him at the Escondido Humane Shelter, a no kill, non profit center. They are manned by a few paid workers, and many volunteers. Our volunteer, Elizabeth, was wonderful. They could not exist were it not for the tireless work of their many volunteers. Thank you to all the wonderful people at the Escondido Human Shelter, and all the other shelters and rescue organizations, that he homeless dogs have some quality of life.

Did you know that there are over 185,000 dogs in San Diego, looking for a home? Purebred or mutt, adopting is the way to go for me. Save a life and in return you'll receive more love and affection than you can imagine.

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Graffiti As An Art Form

Several months ago I blogged about Banksy, one of the most famous graffiti artists in the world, because a picture on the side of a building in Oceanside was thought to be his work. I was fascinated by what he has done.

A few weeks ago Linda and Rod were here, and as I spent one morning with Linda she told me how Rod liked to see the trains and the graffiti art that covers so many of them...They live in an area where hundreds of train cars go through regularly, so it's easy to see. I did a little research about graffiti, and how it has evolved.

Graffiti has existed since ancient times, with examples dating back to Ancient Greece and The Roman Empire. In modern times, paint, particularly spray paint has become the most common medium for graffiti artists. Most countries have laws against defacing buildings and property without permission, but that doesn't seem to stop the graffiti artists. Many countries now have specific areas where graffiti is allowed. Still, the illegal defacement of property is rampant worldwide.

Graffiti is often seen as having become intertwined with hip hop culture and the New York City Subway graffiti. Graffiti became a way of gangs marking territory, too. Actually, graffiti on railroad boxcars has been around for many years. Graffiti often makes a political statement, as in the work of Banksy and others. One thing is for sure, it is bold, colorful, and can't be missed.

Many graffiti artists are anonymous, for obvious reasons. They are breaking the law. But their styles are unique, and anyone that follows this genre of art is able to identify the individual artists

. Except for the Barrio Logan area of San Diego, which is heavily decorated with colorful graffiti everywhere, we don't see much graffiti art here. We see some gangs marking territory, but most of this is quickly removed, as it should be. The debate about graffiti art and the legalities rages on. For now, most work is done late at night or early morning, when no one is around to see. Much of it beautiful to look at. It's too bad these talented artists can't find another way to display their work....

Our First Holiday Together

Last year at this time I was celebrating Thanksgiving without Ron. Thursday was a free visiting day at Taft, but I did not visit on that day. I spent Thanksgiving in Los Angeles with my mom and kids, and went to see Ron on Friday, our regular visiting day. It's amazing how quickly one forgets. I was trying to recall last year at this time and had a hard time. Ron remembers having a pretty good dinner (actually at lunchtime) served to the inmates, real turkey and all the trimmings. Ron also remembers being very lonely on that day when most people are celebrating with friends and family. The amazing thing is how quickly we all forget the saddness and loneliness. I was asking Ron about how he remembered the holiday, and except for the turkey dinner, he couldn't remember much. I guess that's a good thing. We definitely forget pain. If we didn't, who would have a second child?

This Thanksgiving was quite a bit different. Although our Colorado family could not be here because they are expecting a baby in a few weeks, Brian and his family came for a Friday Thanksgiving. I know, Thanksgiving is on Thursday, but my feeling is that this holiday is all about being together, whenever that may be. David came down to see us last week, I saw my mom last week as well, and we video chatted with Phil, Deborah and Lennon. Unfortunately Ron's travel is quite limited and we were unable to go to Los Angeles, but we got to see and enjoy everyone one way or another. We had a wonderful turkey dinner on Friday, took the twins to the park, and enjoyed the company of Beth and Brian for the afternoon. It was such a meaningful time for us, a far cry from last year.

Of all the holidays, Thanksgiving reminds me of how much we have to be grateful for; good health and a supportive, loving family. What more could you ask for?

It's almost December. Ron has been home for more than 4 months. Where does the time go? He still thinks of his friends at Taft, especially at this time of year. I am just getting ready to send a few men some calendars for 2012. That is one of their favorite things to receive. They are all counting the days, weeks, months or years until they too can be reunited with their loved ones. I'm happy to send them a calendar to help them keep track of time. Neither Ron nor I mark the calendar the way we used to. For me, that was a daily ritual, marking off the day, and counting how many more weeks or months we would be apart. Ron did something similar. We're together and happy, so every day for us is just another day in paradise.

Dogs: So Much More Than Just Pets

I am a dog lover. I have had one or more dogs most of my life, and found that the joy and love they add to life to be immeasurable. I am dogless at the moment, due to an uncertain future (probably have to move), but I will get another dog after we're settled. Recently my mom told me about a PBS show she watched on dogs, and their unique ability to detect the onset of an epileptic seizure and cancer. I checked this out, and amazingly this is true.

Therapy dogs and guide dogs have been part of our lives for dozens of years. Guide dogs for the blind help these people live full, productive lives. The cost of training a guide dog is dear, but well worth it, considering the dog will be working with his master for 10+ years. Therapy dogs came a little later, and are also very expensive to train. They can help a disabled person in so many ways, from letting him know the doorbell or phone is ringing, to turning on lights and even helping with the laundry.

Seizure alert dogs are specially trained to help those with epilepsy and other seizure disorders. It is not entirely true that the therapy dog can predict the onset of a seizure. Actually, the human emits an odor prior to the seizure that the dog may sense, and thus alert his master that a seizure is upcoming. Then the person can prepare, by placing himself in a spot where he will be unharmed. Amazing. The cost of training such a dog is $19,000, certainly a lot less than having a human companion to assist.

Another interesting scientific discovery is that dogs can detect cancer in the urine of humans. Scientists did an experiment where they put the urine of a cancer patient in a dish, alongside several other dishes of urine of non cancer patients. Time and time again the dogs found the cancer. I'm not sure how this will be used in real life, but I'm sure we'll be hearing more about this.

Unconditional love, companionship, loyalty and devotion are just some of the perks we get from having a dog. Now we find out they can also detect cancer, predict seizures, sniff out drugs, and we know they can warn us of earthquakes. Let's take all the qualified dogs that are sitting in shelters waiting to be euthanized and do something important with them. Train them to do rescue and therapy work. I know, we don't have the money, but in a perfect world, what a great way to give those dogs a second chance. Dogs truly are man's best friend.

P.S. Since I originally wrote this, I am no longer dogless. Pepper is the new addition to our family. Pepper had been sitting in the Escondido Humane Society Shelter for several months. Now he's sitting on my bed!!

What To do With Mung Beans

Mung beans are small, oval shaped beans. They are commonly used in Chinese cuisine, as well as the cuisines of Sri Lanka, Thailand, Japan, Korea, Philippines, and others. The starch from the bean is also extracted to make jellies and cellophane noodles.

Mung beans are generally prepared from dried beans by boiling them until they are soft. In Chinese cuisine, whole mung beans are used to make tangshui, a dessert. In Indonesia the beans are cooked with sugar, coconut milk and a little ginger to make a pudding. The whole beans are also made into mung bean paste by dehulling, cooking and pulverizing the beans to a dry paste. In Hong Kong the dehulled mung beans and mung bean paste are made into ice cream or frozen ice pops.

Mung beans are high in nutrition yet low in calories. They have so many uses, including sprouts, which can be grown under artificial light for about a week to produce bean sprouts.

Below is a a substantial, warming dish that is not only healthy, but hearty. I hope you enjoy it.

Mung Bean Casserole




Ingredients
•½ cup (3 oz, 75 g) dried mung beans
•4 - 6 medium potatoes
•Oil for frying
•1 onion, sliced and chopped
•2 large carrots, sliced
•2 large sticks of celery, sliced
•4 - 6 mushrooms, sliced
•2 cups (16 fl oz, 480 ml) vegetable stock
•½ tsp. miso (if available)
•salt and pepper to taste

Method

Oven: Pre-heat to 400F (200C)

Cover the mung beans with about three times their volume of cold water, and leave to soak overnight.

Drain and rinse the beans. Add them to a pan of boiling water. Boil rapidly for ten minutes, then turn down the heat and let them simmer for another ten minutes or until completely cooked. When ready, drain the beans and rinse in a sieve under running water.

While the beans are cooking, peel the potatoes and cut into quarters. Boil in salted water for about ten minutes, or until they're just beginning to soften.

Heat the oil in a pan. Add the onion, and cook gently for a few minutes. Then add the carrots, celery and mushrooms. Continue cooking until the vegetables are starting to become tender. Add the stock, miso and seasoning, and cook for another five minutes.

Add the cooked beans, potatoes and vegetables to an oven dish. Cook in the oven, covered, for 30 minutes.

Going Green With NBC

By now you know that going green is at the top of my personal agenda, and when I see companies that are trying to make a difference, I try my best to support them. I have recently noticed the many public service commercials on NBC promoting their "Green is Universal" program. I decided to take a closer look at it. You should too. Go to www.nbc.com/green. You won't believe what they're doing.

I'll tell you a little of what they're doing, but you really have to go to the web site and spend some time perusing it to see all the wonderful tips and tricks they have to offer, and see how they have their whole company involved in going green, from on camera stars to the children in the day care they offer their employees at Universal City. They must have dozens of full time employees to not only plan and update the website, but to put out blogs and useful information on so many subjects. They offer tips on going green and tricks to help reduce your footprint.

For example, washing clothes in cold water not only keeps your clothes looking fresh, but it saves 90% of the energy as washing in warm or hot water. Most of the energy is used to heat the water. What a simple change.

Properly inflated tires can save you about 8 cents per gallon. That adds up pretty quickly, and it doesn't require anything more than your maintaining your car properly.

Unpluging appliances when not using them can save you up to 20%. This is a little inconvenient for some appliances, but things like phone chargers, coffee makers and toasters that are not used all the time are easy to unplug. It all adds up.

Another interesting thing NBC is doing in their daycare program. They are turning waste items that would usually be thrown away into craft projects for the kids. They have a small garden for the kids, so hopefully with this kind of early training in protecting the earth, we will be on our way to raising a generation that has more respect for natural resources.

I don't know how many other big corporations have big projects like this as part of their mission, but I applaud NBC for taking a leadership role in this regard. We often think of big corporations in such a negative way, but projects like this show me that there is a human side to big corporations. Maybe they really are people!!

KISS

One of my favorite phrases, KISS means "Keep it simple, stupid." This phrase can be applied to many situations, but now I'm referring to keeping my cooking simple. There are days when we just don't feel like fussing with dinner. On those days, I keep a bag of microwavable Green Giant whole potatoes in the freezer. They come in several varieties, all of them good, but my favorite is the cheese sauce potatoes.

The potatoes are not cooked and packaged in a ton of sugar and salt, so they're pretty healthy. Just microwave for 5 minutes, add a few of your own touches or nothing at all, and you have a wonderful side dish. Just pick up a rotisserie chicken, add a salad and you have a delicious, healthy meal in 15 minutes. Here are a few ways to spruce up the microwaved potatoes and make them just a little more "homemade."

Green Giant Whole Potatoes (microwavable)

Cook the packaged potatoes according to directions and add any or all of the following toppings to make your potatoes the star of the meal:

bacon bits
chives
scallions
chopped tomatoes
chopped olives
sour cream

These are the toppings that I love with potatoes, but if something else appeals to you, try it. I love these potatoes and their convenience. I think you will too.

What To Do On A Rainy Day

On a recent rainy Saturday, I headed over to the Y for my 8am spin class. This is the class where the instructor shows a video of one of the states and teaches us all sorts of facts about the state to keep us distracted. North Carolina was the state of the day, and the fact I liked learning about most was that they have wild horses on some of the beaches. Tom, the instructor, had pictures of these horses running through the surf. What a beautiful sight. Anyway, back to a rainy Saturday. I arrived about 15 minutes early and was lucky to get a bike. Within a few minutes of my arrival all the bikes were taken, and at least 15 people came to spin and were turned away. The early bird gets the worm.

Why were so many people at the Y on a rainy Saturday? I thought rainy, gloomy days meant people stayed home, read, did housework, or slept. Many of these men and women are bikers, so when they couldn't bike outside, they took it inside.

A few hours later, I returned to the Y for a yoga class. Again, the room with packed with yogis and yoginis, all looking for a peaceful way to spend a rainy afternoon.

My final activity of the day was a few hours at the movies. I knew this would be a well attended activity on a rainy day. We went to an early show to avoid getting shut out. Lucky we did, too. Everyone else had the same idea.

Californians aren't used to rain, just a small amount of rain makes some Californians crazy. I always laugh when newscasters say they're on "storm watch", when all we've got is a nice gentle rain.

Rainy Day Activities

1. Movies
2. Indoor exercise at the gym
3. Yoga at a yoga studio
4. Visit the library
5. Visit a museum
6. Go to an indoor shopping mall
7. Clean your house
8. Make all those calls you've been putting off

I remember when my kids were young and we always had a list of activites to keep us busy on a rainy day. Well, we need them to. If you've got anything to add to my list, let me know. I think we're going to have a rainy winter.

Freebies and Savings You May Not Know About

Most of us are always looking for a bargain. I have three web sites to alert you to. Yes, some of them take a bit of work to navigate, but they all have fantastic savings on just about anything you can think of.

Mousesavers.com. It's great for discounts of the zoo, Wild Animal Park, Sea World and other amusement parks. It will tell you ALL the various discounts available, and will even tell you for example, how many points you get on American Express Membership Rewwards, if you have that card. You will get 6500 points for buying a 1 day child's pass to the zoo. This is an excellent website.

Volition.com has discounts and free stuff for everything from restaurants, to baby stores, to phone plans. One fun item I noticed was that every baby gets a free ticket to Ringling Bros. Barnam and Bailey Circus for their for attendance. Who knew?

Startsampling.com is the site to get free samples of just about anything. So many food products you won't believe it.

All these sites require a bit of patience. Don't give up. There are so many bargains out there. You just need to have the patience to surf these websites. Check one of these out one afternoon when you've got nothing to do. You'll be amazed at what you might discover.

Each Generation Does It Their Own Way

I arrived at the Y about 10 minutes before my 8:15 class started one morning. I usually get there a few minutes early to have a quick cup of coffee and socialize with other Y members. It's a great group of men and women, some who I know well and some very little.

One woman had just come back from visiting her 3 year old grandson in New York, and commented that she was not cut out to be a grandmother. We all agreed that it wasn't that, it was just that 70 year old women are not cut out to chase 3 year olds. Give us a 5 or 6 year old with some common sense, and we all love taking them to the park or out to dinner. Young children are meant for young parents.

There were 5 of us, all between 60-70, and we started talking about child rearing, and how today's generation has a very different approach than we had. We all agreed that if our 2 year old couldn't behave in a restaurant we would remove them and if they still couldn't behave, we would leave. Our philosophy was that children need boundaries and consequences. We all agreed that child rearing philosophy has changed. How often have you been to a restaurant where a young child is misbehaving and the parents just pretend like nothing is happening? I've seen a lot of that. I remember one time we were in a restaurant and 2 young children were crawling around the floor and in the aisles, as waitresses walked by with pots of hot coffee. No one said anything. It seems that many children are over indulged and many parents are afraid to discipline their children. They want their kids to like them.

Children today seem so bright at such a young age. Are they any smarter than our kids were or we were? I don't think so. They are just exposed to so much, so early. Three year olds operating computers, cell phones and cameras. Does that mean they're smarter? No, they're just exposed to different things than we were. I remember my son David at age 4, loved the game of Concentration. We would turn over a deck of cards and try to find matches. He always won. It's a simple game, and I imagine that if he were young today, he'd be doing amazing things on the computer as so many kids are today. When I said that each generation does it their own way, I was referring to the changes in child rearing. In one generation the experts told you to put your baby on his front or side, then the next generations said to put them on their back. One generation said to put them on a sleeping schedule, the next generation says to do something else. Our generation believed in boundaries and consequences. It seems that many parents today let their children make the rules. They eat when they want, sleep when they want, in general get what they want. They have learned how to do that.

There are lots of GREAT parents out there today. I'm just commenting on the ones who are controlled by their children. They don't know how to say no. I guess if these parents didn't exist a show like Supernanny wouldn't be so popular. It will be interesting to see how the next generation raises their kids. One thing I know for sure, they'll do things differently.

2011 Food Trends

I recently read the book "Alice Waters and Chez Panisse," by Thomas McNamee. Our book club is reading it in December, I am the leader of the discussion, so I decided to do some further research. I was surprised at how fine dining food menus have changed over the years. Then I began looking at food trends today, and how crazy some of them are.

The Winter Fancy Food Show was held recently at the Moscone Center in San Francisco. I wasn't there, but have been to others, and know what goes on. Three days of taste testing and indulging. The show had a huge variety of foods, everything from chocolate to cheese, salty snacks to high end sauces. A handpicked panel of industry experts were chosen to brave the aisles and samples, and sniff out emrging trends in food. The judges included Nancy Hopkins, from Better Homes and Gardens, Tina Ujlaki, from Food and Wine, and Kara Nielsen, from Center for Culinary Development. Here's their thoughts on food trends.

1. Chocolate for breakfast: cocoa-infused teas, hot chocolate on a stick, Belgian Waffles, granola and more all included chocolate.
2. Healting foods: Many foods are highlighting their healing powers-ancient herbal teas, aloe and cucumber drinks, macrobatches of other healthful beverages.
3. New noodles: A flavorful and healthful upgrade to the basic noodle are found in yam, kelp, farro and spelt.
4. Heat with flavor: ghost peppers and yuzu-wasabi sauce are just a few of the concoctions that will blaze and satisfy your palate.
5. Creative chips: forget about potato chips. The trend now is to make crispy chips from pinto beans, naan, peas, mung beans, kale or wild rice.

These are trends discovered at the fancy food show, but there's much more. Here are some other food trends I've noticed.

1. Savory Pies
2. Potted meats (pates, rilettes and other varieties of meat in a jar)
3. Canning and pickling (check out Chicks with Knives in Los Angeles) they teach canning and pickling classes, and sell a popular bacon jam!
4. Whoopie pies- with cupcakes not quite passe, whoopie pies are popping up on bakery counters all over the place.
5. Butterscotch pudding-this is the IN dessert in LA and San Diego. I hear that Mozza's butterscotch budino started this trend.

Check out a restaurant menu from years gone by and see how food trends have changed. The steak and baked potato has been replaced with grass fed beef and organic vegetables. Change is good.

Have You Every Played Disc Golf?

I was out for dinner last week with several friends of Rons, and we started talking about what we do for exercise. Steve and Nancy both have full time jobs, and they told me that in their off time, they love to play disc golf. Actually, Steve called it Frisbee golf, but the official name is disc golf. I'd never heard of it, and was anxious to find out more about. After Steve and Nancy described it I came home and researched it further. Now I can't wait to try it.

This is for everyone who can no longer play regular golf because of back, neck or shoulder injuries, or just for people who want to get out, get some exercise, and have a good time. If you can walk and throw a Frisbee, you can play disc golf. Best of all, except for buying a few discs to get started (just like a few golf clubs) it's usually free. 85% of all the courses are absolutely free, and the ones you do pay for are something like $3.

Modern disc golf began in the 1960's, when it seems to have been invented in many places and by many people independently. Three of the best-known figures in disc golf are George Sappenfield, who called the game "Basket Frisbee", "Steady Ed" Headrick, who introduced the first formal disc golf target with chains and a basket, and Dave Dunipace, who invented the disc. The first disc golf association was formed in 1975. The sport has grown at a rate of 12-15% annually. There are nearly 3000 courses in the US. The game is played in more than 40 countries.

Initially, the sport was played with Frisbees. George Sappenfield, a recreation counselor for kids, contacted Wham-O, creator of the Frisbee, with help for an event which became disc golf. Later on Steady Ed Headrick designed and installed the first standarized target course in La Canada Flintridge, California. Ed worked at Wham-O, and is credited with pioneering the modern era of disc sports. Just like golf clubs, there are many different discs used in the game, each used for a differnt purpose.

The game is played almost exactly like golf. You tee off, by throwing your "driver" disc in the vacinity of the hole. Then you walk to your disc, and throw your next one, until you get your disc in the "hole". The hole is actually like a basketball hoop. The rules of the game are similar to regular golf, but you don't need any advanced instruction. You can just go out and play.

Steve and Nancy just got back from Las Vegas where they played in a disc golf tournament. Who knew these things even existed? I certaintly didn't, but I'm glad I learned about the sport and can't wait to try it. There are several courses in the San Diego, including one in San Marcos and one near Balboa Park. What a great way to get some exercise and have fun.

The Finns Have It Right

With all the talks of budget cuts, one area I hope we don't cut back on is education. Our system is so far behind, it's ridiculous. We are number 37 in the world in education. I saw "Waiting For Superman" last year which renewed my interest in how to solve our failing educational system.

Recently I was talking to my friend Kay, and she told me she had been reading about the Finnish schools and how they had turned themselves around, and are now ranked at the top of the list of all countries. Why do they get such great results? Here are a few reasons that were brought out last year at conference attended by 100 foreign delegations and governments who visited Helsinki, hoping to learn the secret of their schools' success.

The Finnish philisophy of education is that everyone has something to contribute and those who struggle in certain subjects should not be left behind. A tactic used in virtually every lesson is the provision of an aadditional teacher who helps those who struggle in a particular subject. But the pupils are all kept in the same classroom, regardless of their ability in that particular subject.

Primary and secondary schooling is combined, so the pupils don't have to change schools at 13. They avoid a potentially disruptive transition from one school to another. Teachers may have the same students for several years, making the job of the teacher much easier. Also, children in Finland start school at age seven. The idea is that before that they learn best when they're playing and by the time they finally get to school they are keen to start learning. (they also have less hours of education than almost any other country)

In Finland, teaching is a prestigious career. Teachers are highly value and teaching standards are high. All teachers have a masters degree, fully paid for by the government. Teaching is a competitive and attractive profession. Finland invests to make sure every classroom has quality teachers.

The educational system's successin Finaland is based partly on the culture. Parents are involved in their child's education and keep in constant contact with their child's school. Learning takes place in a relaxed and informal atmosphere. The low level of immigration in Finland helps to make the school population easier to teach. Most pupils start school with Finnish as their native language, eliminating the obstacle other societies with huge immmigrant populations face.

Of course Finland is a much smaller country, which makes an autonomous education system easier. We have so many diverse races, languages and cultures in our schools, it's almost impossible to have continuity.

We must be willing to spend money on our educational system in order to compete. "If you think education is expensive, try ignorance." I love this quote. We've got to spend money to educate our children. Each year we are falling further and further behind. We better take a good look at the Finns. They're doing something right.

Urban Plates: My New Favorite Place

Last year I wrote about Tender Greens, a wonderful healthy restaurant for lunch and dinner in Liberty Station. I still love the place and go there often at one of their several LA locations, but look out, here comes Urban Plates.

Located in the newly remodeled shopping center at El Camino Real and Del Mar Heights Rd, Urban Plates is THE place to go for delicious, healthy and moderately priced food. I could eat there every night of the week and have something different. Fran and I went there for lunch recently, I came home and raved about it, so much so, that Ron and I went back for dinner that same night. Now he's raving about it too.

First of all, the prices. Everything is $10. Saladas, sandwiches, plates, bowls, all $10. For lunch I had the grilled ahi nicoise. Lettuce blend, hard boiled egg, green beans, fingerling potatoes, capers, olives, and three big slices of perfectly prepared seared rare ahi tuna. It was served with a large slice of grilled foccacia bread. Fran had the desert bbq chicken. Romaine lettuce, chicken, corn, black beans , onion, avocado, grilled onions, jack cheese, tortilla strips, and red bell pepper. It too was wonderful.

Urban Plates also offers large sandwiches, like turkey, steak, meatloaf, chicken and vegetables, on ciabatta bread, served with one of their many hot or cold sides.

At night Ron and I both went for the grilled steak plate. 4 large slices of perfectly grilled flank steak and two sides. I had the fingerling potatoes and grilled squash. Ron had the homemade potato chips and green beans.

Don't stop at the main course. Urban Plates has wonderful desserts, at a minimal price. Fran and I split a huge ginger molasses cookie for lunch. It was soft and chewy, and topped off an already excellent meal. The cost of the cookie was $2. They also have individual banana cream pie, coconut cake and red velvet cupcakes, all around $5.

Urban Plates has a front patio and a back patio, so bring your dog and sit outside. Inside there is plenty of seating, including a large table for singles to sit at if they don't feel like eating alone. It's a friendly place, the help is great, and the menu so extensive that you'll have to go back again and again to try everything. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

Fall Soup You'll Love

Nothing means fall more to me than a big pot of piping hot, hearty soup. I love to spend Sunday afternoon during football season making soup. My day goes something like this. I get up early for my 8am strength training class which finishes at 9am. I bring my breakfast to the Y, usually a package of oatmeal to which I add hot water and the cut up fruit and milk I have brought in my little lunchbox. I sit out on the patio, either alone or with some friends, and have my breakfast and a cup of coffee. At 10am I like to take the water aerobics class. It's a good aerobic workout, and a nice addition to the earlier strength training class. I then spend about 10 minutes in the jacuzzi, shower and leave about 11:15. I'm off to either the Encinitas Farmers' Market on Vulcan or Sprouts, to buy the ingredients for my soup. My "go to" soup is vegetable soup, always different, depending upon what I buy at the market. Last week my soup contained parsnips, kale and swiss chard, in addition to the traditional carrots, onions and squash. Today I will give you the recipe for a wonderful Ukranian Beet Soup, better known as borscht. You're probably familiar with cold beet borscht, but this is hot, thick and very satisfying. I hope you enjoy it.

Ukranian Cabbage Soup

12 cups beef stock made with beef
chuck and smoked ham hock
4 medium waxy potatoes, peeled and cut into large pieces
2 ripe plum tomatoes, peeled, cored, and chopped
Salt
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 large yellow onion, peeled and chopped
2 medium carrots, peeled and julienned
1 green bell pepper, cored, seeded, and diced
1/4 head cabbage, cored and
thinly sliced
8 medium Roasted Beets, peeled and diced
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
6 pitted prunes, chopped
3 tbsp. tomato paste
1 tsp. sugar
Freshly ground black

1. Strain stock into a large pot, setting meats aside. Bring stock to a boil over high heat. Add potatoes and tomatoes, season to taste with salt, reduce heat to medium, and simmer until potatoes are just soft, about 15 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onions, carrots, and peppers and cook, stirring often, until vegetables begin to soften, about 5 minutes. Add cabbage and continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until cabbage wilts, 6–8 minutes. Add vegetable mixture, beets, and lemon juice to stock in pot and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes. Add prunes, tomato paste, sugar, and salt and pepper to taste and continue to simmer until prunes soften and begin to dissolve, about 10 minutes more.

3. Shred reserved beef chuck into large pieces and add to soup. Pick meat off reserved ham hock, discarding fat, skin and bones, and add to soup. Simmer 15 minutes more. Remove pot from heat, add garlic, parsley, and dill, then set soup aside to rest for 15 minutes. Adjust seasonings. Serve with sour cream on side.

You can make life a little easier by using store bought stock and canned beets. I LOVE the fresh beets and much prefer them to the canned.







T

Another Kind of Supermarket

After a wonderful day at the museum last week, a few of us decided to stop at 99 Ranch Market on the way home. With Vivian as our guide, Bonnie, Debbie and I spent about an hour shopping for items we never see in our local supermarkets, even the Farmer's Markets.

Mr. Roger Chen opened the first 99 Ranch Market in Westminster, California, in 1984. Orange County was filled with Asians from many countries, so this was the ideal place to begin. Today Tawa (corporate name) has 24 stores in 4 states, mostly in California. I could have spent hours wandering up and down the aisles, finding food items I'd never even heard of before. In addition to the market, they have an extensive take out counter, which offers everything from dim sum to sushi to roasted whole duck. It's a bit overwhelming, and I found myself asking lots of questions of other shoppers while I was there. How do I prepare longan? What do I do with lime leaf? The problem is, many of the customers don't speak much English, but they do try to help.

Bonnie was ready to shop, and walked away with a whole fish, lots of veggies and some Chinese spices. I didn't buy much, but I found dried persimmons (yum) which are so hard to find in abundance. I have only seen them once before at a Farmer's Market in LA, so it was great to know where to get them. They're very sweet, soft and filling. They're great for a snack. I also bought sesame balls, about the size of a golf ball, filled with either mung bean paste or taro paste. This is an item you will often find on a dim sum menu. The sesame balls are sweet and delicious. I love them! The other item I bought was a bag of ju ju be's. I had never heard of them. They look a bit like crab apples, but they have a pit inside, not seeds like an apple. They are similar to an Asian pear only much smaller. They're good, but not great. Maybe ju ju be's are an acquired taste.

There were so many interesting products at 99 Ranch I didn't know where to begin. I will go back again and buy some other fruits and vegetables that I am unaccustomed to. Taro leaf, gobo, lime leaf, tia tao, opo, durian, nagaimo, lily bulb, and moqua are just some of the many produce items that were unfamiliar to me.

I checked out the 99 Ranch website (99ranch.com) and discovered they have a great recipe section. Here's the place to go to discover what to do with many of these produce items.

I couldn't wait until I got home to sample the sesame balls. They were too good to resist. Our stop at 99 Ranch was just the perfect ending to a wonderful day in San Diego.

Monthly Updates-November

As you know by now, my Monday blogs about our almost 2 year journey have been discontinued. I now plan to send out a monthly blog, around the first of the month, to keep you updated on our progress.

We have settled into a routine, not very much different than the pre Taft routine. I get up early and go to the gym, Ron stays in bed an extra hour, then gets up and goes to work. Well, he goes to his desk, does whatever bookkeeping or accounting work he has for that day. At this time of year there is not much, but he is calling and contacting people to try and increase his client base. Lots of work will be available around the end of January through mid April, but he'd like to be busy now. Much of his accounting work is seasonal, but he is looking for businesses to do work for that require year round help. With so many people out of work it is hard to get. That doesn't keep him from trying. The rest of the day consists of possibly a long walk, lunch with friends, a game of bridge, or a movie. We're very predictable.

There's so much people don't tell you about and prepare you for after release from prison. Many former inmates tell you that you just go back to your old life and forget about the prison experience. Ron wonders how they do it. It's kind of like being a POW or a combat fighter who comes home and is supposed to leave what happened behind. It's just not possible for most. One therapist called the feelings one has after prison a type of PTSD (post traumatic stress disorder). Ron will often dream about being in prison or fear being sent back. Not long ago his probation officer called one night around 6pm and said she wanted to come by and see him at our home the following morning. Ron imagined all sorts of reasons for her coming to our house, and none of them were true. In actuality she was going to be out in the field the following day and would have her supervisor with her, and wanted Ron to meet her. Perfectly innocent, but Ron had a terrible night of stress and anxiety. It's crazy what the mind can do.

Thoughts of prison will fade over time. I guess some people have better coping mechanisms, and simply put the past behind them. I admire that. I think about how different my life is now that Ron is home. No more running to LA every Thursday, driving to Taft Friday morning and all the way home Friday night. I have so much less to do now than I did just a few months ago. It's hard for me to just enjoy life and relax. As with Ron, I think over time it will become easier and easier to enjoy our daily life.

One thing we're really enjoying is video chatting with the grandchildren. That has become a weekly ritual with Phil, Deb, and Lennon, and we're going to get the twins and Brian and Beth to chat with us too. It is just like you're there with them. I never thought Ron would sit for 10 minutes in front of a computer screen and watch his 2 year old grandchild blow kisses, do somersaults, and just be cute, but he does and he loves it. I do too. Oh yes, I love seeing Phil and Deborah, Brian and Beth too. As for David, he's made several trips down to see us, and we've had some great times together. My mom has been here once, and I try to get to LA once a month to see her. Starting sometime in December Ron will have permission to go to LA to visit my mom. That is something we are really looking forward to.

Substitutes For Sugar

You've heard that sugar is one of the most important things to remove from your diet, and it's all true. Those seemingly pure as the driven snow granules are in fact typically refined at least six times, which means that any ensuing nutritive value that they might have had is nil. But our collective sweet tooth has only been growing and the health risks, increasing.

Americans currently consume an average of 60 pounds of sugar a year. That's about 20 teaspoons a day in added sweeteners, and most studies think this is a LOW number. When you add other sweeetners like corn syrup, the numbers jump to about 140 pounds a year, and 44 teaspoons a day. Want to eliminate an overweight population and most type 2 diabetes? Just eliminate refined sugar and corn syrup from your diet.

The scientific discussion today is whether or not it is better to use artifical sweetners like aspartame, or natural sweetners like agave. There are scientists on both sides of the debate, and my feeling is "everything in moderation." Below are some of the substitutes for refined sugar and corn syrup.

Agave nectar. This comes from a desert-dwelling succulent plant, is 33% sweeter than sugar, and averages about 60 calories per tablespoon. The current research indicates that it has a minimal effect on blood sugar and insulin levels which is good, but it is also high in fructose, which may raise your triglycerides.

Brown Rice Syrup. This is the syrup that results from combining sprouted rice or barley with cooked brown rice. It contains only 13 calories per teaspoon, but is less sweet than sugar. It breaks down relatively slowly, providing more of a time-release energy flow than sugar, and also contains magnesium, manganese and zinc. The negative is that is that it still contains glucose, which is a no no for diabetics.

Erythritol. At one time this sugar alcohol was solely an ingredient in packaged foods, but is now available in powdered form. It contains almost no calories. It is produced by breaking down, fermenting and filtering sugar cane or corn starch. It's great for those who are watching their weight or are diabetic, as it doesn't effect blood sugar. Too much will cause gas, bloating and diarrhea.

Stevia. This is a native South American plant, available in both liquid and powdered form. It has not yet been approved as a food by the FDA. It is about 300 times sweeter than sugar, and has no calories. Some evidence shows that it actually lowers blood sugar levels. The negative is that some find it has a bitter aftertaste.

These are by no means all the sugar substitutes. There is a long list of others I haven't talked about, like aspartame, sucralose, saccharin and acesulfame potassium. I have tried all of the ones I reviewed above, and I really like agave. It is very sweet, and is delicious with just a little sprinkled on plain Greek yogurt, with or without some fruit. Experiment a little and find what you like, and get rid of the processed sugar. It's killing us!

Pickled Red Onions Will Spice Up Your Meal

I don't know if you've noticed or not, but pickled vegetables are on many menus today. I love pickled beets, and have been making them for years. They're so much better than the canned ones. The homemade beets are cooked, but still retain some bite. They're not soft and mushy like the canned ones. Once a month I buy a few red beets and a few yellow ones. I take the red beets and cook them and pickle them, and the yellow beets I simply cook and slice. That way I have a variety of beets to use for the next few weeks.

I was intrigued by the idea of pickled red onions, so decided to experiment one Sunday afternoon. Here is what I came up with. The spices can be changed, depending on your mood. If you want a spicier onion, add more chili flakes. Other options are to add a cinnamon stick to the pickling liquid or a pickling spice mixture (premixed), in a bottle. Below is what I came up with on my first try. I love the pickled onions on top of any cold deli sandwich, like ham and cheese or turkey and cheese. It's also great atop a burger or hot dog, or simply as a side dish. This is so easy to prepare, yet it really adds a gourmet touch to even the simplest sandwich.






3/4 cup (180ml) white vinegar
3 tablespoons (50gr) sugar
pinch of salt
1 bay leaf
5 allspice berries
5 whole cloves(I used powder)
a small, dried chile pepper (Iused chili flakes)
1 large red onion, peeled, and thinly sliced into rings

1. In a small, non-reactive saucepan, heat the vinegar, sugar, salt, seasonings and chile until boiling.

2. Add the onion slices and lower heat, then simmer gently for 1 minute, until the onions are partially cooked.

3. Remove from heat and let cool completely.

4. Transfer the onions and the liquid into a jar then refrigerate until ready to use.

Storage: The onions will keep for several months, but I find they’re best the week they’re made.

A Unique Dinner at Upstairs 2

I am in Los Angeles every week, and often my mom and I will go to dinner. She loves to eat out and try new places just as I do, so on a recent Thursday night we tried a place new to us, Upstairs 2. It's not really new at all. They just celebrated their 5th anniversary.

It's a great location, especially for those driving from San Diego to LA, as it's right off the freeway, between Olympic and Pico, on Cotner Ave. It runs paralell to the 405 freeway. The restaurant is above The Wine House, one of the best known wine stores in LA. About 5 years ago they decided to put a restaurant upstairs, and it has become a popular dining spot for those interested in good food, wine and ambience.

The chef is Todd Barrie. He was chef at Joe's in Santa Monica for many years, and if you know restaurants in LA, you know that Joe's is one of the best. I was so impressed with my first meal at Upstairs 2, I can't wait to go back. Everything is small plates, and wine pairings are suggested for those wanting to pair different wines with each course. They offer 2.5 ounce glasses of wine for $5, so you afford to try several selections. We were there on Cinco de Mayo, when they offered a 3 course Prix Fixe menu for $30. It was elegant, but there was so much food we decided to pass. They also offered another fixed menu which included wine pairings for $47. Again, way too much food. Here's what we had.

Medjool dates wrapped in Serrano ham stuffed with asiago cheese, prosciutto fig and goat cheese flatbread, seared diver scallops with wilted spinach, roasted garlic tomato concasse, and roasted brussel sprout salad with pecans, frisee, belgium endive and shallot dijon dressing. Everything was fantastic. I absolutely loved the scallops. Other items of interest that those around us were eating included grilled mahi mahi on a crispy corn pancake, black bean hummus and avocado mousse. Braised boneless short ribs, with mushrooms, toasted barley and diced vegetables looked outstanding. They offer a cheese and charcuterie platter, where you can choose your cheeses and meats.

One of the nice things about this restaurant is that chef Todd is always looking to create new items for the menu and wants feedback from his customers. Every Thursday night the restaurant offers a Chef's Testing Menu for $30 where chef Todd offers new items that might possibly be added to the menu. The chef is open to discussion and criticism of the dishes.

Corkage fee is $10 if the wine was bought downstairs, otherwise it's $15. Every dish was beautiful to the eye and looked like it was made with love. I think going there with 4 people would be the best experience, as you could order many items and taste everything. Usually 2-3 items is enough for most eaters. So if you're in LA anytime soon, be sure and remember Upstairs 2. It's only open for dinner on Wednesday-Saturday night. Phone number is 310 231 0316 or check them out online at www.upstairs2.com. I highly recommend them for a great dining experience.

What Makes You Smile?

I've been smiling alot lately. Karen told me I was glowing last week. Just yesterday Ron's friend Jonnie saw the two of us driving in the convertible, and she said we both had a big grin on our faces. I have much to smile about. So I started thinking, what makes me smile? Here are some of the things that make me smile instantly. Make your own list, and share them with me if you want. (these are in no particular order). I've been told that smiling is good for your health.

1. Catching a wave and riding it into shore makes me grin from ear to ear.

2. Taking a walk on a warm, breezy day and feeling the wind on my face.

3. Watching the sunset.

4. Watching puppies sleep or play.

5. Hearing Ron's voice on the phone.

6. Thinking about my grandchildren.

7. Cooking a great meal and watching people enjoy eating it.

8. Eating a great meal.

9. Smelling the air after the rain.

10. Making a great play in bridge against a great player.

11. Being told by my doctor that I am in good health.

12. Hugs, hugs, hugs.