Wednesday, June 30, 2010

Catholic School Confusion

I pray for the nun that pulled on our ears
She tried filling us with guilt and preyed on our fears

I know she was lost in that day in age
She acted like a monster with deep-seated rage

You made us believe that Jesus was mad
I pity you sister, that makes me feel sad

The powers that be made you feel lonely and small
The same confusion that made nunhood your call

We felt so afraid in the church pew at school
We folded our hands and followed your rule

I wont let mistakes thwart and tarnish my view
My Lord is my saviour and he can help you

Tuesday, June 29, 2010

I Found My home at BlogSpot



Blogging is where the heart is...


Back in the day we wrote with paper and pen



Who would have known this past time would end



I'd write pages of stories and poems galore



But when I was finished it left my hands sore



Then came computer, it was lap top for me



Now I can write anytime, anywhere, i am free



Soon I was blogging and writing my stuff



I recently found blog spot and can't get enough



Blogging is home and makes me feel whole



The site works my mind and fills up my soul

Sunday, June 27, 2010

My Nummy Pasta Chicken Salad


Pasta Chicken Salad Recipe

Ingredients:

2 cups (8 ounces) cooked chicken torn into pieces (I use differen't cooking methods such as: grilling, broiling and sometime I even use canned chunk chicken).

8 ounces of pasta (whatever type you have in your house)

1 large cucumber, seeded and cut

1/2 cup diced celery

1/2 small white onion, diced

1/3 cup sliced black olives

3/4 cup mayonnaise

1/3 cup Italian Dressing

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

Salt and Pepper to taste

Optional: Grapes (makes a great sweet/salty combination).

Directions:

Combine chicken, pasta, cucumber, celery, onion, and olives in a large bowl.

In a small bowl, combine mayonnaise, italian dressing, lemon juice, salt and pepper.

Add chicken to the chicken mixture and toss lightly.

Chill well before serving.

Makes 6-8 servings

Great recipe for hot summer days-Enjoy!

7. Makes 6-8 servings.

Friday, June 25, 2010

The Sad Little Girl



Her legs are like rubber, her head feels confused



The weight of the world crushes and leaves her all bruised



with such chaos at home it seems nothing looks nice



She has noone to talk to or ask some advice



She feels invisible to the world and those all around her



Why cant anyone see me, am I just a blurr



She see's a dark world where there is no sun



Life is depressing with no chance of fun



She wonders if daylight will ever come through



She see's only pain in her little girl view



Her world is so lonely, she doesn't feel strong



I am a nothing and I don't belong



Why wont someone see me and help me get up



I'm slipping away like a half empty cup



I notice kids playing and laughing at school



Why can't I feel good, this world is so cruel



Help me Lord so they don't see me cry



I don't want to live but I'm too scared to die

Thursday, June 24, 2010

Creamy Cucumber Salad


Ingredients:
  • 3 Medium Cucumbers (I use my home-grown when possible)
  • 2 Teaspoons Sugar
  • 1 Tablespoon White Vinegar
  • 1 Tablespoon Apple Cider Vinegar
  • 1 Cup Mayonnaise
  • 1/8 Teaspoon Salt
  • 1/8 Teaspoon Pepper
  • 1 Large Sweet Onion
Directions:
  1. Cut onion into slices and salt. (Set Aside) 
  2. Peel and Cut cucumber, then salt. (Set Aside)
  3. In mixing bowl, combine mayonnaise, white and apple cider vinegar and sugar, using a whisk.
  4. Add cucumbers to creamy mixture and toss.
  5. Put in refrigerator and let cucumber salad chill.
  6. Enjoy this refreshing salad.

Ode to the Crab Apple Tree



Majestic crab apple tree



I've missed your graceful beauty and aroma so sweet



I lye under your shaded branches



My special place of solitude and peace



Your time here is much too short



But I am grateful for our time together

Twin Sister Shenanigans

Our First Time Playing a Twin Trick

Looking back at my childhood, I realize that Laura and I figured out Very Young that this twin thing could be a blast! Not only did we realize it would be fun but we also surmised that we could play some sneaky tricks on people. Nothing that would intentionally hurt people, just harmless, good, clean fun.

Our first big attempt at Twin Shenanigans was when we were only Five Years Old. Yep, you heard it right-Two little kindergarteners already using their twinhood to their advantage. So the story goes...

Laura and I talked and giggled, late into the night, in our back room. We were going over our plan to pull off the big "Twin Switcheroo." We discussed details so the morning would go down without a hitch. My kindergarten class was on the first floor and Laura's was on the second. She told me as much as she possibly knew about her teacher and I did the same. She told me that her teacher was a pretty blond and seemed pretty nice. She explained that she thought Miss Backlund seemed to like children. That was a relief to hear! I told Laura that I had a Really old teacher(around 50) which was ancient to me at this age. Mrs. Weebush was a nice old lady that let us do fun things like the game called, "Show and Tell." She also played a game with us where one of us would put our head on her lap while someone else would hide a certain trinket. They would count to 10 and then the child not peeking would go try to find it. That game, I told Laura, was called, Hide and Seek. After going over the final details for the big day, we finally put our heads on our pillows and tried to fall asleep.

Mom came in our bedroom to wake us up like she always did at 8:00AM. "Rise and Shine Linda and Laura." Little did she know what we were up to. Mom had two matching outfits out for us, something that neither of us ever appreciated. Why parents do that to twins is beyond me? I know moms intentions were good but how Annoying! We went through our normal morning routine of eating froot loops and hanging out until it was time to get on the bus. On our ride to school we both had butterflies but nothing that made us want to back out.

I will Never forget how It felt when Laura and I stepped off the bus and started the walk into school. We whispered to eachother whether we should try this switching class prank or not. What if we get caught? What if someone talks to me and I don't know how to pretend to know them? Could we flunk kindergarten if we get caught? What kind of punishment would the teachers give us if we were caught? So many things now started coming into our minds about what we were about to do.

Well, we did it. Laura went to my classroom and I went to hers. No-one was the wiser and we both came out of it feeling Exhilerated! We felt so Powerful! We felt so Sneaky! More and more exciting ideas of how to trick people rushed through our minds. On the bus ride home we laughed so hard our heads hurt. We each shared our exciting stories of the day. After finishing our stories in much detail, we both looked at eachother and said at the same time, "We have to do this again." And that we did, Time and Time again...

(P.S.) If you believe twin tricks stop when one gets older, you are wrong.

Swamp Secrets


Although you're a magical dwelling

With countless wonders to behold

Some only see with blinded eyes

Never finding secret treasures you hold


Some consumed with a damp dark world

Discerning eyes see past this outer disguise

Your vast array of world within world

Remain forever absent from naive eyes



Your majestic fortress of dead and alive

include bird, frog, insect, moss and tree

the list of blessings never cease to amaze

and you humbly offer it to us for free
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

The rythmic sounds of croaking toads...

The sad love song of the whippoorwill ...

The unique smells of your sanctuary...

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>Make me yearn to be part of you


The gentle breeze through my window

whispers softly, "believe in me"

Lightly caressing my cheek

                                            Like the comforting touch of a Mother's hand
                                           <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<

Others may see you as just a Swamp

But you are my heaven behind the house

Monday, June 21, 2010

My Home-Made Fat-Free French Fries








Ingredients


•4-5 Potatoes (Red or White

•Pam Cooking Spray

•Lawry's Season Salt

•Ketchup

Directions
1.Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

2.Cut potatoes into long slices that are about 1/2" thick.

3.Arrange the cut potatoes on baking sheet in a single layer.

4.Cook for 30 minutes at 325 degrees, then increase temperature to 400 degrees and cook another 30 minutes.

5.You may turn fries periodically to make sure they brown evenly (I don't turn them and they turn out great!)

6.While fries are hot, salt them with regular table salt or Lawry's Season Salt.

7.Optional: Some like to dip them in ketchup while others enjoy drizzling vinegar on the fries.

Monday, June 14, 2010

I couldn't resist putting this on my twincess blog.  Someone sent it to me via email.  Too cute!

Sunday, June 13, 2010

"It's a Twin Thing" (Physical Intuition)

My twin sister Laura and I have had many mysterious experiences of the intuitive nature.  Some might call our experiences telepathy, esp or psychic episodes.  Laura and I like to call these experiences "our twin thing."  I would like to share on of my many stories with you:

Heat Exhaustion at Carbone's Pizzeria
It was 1992 as I drove to work at Carbone's pizzeria.  It was one of those excruciating hot and humid days in Minnesota.  As I darted back and forth from table to table, (I was a server) I felt extremely hot and parched.  I had to wonder if the air conditioner was on the fritz.  I talked to Bill who was the owner of the pizzeria, and sure enough, I was right.  He said  the air conditioning wasn't working properly because of the extreme heat and simply couldn't handle the great demand. UUGGHH!  This is gonna be a fun shift, NOT!!

It was extremely busy at the restaurant that night.  I pounded down several glasses of water during my shift but never felt satisfied. 

As the night went on, I started feeling nauseous and my head was starting to throb.  I was twenty- nine at the time and just kept up my fast pace of serving customers.  Big Deal, I kept telling myself,  Of course I feel crummy.  It's about 100 degrees outside, humid, no air conditioning and I am running around like a maniac.  I was very relieved when I closed out the tab on my last table.  I did my clean up duties, punched out and was out the door.

I couldn't wait to take a Cold shower after my six hour shift waitressing.  I was sweaty from head to toe. After my shower, I threw on the coolest pj's I could find, turned on my favorite jazz station and threw myself on the couch.  AAHH! Home at last, I thought to myself.

I didn't have the luxury of air conditioning in my apartment back then and laid there fanning myself with my hands.  I couldn't seem to cool down.  Eventually I would garner a host of unsettling symptoms:  I had a pounding headache, I felt nauseous, my hands were sweaty and shaky and most frightening was the heart palpitations.  I am a master at working myself up to panic and was sure now, I was having a heart attack.  I called my dad half out of breath and talking fast.  "Linda, slow down, what is going on?"  I filled dad in on my night at Carbone's and told him about the symptoms I was having.  I confidently announced, "I know I am having a heart attack."  Dad asked me some questions to assess the situation.  He calmly said, "Honey, I know your not having a heart attack."  "Why don't you drive over and stay the night."   After much banter from me about how unsafe it is to drive during a heart attack, he finally convinced me to come over.

I don't care how old you are, you always feel better when your with mom or dad.  I felt like a little girl as I tore into dad's apartment and into his arms, sobbing.  I was begging dad to drive me to the hospital, just in case it really was a heart attack.  He was always so good at talking me down when I was upset.  (God rest his soul).  He tucked me in on the livingroom couch and gave me that paternal love that I needed so much.  He kept reassuring me that I was not having a heart attack and I would be fine now that I was in air conditioning.  Eventually I was calm and no longer having symptoms.  After going over the days events and symptoms, we came to the conclusion that I had suffered from heat stroke. 

Now to the part of the story that illustrates the strong, psychic, twin bond.   Dad was very familiar with the uncanny connection that Laura and I shared.  He told me I should call Laura and see if she had any inkling I had a tough day.  Laura was at her cabin for the weekend, in Hayward, Wisconsin, with her then husband Brian and Brian's younger brother John and his girlfriend.  As I dialed the 715 area code followed by their number, I noticed dad sitting on the edge of his chair.  He was convinced that Laura somehow shared in my horrible day.

"H e l l o," murmured a man's voice on the other end.  "Is this Linda?" he said confidently, as if he already knew the answer. When I answered "yes" to the question, Brian broke out laughing and announced to the room:  "It's Linda everybody."  Brian told me they were expecting my call and handed the phone to Laura.  I knew I was in for a whopper of a twin story. 

Laura shared with me that at about 5PM she was starting to feel really weird.  Her symptoms were:  Sweaty shaky hands, heart palpitations, naseau, headache and fatigue.  Brian reassured Laura that it was probably the warm weather in Wisconsin coupled with the citrinella candles they lit to keep the mosquitos away.  He said some people have a sensitivity to these candles because of the ingredients.  As the day went on, she started getting really worked up and told Brian she might be having a heart attack.  She eventually excused herself from her cabin guests and retreated to her bedroom.  When Brian checked in on her a little later, she adamantly exclaimed, "You need to bring me to the hospital, I know I am having a heart attack."  Brian continued to reassure Laura that she was not having a heart attack and asked her to come back out to be with their guests.  She eventually left her bedroom and joined her husband and guests.   She started to notice the symptoms dissapate around midnight which was the exact time I calmed down at dad's.
Later, Laura and I surmised that the heat exhaustion I was suffering from in Minnesota is what Laura was experiencing in Wisconsin.