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What Can Brown Do For You?

I use to blog elsewhere, orgianal air date Feb2008

Disclaimer:  When there is a need for a disclaimer you know it is going to get bad.   I believe in women’s rights and personally view the purchasing of another human being as “not cool”.    I do understand that there are cultural, political and religious practices that apply to marriage that are different than my own.  This post is entirely tongue and cheek, mostly to satisfy rebuttal to the Fred Doll blog :). 
I have a dear friend that I have always wished I could just materialize for him the perfect woman,  right in front of him*poof*.  Years ago I even set him up on a double with my best friend, I bet y’all had forgotten about that.  I have been joking that he needs to look into the mail order bride business scandal.  Pick up a catalogue, pick out a bride, grab a “learn to speak Swedish” audio set, and no problem.   They could do a fund raiser at his work; sell tickets to the wedding to cover the cost of the overnight shipping.  Who wouldn’t pay money to watch some foreign chick get in way over her head???  (Cheap shot, sorry man)  Anyway – I figure like any other sale it’s the add on packages that seal the deal.    In this case he asked for a gamer package.  I smirked  that damaging smile and went with it.    I decided she would come with her own pink game controller for every system they make, fetch jolt cola on command, never walk in front of the tv, and can hook up surround sound.   What a wicked sweet deal. 
I ran this past my friend.  He thought it was great. The only problem; he was going to have to get twins, one for his friend.   We would hate for jealousy to come between two, ehhm, grown men.  So be watching for that UPS truck, gosh I hope there is a this end up thingy on the box. 
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Prey Tell

With my mom visiting these past few weeks we talked about lots of fun memories. 
My mother is a marine biologist and an animal lover to the core.  Several years back there had been a concern  with shore and marsh birds turning up dead with no apparent cause.  One summer afternoon mom and I were walking on the beach and she found a dead osprey. She was very concerned and wanted to have her friend at the university perform a necropsy.   She picked something out of a nearby trashcan, wrapped it up and we took it home.  Looking back at this I really think I should have been one freaked out kid, but that was just what mom did, field work.  It was just “no biggie” as she would say. 

My dad had been on business trip for a few days and gotten home that night.  He went to the kitchen for a late night snack.  That’s when he opened the freezer door and out of our harvest gold side by side the osprey carcass flung itself to the floor.  I can remember lots of noise and “holy shit, holy shit”.  The osprey’s talons had gotten caught on the shelf inside the door, giving it a final flight towards its scrambling prey.  Its been over 20 years and dad still brings it up.

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Garlic Bread

This is the best fool proof garlic bread.

Italian Bread
2 Tbsp Butter
2 Tbsp Olive Oil
between 4 and (keep away the vampires) 10 cloves of minced garlic

Pre-heat the oven to 350C.  Slice the bread and place on a cookie sheet.  Melt the butter and olive oil together over a low heat.   Once melted add the garlic and continue to heat until it gets bubbly.  Brush over the bread slices.  If you desire to at this point sprinkle with cheese, seasonings or whatever makes your mouth water.  Bake for 7-10 min, then broil briefly over a low heat watching that it doesn’t burn. 

Good Hair Day Tip – The butter can handle more heat than the olive oil, but the olive oil has more flavor.  Result – crispy not scorched bread with generous flavor.

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Fred, He’s such a Doll!

I use to blog else where, Original air date:  11Feb2008
Disclaimer:  this is not a put down on my husband or any other men.  So don’t tell me it is or I will show you a real put down *wink*.
I have never been seen as a relationship advice go to person.  I have a marriage and like any other it works, most days.   Trials, accomplishments, the good the bad the ugly (well not me I’m cute, not ugly).   However,  I will give relationship advice  whether you want it or not, doesn’t really matter to me.  Through a little tongue and cheek humor with a girl friend we came up with the perfect man.  The Fred Doll ( due to anonymity, licensing and contract rules we have to call him Fred).  Just look at him he is a prime specimen.  Perfect nicely tanned (plastic) body that never ages.  He is the best listener ever.  Won’t complain if he doesn’t like what is for dinner, because he doesn’t eat.  Always stares at you with those bedroom eyes; you know he is a devil in bed.  Washes easily with warm soapy water.  On and my favorite, his underwear are attached!!!!  You will never find them in strange places like the lampshade, the dishwasher or the kitchen sink.   Oh and ladies helloooooo, he comes with a sports car and no television.  Pitfalls (you know there would be some): limited hair color/style, you do have to pick out his clothes and dress him, and um he is kinda short.  All in all sounds like a winner.  What do you think?  (oh I crack me up)

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Nerdy Girl

Being the science nerd that I am I really want to turn one of these

Cool old glass desiccator

  Into one of these

Funky terrarium

…and that is why they call me white and nerdy

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FOOOOOOOOD!

If you’re anything like my husband and me you can’t ever decide where to eat or break away from routine places.   We get stuck in a rut sometimes, all good food in the rut (see below), but a rut none the less.   At one point we had a few of the favorite “ruts” listed on a cork board in his office.  We would throw darts at it to choose where to go. So now I’m putting together my dinners bucket list, a few places I want to try.   Who knows the rut list might even get a few new contenders.   
I found a few resources helped with the task.  Personally, I find the web to be the largest place for current information.  There are lots of restaurant guides out there but for this post I’m narrowing it down to two.  First , www.urbanspoon.com , the site is user friendly and has a quick catagory reference on the front page.  Their mobile app makes it easy to find something new or read a review when you are on the go.  Second, there is www.restaurantrow.com that is comprehensive and easy to use. It allows the hungry user to view the menu, read reviews and make reservations!  If you consider yourself to be a worthy food critic you can even become one of the Row’s reviewers and make a little extra money.  So using these resources I have my dinners bucket list.
Rut list
OCharlie’s
Papa Johns
Brixx
German Cafe
Indochine
Bucket List 
The Harp – Irish pub
Grand Union Pup – okay so Ive been but I really want to go back
Someplace posh downtown
Zaaki Grill – felafel yumm
The Goody Goody Omelet House – That’s right, I’ve never been there! 
Got any good suggestions out there?