The finale: the show goes on?

The Blah Blah Blog has lived a good life. I haven't really kept up on it lately. It could be because ...

...of Facebook
...I am back in Minneapolis with many of my friends
...I go on far fewer adventures than I used to
...I am making more of an effort to catch up with people in person or over the phone
...I am just plain lazy
...or tired or all the technology upkeep

Whatever the reason, I know this will be my last post.

Thanks for all the memories!

Vegas. It's not my kind of town.

I went to Vegas last week for work. I stayed at Ceasar's Palace, which was nice.

I do not like Vegas. I did not gamble. No blackjack. No slots. Nothing.

I sat alot. and tried to listen to important work stuff.

And I had fun. I ate a Bobby Flay's Mesa Grill. Tuna nachos, bbq duck crepe and a shrimp and corn tamale. Yum! I shared because it was all so good.

I caught up with some folks I haven't seen in a while. And met some new people too.

Most of my meal started something like this:



So it wasn't all bad :)

Superbowl Champs!

book lines, take 1

"Life,too, is like that. You live it forward, but understand it backward"

From Cutting for Stone on page 9. I like that line so much that I will keep reading at least to page 100. ...I don't think I will have an issue getting into this book.

cabin weekend

I had some winter fun with the family this weekend at the cabin.

Friday I hit freezing rain/snow on the way there with about 1/3 of the drive left. It took a little extra long, but I made it safe and sound. Jennie and the girls arrived shortly after I did.

The kids went to bed -- very late! And the adults stayed up, drank some wine and talked until 2 AM. Whoa!

Saturday was breakfast at Koni K's. We headed out to start the winter fun. Sledding, walking, more sledding in the morning. Jackson chased us on the sleds, so we all needed a break by lunch. We warmed up, filled our bellies and headed back out again in the afternoon.


Jennie forgot to hold the handles and ...oops!



Mom and Dad lead the way.



More sledding, snowshoeing, climbing the snow mountain and trying to catch snowflakes. It was a bit chilly and snow fell pretty much all day, but it was great to be out.


Syd and Cass at the summit of the Snow Mountain.




trying to catch snowflakes



Cass was best buds with Jackson this weekend. She particularly liked throwing snow so he would "catch" it.

the book situation

To be honest, I am currently reading "Crucial Conversations: Tools for talking when the stakes are high". It is for a workshop with a client tomorrow. ....and I didn't have a choice in whether I WANTED to read it or not. It is mostly common sense stuff -- and if you've read anything about Emotional Intelligence, it is similar. I'm interested in the workshop, despite not being that interested in the book. Oh, and one of the authors is giving a keynote speech to kick off the session.

That is why I am not reading anything else at the moment.

flying yoga workshop

All my FB friends have probably already seen the photos, but I thought I would post a few here too.

On Saturday, Heather, Becky and I took a flying yoga workshop -- 2.5 hours of flying and fun. Catchy, huh? So what it is? Essentially it is partner yoga (the third person spots, then we all switch). Some of it is balancing acrobatics and some of it is more like regularly yoga.

It was really fun. Hopefully the three of us will be able to continue practicing together!



Partner plank with Heather. This is WAY easier than it looks!



Me and "the other Karen" as base while Jeanine tries to get us to levitate. Yes, my hands eventually did come up off the ground. No, I was not ready for that!



Me in supported bird with Heather as base

Yes, I have been exploring some acrobatic "sports" lately. Flying yoga was by far better than circus arts -- and not as hard on the body.

SUPERBOWL!

Do I really need to expand on that? The Pack were well matched yesterday against the Bears. It was a good game. Despite having to on/off work during the game, I enjoyed watching.

I had some friends over and cooked "Sunday Night Pasta". It was delicious. And I have tons of leftover sauce. So if anyone wants some (maybe I'll bring to the cabin?), let me know!

Sunday Meat Sauce with Orecchiette (based on Food Network Mag)
3 slices white bread, toasted and cut into 1/4" pieces
1/2 cup milk
2 lb meatloaf mix (pork, beef, veal)
1 large egg, lightly beaten
3/4 cup parmesan cheese
10 cloves garlic; 2 minced, 8 smashed
1/3 cup fresh parsley, chopped
1/4 cup olive oil
2 lbs bone in beef shank
1 lb (sweet or hot) italian sausage
1 medium onion, chunked
3 28-ounce cans San Marzano, plum tomatoes
1 12-ounce can tomato paste
2 bay leaves
1-2 lbs orecchiette pasta

1. Soak the bread in the milk until the liquid is absorbed, about 8 minutes. Meanwhile, combine the meatloaf mix with the egg, cheese, minced garlic, parsley, 1 tsp salt and pepper to taste. Add the soaked bread and mix with your hands until combined. Form into 16 meatballs.
2. Heat the olive oil in a heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat. Add the meatballs and cook, turning until browned on all sides, about 10 minutes. Transfer to a paper-towel-lined plate. Add the beef shank and sausage to the pot and cook until browned, turning, about 10 minutes. Transfer the meats to a large bowl.
3. Add the onion and smashed garlic to the pot and fry until soft, about 4 minutes. Crush the tomatoes into the pot with your hands and pour in the juices. Stir in the tomato paste, season with salt and pepper, cook 5 minutes.
4. Add 1 cup beef broth and 4 cups water and the bay leaves, then return the meatballs, beef shank, and sausage to the pot, stirring carefully. Bring to a low boil, stir, then reduce the heat to low. Cover and simmer 2 hours or until the shank meat is very tender. Uncover and simmer until the sauce thickens and the shank meat is falling off the bone, about 90 minutes. Transfer all the meats with a slotted spoon to a bowl and cover with foil. Simmer the sauce to thicken, about 20 minutes. Discard the bay leaves.
5. Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil; add the pasta and cook as the label directs. Drain and toss with enough sauce to coat lightly, then top with more sauce and the meat. Garnish with parmesan, if desired.

I finished "City of Thieves". It was good. And it was a quick, easy read. ...so why did it take me so long? Not alot of time for reading lately.

I haven't decided what is next on my book list. I think it will either be "Cutting for Stone" or "The Magicians" ...but that is subject to change!