Discusion on why the yogurt covered pretzel is such an ingenious idea

I want to take a moment to express how much I love yogurt covered pretzels and describe why it is such a wonderful idea. Two words: sweet and salty. This is a combination that can rarely go wrong. Yes, sweet and spicy is also a good combination, hence Thai food, but then it is deluding from my reasoning for writing this.

Sweet and salty. The salty pretzel and the sweet yogurt. From time to time I can appreciate a pretzel, but no where close to a craving. And you will certainly not see me standing in line at the mall for one of Annie's Pretzels. Nor am I a huge yogurt fan and certainly will not do vanilla only. For me to enjoy yogurt it should be blueberry or peach. Yet the two ingredients combined brings a happy happy smile to my face.

Then it is extra exciting when flavors are explored. The chocolate covered pretzel. I realize the chocolate does not involve yogurt, but it is still sweet and salty satisfying my need for chocolate. I have had strawberry flavored yogurt pretzels. Raspberry is very good. For the autumn season and first time this year I had pumpkin flavored yogurt covered pretzel. Let's just say, delish.

For my final and probably weakest point, the little snack's greatest illusion is I am eating healthy and should consume as much of it as I need or until I grow sick of it. I could probably select worse choices, but without moderation I am definitely not selecting the best. Is it a pregnancy craving? No, it is my choice and my next goal is start making the tasty snack for my own devices.

I am a glorified janitor

Since I have resigned from my former employment and moved to a 15 acre property my husband and I agreed it would be permissible to be a full time housewife and groundskeeper. What I have found that to mean is I clean up. Between my husband and dogs and chickens, I stay busy keeping things tidy. Then soon it will a baby, bees, cattle, and possibly goats.

My day starts with tending the chickens. This means clean the water dispenser, mix a good helping of mash, grains, and pellets, and remove all the chicken poop from the coop to mix into the compost. I will also add wood chips to the nests and if I have any veggies for the compost this is usually a good time to add it. The chickens make excellent tillers. Three items that are essential for this work: mud boots for stomping in mud and poop, small shovel to remove waste from the coop, and a pitchfork to turn the compost.

After my breakfast is made and eaten, it a good time to clean around the house. At our place there tends to be daily accumulation of dew or frost, which means a lot of wet grass which also means a big mess to clean if dogs go outside then track in grass. Therefore, the dogs are not morning risers instead lounge around while I make the bed, laundry, vacuum, dishes and so forth. After lunch usually the grass is dry and the dogs are released. Now I have one dog who is getting along in age and not very interested in frolicking. The other two however are content to be outside all day. Usually this means one has found something dead or smelly to roll in or devour. By the time the dogs are worn out or thirsty they return to the back door covered in mud and sticky seed pods, that will most likely need to be cut out, and reeking of the most foulest smell. It is then the chore to decide who is cleanest and work to the worst. I now have a designated doggy shower complete with shower head hose and doggy shampoo. Amongst the dogs is a puppy, currently about seven months old, who is at the "destroying everything she can place her mouth on," phase so I also spend a great deal of my time cleaning up after her.
Then there is my husband. He is not a dirty man by any means. I know no one who can make a tub shine with a scrub sponge and Comet like he can. However, he is now a full-time working man with nine to five hours, so when he comes home the shirts get abandon wherever he drops it. My nicely groomed bedroom and bed are tossed about for relaxation. Whatever light is turned on whether being used or not is irrelevant because guess who pays the bills now. I grew up in a home where shoes worn inside was strictly forbidden and now that we have mud stomping and chicken poop it is more important than ever not to track filth in the house. After almost four years of marriage it is a concept my husband is still trying avoid. I will keep sweeping and vacuuming with a reluctant smile on my face.

At present, most rewarding time is the late afternoon when I walk the grounds with the dogs. A path has been mowed around the perimeter of the property and we take this opportunity to survey the land and the neighboring fields. It is also a lovely time to move in deeper from the house and the busy road. Towards the end of the walk I turn to face the back and have seat where I have placed a chair under a tree. With my face warmed by the sun I relax and listen to the sounds around me. I spot a spider weaving a web in the deep blue sky, listen to the crickets write a symphony to the arriving night air, and watch my dogs pounce the earth in excited pursuit of a living toy.

I am growing into my newly acquired position. I am definitely still in training, hopefully for the better when the little peep arrives. I suppose for any job description there is always some clean-up involved. The beauty of my job is I have lovely scenery and I get to work at my own pace. Yes, I think I will like the position.

My political moment

I have just completed writing letters to my current and previous senators and congressmen/woman. I might be a few days too late but at least I am voicing the cause. I understand if people think the situation in Washington is a complete crisis, especially if hand-outs are received or if a federal employee. However, since I am neither, I have been comforted by how well the State still functions and how generous the public is during times of needs. While the Senate did not want to piece-mill the budget to help our injured Vets private donations came flowing in to cover their expenses. I am a frequent listener of NPR and they placed distress for the HeadStart program and children having no destination after school. Well, guess what. Donations were faithful again and certain locations were able to open their doors and pay their employees. My favorite story amongst all this chaos is while the federal government is being stingy closing the gates to National Parks, the States (Colorado, New York, Tennessee) realizes they need that income and request to cover the cost of reopening, but they have to wait for federal approval. More embarrassing for the Obama administration and anger for me, is the Washington Mall has been declared closed to events. However while the press creates a frenzy that US Vets removed barricades at the Mall to be returned to the White House nothing is mentioned about Amnesty leaders and Illegal Immigrants permitted to stand at the Mall just a week prior during the shutdown. All of the coverage and press is exaggerated and misconstrued. The U.S. government is living beyond its means, ObamaCare is not helping, and there are only a few leaders listening to their voters. The U.S. people are expected to pay their debts and manage lifestyles, but the government does not understand this strategy. The states who have been most successful at avoiding default have also cut spending and managed to decrease their deficit. It is the U.S. government's turn and postponing the inevitable will only hurt future generations. This is why I have voted for my Senators and Congressman, so it is time to take action and show honor. I understand there are circumstances when assistance is needed and welcomed, but creating a welfare state is not helping the public. Dependency is encouraged, not to mention entitlement. What is being taught? The same government that is deep in debt is shepherding a group of people who suffer from the same illness. Independence and pride are the best tools to offer. Perhaps if we were willing to rain encouragement more than money the U.S. would not be at battle with itself.

It's a whole new me.

I am looking at my last posting date and it is from 2009. Wow. A lot has happened since then. Number one being later that year I got married. I also graduated from school and finally acquired a high paying job. Since then I have been undergoing transitions, like learning to adapt to the very routine lifestyle. You get up, make breakfast (the most important meal of the day), you go to work, unwind, go to bed, and start the routine again the next morning. Was I absolutely miserable? No. Can't say I ever got use to it though, but I also had a man whom I adore that made it fun as well. Now, begins a whole another chapter of my life. My husband has graduated and his work brought us to another state and I find myself pregnant with our first. I have always wanted to be a stay at home mom if permitted. I was granted that request and while having 5 more months to go have also been permitted to be a housewife in the meantime. This is weird for me. I don't have to get up early or perform the daily rituals of make-up and hair. However, I have noticed I have major motivation issues. Because I am no longer the breadwinner or making any kind of money I feel a need to minimize my expenses as much as possible focusing are bare essentials. This is not what my husband desires, but it seems to be a pattern I like to catch myself in. Anyway, for the time, I would like to be writing and sharing photos. There may be another occasion of silence after the baby is born. Until then.

A 180 Then Around Again

It is Murphy's Law that states "If anything can wrong it will go wrong," but is this true if you are expecting it? Is it possible because of our train of thought we can be creating a tragic scenario? Or is it possible that thinking of the worst prepares for the catastrophic?

I am in a sitting position with my sister laying her head in my lap resting while I then arch my waist to rest my head on her shoulder. She is not feeling well. She is trying to fight a bug and her throat is piercing with sharp pain. It is hypothesized that she is coming down with strep throat. Hopefully it is just sinuses.

Starting towards our destination with a full night of driving into a colder climate and our trip really just beginning I am praying constantly over my sister. I believe in the power of prayer. I have been reading Acts as the disciples perform great miracles of healing. If the Holy Spirit can heal then it should certainly be able to now.

As I am praying over my sister my mind wonders in and out of the prayer for her. I envision the car loosing control and flipping. Because of the way my body is positioned and the way the car rolls my legs become twisted at the knees creating such bad breaks and tears that it is necessary to amputate both legs from the knee down. I require prosthesis and a orthopedic doctor designs this beautiful technology for me to continue a normal lifestyle, like fitting into my kayak so I can control my boat with my the remainder of my knee.

It suddenly occurs to me I should also be praying for us in the car so that an accident like my imagination has created will not occur. Not only am I praying for my sister's quick healing I also pray my cousin, my cousin's friend, my sister, and I will arrive near Jackson Hole, WY safely for a spring break of skiing.

How the party was formed is a bit of chance. How the trip was arranged was a bit of insanity. My cousin was desperate for a road trip out West for skiing. I was free for spring break so a road trip out West seemed like a fun adventure. Cousin Burton's friend's previous plans fell through making him available for the journey. Then my sister who had been in direr need of a vacation from work apprehensively accepted the offer to join us. I say apprehensively because we are going to be driving over 3200 miles in wintry conditions through the Rockies in a 1990 900 Saab with probably more than 200k miles on the car (the odometer is broken). After weeks of my sister going back and forth about the idea she finally conceded to the invitation.

We have prayed and we are in agreement. It is not so much the destination that is important, it is the journey that makes the event memorable. I am taking this journey with the expectation we all have the right ingredients for problems to occur, but there is growth there. This is where lessons are learned and stories are told of the memories.

At about 8:30 nearly half way across Nebraska we pull over for dinner at Arby's. When we left Kansas City the temperature was at least in the high 60s. Now the temperatures are dropping towards a freezing point. As we leave the restaurant I decide to make a short cut crossing to another adjoining sidewalk by stepping on a landscape rock. The rock is iced over. With little traction on my sneakers I immediately slip off landing on my left hip and hand to take the impact. In my other hand I have ahold of a coffee cup. I have managed not to drop it, but some of the contents spills on my jacket. I return inside to gather some napkins to wipe away the splatters. The manager notices my actions and I explain what just occurred. At first she is confused why I slipped because she had salted the sidewalks. I correct my statement that I actually slipped outside of the sidewalk. She replies sympathetically and wishes me a safe drive and I return to my departing party.

About an hour and half later I am startled from my prayer over my sister by the car swerving. Burton who is driving explains, "Hold on!" Just when I think he is about to gain control of the car we start spinning to the right passing a semi on a bridge. It occurs to me we could spin, smash into the cement wall or run underneath the tracker trailer. However, we pass the truck instead. We stop the spin and loose our momentum, but we are facing east, the direction we came from. The semi-truck we just passed is now moving towards us because we have landed in its path. My sister and I are in the back seat where we have been covered by the darkness of night. Now it is becoming brighter. I grab my sister tighter awaiting impact as the headlights flood the car with white. Right before impact I squeeze my eyes shut never expecting to see light again.

I still feel movement with no pain. The car is pushed to the median, as the truck keeps rushing by. I open my eyes and turn my head to watch the trucker in expectation that he might crash as well, but I loose vision of him as passes behind another accident that happened moments before ours. As I am checking myself and asking my sister if she is well I look around. The car is now facing south in the median, but to our right not more that 50 feet away is another 18 wheeler smashed perpendicular into a very demolished SUV.

We all get out of the car, in panic. Burton is eager to check the condition of his car leaving me to force my way out of his two door car on my own. His car miraculously looks well considering the impact, except his headlights no longer exist. My attention is again drawn to the semi and the white SUV. The driver of the truck asks if we are okay. We all nod. The SUV looks empty of people and completely collapsed. I turn back to Burton and he explains something about the radiator being busted. Tire screeches turn my head back to the interstate. Debris is scattered on the road illuminated by on coming traffic that is trying to avoid it and the semi that is blocking left lane. They too make the mistake of applying brakes and fishtailing. A few cars stop to see if anyone is injured I see a bumper laying in the road. Thinking it is Burton's I run out after it. However, once I have obtained it I realize it is indeed not the Saab's. As I return to the group three Mexican women crying all carrying young children appear from the dark walking from the direction of the bridge and I assume they must be the SUV's passengers. As more traffic passes, it becomes apparent everyone in the median is in a death trap if another vehicle looses control. Burton is able to start his car and drive it up closer to the bridge. Everyone else stays closer to the west-ward bound side watching the cars and 18 -wheelers barley avoid collisions. Eventually, someone walks to the beginning of the bridge with flares to warn of the upcoming accident with the hope of slowing vehicles. Another man who is EMT certified stops to check the condition of the accident. He also calls 911 and requests a salt truck treat the roads.

Burton makes several phone calls to his father. I call my mother to explain the situation and ask for prayer. Eventually, the tow truck picks us up and the family that was hit. With the SUV on the flat bed truck it became apparent how severe the accident was. With the vehicle completely collapsed I failed to understand how anyone could survive the accident. Asking the men near by, they replied the family had not been in the vehicle at the time of impact, then I understood what had occurred.

My guess is since the family was Mexican they probably had no idea how to drive on ice. When they drove on the bridge they for whatever reason lost control. Then seeing a large semi-truck coming in their direction they panicked not bothering to move their SUV and instead abandon it. The truck having little time to react had no way to avoid vehicle slamming directly into its side to be pushed towards the median. Then Burton who at the time was about to pass another semi a few moments later saw his lane obstructed by the upcoming truck applied his brakes probably as he was driving over black ice. Just when he was about to gain control he went over the bridge that was extra icy spinning him just in time to be struck by the truck he had planned to pass.

Two miracles occurred that night. That we did not hit the truck or the wall as we made a 180 and that we did not get pushed into the previous accident of the semi- and the SUV. Burton may not think so considering the condition of his car, but the whole situation could have been much worse. The tow truck driver was extremely nice to us making hotel arrangements as we drove and the hotel owner offered us a good rate.

No one wants to have an accident, particularly on vacation. It was an unfortunate event, but it also resolved itself extremely well. We are able to rent a car and keep going on our adventure meeting some very kind people along the way. So who says prayer does not work? Anything is possible and we must be willing to be flexible and open to other possibilities.