Sunday, June 19, 2011

The English Professor Train Engineer & other Thicket tales

Good afternoon my fine and devoted readers.  I am hard at work, or rather just at work and I am missing my Lilac Thicket something fierce.  I think most people are of the gentle persuasion but here in the chaotic world outside my refuge, I have found some people revel in the ugliness they can wreck.  Some days it is harder to shake off then other days. 

We have had thunderstorms pass  daily now for the last 3 days or so.  At 2 a.m. Saturday morning the power went out and it didn't come back on until 2:45 p.m.  My girlz and my Professor were toughing it out in the Thicket with no air and it was humid. 

When I got home from work yesterday, shortly after 7pm.  The Professor called and told me he was in town train watching.  He asked me to join him.  I hopped into my Gogo car and joined him on a park bench 4 feet from the tracks.  My sweet Professor has a fascination with trains, he has had it all of his life.  I asked him what his dream job would be and he said a train engineer.  I think it is sweet and I would love to see that come to pass.  I could see him with his big tall engineer cap on tugging on the horn of the train, dispensing proper English lessons with his Caribbean accent out the engine's window to the populations of every town and city he passed thru.  "No young man in the brown pick-up, it is pronounced as the 'u' as in 'truck you' not the  'u' in 'truce you'! Have a nice day-y-y-y-y-y-y-y!"

We sat 2 hours and watched 5 trains pass by and one of them an Am Trak that stopped.  We talked, we debated, we had food smells tickle our noses as the breeze drifted in our directions.  We heard the trickling of a fountain near-by and had the lightening bugs light up their tushes in search of love around us.  We heard music float by from the local pub and then the clouds moved in and we witnessed the lightening show creep close enough that it was time to go before the Professor became an unwilling lightening rod with his over 6' height.  It was a wonderful evening and I wish it could have gone on all night long.

I was reminded this morning that we are out of bird seed in the Thicket.  Professor reminded me we have a full house, birds, squirrels, bunnies, doggies and mosquitoes that expect to be feed with the finest of fare.  I feel so guilty about forgetting the hungry in the Thicket that I will stop on the way home from work.

Tomorrow morning the Professor and I will be heading up to Independence courthouse to get our marriage license.  I don't want to wait until the last minute because I tend to worry and fret something will go wrong.  So in 5 days my devoted friends, I will be Mrs. Professor.


Well my Crock pot lasagna has received 6 vigorous thumbs up, 2 of them from Hip Hop Dot, the team's chef.  So I am sharing the recipe.  I used just ground beef, no ground turkey and I dispensed with anything low fat.  I will use more cream cheese and mozzarella next time.  Make it mighty cheesy!

Crock pot Lasagna


1 box lasagna noodles
1/2 lb. low-fat ground beef
1/2 lb. low-fat ground turkey
1 small container low-fat Cream Cheese (not ricotta)
1 small onion
1/2 green bell pepper
1 cup small button mushrooms
2 grated carrots
1 jar spaghetti sauce
1 lb. pkg. of mozzarella cheese, low fat
Using a cooking spray, spray your crock pot well (you will be glad you did this). Brown the meat and drain, then run hot water to drain even more of the fat content out. Chop onion, green bell pepper, and mushrooms.


In the crock pot lay a layer of noodles (no need to precook), then layers of meat, cheese, cream cheese, sauce, and veggies until you fill crock pot up. Cook on low for 8 hours or high for 1 hour.


Servings: 4
Time: 30 Minutes Preparation Time

I am so excited as I dipped my toe into the stashing mode again.  I wanted to purchase the Just CrossStitch Christmas Ornament Preview and then I got to thinking if I subscribed I would get that issue PLUS the Christmas special and Halloween special and save money.  A subscription is $20.00 and they are $6 an issue
 I also ordered this special too!  I love Halloween and this alluring book will be coming September 1st.  Can't wait!
Well my beloved and dearest bosom readers, I smell the lasagna and I am starving.  I wish all of you peace and love and a special shout out to all my team mates and co-workers who visit this blog to play the Bubble Shooter game at the bottom....ya'll get back to work!  God Bless Us Everyone

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