I Lived There Once

Dutch Oven Cooking

2009-05-31T19:31:00.003-07:00

Tonight Maureen and Max had us over for dessert. Maureen is getting ready for a week at Girl's Camp. She's been experimenting with her first Dutch Oven cooking. Dutch ovens are used all over the world. In the American west they have a prominent place in history. In fact on a statue to honor the Mormon Pioneers that crossed the plains to settle in Utah, in the hand cart the statues are pulling, there is displayed a dutch oven.

Dutch ovens are heavy cast iron with a tight fitting lid. Hot charcoals are placed on the lid and around the bottom to cook the contents. Tonight we had cobbler. Here's a recipe from the Dutch Oven Guy.

Yummy Peach Cobbler

2 quarts peaches (drained)
1/2 cube butter, chopped over peaches
2 Tbsp flour
1/2 tsp cinnamon
2/3 cup sugar

Begin by putting peaches into a greased Dutch oven. Chop the butter in small pieces and dot over the peaches. Mix the flour, cinnamon and sugar together and sprinkle half over the peaches.

For the crust mix:

2 cups flour
3 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
2/3 cup oil
6 Tbsp milk
2 eggs
4 Tbsp sugar

Drop crust mixture on top of peaches. Sprinkle the remaining spiced sugar over the dough. This is one of our easy camping recipes that will work great at home, as well as a tasty addition to your camping food.

Bake with 1 ring of coals underneath and 2 rings of coals on the lid for 30-35 minutes.

Green Chile Cheese Burgers

2009-05-29T16:23:00.001-07:00

When we were shopping for a house in Albuquerque almost 4 years ago, the real estate agent volunteered to take us to lunch. We had been looking at houses all morning long and needed a break, so we agreed to have lunch. She said she wanted to introduce us to some New Mexican cuisine. Fortunately, we like to try new things.

She took us to the Owl Cafe. The Owl is a famous diner in the Albuquerque area. We were impressed by this diner. Usually, a diner is more like a 'greasy spoon.' A greasy spoon is an old nickname for a restaurant that once served the working class. The foods were usually fried and greasy, thus the name. But the Owl Cafe was clean, bright and decorated with an interesting collection of different owls.

Our Real Estate Agent insisted we all order the signature dish at the Owl Cafe, a green chile cheeseburger. Now, I've had cheeseburgers before. But I've never had one with green chile on it. Green Chiles are a cash crop here in New Mexico. Hatch, New Mexico grows these famous chiles. Most of the population can't eat a meal without them!

We all enjoyed the spicy new flavor the chile added to an American favorite. Now, if I ever order a cheese burger in New Mexico, I say YES to the offer of green chile on it!

Four Generations

2009-05-23T11:15:00.004-07:00

All my life I have looked at the family photos of my ancestors. These were kept in large, musty smelling albums, yellowed by time. I especially enjoyed the photos of several generations in the same photo. The four generation photo is rare, but the five generation photo is the rarest! On the occasion of my father's visit, we took one of these photos. Here is our four generation snap shot taken in May 2009. It features a great-grand father, a grandmother, a father and a son. Maybe it will be looked upon by future generations with the same fondness.

Kiva Ladders

2009-05-23T08:47:00.006-07:00

Around southwestern, pueblo style homes in New Mexico, Kiva Ladders are often leaning on the house. In most cases, they are just a decoration. But at Mesa Verde in Colorado, you can see how they were used in real life. The Anasazi used them to enter their Kivas, round rooms used for meetings and religious purposes. Holly is going down into a Kiva like the ancients did. Today they use kiva ladders to permit tourists to explore Native American Indian the ruins at Mesa Verde. Holly is climbing on a ladder at the Balcony House.

Holly enters a kiva on a ladder as the ancient Anasazi people did.

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Ristras

2009-05-20T09:16:00.003-07:00

A very common sight in New Mexico is red chiles hung outside, around the house. These are called 'ristras.' Ristras are drying chile pepper pods. The peppers are hung like this so they can be dried and used later in cooking spicy dishes. However, in New Mexico where chile peppers are produced, they are often used as decoration. I have a few myself.

Wooden Indians

2009-05-19T09:23:00.003-07:00

Wooden Indians used to stand outside of shops that sold tobacco. Indians have been associated with tobacco growth since European explorers were first introduced to the crop by the native Americans they found in the new land. Because many settlers were illiterate, shop owners used symbols to advertise their wares. Thus the wooden indian found it's place on the sidewalks of stores selling tobacco products. Today these statues are only found in museums and antique stores.

Hank Williams Sr. recorded a song my mom can sing for you. Here are the words of Kaw-liga, the wooden indian who never got a kiss!

Hank Williams Senior sing the original Kaw-Liga song

You Tube version of Hank Williams Jr. singing his daddy's song. I prefer this one

Kaw-liga by Hank Williams Sr.
Kaw-liga, was a wooden indian standing by the door
He fell in love with an indian maid over in the antique store
Kaw-liga - a, just stood there and never let it show
So she could never answer yes or no.

He always wore his sunday feathers and held a tomahawk
The maiden wore her beads and braids and hoped someday he'd talk
Kaw-liga - a, too stubborn to ever show a sign
Because his heart was made of knotty pine.

Chorus
Poor ol kaw-liga, he never got a kiss
Poor ol kaw-liga, he dont know what he missed
Is it any wonder that his face is red.
Kaw-liga, that poor ole wooden head.

Kaw-liga, was a lonely indian never went nowhere
His heart was set on the indian maiden with the coal black hair
Kaw-liga - a, just stood there and never let it show
So she could never answer yes or no.

Then one day a wealthy customer bought the indian maid
And took her, oh, so far away, but ol kaw-liga stayed
Kaw-liga - a, just stands there as lonely as can be
And wishes he was still an old pine tree.

Christmas Rules

2008-12-20T11:35:00.004-07:00

For a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year…

Be kind to each other and be of good cheer.

Treasure your family and all your traditions.

Fa la la as you decorate your halls.

Keep your schedule light,
it helps to make the moments bright.

Enjoy the giving and the receiving.

And remember Jesus is the reason for this season.

Guess Who is a Grandmother?

2008-11-01T20:51:00.004-07:00

Rafe Tyler Hansen was born today at 10:12 am. He weighs 8.6 lbs. and is 21.5 inches long. He has a nice amount of sandy brown hair. He's perfect in every way!

Rafe is spelled like the character Rafe MacCawley played by Ben Affleck in Pearl Harbor. It's pronounced Rafe, like safe. Other famous people with this name are: Rafe Totengco Designer, Raef LaFrentz Portland Trail Blazers BasketBall player and Ralph
(Rafe) Fiennes... actor supreme!

Mommy and Daddy are doing well and hopefully are getting a full night's sleep after being up all night.

Mamaw Muncie is supremely happy. Life is good.

Smores

2008-10-19T16:56:00.003-07:00

Anytime we have a campfire, we make Smores. Smore is short for "some more," meaning they are so good, you want some more!

All you need is a roaring campfire, a coat hanger or a young, green stick cut from a nearby tree, a chocolate bar, graham crackers and a couple of marshmallows. First take two graham crackers, placing the chocolate bar on top of one of them. Roast the marshmallows, stuck on the coat hanger or stick, over the campfire until it's golden brown and toasted. Place the roasted marshmallows on top of the chocolate bar, smashing them down with the remaining cracker forming a gooey sandwich.

Caution! They are messy so have some napkins close by! Yum, yum!

A Very Large Array

2008-10-18T16:42:00.005-07:00

Jon and I headed out on one of our 'drives.' I love exploring out-of-the-way places in New Mexico. Today we drove to the Plains of San Agustin, New Mexico to see the Very Large Array. What's that you ask? The Very Large Array (VLA) is a collection of 27 radio antennas located at the NRAO ( National Radio Astronomy Observatory ) site in Socorro, New Mexico. Each antenna in the array measures 82 feet (25 meters) in diameter and weighs about 230 tons. They are about 95 feet tall (29 meters.) The Y-shaped array can be arranged into 4 different configurations: A, B, C, or D, depending on the distance between the antennas. The VLA is an interferometer, which means that the data from each antenna can be combined electronically so that the array effectively functions as one giant antenna. Dedicated in 1980, the VLA is used by astronomers from around the world to study everything from black holes to planetary nebulae. Why did they put it in-the-middle-of-no-where New Mexico? The Plains of San Agustin (not Augustine) are high in elevation, surrounded by a ring of mountains that block interference and far enough away from large populations so they aren't bothered by phone calls or TV broadcasts.

The VLA was featured in the film, "Contact" starring Jodie Foster. Unfortunately, today the position of the antennas were in their furtherest apart, resulting in not so great photos. For the film, they were at their closest position as you can see in Jodie's photo.

These are radio antennas, but they aren't listening to anything. They are seeing radio waves and making pictures of them. All along I thought they were listening for the aliens that visited Roswell.

For more photos of the Very Large Array click here.

TV Show in Maureen's Backyard

2008-10-17T09:03:00.004-07:00

Yesterday, a film crew shot a chase scene in Maureen and Max's backyard. The scene was for the TV series CRASH. Max was home to watch the filming which went really fast. The crew was pleased they had two big dogs (featured in my blog post ) However, since they weren't vicious enough, they brought in two mean looking pit bulls to threaten the stunt man and the actor as they jumped the fench on one side, ran through the yard and hopped over the other fence into the alley next door. They rehearsed a time or two, shot the scene and left. For allowing them to use their yard, they got a check for $250. Pretty easy money!

Maureen and Max live right down town Albuquerque, just a block from a homeless shelter. They have a constant parade of hobos in front of their house. Check out the burglar bars on the windows and front porch. Albuquerque is a popular movie town. They have shot 167 movies, tv shows and other projects in the last couple of years. There are always casting calls on the radio for 'extras' (small acting jobs.) It's not hard to find streets blocked off for a film shoot around town. And everyone has a celebrity sighting story. Personally, I have pictures of John Travolta and Mel Gibson. Ask me and I'll show them to you. :-)

Glowdeo

2008-10-10T17:09:00.003-07:00

Once again, it is Balloon Fiesta time in Albuquerque. It is the largest gathering of balloons and pilots in the world. For 9 days, balloons fill our skies in the early morning hours. At night, they glow by light of propane burners. “Glowdeo” was a name given to this truly magical, western rodeo like event.

The great thing about the Albuquerque Balloon Fiesta is that everyone is allowed on the field with the balloons. The pilots give away cards with the picture and name of their balloon and chat with everyone who stops by to say hello or ask a question. No viewing from the stands at this fiesta! This year there are over 600 balloons participating. It’s a bit less than in past years, but understandable with gas prices as they are today. The Fiesta furnishes the propane for all the balloonists to encourage them to make the trip. The Balloon Fiesta Park becomes the second largest city in New Mexico during these two weeks with hundreds of camping trailers, chase vehicles and tourists!

The week of the Fiesta also signals a change in the weather. Out from the closet come our sweaters and jackets. The heater gets switched on for the first time to take away the mornings chill. It’s sad to bid farewell to summer in the high desert. But how can one stay sad with hundreds of colorful balloons floating in the crisp autumn air?

If you'd like to see the video I made last year, click here.

Working for a Living

2008-09-24T16:16:00.003-07:00

Recently, I have become gainfully employed. I am the new Adult Literacy Program Coordinator at ReadWest, Inc. In February of 2007, I trained as an English as a Second Language tutor at ReadWest. I really enjoyed my experience. Earlier this month, I was approached by a friend who is on the board of directors at ReadWest and offered the Program Coordinator job. Now, in addition to tutoring my wonderful student Gaby from Mexico, I orient new Basic Literacy and ESL tutors, assess new students and then match them to available tutors. I am busy from the time I walk in the door until I lock the office up in the afternoon. There are a thousand things to do all day long. But, I believe the work I do is very important. I am so happy to be a part of an organization that makes a difference in the lives of people everyday. The gift of literacy changes a person's life for the better. Speaking English can lift someone from poverty and dead end jobs to a path of upward mobility. I am inspired by the countless hours of time our volunteers devote to helping their students. I love my job!

The picture is of the St. James Hotel sign in Cimarron, New Mexico, that was established in 1872 by French chef Henri Lambert, personal chef to President Abraham Lincoln.

Thunder and Lightning

2008-08-26T09:21:00.002-07:00

Here are two girls visiting us. They are living here until they move to their new home on Saturday. They like to sit at the sliding glass door and watch me in the kitchen. Any time I look their way, they get hopeful that I will come out and play with them. Their favorite play toy is a water bottle half full of water. They are very well behaved aside from a hole or two in our yard that is easily filled. I’m delighted to see their expectant faces.

Thunder is a Weimaraner. Lightning is a Weimaraner Labrador mix.

Philippe and Christine

2008-08-24T19:03:00.000-07:00

Two of our French friends came to visit us in Albuquerque while they were on their first trip to the United States. Philippe and Christine were touring the western U.S. for three weeks and camping at several national parks in California, Nevada and Arizona. They stayed with us for five days. During this time we did all the tourist sites in Albuquerque and a few in Santa Fe.

Philippe was my first French conversation partner. I credit him with coaxing me to have my first discussions en Français. He and Christine live in Marseille, France. Philippe likes country western music. So I took him to a western clothes store. He was a good sport and let me take a picture of him in a cowboy hat.

They both are a lot of fun. It was great to get to know them. We hope to visit them in Marseille the next time we are in France. Again, I am so lucky to have such wonderful French friends!

Another Marriage

2008-08-08T09:31:00.000-07:00

My daughter Maureen married Max Andersen on the unique date of 08/08/08. This is a very lucky day to the Chinese. That’s why they began the Olympics on this date. So while you all were watching the opening ceremonies, we were having a party to celebrate their marriage. Congratulations Max and Maureen.

Maureen

2008-07-26T15:00:00.005-07:00

Encore une fois, un mariage approche. Cette fois, c’est le mariage de ma fille Maureen. Elle est née il y a 24 ans. Ce jour là, j’étais très contente d’avoir une petite fille. Elle a toujours été une joie pour nous. Nous n’avons jamais eu de problèmes avec elle. C'est une jeune fille douée et intelligente. Sa capacité de travail est énorme. Rien ne lui est impossible. Il n’y a pas de montagne trop haute pour elle. Elle a cette qualité depuis sa plus tendre enfance.

Quand elle était petite elle avait des problèmes de lecture. Au début, elle s’est sentie stupide et son amour-propre en a souffert. C’était une expérience difficile pour une mère. Mais quelque part dans sa petite âme, elle a trouvé la force. Elle a décidé d'utiliser sa faiblesse comme une force. Elle a étudié plus dur. Elle a fait beaucoup d’efforts. Elle s’est attaquée à l’orthographe et à la grammaire anglaise avec enthousiasme et optimisme. Avec détermination, elle a cherché à obtenir de bons résultats. Il lui a fallu plus d’efforts pour avoir d'aussi bonnes notes que les autres enfants. Donc, elle a su développer l'amour du travail bien fait.

Je l’admire. J’ai beaucoup de confiance en elle. Elle va bientôt quitter la maison familiale mais jamais mon cœur.

Maureen, je t’aime et je suis fière de toi.

Only in Albuquerque!

2008-06-18T12:20:00.003-07:00

At 7:45 am, my daughter rushed down stairs saying a hot air balloon was about to crash into the house next door. We threw open the door and ran outside to see if we could help. Fortunately, the pilot landed the balloon safely right in the middle of the street. Since no one could leave for work until the balloon chase vehicle arrived to pick up the pilot, passengers and the balloon, the neighbors gathered around the gondola to chat with the passengers. They were proud to show us the leaves they had picked from the tops of trees as they floated by. The chase car soon arrived and we helped guide the quickly deflating balloon onto a protective tarp and away from the mailbox and rooftops. As we did this, several other balloons floated just over us with the travelers calling down to saying, “Good Morning! We thought we’d drop by.”

Only in Albuquerque!

1958

2008-06-16T08:35:00.003-07:00

1958 a été une année importante. Aux Etats-Unis, l’ouvrier moyen gagnait $4600 par an. Un professeur pouvait espérer $5,100 par l’an. Trois familles sur cinq possédaient une voiture. Deux familles sur trois avaient le téléphone. Pour les femmes, l'âge moyen pour se marier était de 20 ans et elles devenaient le plus souvent des femmes au foyer, en ce temps là, très peu poursuivaient une carrière professionnelle. Les voitures étaient de plus en plus grosses avec des ailerons de plus en plus pointus. L’essence coûtait 25 cents le gallon. L’Alaska est devenu le quarante-neuvième état. Le premier satellite a été lancé de Cap Canaveral. Cela a aussi été l'année où lntel a développé le microprocesseur. Une maison neuve coûtait $12,750.00. La NASA a été créée.

Dans le monde, il y a eu une catastrophe aérienne à Munich où sept joueurs de Manchester United ont été tués. Nikita Khrouchtchev est devenu le Numéro Un de l’Union Soviétique. Il y a eu une grande famine en Chine pendant laquelle 30 millions de personnes sont mortes de faim. Elvis Presley est parti à l’armée, et des milliers de jeunes filles en ont été navrées. Les films les plus populaires ont été Le Pont de la Rivière Kwai, Pacifique Sud, Gigi, Sueurs Froides et King Créole. Les chanteurs célèbres étaient Elvis Presley, Billie Holliday, Ricky Nelson, Frank Sinatra, et les Frères Everly. A la télévision, les gens regardaient les émissions Candid Camera, le Jack Benny Show et le Ed Sullivan Show.

Enfin, en 1958 à Dallas Texas, Tom et Ann Smith ont eu leur premier enfant, une petite fille. Ils lui ont donné les prénoms de Muncie comme une de leurs amies et d’Ann comme sa maman.

Sick to Death of Politics

2008-06-04T08:54:00.002-07:00

I know I need to finish my essays on my trip to France. But I must tell you, this eternal election has me absolutely exhausted. Personally, I think all three presidential candidates STINK. ( McCain, Obama and Madame Clinton) Come January '09, I will wish more than ever to live in France so I will not have to witness first hand what will take place in the US for the next 4 years. I make one prediction here... Whoever is elected president this fall will only serve one term. It's gonna be that bad. I comfort myself with the thought that Jimmy Carter allowed us to have Ronald Reagan. That fact gives me hope.

The picture is an early spring shot of the Sandia Mountain range from the banks of the muddy and shallow Rio Grande.

Room Make Over

2008-05-12T16:11:00.000-07:00

For my daughter Rebecca’s 20th birthday we planned a special surprise. Because she loves television shows on remodeling and decorating homes, we thought we’d make over her bedroom. It was really tough planning and keeping this idea secret. The whole family was in on the idea. My daughter in law Stephanie called Rebecca and told her that she wanted to have a girl’s night out to celebrate Rebecca’s birthday. So she arranged for Rebecca to come directly after work to spend the night at her house and then she’d leave for work the next morning without coming home. Tyler excused himself and came over to help us paint furniture and install a ceiling fan. The next morning when Rebecca left for work Stephanie came over and helped us paint walls and install new blinds and curtains. With only minutes to finish we put on new sheets and a bed spread and hid in her room.

Rebecca was totally surprised. For three months we planned this and she had absolutely no idea what we were doing. She kept saying, “You guys got me soooo good!”

Two Days in Paris

2008-03-25T10:20:00.001-07:00

The last two days in France were spent in Paris. This was my third stay in Paris. I enjoyed the first two, but I really liked this trip because this time I was with my husband Jon. He is a bold, non French speaking adventurer. This attitude has helped him visit famous cities all over the world. This time I did the more traditional tourist things that I had avoided previously. We stood in line for 45 minutes to take an elevator up to the top of the Eiffel Tower. It is cliché, but who cares? It is such an amazing structure, it has to be experienced! Next, we took a boat tour on the Seine, also a typical tourist thing to do. I loved it. The British English recording that explained what we were seeing was so over the top with enthusiasm it made us laugh. The young female French tour guide barked out instructions in an impressive four languages. When we finished the tour, we pulled to the dock at 7:00 pm just in time for the Eiffel Tower light show. The 75 or so Japanese tourists on the boat gasped and then, “ewwwwed and ahhhhhhhed” over the sight. It was stunning. We walked across the bridge to get a better view of the Eiffel Tower. This was challenging because tourists are bombarded by young 'foreign' people trying to sell Eiffel Tower key chains or beg for money. The females are the beggars. They first ask you if you speak English, if so, they shove a typed card with a sob story on it and ask for money. Feeling like heartless Republicans,we say non merci. We had lots of practice saying no because we were constantly approached. It’s so well organized I’m sure it’s a big money making venture for someone. Vive entrepreneurism! However, I wonder if the young women are doing this freely. I wonder if they are penalized for not making a certain quota of money each day. I wonder about the nature of whoever collects the money from the young women. Are they cruel?

Despite my wonderings, we didn’t give them any money just the same.

We ended our first Paris evening having dinner at a Chinese restaurant. We did this just because I thought it was totally ridiculous to eat Chinese food in Paris. I like being ridiculous.

The next day was Sunday so we went to church at a little place called Notre Dame. Actually, we were there as tourists and I felt like I was intruding because they were having a Sunday morning service and taking communion while folks like me were walking around gawking. So we sat down on the dusty rush seated chairs they use instead of pews and waited for the service to finish. It is a glorious cathedral. Its treasures museum was amazing. The Virgin Mary has a lot of jeweled crowns waiting for her there. How will she decide which one to wear?

We saw where Marie Antoinette spent her last couple of months before she was guillotined. There were huge lists of names, ages and professions of people who were beheaded during the revolution, including some of the very people who began passing judgment on others.

We spent an unusually warm February afternoon walking along the Seine with all the other Parisians. We looked at the ancient magazines and books of some of the ‘green box’ vendors that line the Seine.

We had a nice lunch at a Bistro across the street from Notre Dame and a late dinner at a bistro near a subway entrance where I took this photo. I had a salmon crepe. It made me miss the yummy seafood I’d had in the South West a few days before.

I like Paris. There is an endless list of things to do. I’ve just scratched the surface. I will go back and do some more scratching, hopefully soon.

Andernos Les Bains, France

2008-03-24T08:50:00.008-07:00

The next few days were spent in Andernos Les Bains with my conversation partner Serge and his wife Françoise. I’ve told you about Serge in an earlier post (in French.) When Serge was stationed with the military in this area, they searched for a place to live. When he and Françoise toured Andernos, they fell in love with the little village and decided to make it their home. With some luck, they found the perfect house and have been there for 6 years and hope to never leave!

Now that their daughter Anne is attending medical school in Bordeaux, they have to focus their attentions on their beloved dog, Socrates. Socrates is as intelligent as his namesake. Several mornings we took him for a walk to do his business. He knows the route by heart. He’s so well trained, Serge doesn’t need a leash because Socrates obeys voice commands. But in reality, this golden retriever is so well behaved he doesn’t need much discipline.

This time I found another new seafood treat, les huîtres, or oysters. Serge and Françoise took me to a nice restaurant called l’Esquirey located right on the bay. I had a dish of « les fruits de mer farcis » stuffed fruits of the sea, namely oysters, muscles and clams. They were filled with herbs and very tasty. My mouth waters just thinking about it! How fortunate they are to live so close to great, fresh treats from the sea.

Andernos is located more or less in the middle of the bay of Arcachon. During the day the tide is out, leaving lots of pinasses (old wooden fishing boats) stranded on mucky land. When the tide is in, it’s a perfect beach for families with small children as the water is shallow and they can play without fear of it becoming too deep.

Serge and Socrates took me to the northern tip of Arcachon Bay, Cap Ferret. Again, I was so impressed with lovely beaches of France on the Atlantic. Dotted all along the coast of France are the remains of German gun turrets that were meant to protect from ally invasion during WWII. Now they serve as canvas for graffiti artists.

I climbed the Cap Ferret lighthouse with “Mr. Bicycle” himself who is in such good shape he could have run up the stairs four times to my one! All the huffing and puffing was worth it! The view of the bay was spectacular. From here I could look across to Arcachon and see the steeple of the Chapelle very close to Fabienne’s house. Coucou Fabienne! Also I could see the Dune du Pyla and just how long and high it stretches along the coast.

In Bordeaux, I saw Anne’s apartment where she stays while attending school. We walked to her favorite Salon de Thé for a treat and then to a giant bookstore, Mollat. This is where Serge likes to spend time browsing the English language novel section. The students also buy their text books here. It was a busy place! I bought myself an Adventures of Tin Tin book. It’s a comic strip that was written in the 1920s by Hergé ( RG in French, Remi Georges) from Belgium.

Serge and I also visited a Carrefour which is like our Super Walmart only with appliances and electronics. Here we walked up and down the aisles comparing items and prices to what we have and don’t have in the US. For the most part, things were the same or slightly more expensive. But many things were unique to France with no comparison. I also learned that the French call tall size refrigerators "frigo americain" American fridge. Their refrigerators are smaller and don't have a freezer compartment.

I got up early Saturday to catch the train back to Paris where I was meeting my husband for a few days before we went back to the States. Serge made sure I was on the right platform and he even put me in the right seat on the train where we said good bye. Then he stood outside the window until the train left acting like he was crying! I think he’s watched too many old movies! I would have been sad to say goodbye, but I just know I will see him again! Hopefully in New Mexico.

Arcachon, France

2008-03-18T12:40:00.010-07:00

My second week in France started with a train ride to southwestern city of Bordeaux. I was met at the station by Fabienne. Up until this moment, we had only spoken together via the internet. So it was wonderful to meet her in person. She took me to a few of her favorite shops in Bordeaux and then introduced me to a colorful treat, macaroons (macarons in French.) It is a cookie that consists mainly of almond paste according to my dictionary. But to me they were just plain yummy!

I stayed with Fabienne and her family for 3 days in Arcachon. Arcachon is a city located on the southern tip of le Bassin d’Arcachon, Arcachon Bay in English. She and her husband are pharmacists and live above there pharmacy. It’s an ideal location only two blocks from the water! We also climbed the Dune of Pyla. It’s a huge, naturally created mountain of sand next to the sea. Going up was really hard work, but going down was a joy as you could run fast with no fear of falling because the sand acted as a shock absorber, keeping your feet steady! We also climbed the Belvedere Tower that was made by a fellow named Gustave Eiffel. From this observation tower you can see the city of Arcachon as well as the bay.

While I was visiting Fabienne, I fell in love with coquille Saint Jacques. We call them scallops in English. I’ve had scallops before, but not fresh off the boat and bought in the shell! They are simply delicious. I’ve always admired the way the French go grocery shopping. They have little markets with vendors selling fruit and vegetables, flowers, meats, fish, cheeses and pastries. There are even people selling prepared Moroccan and Asian dishes. I guess it’s the French version of ‘fast food.’ It’s neighborhood centered and friendly. I wish we had something similar in the U.S.

One night we went out for dinner at a nice restaurant called l’Encoche. Since I was in love with coquille St. Jacques, I ordered them again. I had really wonderful food in France. The second picture is Fabienne and her husband Laurent. They are really wonderful and lots of fun!

Rouen France

2008-03-17T14:50:00.005-07:00

Dreams really do come true. I went to France last month for two weeks. I spent the first week in Rouen, France. It’s located in Normandy and is famous for several things, mainly the place where Joan of Arc was burned at the stake. There is a chapel dedicated to Jeanne d’Arc near the place were she was killed.

Rouen is a charming old city. There are many half timber buildings in the old part of the town. There is a university there so students keep the place youthful and lively. The Notre Dame Cathedral in Rouen is also very famous. Monet painted several famous paintings of the front façade, demonstrating the changes in the natural lighting at different parts of the day. I liked this old cathedral for several reasons. The first is inside there are the tombs of several Dukes of Normandy; Rollo and Richard the Lionhearted to name a few. My husband’s family traces their genealogy to Rollo and William the Conqueror . So it was a bit like visiting the grave of a relative. Also, they are restoring many of the statues of saints and prophets that were on the outside of the building. They brought the old ones into the cathedral so people could get a close up look at them. It was amazing to see what time and environment had done to the ancient carved stone ‘people.’ Lastly, on the outside of the building you can still see the effects of war. Rouen was a battle ground during the Second World War. The building is pocked and scarred by gun battles. Yet she still stands firm in the heart of the city, to eventually outlive us all.

Rouen is famous for its lovely ceramics. I was seduced by these shops myself. I have a lovely plate with a rooster for my collection. But, next time I visit and I hope it’s soon, I will buy a few more things I regret not getting while I was there!

Since we were there for Valentine’s Day, we celebrated with an 8 course French meal at the La Couronne ( the crown in French.) It is supposed to be the oldest restaurant in France. Who am I to judge? The food was superb. However, the meal lasted 4 hours. I’m afraid my husband and I have been married too long to have interesting conversation for 4 continuous hours! :-)

Next time... le Bassin d'Arcachon

We Wish You A Merry Christmas

2007-12-25T09:57:00.000-07:00

Frosted window panes, candles gleaming inside
Painted candy canes on the tree
Santa's on his way, he's filled his sleigh with things
Things for you and for me

It's that time of year when the world falls in love
Ev'ry song you hear seems to say
"Merry Christmas. May your New Year dreams come true"

And this song of mine in three-quarter time
Wishes you and yours the same thing, too.

Joyeux Noël à tous

Black Friday

2007-11-22T15:28:00.000-07:00

The day after Thanksgiving is called “Black Friday.” It is the official kick-off of the Christmas shopping season. Most people have the day after Thanksgiving off from work, so merchants lure these idle people to their stores by offering sales on desirable merchandise. The stores open extremely early at 5 am and offer incredible deals for only a few hours to get people in and spending money. Reporters with cameras show the stampede of humanity as some poor store employee unlocks the door and makes a dash for safety before being trampled by eager bargain hunters.

The local news channels have helicopters circling above the shopping malls, reporting on traffic tie-ups and over crowded parking lots. Usually, we sit back in the comfort of our family room and laugh at people who would line up in the cold and wait for a store to open just to buy things. But this year, the laugh is on us.

Today my husband was reading the advertisements in the newspaper. He saw an ad for a laptop computer at an extremely low price. It just so happens we are in the market for a laptop computer for one of our kids. “The store opens at 5 am and they only have 15 computers at this price” he called to me as I was preparing our Thanksgiving feast. “Only15?" I groan back to him. " That means we will have to be in line at 4 am at the latest!” Silently, we weigh the benefits of saved money for lost sleep.

So, tomorrow we’ll join the stampede of humanity in search of Christmas bargains in the land of Capitalism. Vive the USA!

Reality Thanksgiving

2007-11-16T11:17:00.000-07:00

Thursday, November 22, we will celebrate Thanksgiving at our house. I thought I’d tell you what a typical Thanksgiving looks like at our house!

This year we are staying home. We aren’t traveling to a relative’s house and no one is going to come visit us over this holiday except my married son and his wife Stephanie. Three weeks ago, Stephanie volunteered to prepare some dishes for our Thanksgiving feast. She wanted to know what to make a few weeks early so she could practice preparing them. She’s a new bride and still finding her way around in the kitchen. She likes to make bread, so I told her she could make the bread of her choice and a dessert. I’m sure whatever she does will be wonderful.

Usually, I spend all Thanksgiving morning working like a crazy woman to prepare our family’s traditional Thanksgiving favorites. I was raised in the southern United States, so I tend to fix dishes in the southern tradition: Roasted turkey, cornbread dressing with giblet gravy, cranberry sauce, sweet potatoes, green bean casserole, fruit salad and rolls. For dessert we like pecan pie, pumpkin pie and maybe a cake, usually chocolate. The nice thing about cooking all these foods is that I don’t have to cook anything else for 2 days. We just eat re-heated leftovers until they are gone.

My children are very attached to these traditional dishes. If I leave one out or prepared one differently, I hear moaning, groaning and suggestions that Thanksgiving is not Thanksgiving without these specific foods! So I keep this holiday’s food exactly the same so they will be happy. However, I’ve declared independence from the traditional Christmas Eve dinner, leaving me options to try new things. They really complained last year.

I also add mashed potatoes and gravy to the menu. This is for my husband. He was not raised in the south. Although, he enjoys most everything southern, he doesn’t like sweet potatoes. So I make him mashed potatoes so he is happy.

We use my formal china plates, crystal and silverware at this special family feast. We only use them at Thanksgiving and Christmas. It adds to the ‘specialness’ (not a real word) to our celebration. It means we have to wash everything by hand afterwards because they are too delicate for the dishwasher. We have enough hands around the house to get this task done quickly with only a little grumbling.

So far I’ve described slaving over a hot stove cooking food, people complaining about what is or isn’t served, someone unhappy about being forced to eat a dish he doesn’t like, and people mumbling under their breath about hand washing dishes when there is a perfectly good machine to do it.

Sounds pretty…unthankful? I agree it sounds that way, however, I think it’s just the reality of seven independent thinkers, gathering as family to sit down together on one of our favorite holidays. Jon and I have celebrated 27 Thanksgivings together with each child joining in as they were born. That’s a lot of time to build tradition. Tradition is part of what binds a family together. As we all sit around the table and look to my husband to say a Thanksgiving prayer to bless our meal, each of us are touched in our hearts with gratitude to God for being at the table to share a dinner with the people we love most in the world.

And that is what Thanksgiving is really all about.

The Fattest American

2007-11-05T09:28:00.000-07:00

The Japanese have always had a reputation for being tourists. In the states, I’ve always noticed Japanese people in tour groups or with a guide book exploring sites on their own. And they are always snapping photos. In fact, it has become a stereo type to feature a camera around the neck of a Japanese tourist as their typical ‘look’. However, the joke is on us!

Recently I heard that Japanese tourists have a friendly competition among one another. When they come to the states, they take plenty of pictures. But the picture they covet the most is of the fattest American. When they return home, they gather together to compare fat American photos. The person with the picture of the most grotesquely fat American wins! Some of these photos are posted on the internet for all to see. I was going to investigate this rumor, but I was afraid I might see a picture of myself! :-P

The Albuquerque Balloon Fiesta

2007-11-02T16:22:00.000-07:00

Albuquerque is famous for its Balloon Fiesta. For nine days in October the blue skies are filled each morning with 700 colorful hot air balloons. The weather this year was mild and near perfect. We went to an early morning launch. A dozen balloons were inflated before the sun came up. Their gas burners caused them to glow in the pre-dawn dark. They lifted off together to test the wind direction. One reason Albuquerque is a great place to fly hot air balloons is for it's unique wind effect called the ‘box effect.’ The wind blows to the south at a low altitude. The balloons ascend and travel in a southern direction. After awhile the pilots lift the balloons higher and catch winds blowing in a northern direction. Its quite possible for a balloon to touch down very close to where it took off. The ‘Dawn Patrol’ balloons signaled that the box effect was working perfectly. Then hundreds of balloons began to inflate. The sight is absolutely unforgettable! Check out my video!

Happy Halloween

2007-10-31T17:49:00.000-07:00

Last night my family carved pumpkins to make ‘jack-o-lanterns.’ We make them every year and put candles inside to greet the children who come ‘trick or treating’ on Halloween.

Carving a pumpkin isn’t hard. First you need to sketch a face on the outside. Triangles for eyes and nose are the easiest. A jagged mouth is also easy for the beginner. Next you need to take a knife and cut off the top of the pumpkin. Then reach your hand inside and pull out the ‘pumpkin guts.’ This is slimy work! The seeds and pulp are moist and sticky. But don’t throw them away! Keep them in a bowl so you can roast the seeds later for a special treat! I’ll explain later.

Once you’ve removed the seeds, take a spoon and scrape the flesh inside so it’s clean and smooth. It doesn’t have to be perfect, but remember the candle will burn dangling bits of pumpkin guts and smell really awful! So get it clean and smooth! Now you are ready to carefully cut out your sketched eyes, nose and mouth. Use caution when using a knife so you don’t have to make a trip to the emergency room for stitches in your hand! This isn’t a job for little children!

Remove the cut out pieces of the face. Now you are ready to try out your newly carved Jack-O-Lantern. Place a candle inside and light it with a match. Turn out the lights and watch the face glow.

Now place it outside your door in the cool fall air. It will last for about two weeks before it starts to cave in and rot.

Now go back to the seeds. Separate them from the pulp and wash them in water. Pat them dry with paper towels. Spread them on a cookie sheet. I like to sprinkle the seeds with Worcestershire Sauce and salt. Now bake them at 325 degrees F for about 25 minutes or until toasted. Be sure to stir them every 5-10 minutes to prevent burning. After they’ve cooled, store them in an air tight container. I use my teeth to crack open the hull (remove the seeds covering) and pull out the tasty, crunchy centers. But my husband likes to just eat the whole seed, outside and all!

Happy Halloween everyone!

My Friend Muncie

2007-10-12T14:07:00.000-07:00

This is Serge's response to my post about him.

I would like to tell you about Muncie, my first conversation partner. She is an American woman that I met on a website that helps people find partners online in order to practice a foreign language.

It has been two years since we began talking together. We are used to talking at least twice a week. To say the least, she is particularly talkative or if you prefer, she chats like a magpie!! Of course I am kidding! I do appreciate our conversations. Muncie is such a nice person who is always in a good mood. We are used to teasing each other but we never argue, whatever the issues are.

I still remember our first chat. In turn, we introduced ourselves and described our families, our houses, the cities we live in and so on. Thanks to her, I have learned a lot about American society and American culture.

Her husband Jon works in a company that builds planes, the kind of planes that rich American businessmen use to travel across the United States to sign contracts with other rich American businessmen in order to make a lot of money. American people like making money. American people also are extreme workaholics. In France, we are the best in the world for working less than thirty-five hours per week, being on vacation for two weeks every two months and for going on strike all the other days!

Muncie has got one son and three daughters. Her son married three months ago. I bet Muncie she will become a grandmother before I will. Of course she laughed, but she obviously knows I will win.

Muncie doesn’t like her name. She told me that it is a very weird and uncommon name for an American girl. To me it is a beautiful name. It is no stranger than Bob, Priscilla, John, Mary or George W… No… no… no! In fact, George W. is not a good example. Let’s forget it!

In Muncie’s personal website, you can read a lot of excellent essays about her city Albuquerque, her family and her daily life. She also wrote something that arguably could be the best article she has ever written! On one hand, it is because she wrote it in French and on the other, because she talked about an exceptional figure, a French man called Serge. Take what I say with a grain of salt, but I think he is her best friend.

Muncie’s writing style is quite unique! Her youngest daughter Holly probably got her talent from her mother. I recently read a story she wrote while she was on summer vacation. Her novel is as fascinating as Harry Potter’s adventures! Rebecca, who is nineteen years old, must be a very studious. Sometimes, when I ask Muncie about grammar rules, she requires help from Rebecca, who always knows the answer. Muncie’s elder daughter studies at a university in order to become a pharmacist. Once, Muncie sent me a photo of Maureen and her boyfriend. I didn’t dare tell Muncie that I found they did not match very well. In my opinion, Maureen looks very attractive, whereas her boyfriend looks a little bit overweight. I think they since have broken up, but after all, it is not my business.

Now, let’s talk about her son Tyler. Tyler is a courageous man. He spent two years in the Philippine Islands as a missionary for his church. He learned the native language there, and I understand he now speaks Tagalog fluently. During his stay, he could only talk by phone to his mother twice a year. I think it was at Christmas and on his mother’s birthday!

This family doesn’t look like the stereotype of the American family. Everybody knows that the stereotype of the American family resembles the Simpson family that lives in Springfield (I have absolutely no idea which state this town is in because there are forty cities in the United States called Springfield!)
Obviously Muncie’s family has nothing to do with the Simpsons. Although, Muncie reminds me a little bit of Marge Simpson, no once again I am kidding Muncie, but I know she will forgive me. We are such good friends that nothing could make us get angry!

Eventually, I hope that someday I will have the good fortune to see Muncie in person. I would be very disappointed if my dream never came true.

Serge

2007-10-09T19:30:00.000-07:00

Ce mois-ci, j'ai un anniversaire. Il y a deux ans, j’ai rencontré mon deuxième partenaire de conversation, Serge. J’ai oublié qui a trouvé qui, mais nous nous sommes rencontrés l’un et l’autre sur le site web, « mylanguageexchange.com. »

A mon avis, Serge est un excellent partenaire de conversation. D’abord, il a beaucoup de patience avec moi et mon français rudimentaire. Sa voix est calme, claire et rassurante. Il est facile de parler avec lui. Il m’a donné beaucoup de confiance en moi et grâce à lui, j’ai amélioré mon français. (Maintenant, il doit avoir la grosse tête.)

Serge a le même âge que moi. Il est français. Il est marié à Françoise, qui doit être une femme tolérante. Ils ont 2 enfants et un chien qui s’appelle « Socrate. » Je vous en dirai plus au sujet de Socrate plus tard. Serge est militaire dans l’armée de l’air depuis l’âge de dix-sept ans.

Il a deux passions dans sa vie, l’apprentissage de l’anglais et le cyclisme.

Chaque jour pendant des heures, Serge étudie l’anglais. C’est un passe-temps qu’il aime bien. En fait, il ne laisse jamais son travail interférer dans l'apprentissage de l'anglais! Quand son chef n’est pas là, il écoute des podcasts ou il écrit des histoires excellentes. A mon avis, un récit de Serge est toujours intéressant. Il a écrit des histoires sur son premier saut en parachute, sur l’année qu’il a passée sur une petite île volcanique parmi les pingouins ou sur son chien Socrate qui parle. Sa volonté à perfectionner son anglais est une source de motivation pour moi-même.

Presque chaque jour, on peut aussi trouver Serge sur son vélo. Il parcourt des centaines de kilomètres chaque semaine pour s’entraîner. Il fait du sport pour rester en forme. Il fait du cyclisme mais en amateur. Au printemps et en été, il participe à des compétitions amateurs. L’entraînement pour la course est une chose sérieuse pour Serge. Il se prépare en suivant un régime très strict. Les résultats sont là. Il est en forme ! Je le déteste.

Je plaisante. J’ai beaucoup d’admiration pour Serge. (Voyez-vous ??) Je le considère comme un bon ami. Je le remercie de son aide et bien sûr de son amitié.

(Dans cette photo, il porte le maillot jaune et rouge du Nouveau Mexique)

Breakfast in America

2007-10-03T13:36:00.000-07:00

“Breakfast is the most important meal of the day.” We were taught this in school. But the meal on the breakfast table can be as varied as Americans themselves.

A traditional American breakfast would be eggs, bacon, toast, orange juice and coffee. The eggs are sometimes fried and sometimes scrambled. The bacon might be substituted by ham. Toast might be a biscuit in the southern states with butter, jam, honey or molasses. The second most favorite juice for breakfast is apple juice followed by grapefruit and grape juice. American coffee has a reputation around the world as being very weak. French people have commented that it’s like coffee flavored water. However, it is a beloved beverage here and starts off most mornings with milk, sugar substitute or straight out of the pot black.

Other breakfast variations are usually some type of bread served with maple syrup. Pancakes are a favored choice with a pat of butter. Next would be French Toast: bread dipped in egg and fried up in a pan until the egg is cooked. Then it’s topped with nutmeg, cinnamon or powdered sugar. An omelet is a breakfast food in the states. There are many combinations but my favorite is a Spanish Omelet with tomato, bell pepper, onion, mushrooms and salsa! Hot cereals are great on cold mornings. Oatmeal and Cream of Wheat are filling and good for you, but a bit tricky to get kids to eat.

Then there is the busy parent and almost-late-for-the-school-bus kid breakfast: cold cereal. I’m sorry to say most of what is on the grocery shelf is a box full of pricey nothing! In fact, it is almost child abuse in a box. Many cereals have little more than flour and sugar as substance. But kids are seduced by cute TV commercials and tend to nag Mom until she gives in and buys a box of “Sugar Doodles” with a prize inside! I’m guilty of this myself!

Today at our house we usually have lighter breakfasts of yogurt, fruit or bagels. We save the traditional foods for holidays and special occasions. However, some of my happiest memories are the Saturday mornings my husband would make banana-pecan pancakes for me and my infant son. It was a family breakfast tradition this American family started 25 years ago.

Voting For Dollars

2007-10-02T08:41:00.000-07:00

One thing that really bothers me about Albuquerque is that the citizens never met a tax they didn’t love. It amazes me that they vote for anything that sounds good or noble, but never stop to think where the money comes from. Politicians are so clever. They have new taxes on the voting ballots described as ‘bonds.’ To the average, uninformed voter a bond sounds like a good thing so they press YES on the ballot. Or maybe they think, “Let’s stick it to the rich guys and vote this in” never realizing that even though they don’t own a home and pay property taxes, the landlord that owns the apartment they live in, does. They just raised their own rent to pay for the ‘bond.’

Tomorrow we have at least 7 bonds on the ballot. Among the more outrageous tax increases are $45 million to beautify the medians in between the streets of ABQ (it means putting cactus, decorative rocks and art where simple painted lines would suffice), $37.5 million for public parks and recreation ( sounds so nice, more green parks in brown ABQ) $14.5 million for Senior and Family Community Centers (why don’t they just stay home and play cards?) and $10.1 million for “affordable housing bonds.” This means the city will buy prime real estate to build houses that poor people can afford because real estate in ABQ is very expensive. Why should we pay for poor people to live here? Shouldn’t we hope they leave? Why don’t they move some place they can afford? They WILL have a heart attack when they become home owners and see how much property tax they have to pay.

Merci Beaucoup Monsieur

2007-10-01T12:29:00.000-07:00

Recently, I had the unexpected opportunity to spend four days in Montréal, Quebec. My husband was going there on business and I tagged along as a tourist. We stayed in Laval, which is quite a ways from the tourist destination of Vieux Montréal. Like Paris, Montréal has a great, user friendly metro system. Each morning I’d walk about a mile to the station, ride into downtown Montréal and explore on foot.

One morning at the station, I was fishing in my purse for a $2 Canadian coin and 3 Canadian quarters for the metro fare. I noticed a slightly older than middle aged man in the booth making huge arm movements in my direction. He was trying to get my attention, so still fishing in my purse, I went to the booth and greeted him with, “Bonjour Monsieur .” I put my money through the window and he passed me a ticket, greeting me with, “Bonjour Madame. Comment allez-vous?” I think I surprised him with, “ Je vais bien merci et vous?” Then HE surprised me with, “Madame, vous êtes une jolie femme.” I was so surprised and embarrassed, but managed to say, “Oh! Merci beaucoup Monsieur. Vous êtes très gentil!” And then he told me, “De rien. Vous êtes belle!”

I am quite sure I am not the first woman with whom he’s flirted. But for me it was flattering and especially nice to hear in French. He doesn’t know it, but he made my day!

Mormon Battalion 5k 10k Fun Run

2007-09-29T16:03:00.000-07:00

Saturday, bright and early, we were on the Bosque Rio Grande Trail getting ready for the first annual Mormon Battalion Fun Run. Our Boy Scout Troop sponsored this event which meant the family of the Troop Leader (my husband) had to get involved.

The Mormon Battalion was composed of 500 men who enlisted to help in the US war with Mexico. They marched from Council Bluffs, Iowa to San Diego, California. October 24th, 1846 or so they passed through the Albuquerque area and crossed the Rio Grande near the present day I-40 bridge. They never saw a real battle, but they introduced brick making for home building in the west. Examples of their handy work still stand in San Diego.

Honoring their memory, the 10k was named after them. The run was a big success. My daughter Holly and I manned the water table, handing cups of water to thirsty runners. My daughter Rebecca was at the 5k turn around point and some other friends were at the 10k turn-around. My daughter Maureen designed the T-shirt and ran the 5k race.

Tailgate Party

2007-09-16T19:46:00.000-07:00

Football season is in full swing. On Saturday, American College football games are on television all day long. My husband is a ‘fair weather’ football fan. This means he likes a team when they are playing well and winning. If they aren’t, he won’t watch their game. But there is no mistake, to him, Autumn is the most wonderful time of the year because of football!

There is a uniquely American event that takes place before each College Football game. It’s called a Tailgate Party. The word comes from the gate at the tail or the back of a pick-up truck. People meet in the stadium parking lot with BBQ grills, charcoal and coolers of beer and soda in the back of the truck. People throw out their lawn chairs, sit on the tailgate and share food with their parking lot neighbors. The thing they have in common is their LOVE for the home team. This enthusiasm seems to create instant friendship.

Des souhaits pour mon anniversaire

2007-06-23T14:41:00.000-07:00

Aux Etats-Unis, nous avons une tradition concernant les bougies sur le gâteau d’anniversaire. Quand on souffle les bougies, tous ses voeux se réalisent! Samedi, c’est mon anniversaire et j’ai déjà des souhaits.

Je veux améliorer mon français. Je veux venir en France avant mon prochain anniversaire (peut-être une fois ou deux!) Je veux rencontrer aussi mes bons amis français. C’est mon souhait le plus cher! Je veux aussi arrêter le vieillissement de mon corps ! Je voudrais que mes poches sous les yeux disparaissent et que la peau de mon visage redevienne souple (sans les rougeurs comme les Rosbifs.) J’espère que je pourrai participer au tournage d’un documentaire important. Je veux que ma famille soit heureuse, saine et sauve. Je désire que chacun de mes enfants connaisse une grande réussite cette année. Je voudrais que le monde entier ait le bon sens d’arrêter l’extrémisme.

C'est tout pour cette année.

Geocaching

2007-06-20T21:29:00.000-07:00

I've got a new hobby. It's called Geocaching. It's like a modern day scavenger hunt using a GPS unit (Global Positioning System) My husband bought one two months ago. Last week we discovered that people all over the world have been playing a treasure hunt game with each other since 2000. The basic idea is to have individuals and organizations set up caches all over the world and share the locations of these caches on the internet. GPS users can then use the location coordinates to find the caches. Once found, a cache may provide the visitor with a wide variety of rewards. All the visitor is asked to do is if they get something they should leave something for the cache.

We've found caches in many different places in New Mexico. Some are tiny with just a small notebook and pencil to record your name and date. Others have been very large, like in ammo boxes filled with lots of little 'treasures' inside. Each time we remove one item and replace it with something that represents us. Some of the treasures have been little stuffed toy animals, calculators, matchbox cars, polly pocket dolls, band-aids, coins, pins, pencils and always a notebook to record a message. We bring along refrigerator magnets to add as our contribution.

If you are interested in this activity check out the official web site at www.geocaching.com

Marriage

2007-06-16T07:40:00.000-07:00

My son was married today. He was my first born child as well as my only son. This was the first wedding in our family and was my first and last experience as the “Mother of the Groom.” I am very pleased with my son’s new wife. I couldn’t have hand selected anyone more perfect for him or for me. I hope I will be a good mother in law.

The weather was perfect. It was a hot, sunny June day with very little wind. After the wedding, my husband and I hosted a wedding luncheon for 51 family members and friends at Seasons in Old Town Albuquerque. The wedding reception was held in the evening at the home of the bride’s parents. There was wonderful food to eat and lots of dancing. The highlight of the evening for me was when all of my family, the bride, the groom, my parents and my husband’s parents danced together in a big circle on the dance floor. We each took turns doing a little jig in the center of the circle while everyone clapped and cheered. I’ve never laughed so hard or had more fun!

The bride and groom cut the wedding cake together. Then the bride threw her bouquet. My oldest daughter caught the bouquet. You know what that means?! She will be married next!

Nostalgique

2007-06-12T20:50:00.000-07:00

Je suis nostalgique aujourd'hui. Le mariage de mon fils approche. Je regarde les vieilles photos et touche ses trophées de baseball. Le temps est passé si vite!

We Are Not Alone.

2007-06-01T09:49:00.000-07:00

New Mexico is famous for an alleged UFO (Unidentified Flying Object) crash in July 1947 near Roswell. Materials were found on a ranch just outside of the city that the government claimed was a crashed weather balloon. There has been much speculation that the government was trying to cover up the fact that a spacecraft from another solar system had crashed on earth. Roswell fortunately or unfortunately has to deal with it’s reputation as a UFO crash site. It hosts a UFO festival every summer for all the alien lovers and believers. At least they have a good sense of humor. Even the McDonalds is in the shape of a spaceship. It’s a lovely little town despite of it’s out of this world reputation. I got the feeling that the alien thing was getting a bit old for the residents.

Mon Jardin

2007-05-29T13:36:00.001-07:00

Chez nous à Albuquerque, nous avons un petit jardin. En fait, c’est le plus petit jardin que nous ayons eu. Aussi, ce jardin est très différent parce que nous habitons dans le désert. Le gazon a une forme ovale et est situé au milieu du jardin. Il est entouré par un cercle de briques. C’est très facile de tondre la pelouse parce qu’il est minuscule. Mais j’aime bien faire un petit tour les pieds nus dans ce petit gazon vert.

A droite, il y a quatre arbres fruitiers. Maintenant, les cerises sont mûres. Cette année, il y a moins de cerises que l’année dernière. C’est dommage, toutefois, j’ai déjà fait un clafoutis. Les français préfèrent manger le clafoutis avec les cerises entières. C’est un peu bizarre pour les Américains, donc je préviens tout le monde au sujet du noyau dans les fruits. Les autres arbres fruitiers ; le pêcher, le pommier et le grenadier donneront des fruits plus tard dans l’été.

Mon jardin fait face à l’ouest et donc il y a du soleil. Il y fait chaud pendant l’après-midi. J’aimerais bien installer un store automatique pour créer plus d’ombre sur la terrasse. La terrasse est meublée de fauteuils de jardin en plus de trois tables. Nous aimons bien manger dehors quand le temps est doux. J’ai beaucoup de pots remplis de jolies fleurs. J’arrose les fleurs avec un grand arrosoir en étain. A mon avis, c’est une tâche agréable tard dans l’après-midi.

La lavande pousse bien au Nouveau Mexique, donc j’en ai planté. Les abeilles sont ravies grâce à elle. Le propriétaire précédent avait planté une douzaine de rosiers. Les rosiers se développent aussi très bien ici. J’adore profiter de ces rosiers et de tous les autres plantes et arbres de notre jardin. Merci beaucoup M. Propriétaire Précédent.

A suivre…

Memorial Day 2007

2007-05-28T16:26:00.000-07:00

One of the great ways to see the state of New Mexico is by motorcycle. This past Memorial Day weekend, my husband and I drove up to Angel Fire, New Mexico. Along our route, we passed group after group of people traveling together on motorcycles. Each group had at least 6 to 8 people clad in black leather riding along in total bliss.

In the old days, we used to think of motorcycle gangs as mean, nasty, scary thugs who dealt drugs, drank and knifed anyone who crossed them. But times have changed! Today most motorcycle riders are men and women, many of whom are retired couples, who love to tour the great outdoors with the wind in their hair.

Jury Duty

2007-05-25T08:48:00.000-07:00

Today I must report to the Bernalillo County Courthouse in downtown Albuquerque. I have been selected to serve as a potential juror in a murder trial. On May 11th, I met with 144 other citizens of our county and filled out a 15 page questionnaire. The questions were designed to give the lawyers for the Defense and Prosecution a good understand of an individual’s values and beliefs. Many of the questions were about opinions on minorities, drug use, selling drugs, and the death penalty.

Almost exactly 20 years ago, I served as a juror on another murder trial. It was one of the most chilling and disturbing things I have ever done. Hearing awful details on how this man executed 4 people as well as viewing the autopsy photos was not an easy thing. It was even harder to realize this man’s fate was our hands.

I consider myself a responsible citizen of the state as well as our country. It is a right to all citizens to have a trial and be judged by a jury of their peers. Although this isn’t an easy thing to do, I feel an obligation to this individual on trial. He deserves a fair trial. I believe in our court system. If chosen, I would do my very best as a juror.

But, I really hope they don’t pick me!

Mariachi

2007-05-10T04:58:00.000-07:00

This morning at 5:00 am, my husband and I were awakened to the sound of music. No, it wasn’t our alarm clock radio. It was a Mariachi band, complete with guitars, trumpets and violin. The six piece band was playing in the front yard of my neighbor’s house. This was a surprise for my neighbor’s birthday. It was a surprise for us too.

Mariachi is a type of musical group, originally from Mexico. Usually a mariachi consists of at least two violins, two trumpets, one Spanish guitar, one vihuela (a high-pitched, five-string guitar) and one guitarrón (a small-scaled acoustic bass). They dress in silver studded charro outfits with wide-brimmed hats. The original Mariachi were Mexican street musicians. Today you can hear them perform in Mexican restaurants, weddings, festivals and in my neighbor’s yard at 5 AM!

After 6 songs, they put their instruments away, jumped into a truck and headed off to their day jobs. To me Mariachi music always sounds happy. Maybe it’s because I don’t speak Spanish. But it was a very pleasant way to wake me up this morning.

Only in Albuquerque!

March Madness

2007-03-12T08:11:00.000-07:00

Joakim Noah, University of Florida Gators

It’s the time of year in the US when everyone grabs a playoff charts and fills in the brackets with the names of college basketball teams. What two teams will make it to the final round to be crowned the NCAA champions this year? It’s the only game in town during this month. Basketball. Everyone talks about it at work. It’s on the radio. It’s on the news. People wear their team’s colors and logos until their team is eliminated. Then they go back into the closet until next year.

Right now the University of Florida is the defending champion. They won last year. Ohio State University is currently ranked number 1 in the US with the best record and best team. Both of these teams are picked to do well in the playoffs. I am mentioning the University of Florida for two reasons. First, my step brother graduated from this school. My parents live in Florida and they always cheer for this team in every sport! Second, whenever you see a picture of a player from the University of Florida, it is usually of Joakim Noah. Why do I mention him? Because he’s FRENCH! That’s right! One of the big basketball stars in the USA is French. Noah is the son of Yannick Noah, France's most prominent tennis hero who in 1983, became the first Frenchman in 37 years to win the French Open. Since then he has become a popular singer in France. Together with his then wife Cécilia Rhode (Miss Sweden 1978), they had Joakim.

Who will win the contest this year? As of today, no one knows. But as March Madness continues of the next few weeks the outcome will be known. I will tell you how my teams do!

http://cbs.sportsline.com/collegebasketball/mayhem/brackets/viewable_men
Printable Playoff Brackets Link

A Hawk in the Garden

2007-03-08T09:29:00.000-07:00

This was the view from my kitchen window this morning. A Hawk had killed a Mourning Dove in our small garden on the side of the house. The Hawk was enjoying a hardy breakfast. But somewhere there is a sad widow or widower. Every morning and evening a couple of Mourning Doves would sit on the wall by our window and groom each other. Their ‘Coos’ to each other always reminded me of my childhood in Georgia, where singing birds of many varieties were plentiful. The birds here in Albuquerque aren’t as pretty. Unfortunately, there is one less cooing bird by my house. However, I am glad Madame Hawk is living nearby. Maybe she will keep those ugly little birds from eating our cherries, peaches and apples this spring and summer.

The Perfect Podcast (for me)

2007-03-01T14:22:00.000-07:00

After months of searching, I’ve found the perfect pod cast for me. “One Thing in a French Day” by Laetitia. http://onethinginafrenchday.com

It’s ideal for me because it’s usually only 3 minutes long. She publishes a pod cast three times a week with a transcript. And she speaks clearly and sa voix est adorable! ( her voice is adorable!)

The best thing about her pod cast is that she writes about small, everyday things in her life. For example: Buying stamps over the internet, replacing a light bulb in the kitchen, how to make a Galette (a type of crêpes from Bretagne), using ‘La Carte Vitale’ at the pharmacy and the barges (péniches) that go under a bridge near her home near Paris. Each pod cast is full of everyday vocabulary. Her cheerful voice and the short length of the recording make it easy to listen over and over as I memorize the cadence of her sentences and the pronunciation of her words.

My greatest weakness in learning French has been understanding conversational French. Although I have made some progress, it’s still my biggest frustration. My friend Serge listens devoutly to English language pod casts and feels that has helped him understand native speakers of English better. Taking this tip from him, I too, have begun listening to recordings of French voices daily. Thanks to Laetitia, it’s just become a sweeter part of my day. Merci Beaucoup.

The picture is of a Brasserie that just opened here in Alubquerque. La Provence is run by Marc a real French guy from Marseille.

ESL Program

2007-02-28T18:26:00.000-07:00

Today I attended an orientation for volunteer tutors for the English as a Second Language (ESL) program. In March I will receive 18 hours of training and then be matched with an adult student who wants to learn English. We will work together, one on one, face to face, for just over one year.

I am very excited to begin this program. First of all, I am very interested in how humans learn language. I’m fascinated by children of immigrants who learn perfect accent-less English so quickly, while their parents struggle with a heavy accent. I’m so jealous of those children! If I knew what I know now, I would have certainly raised bi-lingual children! Second, since I’ve spent the last 4 years of my life seriously studying French, I know how difficult, and sometimes discouraging it is when I feel like I am making very little progress. I will be very compassionate and understanding towards my student. I know it’s not easy learning a language as an adult. I will be his or her biggest fan, cheering each and every advancement, no matter how small! Last of all, I hope this training will make me a better conversation partner for my French friends and somehow help me become a better French as a Second Language student.

Thank You Global Warming

2007-02-27T19:15:00.000-07:00

With roughly one month left of winter, I’d like to publish these three pictures. December 29, 2006 it began to snow. Three days later Albuquerque had the most snow ever recorded. In our yard we had over 20 inches (50.8 cm.) Not one neighbor had a snow shovel for clearing the driveway. They had never needed one before! So coming from Utah, we had 3 nice ones. They cleared 7 driveways of snow several times over the New Year’s holiday. Schools were closed for a week because ABQ lacked snow plows to clear parking lots and side streets.

With the many inches of rain during the monsoons of July and August 2006 and now the plentiful snowfalls this winter, Albuquerque hopefully has come out of a period of drought.

Rollin'

2007-02-25T10:16:00.000-07:00

Here is a fine example of an American teenage prank. In the south we called it, “Rolling.” (From a Roll of Toilet Paper) In the west they call it, “TP-ing”, short for Toilet Papering. From this picture, I can tell this job was done by girls. How can I tell? Because it is neat and nice. It’s contained on one, low tree and carefully, if not beautifully finished. If boys had been involved, the toilet rolls would have been thrown over the house, draped from the tallest tree and be a permanent part of the landscape until mother nature dissolved the paper we couldn’t reach.

I know this because I was once a teenager. I’ve ‘rolled’ many a house. At least here in New Mexico, the trees in our area are not very tall.

Do I know which of my children’s ‘friends’ did this? Not yet. But I will.

24

2007-02-16T13:43:00.000-07:00

Every Monday night I hurry home from French class in time to see the only TV show I watch, 24. When I get there, my family is already assembled on the couch, looking tense and ready for an hour’s worth of heart pumping suspense. We are completely addicted to the adrenalin rush and coronary cliff hangers.

I heard Kiefer Sutherland on the Tonight Show tell Jay Leno that people who watch 24 have come up with a drinking game to play during the broadcast. Because it is on network TV, Jack Bauer can only say, ‘Dammit’ on air. All the other American swear words are prohibited. So Jack Bauer says, ‘Dammit’ quite a lot of the show. Imagine saving the US from nuclear disaster and only being able to say, ‘Dammit.’ So now that Kiefer knows there are people at home with shot glasses of tequila, or beer or whatever their personal preference is, poured, poised and ready to sling back when Jack cusses, he’s started making sure they are quite drunk before the hour is finished. He said sometimes he’ll say, “Dammit, dammit, DAMMIT!” three times in a row, knowing full well people are throwing back shots of hard liquor while Jack is defusing a bomb or shooting a terrorist in the knee.

I love this show. I know it’s fiction. I know all the technology that he has like tracking satellites that can tell how many warm bodies are in a room in some house in California, with a complete schematic of the house, including whom it’s rented to and to what channel the tv is set, is totally non existent in real life. I am aware it’s unbelievable that his cell phone never runs out of battery and has perfect coverage anywhere he is. I know it's ridiculous his 'magic man bag,' is always loaded with the perfect tool for him to solve his current problem. As I said, I realize this is just a fictional story. But I want to believe.

I pray that there is a real Jack Bauer. I hope out there somewhere, there's a man like Jack who would do anything it took to save our country from ruin. I want believe in him.

Billy the Kid

2007-02-10T20:42:00.000-07:00

Friday night I was chatting with French people on lycos.fr. Someone with the pseudo, ‘Billythekid’ came into the chat room. I noticed him because this was English in a room full of French names. He greeted me formally and politely. Eventually, I asked him why he chose the name of an American Outlaw for a pseudo. He told me he liked this kind of history and Billy was a legend. I asked if he would like a picture of ‘le tombeau de Billy the Kid.’ I told him I had visited the cemetery in Fort Sumner, New Mexico where he is buried. He was very surprised.

The french Billy the Kid.

Super Bowl Sunday

2006-02-06T18:07:00.000-07:00

While most of the country is hunkered down on the couch in front of their big screen TVs, with beer, chili, chips, pizza and every other traditional Super Bowl fare, we are making our way down Burro Alley in Santa Fe, New Mexico. Santa Fe is the capitol of New Mexico. I love this city. Its full of art, artists, museums, boutiques, history, architecture, sculptures and restaurants. I am concerned with the latter. Burro Alley is where I found a French restaurant and bakery called, “Café Paris.” We found it last August. The alley is closed to traffic, so in the summer they have tables and umbrellas set up for outdoor dining. I can see the outdoor tables are no longer there. But there is a sign that says they are open!

This is the only French restaurant I’ve been where everyone spoke French. (Except of course, in France) We are hastily shown to a table by the window. There is one other couple in the restaurant. They are Germans living and working in Albuquerque. The waiter hurries again to hand us some menus and then hurries to the next room to help position a TV in that dining room. Seven French speakers are opening their wallets and putting money in a pool… they are betting on the SUPER BOWL! Sitting at a long table with glasses of Perrier or Red Wine they have clearly chosen sides. The men want the Steelers and French Polynesian wife of the owner of the restaurant is choosing the Seahawks just to make it interesting. Every time one of them leaves the room she calls to the back, “Touch Down Seattle!” This works one or two times and they come scurrying out to see the score. After that, they are wise to her tricks. She is laughing and joking with everyone. She looks over at us and suggests we join them. She is a traditionally built Polynesian woman. Her long black hair is pulled back in to a thick pony tail. She has a silk flower behind her ear. Her husband is in serious French conversation with two other men at the table. She comes up behind, puts her arms around him and kisses him loudly on the cheek. He continues talking, not missing a single beat in his discourse.

My favorite sins are French Pastries. The Café Paris has a dessert case full of irresistible temptations. I choose a 'Tarte Tatin'(apple tart) and my husband can’t decide between the a Tarte Citron(lemon tart) or la Fôret Noire(Black Forest). Finally, the Black Forest wins. Unfortunately, the Steelers are winning too. Our island girl is not so happy because she is losing her bet.

My idea was to get out of the house, away from all the Super Bowl hype. I thought I would be safe at a French Restaurant. I was wrong. But at least I got to watch un match de football américain avec les français.

Volcanoes

2006-02-04T13:03:00.000-07:00

From the upstairs bedrooms of our house, looking to the west, there are seven extinct volcanoes. Someone told us they are called the Seven Sisters. More accurately, these are ancient lava spouts. Long ago before man, molten lava oozed from the earth’s hot core in this area and many others around Albuquerque.

I had been very curious about these bumps on the western landscape. One afternoon we decided to check them out.

I can assure you (and take great comfort myself in knowing) that these spouts have not seen any volcanic activity in recent centuries. They are quite asleep, if not just plain dead. RIP, please!

The Grass Is Always Greener...

2006-01-30T15:25:00.000-07:00

“Just inland from Narbonne, where the train stops for half an hour, is a village where you can buy Bob Blooming saddles and saddle soap and bridles from a man who, in his head, lives in the American Far West. He teaches cowboy-style riding: how to bring your horse to an instant standstill from a flat-out gallop. There is no practical application for this skill, unless you have it in mind to go for gallops on the British Airways runway at Perpignan airport, or impress girls at the beach.” -----Helen Stevenson, Instructions for Visitors: Life and Love in a French Town.

Somewhere in south of France, there is a man who would gladly trade places with me. He spends his time longing for the American West, grooming horses and living like the Ringo Kid. I spend my days scented with lavender, learning French and painting my western kitchen the colors of Provence. The grass is always greener on the other side of the fence.

Ms. Stevenson obviously has never attended a rodeo. The skill of bringing a horse to an instant standstill is just one of the many skills in horse riding and cattle roping competition. I’m sure my reverse twin in Narbonne could have told her that.

John Wayne plays a character named, "The Ringo Kid" in his first talking western.

Ex-pats

2006-01-17T17:52:00.000-07:00

Today I got an email from Amazon Books. They like to suggest books and CDs based on purchases I have made before. I always like to look through these lists. I’ve noticed a pattern in the genre of books they suggest. There seems to be a good deal of fictional or non fictional accounts of Americans (and sometimes the British) buying houses in France. The story is always the fulfillment of a life long dream of living in a charming French village filled with quirky and interesting characters. I have read several of these kinds of books. But now there seems to be a flood of these kinds of novels. There were 15 on my list today. I think France is being invaded by American ex-patriates, buying up real estate and then writing about it.

I wonder if there are any French ex-pats living here in the states and writing about it? And would those books sell in France?

I know there are French people here in New Mexico. Just this weekend, I met a French woman who told me she had ‘escaped’ from Paris when she was 18 and had lived all over the world. She was selling her photographs at a Winter Farmer's Market here in Albuquerque. I didn't ask her if she was happy that she had landed in the western desert. From her photos, she had found many interesting things here to photograph. Three of her pictures are featured in a New Mexico 2006 calendar. I wonder if she's bought a house? I wonder what she'd tell French people about her life here.

Petroglyphs

2006-01-04T21:32:00.000-07:00

Our neighborhood is next door to Petroglyph National Park. A petroglyph is a figure carved, pecked, chipped or abraded into stone. In this case all the Petroglyphs are carved into volcanic boulders. I’ve always been fascinated with this ‘rock art’ carved by some ancient peoples thousands of years ago. I’ve sought out rock art sites in several states to take pictures and just to stand there and wonder about what some prehistoric man was trying to say. Or was it just some ancient adolescent graffiti?

My daughter goes to Petroglyph Elementary School. When we first enrolled her I thought it was really lame that their school mascot was a Macaw. What did a tropical bird have to do with Petroglyphs or the south western desert of New Mexico? Silly me. I found out on my first hike through the boulders in the national park. There wasn’t just one obvious parrot on a rock… but there were many. The ancient ancestors of the Native Americans valued the feathers of the macaw. There is evidence they traveled and traded with the Indians in the jungles of Mexico and South America.

Also I found the famous Kopepelli. He’s the happy and often well endowed little flute player you can find reproduced on any South Western Décor. Well, on home décor they leave off the part that shows he’s happy to see ya.

Kopepelli...he's happy to see you.

An ancient drawing of a macaw

Albert and Me

2005-12-28T18:01:00.000-07:00

This was fun to do. Gave me a good excuse to figure out how to put pictures on my blog. I'm just about ready to tackle this Blog project. I've taken a few pictures and come up with a few observations. Today for example,I climbed two extinct volcanos. Then I ate at this great New Mexican restaurant located in an old hacienda in Albuquerque. They have the best bottled salsa ever, in my humble opinion. Both of these adventures will be featured in up coming tales. I just can't wait until everyone goes back to school and work!

Overheard...

2005-12-24T18:47:00.000-07:00

This little exchange was overheard at a shop in Old Town Albuquerque between a 4 year old girl and her mother. The mother was purchasing some items and said to the little girl, “We need to hurry and go home. Tonight your grandmother is coming to spend Christmas with us.” The little girl squealed with delight, clapped her hands together and jumped up and down, celebrating the news. Then suddenly she stopped jumping and a look of concern came over her face.
“Momma, which Grandmother is coming for Christmas? The one with the pretty hair or the one with the ugly shoes?”

Living With Muncie

2005-12-19T15:08:00.000-07:00

I get asked all the time about my name, Muncie. Usually when I introduce myself I say, "Muncie, Mun see, like Muncie, Indiana." This doesn't help people remember my name, but they recall it is unusual or that I have something to do with Indiana.

My parents gave me this name because of my last name, Smith. My dad lived with Tom Smith all his life. My mom's name was Ann. Tom and Ann Smith. Whenever they checked in a hotel, the clerk always smirked as he handed the keys to “Mr. and Mrs. Smith.” They decided to give their little girl an uncommon first name so she would stand out from common Smith kids.

I didn't know Muncie was a peculiar name until I went to school. Kids generally didn’t have a problem with my name. It was the substitute teachers who gave me grief. Mrs. Bargeron was the worst. She would call the roll, get to my name and butcher it. She would say my name as though it rhymed with Eunice. “MUNICE SMITH? Is he here?” she would ask. The whole class would peal into laughter. I was a humiliated seven year old. I would ask my parents why they didn’t give me a normal name. You know, like Rebecca.

On vacation I could never find my name among the license plates for bikes or key chains. There were never any Muncie head bands or pencils among the Marys, Barbaras and Cindys. Once in Williamsburg, I had my name put on a horse shoe at the black smith's shop. The poor guy used three horse shoes trying to spell my name right. I finally had my name on something. I heard there was a Coca Cola bottling plant in Muncie, Indiana. I spent a whole summer checking those little Coke bottles until I found one with Muncie on it. It was somehow satisfing to have a bottle with my name on the bottom. It made up for all those key chains I never found.

By high school I started to see how an odd first name could work to my advantage. When someone yelled Debbie down the hall, several girls would turn their heads. When someone yelled Muncie, I knew it was me they wanted. People heard about me. I recently spoke to an high school acquaintance. He didn't remember what I looked like, but he recognized my name as someone he went to high school with. Too bad he never knew I carried a torch for him nearly four years--but that's another story.

About this time I would get unsolicited mail from the military declaring a need for men like Mr. Muncie Smith. I would toss it in the trash, feel insulted they thought I was a male and think “Yeah, I bet they'd like to have a ‘man’ like me in the barracks!”

I went to college out west. I wondered why those Idaho farm boys would call me Sister Shifter or ask if I had 4 or 5 speeds. I remained puzzled until one of them told me there was a transmission named Muncie. Great, I'm a car part.

Occasionally someone looked my name up in the encyclopedia and wondered if I knew what it meant. Of course I did. So I'd stand there straight faced as they told me, in-between giggles, that Muncie was a tribe of Indians that hunted turkeys. It meant turkey hunter.

As an adult, I still get all sorts of pronunciations. “Mu niss” is the most common, but I've also had a few “Mun keys.” It doesn't bother me. I just correct them. They usually are very apologetic. I can tell instantly if a caller is a friend or a sales person just by the pronunciation.

Actually, I have thanked my parents for giving me this curious first name. It has been worth the minor inconveniences. It is a great conversation starter. I consider myself up there with those other ladies who need no last name: Cher, Oprah and Mother Teresa. However, I have yet to convince anyone to name their child Muncie. My daughter tells me that she will name her little girl after me. By the way, I named her Rebecca.

Update: My daughter was just watching a Mickey Mouse cartoon. Mickey was dog sitting. The dog's name: Muncie.

I Coulda Been Somebody...

2005-12-18T19:37:00.000-07:00

...so why not write like I am already somebody?

I'm living in a new place. New to me that is. Next year Albuquerque New Mexico will celebrate it's 300th birthday. It's gonna be a big party. Looks like I will be around to party with them all.

So, I'm charging up my digital camera and I'm gonna explore, the city, the state, myself and share my observations with this blog.

In the words of the Reverend Jackson, "I am somebody."