Patches O'Houlighan & CSA Week 16

So Mark came rushing into the house Friday after work with his eye in a great deal of pain. We hurried off to the Urgent Care place in Oakley and found out he scratched his cornea. The doctor put an eye patch on him and gave him a prescription for ointment. So we went home and Mark fell right to sleep at 6pm and slept through the night. Poor guy...pain really wears a person out!

We were supposed to go camping this weekend but felt that it might be too dirty to keep his eye clean, so we stayed home. We did run some errands on Saturday...shopping at Ikea and the new outlet mall on I-75. And by Sunday he was all healed up and we ditched the eye patch to go canoeing. So he is all better :) Yeah!!




We also picked up our CSA food for the week. More good stuff: Corn, lots of tomatoes, parsley, potatoes, yellow squash, zucchini, various peppers, wacky beans, shallots, garlic, basil & Flowers.


Kris

Green Dog Cafe

Mark and I had big plans last night...take the motorcycle to dinner and then over to Ault Park to Mina's Fundraising Beer Tasting event. Well...on the way there it started raining...so we pulled off on Stanley Ave to see if it would stop raining. We ran into Michael Mav just hanging outside (what a big small town we live in!) so we chatted with him and then wandered over to Green Dog Cafe.

I had read about this place on Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/pages/Cincinnati-OH/The-Green-Dog-Cafe/91727650953?ref=mf), but hadn't been there yet. WELL...let me tell you...AWESOME food. I had the Chiuaua Bowl - beans, rice, salsa, monchego cheese and fresh from the cob corn. It was so light and fresh...totally yummy. They do all local, in season, fair trade foods and the vibe of the place is really cool. It is very similar to where our friend, Dan, takes us for breakfast up in Columbus - Northstar Cafe. I am not sure if they do breakfast, but if they do...LOOK OUT! I am sure it will be super yummy.

Mark wasn't feeling well...so he didn't have anything except a soda. So we decided to just head home. Poor Marky B :(

This weekend we are taking the poochies camping...Zep's first time...Yikes! But it looks like it is going to be cool and mostly rain free. Exciting! I will be sure to post photos.

Kris

Next Step: The Family Truckster

Mark and I bought the family car camping tent: The Kelty Green River 4...it arrives via UPS today. Technically it is only a 4 person tent, but it is 9'x9' and also a 5'11" height...so basically I could park my car in it.

I guess this is a step in the "Family Planning" direction. We already have 2 dogs...so our tiny 2 person backpacking tent was not going to cut it. But now with this huge tent, we can put the poochies outside in the screen room...and maybe 2 kids in the inside with us?? EVENTUALLY, mom...don't start freaking out yet :)

But I am excited to try out the tent and see how Zep is at camping...maybe we can go this weekend...Mark doesn't have any gigs for a change.

UPDATE:

We set this up in the backyard last night...and it isn't as big as we thought. It is definately big...but not "park the car in it" big. I love that you can stand up completely...that is a new thing for me...not crouching over to crawl in. The rain fly is a little challenging though and take a little bit to set up & tear down. Other than that...looking forward for the test run this weekend.

Kris

CSA Week 15 & a Dog up for Adoption

We got a LOT of Tomatoes (big & small) this week...tis the season :) We also got a Butternut Squash, some more wacky Beans, various Hot Peppers, a big Shallot, garlic, Corn, Basil, & Flowers.







Zep escaped on Saturday for the 5th time. Some Jehovah's Witnesses opened the door to hand me a booklet (that I didn't want) and WHAMMO...Zep took off in a cloud of dust. I ran out after him in my pink shortie pajamas and barefeet. LUCKILY there was a guy on Windward Ave standing on the sidewalk eating an Egg McMuffin and Zep went right to him. The guy grabbed his collar and I was able to catch up to drag him home.

Future options:

- Always keep an Egg McMuffin on hand to lure him back
- Dig a moat around the house filled with Zep eating alligators
- Invisible Fence & Shock Collar system
- Let Zep run away and let someone else catch him and return him to us
- Give dog away to gypsies or Dan

Any other suggestions? Or if you would like to adopt a dog...lemme know.

Kris

CSA Week 14 & GOOD FOOD

So the party is over...the balloons have all deflated...the cake is dried up and nasty in our fridge (but we are still eating it) so it is time to get back to regular life. A life that is pretty great, if I do say so myself...it is good to be all married off and feel the security and overwhelming love that comes with that. And it is also good to start thinking about the Honeymoon to Greece coming up soon...but more on that later.

Now back to CSA Food - Week 14...almost missed this week too because we were over at the hotel and then entertaining guests at our house during CSA Pick up hours...luckily we remembered at the last minute and Mark ran over to snag these great veggies:



We got: Potatoes, Big Tomatoes, Cherry Tomatoes, Peppers, Garlic, Corn, Shallots, Crazy looking speckled beans (red & white but look like green beans) Okra, some type of Squash and flowers.

We also got a BUNCH of Zucchini from our friends Larry & Jodi..........so Wednesday night was ZUCCHINI NIGHT!! I made mom's famous Zucchini Casserole, but I peeled too many zucchini.......so I also made....Zucchini Cakes (photos below)




Here is a photo of my zucchini cake with a little remoulade sauce...pretty yummy!!!

Only one more zucchini to go!!

Kris

PHOTOS!!! Mark & Kris's Party 8/15/2009

The Big Party!!!

Mark and I are very excited to get this party started! It seems like we have been waiting for this weekend to arrive forever! Guests will start trickling in to Cincinnati tomorrow...family and friends that we haven't seen in a long time. I guess that I am more excited about seeing everyone...although I am excited to be celebrating my marriage to the greatest guy in the world also...of course.

I am a little anxious to see how it all comes off. I am worried that I didn't order enough beer or enough appetizers. I am anxious that the decorating committee (Joe & Margaret) are going to work too hard. I am anxious to see how this "Open Mic Night" thing plays out...okay very anxious. But otherwise, I am just going to show up and have a good time...just like I hope everyone else will just show up and have a nice relaxing evening. No need for formalities or wacky traditions that mean nothing to Mark & me. What means the most to us is that everyone is there for us...how cool is that! I guess people like us afterall...I was always worried that I would get married and no one would show up. Not worried about that after marrying Mark...he is the most popular guy on the football team...jinkies!

So to all of you coming to the shin-dig, "See ya Saturday!" And to those of you would couldn't make it, "Screw you!" (just kidding!) Should be a good time awaiting us all.

Kris

Zeppuchini Mushroom!! And CSA Week 13

First a picture of our new ridiculous doggie!! Zep sits up on the bench and looks out the window with his chin on the window sill...SO CUTE!!!

Now on to veggies of the week: Corn, Tomatoes, Cherry Tomatoes, Roma Tomatoes, Zucchini, Yellow Squash, Onions, Green Pepper, Garlic, Basil and flowers.

Yummy!

Kris

Car Troubles...

So ya...I went home for lunch yesterday and all was well. I went back out to my car after lunch and it would not start. The dashboard lights came on randomly and blinked and clicked. But no engine at all.

I called Mark and when he came home he tried to jump the car...but no dice. So he took out the battery, took it to AutoZone to get it tested and they determined that it was dead. Mark bought a new one and installed it - SUCCESS!!! It started right up and has started just fine ever since.

HE IS SUCH A STUD...I am so glad I married him...for this reason alone. I would have just called AAA and paid through the nose to get it fixed...but he did it all my himself. Very impressed!

So I am back in business with only a little loss of time and a new battery. YEAH!!

Kris

CSA Week 12 and Meal Updates

Last CSA I commented on our meal of hamburgers and Green & Yellow Beans with Ham...Here is a photo...makes me hungry just looking at it! Those beans were so fresh!!

So here is the photo from Week 12 (of 22) - 8/2/2009:

We got: Heirloom Tomatoes & Cherry Tomatoes, Yellow & Zucchini Squash, Cucumber, 2 Green Peppers, 2 BIG Potatoes, Garlic, & Onion along with our bouquet of Flowers. We are getting so many things that we used to buy every week at the grocery store so now it seems more "useful" and a little less "exciting" but still AWESOME!

Here was the meal we made last night - SHISH KEBAB. Gotta love a meal that is both a main dish and a side dish in one :) I marinated the meat & veggies in an Asian marinade that I have used before on Skirt Steak. Turned out great! See for yourself!

Still 10 more weeks of awesome food to come!!

Kris