>The little switches that matter

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Little things really do matter. Things? Well, little actions and little pieces of life and little changes – slight switches in routine – make life feel good. Getting out of a rut. A quick hug. Finding a way to insert a thoughtful, supportive statement. I moved our supper time slightly later so Chuck and I can eat together more often. It’s a small change, a little switch in timing, and it makes a big difference in our spending time together.
Sometimes a little switch means sitting down for a restaurant treat. We eat healthy most of the time (we try, really, we do!), so a fresh batch of onion rings and fries still hot to the touch made this lunch out feel extra special. The server added a little touch, too; yes, that’s ketchup smiling at us. We couldn’t help it; we smiled back.

Chuck likes, no, LOVES ice cream, and while I enjoy it, I’m more likely to crave a piece of dark chocolate. But lately he’s been serving up a parfait that even I can’t resist: one scoop of vanilla topped with strawberries and whipped cream. The special touches: fresh grated nutmeg on top, and a dash of creme de cocoa. Mm. On my side, I’ve pulled out the ice cream maker, wiped off the dust, and tried out several simple recipes. Ice cream made from scratch or with a surprising special taste – both are little touches that matter.
Both of us enjoy looking for small pleasures in life. We’ve had some financial reversals lately, so simple pleasures are even more important. I enjoy looking at rocks, analyzing the fossils, and closely examining all things natural. It’s the science teacher geek in me; I can’t help it. But sometimes I find a strategically placed human-made surprise like this one. I think it fits the theme.
Chuck loves to swim and I don’t, so we made time for him to enjoy the pool in his way while I enjoyed it in my own manner. Between the plant life and the rocks surrounding the water, I also found this little message. I had to balance precariously on the edge of the pool to get both pictures. No, I didn’t fall in. And after I spent time exploring, I went back to one of my favorite relaxing hobbies: reading.
If you’re thinking, “Nah, I just don’t have time for this. My routines are perfect the way they are. I don’t have to start looking at rocks, making changes, adding new ingredients to ice cream and finding the writing on the walls.”
To that, I give you this statement:

If not now, then when?
I wrote this blog post while participating in the SocialMoms and Cottonelle blogging program, entering this post for a gift card worth $25. For more information on how you can participate, click here.

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>Election Reaction

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>As soon as the polls closed, we had to turn off closed captioning so we could read the crawl showing vote totals. Hey, TV people, can you do something about that on an important night like election night? Hearing impaired adults vote, too.

Meanwhile, I had Twitter open and kept texting La Petite in the Madison area. She and Amigo voted absentee, knowing they’d be gone today. I’m proud that both of my children deemed voting important enough to request absentee ballots.
One ward in town ran out of ballots – not my neighborhood, but one much like it. Historic neighborhood, near downtown, politically active residents. Do these traits go together? In progressive Wisconsin, they do. My neighborhood polling place was busy this morning, and I’m sure it continued that way all day.
I’m an activist. If there’s a wrong, I try to right it. I’m also a peacemaker. I hate conflict, and our current administration seems to thrive on creating conflict. A balanced Supreme Court at the state level could help resolve some of the conflict. Here we are, late Wednesday morning, with the latest count showing a 300 vote gap between Supreme Court candidates and three districts yet to report – Lake Mills, WI and two Milwaukee precincts.
The country’s leaders are watching Wisconsin. No matter what the results, look at the closeness of the races and the voter turnout. United in our discontent, we went to the polls to ensure that our government at the state level remains of the people, by the people, and for the people.

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>Election Day and Homemade Bread

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>Today is a major election in my neighborhood and state. Yes, I know, it’s April. It’s not a presidential year, either. In fact, it’s not even a Senate or Congressional election. Trust me, folks, in Wisconsin this is big.

Meanwhile, I’m hyper. I need to do something to fill my time in between filling out my ballot this morning and watching the results tonight.
Meanwhile, I’m still fatigued. Exhausted doesn’t even cover it. Hyper? I don’t have enough energy to really get anything done.
Solution: I’ll make bread in the bread machine. I’ve posted this in the past, and it’s worth repeating. I recommend local honey if you can find it. I bought mine last fall at the Farmers’ Market.
Honey-Wheat Bread with Oats for the Bread Machine
Add the ingredients as they are printed into the bread machine pan.

1 cup old-fashioned oats
1-1/2 cups water (add more if dough is too dry in 1 tbs increments)
3 Tablespoons canola oil
1/3 cup honey
2 teaspoons salt
1 1/2 cups white bread flour
1 1/2 cup whole wheat flour

1 Tablespoon whole wheat gluten – optional, but it’ll rise better.
2-1/2 teaspoons active dry yeast

Place all the ingredients in the pan, using the least amount of liquid and adding more if needed, as seen below. Set for 1 1/2 lb. loaf. Select Medium or Light Crust, Wheat course, and press start. Tip: Stay home and enjoy inhaling the lovely aroma of baking bread.

Observe the dough as it kneads. After 5 to 1- minutes, if it appears dry or stiff, or if the machine sounds like it’s straining to knead it, add more liquid 1 Tablespoon at a time until dough forms a smooth, soft, pliable ball that is slightly tacky to the touch. Tip: put a little hot water in the honey-coated measuring cup and use this for the additional water, as needed.

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>Monday, Monday – a Historic Monday

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>Tomorrow is election day.

Today is activist day. Notice I did not put the words activist day in capital letters; nothing formal or official comes with the title. Looking around my simple and limited life, however, I noticed there’s a lot going on.
I had two emails from our local OFA (Organizing for America) group – one with a calendar of events, one with information on how to help with recall efforts. There are a lot of angry voters in Wisconsin – on both red and blue sides.
I checked my school email. Yesterday was a Grade-In at the mall (I missed it – maybe I can make the next one). Today is a huge rally in honor of Martin Luther King, Jr., and his tireless support for workers’ rights. Here’s a little information from an organizer.

On April 4, 1968, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., was assassinated in Memphis as he labored to bring economic justice and respect for 1,300 city sanitation workers.

On Monday — the anniversary of Dr. King’s death – the National Education Association and other labor unions, civil rights organizations, and religious leaders will stand together across this country for the same human rights and human dignity for working men and women.

On Monday, we will remind our elected officials that workers’ rights are human rights. These groups will host a range of community and workplace-focused actions across the country starting this weekend.

On Monday, remembering the courage and determination of Dr. King and those Memphis sanitation workers who endured assault and arrest as they walked a picket line for two months, we will stand together with public workers across this country whose bargaining rights are under attack, with private workers who can’t get bargaining rights, and against those politicians and their allies who want to silence our political voice.

On Monday, we will fight back against those who are trying to silence the voices of workers and the middle class in Wisconsin, Ohio, Idaho, Florida, Tennessee and countless other states. How will you stand up for workers on April 4?


Well, I’m blogging. And I’m Tweeting, and Plurking, and I might even post a notice on Facebook. I’ll continue to post worker history, both national and local, and I’ll get ready to vote. It’s an Activist Day – official or not, I think it’s earned its capitals.

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>Ducks in a row, ducks in a row!

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I just finished the workload for my graduate class. Did you hear the cheers? The class meant a lot of work, and it took a lot of energy that I didn’t have (darn clinical depression and anemia), but the total time and energy (and monetary) investment was worth it. I learned many fabulous new teaching tools, and I am now certified to teach online. That’s the biggest part: I have another option in my future. Just knowing that I might not have to endure another year as damaging as this one – well, knowledge is power.
I know which coffee mug will be my favorite now.
I changed the art on the wall, too.

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>Keeping the family happy

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Happy and frugal – these two don’t always go together. We’re pinching pennies these days. Luckily, we’ve discovered thrift shopping.

Amigo and La Petite and I were visiting relatives recently, and decided to check out the thrifting opportunities in their town. Amigo needed a polo shirt or two for his forensics meets, so that was our main goal. Amigo, of course, had his own idea: a bean bag chair.
First stop, their local Goodwill store. La Petite guided Amigo to the furniture department while I poked through the shirts in Amigo’s size. My teen, search through his own shirts? Oh, no, he had priorities. But I found two in blue patterns that worked for him, and we checked out. The next store on our list had a note on it. Sister-in-law had noted that this place had lots of clothes. I put La Petite and her smartphone in charge of navigating through town. Our journey ended in a strip mall with the thrift store and a Sears Outlet on the other end. Amigo teased me about trying on a pair of shoes on the way to the men’s shirt racks – heck, I didn’t know he’d be there before I was because they had no furniture, much less bean bag chairs in stock! I picked out two more – orange this time to go with his school colors, orange and black.
The Sears location was mainly an appliance outlet, and they didn’t have coffee grinders. Yes, dear readers, my coffee grinder bit the dust last week, and I was sad. Very sad. I did find a vacuum-sealer for preserving my garden produce next summer. It’s out of season, and that’s fine with me! I can store it until it’s time to pick and freeze the vegetables.
Keeping me happy: 4 polo shirts at an average of $1.50 each and an inexpensive tool for preserving the garden yield.
Keeping La Petite happy: chief navigator status. She’s good at this, with or without GPS. Need directions? Ask her.
Keeping Amigo happy: listening to store announcements in Spanish followed by English, testing his memory from high school Spanish classes. He has excellent hearing and a knack for languages and accents.
Keeping all three of us happy: time bonding together.
And the happiest fun? Playing with their baby cousin and the cats when we got to our home away from home. Yes, it was priceless.
I wrote this post (after returning from our visit and thrifting trip) while participating in Social Moms blogging program, this time in cooperation with Farm Rich. It is not a paid post, but I could qualify for a Target gift card worth $25. To find out how you can participate, click here.

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>What next? What’s next? Good day- Bad day

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>It’s in the same family as the glass half full vs. the glass half empty. If I have a Bad Day, it’s often the kind of day with one piece of bad news after another falling my way and my coping skills failing. That’s the kind of day I ask, “Oh, no. What next?!” It’s the kind of feeling that has me wanting to curl up in a fetal position under a blanket and hide.

If I’m feeling decent, feeling like I can face at least a small part of the world, I’m more likely to ask, “Okay, I handled that. Now what’s next?”
Wisconsin workers are asking both questions. New Jersey teachers are joining the fray by asking their own governor to respect their workloads. Instead of a sit-in or protest rally, they brought their work out in public. They carried their schoolbags to the local mall and graded papers and wrote lesson plans, creating a new way to publicize teaching: the Grade-In. By creating a useful and productive way to show their work, they asked, “What’s next?”
Publicizing the importance of a job is one way to remind lawmakers that the work matters. I prepared a letter to the editor of our local paper reminding readers (and I hope, my lawmakers) that the union-busting could cost us federal grant money that would eliminate our local bus service. Did anyone in the State Senate or State Assembly realize this? Were they and the governor simply ignorant of the connection, or were they truly uncaring? My representative in the Assembly introduced an amendment that would have exempted transit systems from the law, allowing bus service to continue. In the partisan way, the Republican majority voted down every single amendment to the bill, including this one.
Amigo doesn’t drive. To get to work or to enroll in higher education, he will need the Transit System in our area. He is not alone; many people without cars or without the ability to drive need the buses to get them everywhere they need to go. Amigo’s reason? He’s blind.
I can’t be in Madison to protest because of my health. I can, however, write letters to my lawmakers and to the newspapers. One newspaper already contacted me for more information; now what’s next?! Get on board the bus and save public transit!

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>Southwestern Beef

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>I haven’t tasted this yet; it’s simmering in the slow cooker right now, even while you read this. Normally I test recipes before I post them, but the meat was still a solid block from the freezer yesterday.

Ingredients:
2-3 lb. beef roast
1/4 cup onion, sliced
1/2 cup beef broth or stock
3/4 cup salsa (spicy to your taste!)
olive oil for browning meat
Brown meat on all sides in olive oil. Place in slow cooker on top of onion, with broth and salsa.
Start by cooking on high for 1-2 hours.
Turn to low and simmer for 4-6 hours or until tender.
Slice across the grain or pull apart.
Serve on rice or as filling for fajitas or burritos.
Just imagine the aroma in my house!! Shhhh: I’ll clean that litter box as soon as I get the coffee started.

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>Gardeners’ Sustainable Living Project

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>Over the ground lies a mantle of white… so how can I be thinking green? A week ago I could see brown – yes, the ground was showing! Then we were hit by a late-arriving record-breaking snowstorm, and my gardening goals had to wait. Again.

Each year, every spring, I expand on my eco-consciousness by choosing at least one more goal toward a more sustainable garden. Last year my goal was learning to can. I made jams, stewed tomatoes, and salsa. I blanched and froze green beans, sugar snap peas, and corn sliced off the cob. In fact, we just finished the last bag of green beans last week. I had just enough organic strawberries to make ice cream last week, and the blueberries in yesterday’s muffins were organic, too. There isn’t much left in the freezer; thank goodness spring and garden season is on the way!
My main goal this year is to plant primarily heirloom varieties of tomatoes and peppers. If possible, I’ll do the same with green beans and squash. These seeds and seedlings may be more expensive than my usual stock, but the quality and perhaps even the quantity will be well worth it. Last year only half the new garden plot was planted; this year, I’m filling it completely.
Sustainable Gardening goal number 1: Plant heirloom varieties.
Sustainable Gardening goal number 2: Fill the space, square foot style
Sustainable Gardening goal number 3: Enjoy. Enjoy the planning, the planting, the process, and eventually, preserving the results (family says “More salsa this year, mom!).
Are you interested in becoming more sustainable? Join the Gardener’s Sustainable Living Project! There’s snow on the ground, but I joined in anyway.

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>Will Walker Get on Board?

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>I sent Chuck a link to this editorial reminding Wisconsin’s governor of deadlines to secure funding for Amtrak’s Hiawatha line that runs from Milwaukee to Chicago. This is NOT high-speed rail, the money Walker returned to the federal grant. This is the commuter line with ridership has doubled in the past eight years. It makes sense to apply, and apply ON TIME, for the money.

But when has Scott Walker made sense?
Here are Chuck’s top five reasons that Walker will not bother to apply for the transportation grant to improve the Hiawatha line.
5. Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett is a Democrat. Walker hates Democrats.
4. Tom Barrett is not just a Democrat – he was The Democrat Who Ran for Governor Against Walker. The petty governor will hold that against him forever.
3. Walker’s dislike of rail goes back before his refusal of high-speed rail development. In 2007, he used his position as Milwaukee County Executive to kill a light rail plan that would have complimented the city’s bus network.
2. Did I mention that Walker gave away the funding for high-speed rail that would have gone through Wisconsin, connecting Chicago, Milwaukee, and Minneapolis? Therefore, he has no reason to support upgrades for the link from Milwaukee to Chicago.
And now, the Number One Reason that Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker will not apply to help fund the Hiawatha line:
1. Walker would never do anything that makes it easier for Democrats to get to Illinois.

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