"The trouble with socialism is that eventually you run out of other people's money" - Margaret Thatcher

Happy Mothers Day

Before my mother passed away in 2001, my nephew Bob and his family visited his Grandmother and Jeannette & I. While they were here, Bob bought and planted this rose bush in memory of his Grandmother. Whenever I'm gardening, I think of her and Bob. Thank you Bob.

A Great and Easy Chicken Dish

This is not my recipe but from the Food Channel's "Down Home with the Neelys" program. Not only is this a great tasting dish but it is easy to make because the preperation flows so well.

Get Yo Man Chicken

recipe courtesy of the Neely's

Ingredients
2 tablespoons olive oil
6 chicken thighs, skinless
1 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoons pepper
1 medium onion, sliced
1 cup chicken stock
1/2 cup white wine
1 (14.5-ounce) can crushed tomatoes in thick puree
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 tablespoon dried rosemary
1 tablespoon lemon-pepper
Hot buttered rice
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves


Directions
Heat the oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat.

Pat chicken dry with a paper towel and season with salt and pepper. Brown the chicken, meat-side down first, and turning once, about 4 minutes on each side. Transfer to a plate to reserve.

Pour off all but 1 tablespoon of oil from the pan.

Add onion to the pan and saute until tender, roughly 3 minutes. Add the stock and wine and stir, scrapping any brown bits off the bottom of the pan. Turn heat to high and reduce by half, about 3 minutes. Pour in the crushed tomatoes and add the dried herbs and lemon pepper. Add the chicken thighs back into the pan.Cover and cook on medium-low heat for 40 minutes.

Remove chicken from liquid and serve on hot buttered rice. Ladle the sauce on top and garnish with fresh chopped parsley.

A reflective view of downtown Dallas

On Friday, Jeannette and I were downtown to see the Nasher Sculpture Center. While on the walk to and from the center, I took photographs of some Dallas downtown buildings as seen as reflections in other buildings.

My happy African Violet plant

I have had this African Violet plant for more than 5 years. It has been a very happy plant and has rewarded me with flowers for the second time since late summer.

Winter comes to Dallas for 1 day

On my way home on Tuesday, as I crossed Abrams on Church Road I was transported to a Winter Wonderland. Lake Highlands was the only part of the city to get snow. What a surprise. I was lucky to have my camera with me so I could take pictures. By this afternoon it was all gone. I know this is no big deal to many people, but in Dallas this was special. Last Sunday 79 degrees, Tuesday snow, Saturday in the 70s then Sunday it is expected tp be in the mid 30s. The cold weather never lasts long. I like that.

Driving down White Rock Trail towards home.

Home

Close up of lights in the front bushes.

Celebrating Charlie's 88th birthday

Today Jeannette, Jeannette's Mom and I spent the day celebrating Jeannette's Dad's 88th birthday. The plan for the day began to come together when I heard on the radio yesterday after work that the Space Shuttle Endeavour was being transported on a 747 back to Florida. It landed at Ft. Worth's Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base yesterday afternoon and would be taking off around 11:00am today for Louisanna then on to Florida. Jeannette called her parents to see if they would be interested in an adventure. Without hestitation, hey said yes. Jeannette and I picked up Charlie and Marian around 9:30am and headed for Ft Worth. Just before 11:00am we found an empty lot overlooking the Joint Reserve Base to veiw the take off.

Within minutes of us parking in this lot with hundreds of other cars and trucks, a humungus C-17 Globemaster III Tactical Transport Aircraft took off. It has a payload of 169,000 pounds.

Before I had a chance to set up my tripod and camera the 747 had taken off with the Space Shuttle Endeavour on its back. What a sight.

The last time it stopped in Ft. Worth was in 1997 and I was not able to take off of work to see it. Today both Jeannette and I had planned to take a vacation day. What luck. They say since the space shuttle won't be used after 2010, we would never get another chance to see it. I'm so glad we went.

After having a BBQ lunch at Ft. Worth's legendary Angelo's BBQ, Marian and Charlie guided us to see the house President George Bush and Laura just bought. Jeannette's Mom new exactly where it was. It is very close to their house north of Walnut Hill Lane near the Tollway. In fact, the Bush's will have the same zipcode as Jeannette's parents.

We understand the Bush's also bought the house next door. Maybe it will be for their Secret Service Agents.