EXTREME Liberty Tree Tending

 You know, like Extreme Home Makeover or Extreme Motor Cross.

  I took on a pretty big project just one week ago. I said yes to a request to organize the Tax Day TEA Party here in Twin Falls. Not sure what I was thinking at the moment, but it was questionable if there would have been one without an organizer, so I said yes. Yes, with much trepidation. Three days! I had only three days to pull something together.

  First I needed to figure out what an organizer of such an event had to do. Good thing I had read Rules for Radicals (Alinsky) and Civil Disobedience (Thoreau) just weeks before. Oh, wait. That was Community Organizing! Just the opposite! This event would be all about exercising our rights and not giving them up to someone who says they can get us what we want - for the price of our soul. And this would be about speaking our minds and giving one another support. We would be watering the LIBERTY TREE, not pruning it down to the ground!

  So, I spent the following three days on the phone, checking emails by the minute, scribbling notes, trying to fit in school for the kids (helping their Mom put a Patriotic Program together counts as school, doesn’t it) checking more emails, tracking down mystery speakers, visiting the printer and generally out of my mind with stress. I went to bed with a huge head ache every night and felt like I was spinning endlessly during the day!

 

  I had decided that I wanted the theme to be not one of complaining, but one of encouragement for individuals to get out and do their part, to emphasize the responsibilities that go along with our rights. Last year folks were newly angry and recently frightened about the sudden (or not really so sudden) change in direction our country seemed to be taking. Maybe it was the ‘last straw’ kind of thing, but there was a bit of ranting and raving last year at the T.P. here in Twin and around the country. I was going for a calmer, more constructive air this time. 
   That called for some positive speakers on our beloved Constitution and our responsibilities as citizens and some 10th Amendment thrown in for good measure. Coming up with speakers turned out to be a bit difficult. I mean, asking someone to speak in the middle of the day, on a weekday and with three (or two or one) days notice should not be that hard, right? I was happy to find three diverse speakers who covered their assignments well.

  I also wanted to include children, as that is my main job right now – educating children. I had Cub and Boy Scouts present a flag ceremony, a children’s choir singing The Star Spangled Banner and a children’s trio who sang the first 10 Articles of the Constitution. Very nice! They all came out with signs and their educated opinions about the things that were (and are) going on. I am so proud of the children I know; they understand the issue at hand. They have a love of their freedom and understand where it comes from and that it is our duty to protect it and not allow it to be taken. It must be taken, you know. It is ours, given by God. If we do not stop it from being taken, then we are offering it up to whoever will take it. Staying free requires action.

   There you have it. My spin in the lime-light. It was an amazing amount of mental work to be done in a short time, but it came off pretty well and with only a couple of minor hitches. (Like the four trips I had to make back home after leaving the house that morning and the angry Veteran who took issue with my gold fringed flag. But those are stories for another time.)

   This must be my longest blog post, I hope that you were not too bored. Check back later for the saga of the Jenks Family Egg Hunt. I promised you that and I will provide it.

'Fich' Tacos

I made the yummiest fish tacos last week and I had to make them again already. Writing down recipes is not something I invest much time in. This used to be a tricky problem back in the days of our restaurant, Double Decker. I was always whipping something up for catering jobs and then someone would ask for me to repeat it sometime later. I don’t really know what all the fuss was about, seems like I could have just made them something else yummy and they would have been happy, but that was not always the case. Those who worked with me soon learned to follow me around with a notebook to jot down what I was putting into the concoctions. Fortunately now, my closest friends have learned that if they really like something that I make, they had better call the next day and get the recipe out of my head or they may never see (or eat) it again. I have even been known to call one of them to get my own recipe back.



Anyway, I thought that I might share this idea for fish tacos and therefore preserve the recipe in a more permanent state. I used tilapia filets, but I suppose any fish that you enjoy would work. Halibut types may be a bit too sturdy, but you could try it. I fried the fish in olive oil after a good coating of salt. I have trouble with over cooking my fish, so I was very careful to not do that. I let them cook on one side until they were white (cooked) about a half inch in on the sides. Then one flip for just a few minutes more and they are done. I use one filet per person.


While the fish is cooking, I chop cabbage, cilantro and green onion quite fine. Tiny, tiny, tiny. I used about 4 cabbage to 1 cilantro to 1 green onion. Hope that makes sense. I just chop up what I think I need for the 12 tacos that we eat. I then mix a sauce of 1 part mayo, 1 part sour cream (maybe 1/3 cup of each, see what I mean about a real recipe?) seasoned with cumin (2 tsp?) and a dash of cayenne. Red pepper flakes would be great too, unless you are a wimp like me. I roll a first-rate lime around on the counter until it is nice and squishy and then squeeze out about half of its juice into the sauce. Stir this all up. When the fish is done, you are ready. I just put the fish on everyone’s plate, give them some hard taco shells and they make up their own tacos. Put the chopped veggies/herbs in the bottom, ladle on the sauce and top with chunks of the fish.  I add a bit of fresh chopped salsa to mine with a squeeze of lime. Sj and Heavy D like theirs with shredded cheese. Cj doesn’t like them at all. No one really cares about that, all the more for the rest of us!


So there you have it – my first blog recipe. If my kids only knew how lucky they are to have me and my recipes for a Mom!  When I come up with something else great, I will be sure to share.

Too Much Fun For the Guys I Go Out With !

We cleaned our entire back yard last Saturday. That was quite the job; as you will know if you have seen it lately. We aren’t big on cleaning up in the fall. My philosophy is that all of those dead leaves will keep my perennials warmer during the winter. That must not be true, because they don’t very often come up a second year at my house. I did not inherit my Mother’s green thumb I am sad to say. Or maybe it is the effort – mine will never be equal to hers when it comes to the yard. Anyway, there was a lot of raking and blowing and sweeping and clipping and cutting and hauling of bags and branches and other ascendery trash. I am sure that the garbage guys were thrilled on Tuesday! I do have two things that I am proud of in my yard. My two bleeding hearts are well on their way to another stunning year and every one of the tulip and daffodil bulbs we planted last fall are coming up! I am so impressed with myself. (The true test will be if they come up again next spring.)

We got finished just in time because the weather then turned cold. It made me feel disheartened; I was all set for spring to be here. I am not a big fan of summer, truth be known, but I am impatiently waiting for winter to be concluded. After all of that work, my back was in trouble. So I spent a few hours at the chiropractor this week. That is a bit frustrating; I always feel I should be making better use of my time. I did manage to solve a couple of my ‘disconcerting dilemmas’ while I was lying there, face down, getting electrocuted by little patches. One of the issues that has been bugging me is the school room. It is crammed with all kinds of learning tools and if it is not pristinely clean, it is similar to navigating some kind of maze with booby traps on the floor. Needless to say, it is never pristinely clean! Two boys are its most frequent occupants. To shorten this story, as I was lying there, my face in the . . .the . . .the whatever that thing you put your face in is called, I came up with a way to multiply the free space! WhoaLaaa! So after spending half of the week at the chiropractor, I went home and with the help of Cj deep cleaned this room including moving all of the furniture! Just don’t tell the doctor!
After all of this fun, I am ready for a non-work weekend. Happily, we are going to Boise for two nights. Looking forward to that! A book and a comfy bed; I am hoping to get in a few hours of reading. There is the Jenks Family Egg Hunt, a 70 something year tradition, to be attended. All I will say about that right now is this, if you haven’t attended the Jenks Family Egg Hunt (one and all are invited, everyone is family to a Jenks) you have not truly lived, to borrow a phrase. So, that is all for now. I will try and report on the Egg Hunt next week. Perhaps I will even have photos!

His and Mine Are the Same

   Yesterday was the 28th anniversary of my marriage to Heavy D. Twenty-eight years, WOW! When he came home from work I was taking a nap; something that I don’t do very often unless it is Sunday. He questioned what I was doing and I told him that I had been thinking that I had been married to him and raising his kids for 28 years and it had made me tired and I thought I deserved a nap.
   It has been an adventure, this marriage and parenthood business. There is probably a thing or two I might change if I could go back, wouldn’t we all? But for the most part I am pleased and happy and content with it.  Being on this side instead of the beginning is more settled and comfortable.
   Last year on our anniversary I wrote a poem. I must give a nod to Emily Bronte on this one. I have borrowed from one of her quotes, a favorite of mine.

To Souls the Same

Whatever souls are made of

His and mine, at first kiss

Snapped together as two magnets.

The fusion fierce and furious.

Two halves into one sum.

Mine and his,

The same.

All my love Sweetheart!

Watering the Liberty Tree

   I have been out a few times in the neighborhood campaigning. (Who would ever have thought that I would be doing that, at least for myself?) I have collected 9 votes and been sworn at once. I don't know if I can take those kinds of odds. I need to find someone to go out with me for morale support, I guess.
   But I am still fighting the good fight. I am determined and dedicated and now after Sunday, sick to my stomach. I wonder if this battle could have been started earlier. Why have I waited so long to join in? The snowball is growing and picking up momentum. Better late than never!
   If you share in my views, take a stand of your own.  There is something for everyone to do.  Go to The Patriot Declaration, sign the petition and then find something you can do; contact your representatives, talk to your neighbors, bring Constitutionaly minded candidates into your home and let them share their view with your family and friends.  The Primary Election will be the one that makes the most difference.  We MUST get a Republican candidate on the ballot that supports the Constitutionaly Conservative view or we will see no change.  Restoration of the Republican Party is the answer.  Take it back.  Take our country back!

Suprise Party!

   I organized a SURPRISE Birthday Party for Heavy D last night. He turned 50 on the 17th. Yes, I know, he is a St. Patrick’s baby. He should be named something like Killian, Liam or Patrick, but he is not. I must say that it was a smashing success. I would define success in this case as Heavy D being surprised & pleased (he was!) and that everyone had a good time (I think). There was the little issue of the food being a bit slow and served in the opposite order of the way the order was taken – new waiter I am afraid – and some hungry small people. But the company was delightful and the cuisine was tasty. It is such a blessing to have family and friends that enrich your life and are there to celebrate the milestones with you. So, thanks to every one for your love and attention. Oh, and thanks for taking care of our bill! That was not necessary, but appreciated.

Since I will be reaching the same age in less than a year, I have been thinking about that number – 50. A nice number. A ‘half way there’ sort of number. I like numbers. Keep in mind; I was an accounting major in college. I like the way that numbers order things and help them to make sense. Numbers and counting calm me. (Note #3 on the Weird Things List) They make the disquiet in my head go away.

I also realized that by the time my own mother was 50, she had been an empty-nester for 8 years. When I turn 50, I will still have kids at home for 8 more years. That has got to make for a different life. What would my life be like if I had been done with kids when Dj left on his mission? I would have been home alone. I suppose I would have been out doing something else before that with only a teenager around. How strange is that? I could have a cleaner house and the laundry would be caught up for sure. But there are so many things that would be missed in that instance. We wouldn’t even have the same friends, since so many of them are because we have these younger kids. And then there is the home schooling – I have learned so much while teaching Sj and Cj. There is no doubt that the last two have enriched our lives and that we have taken the time to let them.

On another note, the campaign will be pushing back the Etsy store, sorry. I think I will post a slideshow of the photos that Lj1 took here on this blog. If you see something that you like, let me know and I can give you a price, pack it up and send it to you. I do have several pieces made up and as Heavy D likes to point out, there is no way that I can wear them all.  And to think that I was never a jewelry wearer before I started making my own. It is because it is ART to me and I have always had the heart of an artist. I love creating.

Off Again - On Again / Make Up Your Mind!

   Okay – Well, cancel the last blog entry. I am back in the race! And it feels pretty good. (The Precinct Chairperson race, not the human or rat race. I haven't gotten a chance to leave either of those). It is a long, sordid story of under-table- dealings and midnight meetings, so if you really what to know how this happened, you will have to ask. I just can’t put it into print and publish it. I actually have someone running against me in this precinct. That should make for an interesting experience. Heavy-D is really behind me. He told me today that I needed to take my activism up a notch or I had to shut up. So there you have it, I had to take some action.

   I went to the Twin Falls County Court House and filed my form this afternoon. It all went quite smoothly. They didn’t bat an eye. I thought they might have some reason that I couldn’t seek office, but they must not have gotten that memo. I took the boys (+one, Taylor P.) for a civics lesson while we were at it. They learned about what a Notary Public does and they saw the public records at the court house. They were trying to think of something to look up. The first thing they wanted to know was when I got the deed to my house. HA! I told them that that was going to be a long time in coming. So then they wanted to know when Grandma Hansen got the deed to her house. I told them that was when I was 18, but that wasn’t a close enough date for some reason. So then they tried to look up my marriage, but of course that took place in Utah, so no luck there. After a few more tries they gave up and just marveled at the size of the books they have in that place. They are more than twice the size of your head! I told them we would think of something to look up and then go back.

   So, there you go. Pretty soon you may know a Precinct Chairperson. If you need those traffic tickets taken care of, or some help getting your cousin out of jail, just let me know. I probably won’t be able to do a thing for you, but at least I will know to avoid you so as not to look to like I am mixing with the riff-raff.
Seriously, I do feel good about this decision.  Our country is heading for some grave difficulty if some things don't change pretty soon.  I am ever so grateful to live in the United States of America and sometimes you have to pay a price for what you love.  I guess it is my time to step up.