Hot Eggplant On A Freezing Texas Day

Today, apparently, eggplants are my world. You are looking at the finished result of the uncooked version I showed you earlier today.

I have now consumed the finished result. While this eggplant cooking was not a massive failure like my first attempt, years ago, I don't know if I see some nice purple eggplants tomorrow that I'll be buying them.

Then again, it was pretty tasty. But, then again, again, I've always said you can pretty much make anything taste good with Parmesan, butter and bacon. This had no butter or bacon, but it did have big slices of melted Parmesan.

I'm thinking maybe making this again and adding bacon and butter might turn the eggplant into a really tasty thing.

I did not venture to the pool this morning. Can you tell I'm being cranky? I did not feel like putting on several layers and going for a walk in the near freezing temperatures. So, I went to Wal-Mart and loaded up a cart and pushed it around for 45 minutes.

Gar the Texan has been pouting on my blog today. That boy is way too needy.

It's Freezing In Texas So I'm Cooking Eggplant

It's freezing out there. So, I decided to fore go my regular icy swim and cook eggplant instead.

My Top Chef attempt this morning seems doomed to failure. When I was at Sprouts Farmers Market on Wednesday they had nice big purple eggplants for only 69 cents.

I remember long ago attempting to cook eggplant. I don't believe I followed a recipe. If I remember right the result was inedible.

This time I decided to follow a recipe. Recipes are really easy to find these days via the Internet. I usually do not use recipes because I don't like anyone telling me what to do. That and I usually don't have the right ingredients.

What you see in the picture is what resulted from sort of following a recipe, prior to the cooking process, which is going on right now.

The directions had me slicing the eggplants length-wise, them cutting 6 or 7 slits, almost all the way through. Then sticking slices of Parmesan cheese, thinly sliced Parmesan and garlic, plus chopped up parsley into the slits.

Well, that sounds easy, but those slits were not very willing to have all that stuff shoved in them. Luckily I had no parsley or I'd have had an even more difficult time stuffing those slits.

The resulting mess bakes for a half hour at 375, then I sprinkle a topping of more Parmesan mixed with seasoned bread crumbs and olive oil, and bake til brown. I had no seasoned bread crumbs, so I pulverized some whole wheat crackers in my Vita-Mix.

I'll take a picture of the final result if it doesn't go up in flames and show it to you later.

Unidentified Flying Objects On The Trinity River In Fort Worth

That's a herd of unidentified flying objects taking a rest on a big block of cement sitting in the Trinity River near Gateway Park today around noon.

I was more curious about how the big block of cement got there than I was about what brand of birds were sitting on it.

It was below freezing when I got up this morning. I was sort of out of sorts all day yesterday due to the absence of doing anything remotely aerobic, so this morning, despite it being 31 degrees out there, I got in the pool. And then I got out of the pool and into the hot tub.

The hot tub was way too hot with way too much steam fogging up the place due to the freeze. I got out of the hot tub and back in the pool. That traumatizing desensitizing method works well. I stayed in the pool for about 5 minutes before I feared some sort of cardiac arrest type event might occur.

I was way under dressed for the walk at Gateway Park. It was windy with the wind blowing right through my 2 shirt layers. I walked across the bridge that leads to the Trinity Trails to see if the Barnett Shale gas driller water stealing damage to the Trinity River levee has been fixed.

Still damaged. Actually looks worse.

Speaking of Barnett Shale gas driller damage, I took I-30 to the Beach Street exit to Gateway Park. About a quarter mile from the exit I saw 2 Chesapeake Energy pickups on the strip of land between the freeway and the Trinity River.

Were they checking where the replacement for the Carter Avenue pipeline is going? How do you get permission to go driving in a location like that?

The Mindless Ramblings Of An Anonymous Alcoholic

I was disturbed this morning to read the drunken blog ramblings of an individual I'll call Anonymous Alcoholic, aka AA.

It has been suggested to AA, by several concerned observers, that he not do any blogging after he has consumed alcohol. But, the suggestion has gone ignored, once more with embarrassing results.

AA vehemently denies being an alcoholic, despite the pile of evidence to the contrary. For one thing he is constantly talking about the booze he is drinking. And posting pictures of himself with the booze he is drinking. You see 2 examples of AA's drinking pictures here. I have cropped the pictures so as to preserve AA's anonymity.

In AA's latest drunken rambling he goes on about his superior intellect, confirmed by tests, like the SAT. And being the top student in his high school class of 11. Now, being the top student in a class of 693, that might be impressive. But #1 of 11? I think I'd keep that nugget to myself.

And then AA goes on to say that due to his daunting IQ all the stupid people have trouble relating to him. This was troubling to AA and had him feeling alone in the world. And then AA discovered that if he drank alcohol it dumbed him down enough that people could now relate to him.

Alcohol curing AA of his poorly developed social graces came as a revelation when someone told the inebriated AA that when he was drunk he acted normal. AA took that to mean he acted like all the other stupid people. And thus AA's alcoholic coping mechanism was born.

I have been in the presence of AA when he is sober and when he is not sober. Now I have never found him all that smart when sober or any dumber when drunk. I have noticed a slightly less shyness level when AA is medicated, with more of a propensity to converse in a friendly manner with strangers.

There is talk among those of us concerned about AA's descent into Don Birnam Lost Weekend territory that an intervention is desperately needed. The means to that end has not yet been determined.

A Cold Wind Blows A Stormy Snowy Sky This Afternoon In Texas

You are in Southlake, Texas in this picture. Heading south on Davis Boulevard a few minutes before one in the afternoon.

As you can see, we are having ourselves some weather here today.

At my usual go to the pool for a swim time in the morning it was below freezing and snowing hard. I suppose I should have given it a try, having never swam in a freezing snowstorm before, but I somehow couldn't motivate myself sufficiently.

It has warmed up to a balmy 43. With the steady wind's wind chill factor making it feel like 35. More snow is in our forecast. I've got my cross country skis out, waxed and ready to go.

We Are Freezing & Snowing On December 2 In Fort Worth Texas

No swimming for me this morning. We are freezing here in Fort Worth, Texas.

We are not only freezing, we are snowing. The 20% chance of snow was not supposed to happen for another 24 hours. Or so I thought.

It's coming down real hard, sort of like the snow version of a Texas downpour in rain form.

I'd planned to go up to Southlake today. But I don't see that happening if it gets real icy out there. Texans are like Puget Sounders. They don't get all that much experience with driving in icy conditions so there can be some driving road hazards out there.

I'll go see if I can get a picture of the blizzard.

Well, you can see some of the snowflakes. And you can see that it is looking very wintry here in Fort Worth this second day of December. WeatherBug just went off with a freeze warning from the National Weather Service, with the warning lasting through 9am Thursday. Brrrrr.

Took another picture a half hour after the above one.

Ten minutes after the above picture was taken the snow quit coming down like a blizzard, now it's coming down like a snow drizzle.

A Possible Incoming North Texas Blizzard & Fixing Puerto Rican Computers

That is the slightly before noon view from Miss Puerto Rico's balcony. She called me this morning with an urgent need for help. Her computer had ceased responding.

It took 3 minutes to bring the computer back to life. Then I took the picture you see here.

As you can see we are a bit overcast here in Fort Worth this first day of December. Earlier WeatherBug told me there was a chance of snow after midnight on Thursday. Which would be Friday morning.

I went to the library after leaving Miss Puerto Rico's. I needed a book. Or two. On the way there the local radio weather report had a chance of frozen precipitation happening as early as tomorrow, as in Wednesday.

We haven't even had a freeze yet and I'm tired of winter, which isn't even here for another 20 days. The furnace is running and I'm wearing sweat pants. Catching pneumonia is likely next on my agenda.

Also on my possible agenda is a meeting later today. I am embarrassed to admit I have a neurotic problem going to meetings in close quarters. Germ & Virus Phobia. All it takes is one cougher and I'm out of there. Or a sneezer. Or, God forbid, a combo cougher/sneezer.

And what if someone wants to hug me? That could cause me to faint. Especially if they hugged and coughed. Or sneezed.

Jesus Christ & His Family Are Confusing Me In Texas

Last night I woke up about 4. I tossed and turned and then my mild case of OCD (Obsessive Compulsive Disorder) kicked in.

I think I said something to myself like, "Jesus Christ, I hate it when I can't sleep."

And then I began obsessing on that name. As in is Christ the last name of Jesus of Nazareth?

I've heard that name, Jesus Christ, all my life and had never thought to wonder about that before.

Was Jesus a member of the Christ family, as in, his earthly mom and dad were Joesph and Mary Christ? With, I think a brother named James Christ? Did Jesus have other siblings besides James, with the Christ last name?

Did James Christ marry and reproduce? Are there descendants of the Christ family walking the planet today?

And why is the birthday of Jesus Christ called Christmas? What's the "mas" part of the name? Some Catholic thing? A derivative of "mass?"

If Christ is not the last name of Jesus, what is it? Why is the birthday of Jesus not called Jesusmas? Well, actually that has absolutely no ring to it. We wish you a Merry Jesusmas, we wish you a Merry Jesusmas. No. That would not work.

I've never spent a lot of time in church. I'd probably know the answer to my Jesus Christ question if I'd listened better when I was in church. My mom and dad went through a going to church phase starting when I was about 10. Presbyterian. When I was 12 or 13 I became a member. I think.

The church going ended sometime after I was 16 when I brought home information I'd heard at school from a neighbor of our preacher, details about an affair he was having with the Sunday School Superintendent. This erupted into a big scandal. The preacher was replaced. If I remember right, my dad was an elder during the Affair of the Preacher Scandal.

A new preacher was found. Within a year he became embroiled in an affair with the Choir Director.

It was around then we quit going to church. I think mom and dad figured out us kids were learning all sorts of things about religion that they did not think was a good thing for us to be learning. Like it was around this time I started using the phrase "religious hypocrite."

I've lost track of how many religious leaders have taken a scandalous fall since I lost my innocence during the notorious Affair of the Preacher Scandal. There have been probably a dozen right here in the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex since I've moved here.

I'll likely not ever know whether or not Christ is the last name of Jesus. Or something else. Like I'm still waiting for someone to explain to me why the day when Jesus Christ came back to life and started walking the planet again is called Easter.

Snow Is In The Forecast for North Texas

Thursday night the current forecast is for a 20 percent chance of snow after midnight.

Why is Texas so far behind so much of the rest of the world?

As in, when is that Global Warming thing going to hit this part of the planet?

When I moved here I left Washington in heavy rain, I arrived in Fort Worth in heavy rain. About a week after arrival in Texas I got my first lesson in how cold it can get here.

About noon we had gone to the Fort Worth Stockyards for Mexican buffet at the now long gone Riscky Rita's Mexican Cantina. Heading out to Rita's the temperature was pleasant, no need for a coat. After an hour and a half, or so, in Rita's, we stepped outside to discover the temperature had dropped to near freezing, with a hard wind making it feel below freezing.

That night the temperatures dropped to 15, or thereabouts. We did not know what to do about the pipes, the pool plumbing or the 2 cows that had been left behind by the previous owner. By the next morning I was to experience my first Ice Storm. I'd never seen an Ice Storm before. I'd heard of them, but I had no idea they were such a bad thing.

That first bout of Texas icy winter lasted several days. And then it bounced back into the 70s and 80s. My first few winters in Texas that seemed to be the pattern. A few days of cold, then back in shorts again.

But the past several winters in Texas have not followed that pattern. Which one would think would not be the case if there really was some Global Warming going on.

I guess I better get my cross country skis out in case there is some slick white stuff to go sliding on Friday morning. It's highly unlikely, but it's good to be prepared for all contingencies.

Beer & Pretzels At North Central Texas Communities Alliance Meeting Today In Fort Worth

A new organization is forming in Fort Worth to address gas drilling issues in the Barnett Shale region of north Texas.

The group will hold a press conference regarding the Carter Avenue pipeline issue and a public meeting Tuesday, December 1, 2009, at the Hotel Trinity Inn Suites. (SW corner of Beach & I-30 in Fort Worth)

There will be presentations by DISH Mayor Calvin Tillman, Deborah Rogers and others. (see details below)

After the meeting, Texas State Representative, Lon Burnam is hosting a beer and pretzel mixer in the Elvis Room of the hotel.

Speaking of Texas House District 90 Representative Lon Burnam, below is his message about today's event, plus 2 other events occurring this week....

Gas drilling has become a sensitive issue for many residents in Fort Worth and across North Texas. The safety of our communities is at stake. Since early last year, I have been at the forefront of this issue to protect the health and property of citizens in Fort Worth.

The struggle to keep Chesapeake from extending a pipeline through Carter Avenue and other communities like it is reaching the tipping point. Now that TXDOT has approved a proposed a pipeline route North of I-30 and away from community residences, victory is in sight.

You can express your concerns about the gas drilling and pipeline issues at any of these three events:

Beer and Pretzels Mixer following a Community Sponsored Forum at 6pm

When: Tuesday December 1, 7:30pm - 9:30pm
Where: The Elvis Room, Hotel Trinity Inn and Suites (I-30 and Beach Street)

A Public Meeting Sponsored by Sen. Davis, Rep. Burnam, and Councilwoman Hicks

When: Wednesday December 2, 6:30pm
Where: Meadowbrook Elemenatry School (4330 Meadowbrook Dr.)

Join me for Coffee and Pan Dulce as I File for Re-Election

When: Thursday December 3, 8:30am - 9:00am
Where: Tarrant County Democratic Party (3004 W. Lancaster Ave.)

On Tuesday, December 1st, not only can you enjoy beer and pretzels while showing support for the folks on Carter Avenue, you can also learn how to organize your neighborhood by becoming a Democratic Precinct Chair. Applications and a notary will be on hand to sign you up. Join Elvis and me in his suite. Don’t miss my first public appearance with the King!

See you there,

Representative Lon Burnam
Texas House District 90