Summer Tomato Bake

Ingredients:

3 to 4 Vine Ripened Tomatoes

4 to 5 Garlic Cloves

1 Bunch Spring Onions

Parmesan cheese

Cooking spray

Salt

Pepper

To Make:

Coat the bottom of an oven-safe dish with cooking spray. Quarter your tomatoes and place them in the dish. Peel 4 to 5 garlic cloves and sprinkle them among the quartered tomatoes in the dish. Chop 1 bunch of spring onions, including the greens and sprinkle among the quartered tomatoes and peeled garlic cloves. Add salt and pepper to taste. Sprinkle parmesan cheese on the top. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 to 25 minutes. Serve warm.

The Renaissance Fair

Drive straight through Shelbyville, take a right at the Dairy Queen and drive about 10 miles, all the way through Eminence. There you'll find The Renaissance Festival. I can't necessarily say that this festival represents "rebirth" as the name implies, but it certainly was good for a laugh and even some birch beer!

As soon as we arrived, the jousting event began. Four riders, representing Scotland, Romania, Spain and France suited up and rode for their countries. Representing Spain was a lovely damsel with flowing black hair named Maria. She didn't take place in the actual jousting but demonstrated her horsemanship and prowess by galloping up to a pole with a cabbage on top and whacking the poor vegetable across the grounds. The other three were young male strappers who jousted with vigor. And when I say jousting, I mean jousting. They wore full armor and their shields wore the dents from previous events. Scotland took the trophy.

Next on the agenda was a sparring event. Burly men heavily padded, dressed in leather and chain mail, faced each other in a ring. Armed with long shafts, they bluntly gouged each other to the "death."

After watching all that, we were hungry! On the menu on this slightly drizzly fourth of July was Scottish eggs, a Turkey leg and birch beer. Never hear of birch beer? Take a drive to Pennsylvania and walk into a grocery story; you'll see it in two liter bottles right next to Coca Cola.

The headliner was definitely Doktor Kaboom, who educated, entertained, and riddled the crowd with science like you've never seen it before. Part entertainment, part science lesson, this guy is a definite must see for any age. (Did I just really write that?)

After all that, we were worn out. We grabbed our empty birch beer bottles and headed back to Trapp for an evening of television.

And after all, who wants to do the same ole thing on July 4th?

Cell Phone Held for Ransom

My cell phone was stolen yesterday ... and held for ransom!

Lexington Professional Massage Center is located in an old house on the corner of Mill and Maxwell. The parking lot is located behind the building and, although I generally feel quite safe there, yesterday's event made me think twice about complacency.

I got out of my car and started walking toward the door. I heard something clang. Because my new purse from Target has a metal clasp, I figured the clasp hit something and thought nothing of it. When I entered the building, I realized I was no longer holding my cell phone. I had dropped it!

I instantly walked back into the parking lot and looked around ... no cell phone.

I walked into the building and walked around ... no cell phone.

After repeating that cycle three more times, I finally gave up and walked into Lex Professional. I told the receptionist that if anyone turns in a cell phone, to please hold it for me. Some ladies in waiting asked if they could call my phone to help me locate it.

While they dialed, I once again walked out into the parking lot and looked. Crickets chirped.

Boggling!

Seventy-five minutes later I stopped at Josie's and used their landline to call my cell phone:

CP: Hello?

Me: You have my cell phone!

CP: Yeah. And you're gonna pay me 20 bucks to get it!

Me: Where are you?

CP: On Chestnut Street.

Me: You know what? It's unsafe there. You can keep the d*mn phone.

CP: Now hold on a minute ....

I hung up and headed to dad's. I left Hubby a message and then headed to Verizon to disconnect the phone and get a new one.

Thirty minutes later, I'm at Verizon. Hubby calls:

Me: Hello?

CP: I'm on my way to Triangle Park to get your phone.

Me: What?

CP: I called your phone and talked to the guy who stole it. I'm getting it back from him!

Me: What did you say?

CP: I told him he stole my wife's cell phone and I'm gettin it back! He told me that he needs $20 and when I asked him what for, he replied he needs it for his converter box. I told him, you need to talk to Obama about that, mate.

We hung up. I got a new cell phone. The guy never showed. We chaulked it up as a loss and a good story to share.

Around 3:15 or so, I am sitting on a doctor's table in a gown. My new phone rings. It's a number I don't recognize.

Me: Hello?

CP: Hi, my name is ***** and I'm calling from the Catholic Action Center. I've got your cell phone. If you can meet somewhere, I will bring it to you.

We set up a rendezvous at Greg Page Apartments. Apparently a homeless guy turned in my cell phone at the Catholic Action Center. He admitted to holding it for ransom.

What could have cost me a cool $20 ended up costing me $50 - after rebate. How annoying.

Lesson learned ... awareness of your surroundings ... even in a seemlingly safe parking lot.

Hummingbirds at Dusk

The hummingbirds are getting quite used to us now. We stood less than two feet away from the feeder last night and watched them.

Chicken Foot

Recipe for Chicken Foot:

Ingredients:
1 Sammy Hagar
1 Michael Anthony, formerly of Van Halen
1 Chad Smith, formerly of Red Hot Chilis
1 Joe Satriani

Throw them all in a blender with mic, guitar, bass, and drums. SPIN!!


visit chickenfoot.us for more info