A Week Without Blogging?

It has been several days since I have posted anything on the blog.   The reason is that nothing really exciting has happened over the last several days that I feel is "blog worthy".   However,  Eventually,  I believe I must blog...  because I know that people secretly want to know everything about my life and what I do on a daily basis... not matter how trivial things might seem.  Plus!  I still believe that the NSA and the now CONFIRMED UFO extraterrestrial aliens tune in to my blog for updates on the going-ons of the average human being.    So I have to blog... For my country...  for Humanity!

So let's get to it!

This week's running conditions. See Muscatine's
Icy sidewalk....

First,  there is still quite a bit of snow here in Iowa.   Cheryl and I have been forced to re-visit Iowa City for the last week because that is the only place that has been maintaining their trails to any level of satisfaction.   We visited Muscatine on Saturday, and the trails were still ice covered with no plowing or salting in sight.   The well groomed trails have been very popular with many of the locals, it appears that even more people have been using them ever since the parks service decided to earn their pay this year.  Normally, they simply plow along the river;  they do NOT salt anything; and they leave the path around the lake unattended completely.  I'm just happy they have changed their policy this year. 

Thread sale! 

The thread sale at JoAnn has forced me to buy huge quantities of colored thread.. again.   At least I'm using it this year!   I have been working on more embroidery patterns and projects to continue my wasting of time and self-taught education.  I'm currently at a loss for what my next project should be, having completed every edible mushroom I can think of that would look good on a shirt.  Any new mushroom species would only be odd and strange.  Poisonous or pretty but inedible mushrooms don't seem to make much sense to start a conversation...  ( Because that IS the reason for the embroidered shirts.)  

New Subie Shirt!

I have been upgrading my Subaru shirts with a little more flair.   A bit of color and a few extra words on the sleeves really bring the entire shirt together. I need to separate myself from the "hippy artist" Subaru owner/enthusiast  for the more Cool and Hip RALLY TEAM USA Subaru man.   Subaru's Rally!  

RALLY!  Without a Rebel
flag.

 If you don't know what that is:  Imagine Formula 1 cars on dirt, mud, ice, snow and Gravel  roads....  Like the Dukes of Hazard with snow and ice added.   ( Bad visual, but fitting analogy.) Rally takes high performance vehicles, like Volkswagen, Saab, Porsche, and BMW's off the track and puts them where 4X4 trucks should be. And here is where Subaru s RULE! No Soccer Moms or Dirt bagger's allowed here!  Only the guys who "live in their Mom's basements..."  ( Brother-In-Law Andy's term...  He is so Politically incorrect. )

Octopus balls. With 
Shrimp!

Cheryl samples. 

We have been branching out in our food experimentation.   Japanese Octopus Balls, or Takoyaki has captured Cheryl's interest. We made our first batch with cocktail shrimp because we could not find any squid or octopus.  

Flipping them is a skill.

Served with Mayo. 

 The Japanese put Mayonnaise on them for some reason.  I personally think they would go well with anything...  including catchup, tartar sauce, cocktail sauce, or any other dipping sauce you like.   They are similar to deep fried beer batter.... without the messy oil.   I'm getting hungry just thinking about them... and that is not a good thing for my new year's resolution!

Cats helping Cheryl put the puzzle
together.

Signs of life...

Cats and Puzzles.  Cheryl has begun working on our last puzzle.  When she is not putting a pouch together or sorting buttons,  she is working on the puzzle.  The cats sometimes "help"  but mostly they just annoy me with their requests for food, play time, and being allowed to go outside in the cold.  I comply far more than Cheryl does.   She can tune them out better, I guess.  

Other than that,  Cheryl has been working on  pouch designs and I occasionally help her with some embroidery.   I have also been working on small 15 second video's for the stocking shop, now that stockings are over.   The videos are so short, it has taken me a while to figure out what exactly I can do to make them noteworthy.   Basically, I patch a bunch of short picture burst together with a little movement for visual appeal.  Hopefully,  the various "blip-verts" will pique someone's interest in the future and tip them over to the "valued customer" side of our shop.   Finger's crossed. 

Wow,  that is a long post.   I should have broken it up a bit.   At least I can rest easy knowing I have saved humanity from an alien invasion once again.   I don't claim to know the alien's motivation, but I'm sure that my boring, face paced lifestyle will keep them guessing about the danger levels of humans.  ("Mostly harmless"...  for people in the "know.") 

And to the NSA,  I continue to fool them into thinking I am of no special significance.  It is a good thing to be off the Government's radar.  And for those reasons, I will continue to write in code so they will not know what I'm secretly plotting.  

Sorry for the long post.   Seriously,  nothing is happening here in Iowa.  No alien abductions, no crop circles,  no Bigfoot sightings.  Just Cheryl and Ethan running, biking, eating, and sewing.  Thanks for stopping in.