Psychology and Cooking

I've been off work since Tuesday and of course with my luck it has been rainy and cold here in Waterton. Luckily my aunt, who lives in Cardston half an hour away, came and picked me up for a little sleepover. It was alot of fun. She and her husband have two daughters, Hallie (4) and Ava (2). I haven't really been around little kids in awhile, so I had forgotten how invigorating it can be. Seriously, I think when they aren't your kids you just feel wonderfully drained when you leave them. It's not a bad feeling. Its more like you are completely drained emotionally and physically, in a good way. If that makes any sense.

That's my psychology lesson for the day.

I got back to good old Waterton last night, and it was so weird because for the first time since I've been here I thought of the mountains and my little apartment as home. I was happy to walk into my place and see my stuff and most importantly look at my mountains at the glorious mountains. I'm so incredibly lucky and humbled to be here. Even when I'm completely worn out from work and stressed I just have to look outside to see why I am here. It's nice to see your purpose so physically every morning.

Ok, enough rambling.

Bones, is one of my favourite television shows and somehow last night it was on a day early, not that I'm complaining. It was amazing! Great show, great performances, and great writing. It has the best black humour. Literally, the main characters, Booth and Brennan, discuss their personal lives (or argue) over the most horrifically decomposed bodies I have ever seen on television. The show should win awards just for the (fake) human remains they think of. Like the body last night. It was stuffed in a wine barrel and the bones were stained with wine, so they used 781 (yes, that specific) denture cleaner tablets to clean the bones. Now I have that wonderful visual every time I go to clean my retainer. I love Bones. Seriously though, check it out, because it also has some of the best characterization and development of characters for a procedural show that I have ever seen. The writers have an amazing grasp of who the characters are and how they would act. Its very well written.

I think I mentioned in my last post that my friends and I developed the best potatoes in the world. Well, I'm pretty sure it was all pure luck but heck, they were so good the world needs to know. Somehow we just threw all this stuff together and it was a perfect combination. So if you are feeling brave.

Quarter your potatoes and leave the skin on. Cut up as much onion as you desire. Spread canola oil over it to cook it. Then throw in some balsamic vinegar, lemon pepper seasoning, sea salt, pepper, and a little crushed Chile's. Cook until it all smells good. Hopefully it will work again, because they were way too good to be a one time fluke.

I love cooking. I think its really cool to take some ingredients and throw them together to make something delicious. I associate cooking with family. My extended family is large and most of my memories are of us, cooking and eating together. We all pitch in, cooking and cleaning, stepping on one another toes. I think that's the best thing about family. That safety to be together, doing something totally mundane but special because you are all together. Like yesterday, my aunt taught my grandma, my other aunt, and my little cousin how to make sushi. I didn't like it, but I loved learning with them. That's what I love most about my family, even sad occasions like funerals, are happy because we are together and we love each other.

I think its kind of ironic that as I writing this, Catch My Disease by Ben Lee is playing. Check him out, he will put at smile on your face.

Until next time...