News Item

Thanks for the Memory to Blogfather Rusty.

He reports that Al Jazeera has broadcast a new video that was released on a jihadist website and which threatens the four latest American hostages with death.

Go to the Jawa Report to keep up.

Cue Willie Nelson's "On The Road Again"

The Feared Redhead, The Lad, and I will be traveling to Minnesota for the Holy Days to visit The (not so) Feared In-Laws. My family will aso be coming out. This means two things:

1. I will be in VLBM (Very Light Blogging Mode), yea, nigh unto not blogging at all, from the day we leave Oregon (Thursday December 22) through the day we return (Tuesday January 3).

2. If any of my faithful readers live in the Twin Cities area, drop me a line and maybe I'll let you buy me a beer. Or an Egg Nog. Or something. Or not -- our schedule's tight, so I don't know how feasible it is, but we'll give it a shot.

Happytizers

This week I've been informed that the upcoming CotR is all about appetizers, so I thought I'd share some of my favorites. They're all pretty easy, so just one seems a shame. Maybe you can make a platter:

One of Brian's Favorite Appetizers
1 baguette
1 wheel brie
1 jar sundried tomatoes
pesto

Preheat oven to 300 degrees F. Slice baguette into thin rounds about 1/4" thick. Cut brie into 1" square thin slices. Julienne the sundried tomatoes. Spoon a small amount of pesto onto each slice of baguette. Place a slice of brie on the pesto, top with several slices of sundried tomato. Place on a cookie sheet, set in oven and cook until the brie is melted and the bread is toasted.

Another of Brian's Favorite Appetizers
1 baguette
1 wedge Spanish Manchego cheese
10-20 slices Spanish Serrano ham
1 bunch fresh basil
extra virgin olive oil

Preheat oven to 300 degrees F. Slice baguette into thin rounds about 1/4" thick. Drizzle each slice with olive oil. Roll Serrano ham slices, place 1 ham slice and 1-2 basil leaves on each baguette slice. Grate Manchego cheese over the top until well-coated. Place on a cookie sheet, set in oven and cook until the cheese is melted and the bread is toasted.

and finally...

One of The Feared Redhead's Favorite Appetizers (that Brian can't stand, but has to admit looks really Christmas-y)
5 thick cut slices corned beef
5 medium sized dill pickles
1 package cream cheese, softened

carefully spread the cream cheese over the entire surface of one side of each slice of corned beef. On each slice, place one of the dill pickles across one end of the slice.roll the pickle up in the slice. Refrigerate for at least one hour, making sure the cream cheese has stiffened back up as much as pssible. Slice the rolls into 1/4" to 1/2" rounds, pierce each one with a toothpick.

The New Media Interviews a New Politician

I Am Coyote NW Republican had a chance to sit down and interview Jason Atkinson.

It's worth a read, and it reinforces my support of the Senator's gubernatorial campaign.

The Scarlet Letter

I carry a scarlet letter, and carry it with defiant pride. Anyone who knows me well can see it. To the people it affects most, my family (especially my wife, my child, and pet), it is not only visible, it is glowingly obvious, almost as if it were brightly aflame.

No, it's not the "A" of adultery, sewn on my breast. My scarlet letter?

"S"

As in "Sucker". And it's stamped on my forehead. No, Really.

Little Big Dog displayed her ability to read last night when she jumped up on the couch, crawled into my lap, and began using my knee as a TV tray for her chew bar. Yes, I just sat there. Until, that is, The Feared Redhead asked me to go into the kitchen and get her something (can't remember what it was). See? She has seen it for years.

And the lad, he sees it. TFR confirmed my fears last night when she pointed out how quickly I rush to pick him up when he squawks, the way I put up with being not only a human ATM and Chef and Personal assistant, but also human furniture and playground equipment.

Yup, That's me. I am branded for life. And I wouldn't have it any other way.