I say yes, you say no, OR People are Strange

Kelly, they're discussing that on CNN right now. The ones (reporters) that have been there all week seemed to think that the entire community has been so grief stricken that they needed the release. They seemed to be in agreement that the President and other dignitaries were taken by surprise by the atmosphere. Very interesting.

I agree revkat.

Do they still have Black Magic chocolates in the Great White North?  I adored them, especially when Woodwards had them as seconds in the little bags.

Not so much into lima beans.  They were always something to be swallowed without being chewed.  However, since being married to my Southern husband, I am becoming fond of white beans, black eyed peas and other legumes I would never have eaten before.

One of the things I miss the most about Canada is the french fries and gravy.  Why does the US not understand the profound pleasure of such a simple thing?  I make it at home, but don't know that I have ever seen them on a menu except maybe in Vermont.

I did not vote for him, but I was extraordinarily proud of Our President tonight. It was the University, not the Obama administration or anyone in the Democratic party who chose the theme and the tone for the evening.  Hopefully the healing for all parties will continue.

Revkat, very well said:

It's Tucson's tragedy and if they wanted to shout and applaud tonight, who are the rest of us to tell them they are wrong to do it? It didn't appear to be partisan, they cheered for the Republican Governor as well as the Democratic President. It was an arena filled with young people who have had quite an emotional week. A memorial service is a time for the living to do what they need to do to express their grief and begin to move on.

And "together we thrive" made me think of some of the aspects of sitting shiva -- that the immediate family stays home, while all their friends and cousins, aunts, uncles (the ganze mishpoche) come over to the house and bring food (never flowers) -- sitting shiva is about taking care of the bereaved, bringing them food, helping them to thrive, bringing them back into "the circle of life" ("circular" food like bagels, eggs, round fruits is especially appropriate as being symbolic of this).

Okay -- on the OTHER food topic --

I love okra when its very small, young and fresh -- rinse them off, pat them dry, and then either:

toss with olive oil, sprinkle with salt, in a pyrex or ceramic casserole dish, bake in the oven at 350 for 20-30 min

or

semi-Japanese style on my Foreman grill -- sprinkle with soy sauce and balsamic vinegar and Foreman-grill 'em until tender.

Both methods great for asparagus, too.

We don't grow 'em here but I love sweet potatoes.  Peeled, sliced thin and oven roasted with olive oil and garlic.  I'm saddened to think of the dislike shown towards the lowly turnip.  Being one myself......well, what more can I say?

My family has big Irish wakes. Stories about the deceased, lots of laughter, lots of tears, a big party. When I told my DH the theme of the memorial service was Together We Thrive he said "What else would it be?" Something like this can not defeat us or tear us apart as a country. We will not only survive we will thrive..

Morning Friends!

I thought the memorial was a great tribute to those who were killed, the wounded and all those who helped to save them.

I was glad Obama spoke about each of the people who were killed.  It made them seem even more real to me .. and I had tears in my eyes thinking about them.

I especially liked the reading from the book of Isaiah and the Native American blessing at the beginning. 

Hope everyone has a good Thursday,

Bren

Oh Molly52~

I'm from Virginia-

I'm a lover not a fighter...

A group of American women, both patients and staff, got together for Thanksgiving. We invited anyone who wanted to come so we had Australians, Brits, Canadians and French. We did our best to put together a traditional Thanksgiving dinner. But finding all the ingredients was difficult in Paris. I finally tracked down sweet potatoes, which I love. It was fun watching everyone try the dishes. There were two stuffings: one using a baguette and the other cornbread. Most women couldn't imagine why you would use cornbread--and a couple didn't know what it was. It was the most fun I've ever had on Thanksgiving.

Now back to the debate: I like Lima beans (but not those green things in a can), but have trouble getting past the slime of okra. I'm more of a green chile person coming from the southwest US.

Madalyn: I've seen Cher twice--once with Sonny. Great show!

Maya .. what a wonderful Thanksgiving!  I love all kinds of stuffing, and like to put a little bit of sausage in mine for extra flavor.  I don't like the kind that's been cooking inside the turkey though.  Too mushy.

Bren

Edited:  Fingers type faster than brain can think!

Grits?  Never had them, the name doesn't sound so appetizing!   But cornbread stuffing is the BEST!

As for the lowly turnip (what we generally call rutabaga and the Brits call Swedes -- I know, I know!!!), I hated the taste as a child.  I love it now -- mixed with nutmeg and a wee bit of brown sugar, and maybe a carrot or too, and everything pureed...mmmm!  DH on the other hand never acquired the taste, nor did he for liver, except pate of course!  And I love red peppers and he does too, but they don't like him, if you know what I mean. 

Besides taste, texture is really everything isn't it?  Okra=slimy; liver=gritty; porridge=lumpy (at least the way my mother made it!).

Liver??  Let's not even go there!