Monday Morning This and That

Let us pray that strength and courage abundant be given to all
who work for a world of reason and understanding, that the
good that lies in every person's heart may day by day be magnified,
that people will come to see more clearly not that which
divides them, but that which unites them, that each hour
may bring us closer to a final victory, not of nation over nation,
but of people over their own evils and weaknesses, that the
true spirit of this Christmas season--its joy, its beauty, its hope,
and above all its abiding faith--may live among us, that the
blessings of peace be ours - the peace to build and grow, to live
in harmony and sympathy with others, and to plan
for the future with confidence.

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Good morning, everyone.  How was your weekend?  I had a quiet one.  On Friday I ran all my errands, and on Saturday I stayed it.  It rained off and on for most of the day so it was a good day to lounge about.  I did all my shopping online last Sunday, so I wrapped all of the gifts and placed them under the tree.  Hubby will be getting some cash in one of my homemade cards.  I prefer him to get what he needs.  With that, I am all ready aside from the food.

This was a cooking weekend for me.  Not like the old cooking weekends where I'd spend an entire weekend in the kitchen cooking for the next two weeks.  No, this was a weekend to try new recipes.  On Saturday I made my version of a low sodium Pollo Guisada.

Ingredients included chicken legs cut in pieces, potatoes, carrots, red and green peppers, onion, garlic,  low sodium chicken broth, tomato sauce, pitted olives, and cilantro.  After browning the chicken, I sauteed the peppers, onions, and garlic.  Then, I put the chicken back in the pain and added all of the rest of the ingredients and let it simmer for about an hour.  Delicious.

Did anyone catch "The Red Tent" last night?  It was fabulous.  Can't wait til the conclusion tonight.  It's the story of Dinah, the daughter of Leah and Jacob of the Old Testament.  It also focused on his four wives.  'The Red Tent' is a place for women; it is where they go to menstruate and where they give birth.  But, moreso, it is a place where they pass on the stories,  the arts of herbs and healing, and midwifry skills from mother to daughter throughout the generations.  It is also where the women go to secretly worship the goddess Inanna.  If you missed it, part one will be aired in full again tonight prior to part two. 

I am so glad I am not working anymore.  I don't have to travel to the city.  What's going on really scares me. What happened was wrong.  I agree.  On the whole, I respect the police department, but there is good and bad all over.  Perhaps the officer shouldn't have been indicted for murder, but a lesser charge such as manslaughter.  But what these protesters are doing is wrong as well. They are punishing the masses for the wrongdoing of one.  People are unable to get to work, and if they do get there, they cannot get home.  Blocking bridges and tunnels and main thoroughfares?  What purpose are they serving aside from hurting the innocent? On Friday they held up the subway system chanting, "No trains run.  No trains run." What if there is a pregnant woman on the train, or a sick person anxious to get home, or even a small child.  It is frightening for a small child to see this mob. 

It scares me also that this could turn into a race war.  I read the comments on the newspapers and the FB pages on the news stations, and there is far too much black/white bickering going on. ..even though the protesters come in every color.  And it seems our illustrious mayor is perpetuating this by allowing Al Sharpton free run of the city.  Our mayor has been trashing the police department as part of his campaign, and the people have picked up on this.  I worry what this city is coming to. I worry that my hubby has to travel to the city for his doctor, and I worry about my sons. Perhaps I worry too much.  But this stuff is 'real', and the instigators are out there.  

Well, it's about that time...time to shower and have some breakfast.  I'm off to the new center today for arthritis exercise this morning.  Hoping you all have a good one.