My New Love

After months of debating, I finally bought an All-Clad LTD 12-inch Round Nonstick Grille Pan .

I’ve seen grill pans used on cooking shows, but I was concerned about the splatter and the ease of cleaning. I’m not a kitchen gadget kind of gal, so after reading reviews, I chose a pricey grill pan (hence the internal debate). I think I chose wisely.

To avoid grease splatter, I also bought a 13-inch splatter shield.

A splatter shield keeps the grease from splattering (duh), but lets the steam escape. Once again, it wasn’t the cheapest, but I’ve used cheap and it doesn’t last.

Prepare for a major digression…Does my photo remind any of you Baby Boomers of anyone? (My pose is intentional)…

Yes! Miss Nancy from Romper Room with her Magic Mirror! “At the end of each broadcast, she would look through a "magic mirror" (actually a face-sized open hoop with a handle) and name the children she saw in "televisionland", then recite the rhyme, "Romper, bomper, stomper boo. Tell me, tell me, tell me, do. Magic Mirror, tell me today, have all my friends had fun at play?"

“She would then lead into, "I can see Scotty and Kimberly and Julie and Jimmy and Kelly and all of you boys and girls out there!" ” (from Wikipedia). I used to listen intently, but Miss Nancy never said “Shauna.” Thanks, Mom, for giving me an unusual name!

Back to the grill pan: I use the pan several times a week, cooking pork chops, steaks, and hamburgers. In addition to the grill marks and the seared flavor, the meat doesn’t sit in fat as it cooks.

To use the pan, I preheat it on medium high heat for three minutes, then lightly oil it. I plop the seasoned meat on, cover with the splatter shield, and let the meat sear for four to five minutes. Do not move the meat during this time or the grill marks will be messed up. Then turn the heat down, flip the meat, and cook until you’re happy.

Here are some boneless pork loin chops, just flipped.  Meat cooked in a grill pan doesn’t taste “grilled,” as in “grilled on a barbeque,” but it is much juicier than broiling.

The grill pan is the first All-Clad cookware I’ve owned and I love it. It heats evenly and is a breeze to hand wash.

My grill pan and I will continue to make beautiful music together.

(Thanks to Kevin, my very reluctant and impatient photographer).

Thirty Years Ago…

Larry and I were married August 16, 1980. That’s thirty years ago for those of you who are slow doing math. (I highly recommend getting married in a year ending with a zero. It makes figuring out how long you’ve been married much easier). I was 27 and Larry was 25. Yes, I married a younger man. (But in my defense, I thought he was older than me when we first met).

Here are a few photos from that day. Please, no mocking of the clothing or hairstyles. Well, if you must mock, be gentle…heck, if it’s a funny comment, go ahead and mock away.

Here we are, the newly married Laurence (Larry) and Shauna Byers. 

 

We were married in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, San Lorenzo, California by my bishop. My father and oldest brother helped build this chapel in the 60’s and it’s the one I grew up with. I wanted only family to attend the ceremony. We then had a luncheon in the “Scout Room.” After that we had a big reception for friends and family.

 

Kiss the bride!

 

My sister, Judy, and Larry’s brother, Barry were our attendants.

 

Our parents, Max and Evelyn Smith, and Marguerite and William (Bill) Byers

 

The Smith side of the family, from left to right: Andy and Judy(sister); Greg (brother), Jan and baby Jordan Smith; my parents, Max and Evelyn; little Kevin Smith (Greg and Jan’s son); me, Robert Huggins; Larry; Kay (sister), Bill and Cherie Huggins.

 

The Byers side of the family, from left to right: Stephen Eaton; father Bill Byers; Mary Lynne (sister); mother Marguerite; Jennifer Eaton; Sandra Eaton (sister); me; Larry; Sean Eaton; Barry (brother); Suzanne (sister); and Michael Eaton (married to Sandra).

 

I chose spice cake with apple filling. It was tasty! I saved the plastic doves from the top of the cake. Each Christmas I use them as part of our Christmas tree decorations. I nestle them into the top of the tree.

 

Kiss and hug, kiss and hug! Smack your sweetie on the mug!

A Rude Awakening

I haven’t blogged in over a month, despite requests from my fans.(Well, just my sisters-in law Jan and Suzanne. OK, that’s not a lot of fans, but it is plural). I just haven’t felt very bloggy lately. But today’s early morning incident tickled my blogging fancy.

We had a 6:20 AM wake-up call this morning from a crop duster. How rude! NNNEEEEOOOooowww!!! Try to pronounce that word like the sound of a dive bomber flying over your house, making passes every few minutes. My brother, Greg, should be good at it. He made great sound effects when he used to play with his little green Army men. I think most boys make realistic gunshot and explosion sounds.

We live near the edge of town and are used to crop dusters working over the nearby cotton fields, but shouldn’t it be illegal that early in the morning?

It wasn’t just the interrupted sleep that bothered me. It was a loss of unconsciousness, therefore a loss of pain free time for me (Migraine Land).  I thought about calling the police, but what could they do? Pull the guy over?

Lucky Larry

Larry came home from Kmart with a funny expression on his face. He explained, “I was at the checkout, and suddenly a red light started flashing. I remembered what had happened with you ( You, Too, May Be a Winner ), so I didn’t get too excited. i felt embarrassed.”

The cashier told him in a flat voice, “You’ve won a prize, a package of Orbit gum. Which flavor would you like?”

Unimpressed, especially because Larry doesn’t chew gum, he told her to give him the most popular flavor. The cashier brought an assortment, fanned out like a deck of cards. Larry just picked one and was on his way.  

I think this is Larry’s attempt at looking bemused. I told him it looked like a police mug shot!

 

Rather than looking like someone who had just been arrested, I asked Larry to look excited. Does this remind you of anyone…?

 

                                             Oh yeah.

My Dad’s 90th Birthday Party

In May 2009, my brothers and sisters and I hosted a 90th birthday party for my father, Max L. Smith. I’ve organized a photo album you can view by clicking on this link:

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=170667&id=730384346&l=360d37853c

You don’t have to have a Facebook account to view it. (If any of you reading this do have a Facebook account and want to add me as a friend, I’d be flattered).

The photos were all taken by my brothers, sisters and their spouses. I can’t take credit for a single one! I’ll share a few with you.

My dad, taken this spring, at the age of 91. Still looking and feeling sharp!

Come on, you guys! Pay attention! It’s time for the group photo! 

 

 That’s better. (Kim, Kay, Judy, me, Greg and my father)

I Don’t Live In a Vacuum

Kevin and I watched a Dr. Who episode which included the disablement of all electronics with an EMP (electromagnetic pulse) wave. Kevin told me, “When electronics and computers were first invented, they used vacuum tubes, which were resistant to EMP waves. A vacuum tube is like a light bulb…”

“I know what a vacuum tube is,” I stopped him. “Our television set used to have them.”

I didn’t go on, but I will here. When I was a kid, we had a console black and white TV. That meant the TV was in a cabinet/furniture type thing. I don’t think there were portable TV’s then.

The TV had a picture tube and lots of vacuum tubes. Sometimes the vacuum tube would burn out, like a light bulb. My dad would pop out the tube, take it to a store where they had bulb testers, test it, buy a new one and pop it back in.

A few times the big picture tube wouldn’t work, so that part would be taken in for repair. This was this screen of the TV. When it was gone, it left the cabinet almost empty, like a hollow shell. I remember climbing inside and making my own TV shows or commercials, peering out at my pretend audience.

While many other families bought a color TV in the late 60’s, we didn’t get one until I was a senior in high school (1971). For the first time, I could view The Wizard of Oz as it was meant to be viewed.

I had never known the first part of the movie was in black and white. When the house with Dorothy in it (and her little dog, too) landed in Munchkin Land, it all changed into glorious color.

I also understood the part when the guard in Emerald City said, “That’s a horse of a different color.” They showed a horse pulling a carriage, and the horse actually changed from green to blue, orange, red, yellow, and purple (I don’t actually remember all the colors. I cheated and used Google).

 
So, yes, I know about vacuum tubes. Don’t get me started on light bulbs versus those swirly bulbs that look like soft serve ice cream!

Teeth and Tires

Today I learned my teeth and our car tires are similar. Both have expensive hidden defects.

Ten days ago the side of one of my molars with a huge “silver” filling cracked off. This is the fifth time over the last twelve years a tooth has broken like this. I have silver fillings in most of my molars from when I was a kid. Eventually these fillings expand and sheer off sides of teeth. I consider it very unfair to have to have the same tooth repaired twice.

I went to a new dentist today. My former dentist didn’t seem willing to find an anesthetic that wouldn’t cause my heart to race, my chest to hurt, and make me feel sweaty and like I was going to explode from the inside out. He also didn’t try hard to find the source of pain from one of the crowns he put in. He took an x-ray, said it looked normal and called it a day.

My new dentist was great, very caring, very knowledgeable, and respectful. The good news, no anesthesia today, so no sickness. The bad news, I have to see an endodontist (root canal specialist) for a consultation. Not just on the broken tooth, but on SIX teeth. My new dentist showed me where there is decay under fillings with nerves close by, and thinks the crowned tooth may be developing an abscess.

                     (Today’s x-rays. Too much information)?

I take good care of my teeth; exams and cleanings twice a year, and get fillings when cavities develop. My new dentist said the work I’ve had done was more like patching, rather than being a clean job.

So now what do I do? Do I complain about the dentist who did the shoddy work? I like the man and he’s been treating my whole family for ten years, but now I don’t trust him. Is it possible the new dentist is just picky?

As for the tires; our car has been shaking when we drive. Our auto repair guy told Larry to get new tires before he looks for other problems. He showed Larry where there are bumps under the surface and metal showing in a few places, all signs of tire separation. We hadn’t noticed them, but they were there. An accident waiting to happen.

Thank goodness for credit cards. Sigh.