Not a Lot

Nope, not a lot going on except with the weather. We had a whole week of fantastic sunshine and marvellous temperatures - until the weekend, of course. The wind this morning made me wonder why I hadn't remembered to put on a hat. Although we had a bit of rain during the night, I don't think, or hope, it will be enough to stop us from paying a visit to our old park. I'd especially like to go see the peacocks and ducks that have been brought back to the park. They had been taken out as a precaution against bird flu. Now with the outbreak in Mexico of swine flu, they may be taken out again. I've just seen that a school in NYC is being closed because of an outbreak.

What's new in the way of the seemingly impossible quest for an administrator to look after our accounts and  other needs? Well, on Monday the president decided that she wanted to contract the administrator that I'd recommended for the job and the one that had originally been told he had the job. Of course, who has to send out the message? So I sent a text message with the request. I also sent him an e-mail explaining that Carmela had discovered that the administrator whose office was the nearest wasn't the best one for the job. Well, she finally talked to him on Thursday or Friday and was told that he hadn't called because he'd had some big problems. I'd really love for this person to take over the responsibilities that I've had the last 5 years or so,but I'll understand perfectly if he says no. You don't dangle a carrot under someone's nose and then take it away. Normal trustworthy people don't anyway. I promise I won't recommend anybody for anything again!

My visitor number on Post Secret was 231,474,445 - the usual odd number. This week I got number 232,782,920. Here's a riddle for you from today's secrets. What has a cheese grater got in common with the heart? Hope you enjoy your visit. Have a good week all. Friday and Saturday are both holidays in Madrid. Friday is the day that Labour Day is celebrated in Europe and the 2nd of May is the day the people of Madrid rose up against the French. I may have to work on the 1st if the students I have on Friday aren't going away, because this holiday is very close to the Easter holiday.   



 

Spanish Omelette

Description:
This has to be my all-time favourite Spanish dish. It's something that I could eat three times a day. Not too long ago, I heard a famous chef mention that you shouldn't make an omelette with more than 6 eggs as they don't cook properly. I didn't know that. Besides, I don't have a pan that big.

Ingredients:
This recipe is for a frying pan in which you'd fry one egg. In other words, a medium-sized pan.

4 eggs, beaten
About 3 medium-sized potatoes, chopped into small slices
1 medium-sized onion, finely chopped
A bit of chopped green or red pepper, if desired
Salt
Olive oil





Directions:
I fry the potatoes and onions very slowly in a bit of oil so that they 'sweat' and become tender but don't get too brown. While they're frying, I beat the eggs. You don't have to beat them a lot - just enough so that they're well-mixed.
When the potatoes and onions are done, place on a plate and salt before adding the mixture to the eggs. I don't usually salt the eggs.
Let the eggs with the potatoes and onions soak in the beaten eggs for about 20 minutes before frying the omelette.
Heat the oil in the same pan you fried the potatoes and onions in and pour in the egg mixture. Turn the heat down so the omelette doesn't cook too quickly and burn.
Check with a turner that the omelette isn't sticking to the pan. Using a plate or a lid, flip the omelette over when the sides and bottom are brown and finish cooking.
Some people like their omelette slightly runny, but I prefer mine well-done.
Let cool a bit before cutting.

* You can cook the potatoes and onions in the microwave if you wish.

Imagination

I like to believe that I still have an imagination, albeit not so strong as when I was a child and saw some abandoned puppies and ran home because we were convinced they were mad dogs or when some cows escaped  from the pasture and my brother tried to convince me that the bull was daddy dressed up in a bull suit. What tricks are my imagination playing on me today? We've had rain off and on this past week which makes going to the park not very pleasant - too muddy so we just walk around the neighbourhood. This morning I saw a dark blue car parking in the street where we were walking - all very normal. The driver got out and got into a school bus yellow car which was waiting - all very normal too. Not too long after that, Zara decided that she needed to walk up that street again. I suppose there was a spot that she missed sniffing the first time around. Anyway, there was the same yellow car again. This time a person with a box got out of the car and rang the doorbell of the Telefonica building (Telefonica is my phone and internet service provider, which I'm sure I've mentioned before). Anyone who works in this building can punch his/her code into the panel outside and the door opens. Perhaps it's not unusual a parcel being delivered to this building,but I'd say it was on a Sunday, and the last time I checked it was indeed Sunday. I have no idea if the door was opened for this person because we turned the corner just then. However, when the person with the box got out, the car continued its journey. All very strange! A legitimate delivery of material or a disgruntled customer with a delivery? Hope we don't hear a big boom!

I'm not the only one with an active imagination. Imagine you have a few days holiday at Easter and you decide to go to Granada for a visit. Probably you will have booked your hotel beforehand in case everything is booked up. Soon after you go out of your hotel you're arrested by the police who have mistaken you for a wanted drug dealer and confined for FIVE days (all of your holiday) all the time protesting your innocence, but because you have the same name as the drug dealer... Don't ask me how that happened but it did.

If you haven't found either of these two events funny, although the second one is anything but,  this one you will. If you've read my post from last Sunday, you'll know the problems I'm faced with concerning hiring an administrator, blah, blah, blah. It was decided by the president, after her telling the person that I'd recommended he had the job, that no he wouldn't do because his office isn't near. She thought another office would be better because it is near. On Friday morning, she rings my doorbell to ask me to read the contract she's been given by this new office saying that it states that they control the money and they have the right to change the bank account to any bank they choose and who knows what else. I, of course, told her that I was preparing my classes and didn't have time. This weekend she's hasn't insisted I read it and that's that I see her almost every time I step out the door. Is there a Goldilocks Syndrome because in her case I think there is? That one is too far, this one is too sneaky. Where is the one that's just right?

Post Secret hasn't come out yet. I 'imagine' it will be online about 3 PM my time. Whenever, I'll note down my visitor number you can bet on that. Since I can't say anything about today's secrets yet, I'll tell you about the experience I had with changing to IE 8 yesterday, so if you use Norton antivirus and you have 2008 or earlier, you'll have to upgrade to 2009 (the upgrade, of course, is free). IE8 isn't compatible with the earlier versions of Norton. The 2009 version has new features, but I still say it slows down my computer when it's scanning. I don't use IE if I can avoid it and don't find it any quicker than IE 7. However, it's probably a good idea to upgrade to IE8. I haven't changed to IE8 on my netbook yet, which uses Avast antivirus and which allows you to do things on the computer without slowing it down while it's scanning or updating itself. Ever since I've known about it, I use Mozilla. If you like themes, FF has some good ones. I use the'Bricks for Firefox' theme on my Acer and on the netbook I have ' personas for Firefox'. Note: it is 'personas' and not 'persons'. You can find these in the add-ons section of Mozilla or getpersonas.com.

It wasn't my intention to go on so long. I'm making some crash hot potatoes again for lunch - at the moment they're boiling. Hope everybody has a good week with better weather than we've been having.
     



 

Daily Om Reading 17-04-09

There are many people who advocate this exactly!
 
Power in Numbers
Sending Our Collective Light to the World

Like tiny ripples that merge to form great waves, combined human intent is worth more than the sum of its parts. A single individual can initiate worldwide improvement by emitting conscious frequencies of love, beauty, goodness, and wisdom. A group of people focusing their energy on sending out light to the world can set the stage for positive global transformation. All of us possess the ability to channel love energy, to heal, to be a conduit for white light, and to positively influence our fellow humans from afar. Yet one person can only do so much. Imagine if each one of us took a few moments at the start of each day to send out light to the world from our hearts. Mother Earth would be quickly eased and the planet, as well as every organism and being on it, would be bathed in loving light. The world would be an infinitely beautiful place.

You can help bring about an earth where love triumphs over violence, air and water are nourishing in their purity, and people take pleasure in simply being alive. Alone, the light you emit is a wonderful healing tool, but when you join with others who share your intent to shine compassion and positive energy over the world, a powerful force is created. Your collective consciousness and collective light will wash over the planet, enveloping people, communities, cities, countries, and continents. Inviting others to send light with you can be a daunting task. People may question the benefits of sending light to an already broken world. You will likely need to explain that each person’s light joins with every other, and through the joining all are strengthened. Assure them that what matters is not technique or what religion or beliefs you hold but intent.

As more people come in mindfulness to send their collective light to the world, the power of their planetary gift will increase exponentially. You may already be affiliated with groups that would gladly participate in such a noble project. Children, who often feel incapable of influencing their world yet are reservoirs of innate power are usually enthusiastic about sharing their collective light. As you gather together willing people, your individual intent will become a great and powerful wave, and you will see results in your fellow humans, in the news, and in your daily life.

Easter Sunday

There goes the week. As always, the holidays fly by so quickly that it's hard to believe they happened. I did get some of the things that I'd planned on doing like organize my office while other things were ruined by bad weather. Zara and I only went to our favourite park twice because either it was too cold or raining like on Good Friday. It's true what gullible.com says about Good Friday being the most overcast and most extreme in weather. I finally took some photos of other people's gardens on this day, and even though it's looks sunny in most of them the clouds rolled in and out and the wind was freezing and then, luckily we were home by then, it started raining again. The above photo is one of the non-plant photos I snapped though part of this dot com's name is chlorophyll. Friday was definitely not a day to hang around admiring the view.

In my last blog I let off quite a bit of steam about the 'government' of my building first telling someone he'd been chosen as administrator and then backing out in favour of another office, which yes is very near but as far as I know nobody knows anything about. I've made my feelings quite clear on the matter. The very instant that she complains that these people do something or don't do something, or don't do things her way I'm going to nip that in the bud. Very subtlety I've been asked to do the accounts until the end of the month. I only hope that she won't regret her decision - not that I'm going to say I told you so. What I am going to repeat is that I will never recommend anyone to her again. There! I've finished.

I was surprised to see a new Post Secret today. There were, of course, some for Easter and as per usual at least one that made me laugh out loud. People have the strangest fears. There was one today about 3-ring notebooks. I was visitor number 229,362,831.

Wishing everybody a happy Easter Sunday and a good week. 

Crash Hot Potatoes

Description:
I got this recipe from The Pioneer Woman. She in turn got it from someone in Australia. Well, I liked the name of this simple dish and since she raved about it, I decided to try it. I'm glad I did even if mine turned out to be smash hot potatoes! They were yummy, yummy. Take it from someone who usually doesn't think about using potatoes until they have eyes and are all wrinkled.

Ingredients:
New potatoes (or other small round potatoes)
Olive oil (extra virgin)
Kosher salt (I used low sodium salt)
Black pepper
Rosemary (or desired herbs. The rosemary works for me)

Directions:
Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Add in as many potatoes as you wish to make and cook them until they are fork-tender.
On a sheet pan, generously drizzle olive oil. Place tender potatoes on the cookie sheet leaving plenty of space between each potato.
With a potato masher, gently press down each potato until it slightly mashes. Rotate the potato masher 90 degrees and mash again. Brush the tops of each crushed potato generously with more olive oil.
Sprinkle potatoes with salt, fresh ground black pepper and fresh rosemary (or chives or thyme or whatever herb you have available).
Bake in a 450 degree oven (about 230º C) for 20-25 until golden brown.

11:11

This morning after I'd finished reading the new secrets, I happened to glance at the clock on the computer and saw that it was exactly 11:11, which is supposed to be the time when you should make a wish. Did I make a wish? You bet I did!

Do you remember how relieved I was that we'd finally hired an administrator? Well, the president arranged a meeting with him at 6 PM on Thursday. I, of course, couldn't attend because at that time I have class, so I left copies of everything I thought he'd need to get things started. It turns out that he didn't show up until nearly 7 and left a few minutes afterwards so I'm told. She also originally said that he'd taken a paper with all the owners' names on it. Yesterday she said that he hadn't taken anything. On Friday evening when I got home, I saw that he'd called me three times - the last time asking me to call him, which I did. He wanted to know when we could get together to hand over the necessary documents, to which I replied any time this coming week as I had holidays, but that he'd have to arrange the time with the president. I told her I'd told him that and that he'd said that he'd call her on Monday. Yesterday she asked why he'd called me and not her. Maybe because I'm the one who's been handling the accounts? Besides, I didn't give him my telephone number, and if I didn't she must have. The last thing she said yesterday was it had been decided not to sign the contract until the middle of the month. I replied that this was something that I was going to have nothing to do with. I, however,expressed my opinion that if he arrived late and had to leave soon afterwards that he had been working (turns out he called saying he was running late) and that I wasn't going to recommend anybody to do anything else in this building - not ever! She expects everyone and everything to revolve around her. Here's one person who's tired of going around in circles!

I haven't got round to my wish, but somehow I don't think it's necessary to say what it was. While I'm harping about her, let me tell you what she did last week. I was taking my rubbish out and she was pressing one of the buzzers. The neighbours on the third floor had left their baby carriage in the hall downstairs. Our halls are very narrow and anything left in the hall is sure to cause problems. Anyway, when I come back in she says for me to tell them to come and get it, because they'll listen to me. What does she do? She leans on their buzzer for at least 30 seconds. What kind of behaviour is that! I'm glad she goes to mass every day.

Last Sunday I was convinced that there weren't any new secrets. When I looked in the morning there weren't though when I accidentally pulled up the page on Wednesday, I saw the ones posted for the 29th of March. This time and also for today I got odd numbers on the visitors counter: 227,245,573 and 227,719,291 respectively. I've chosen one of the secret's from last week's page to accompany my harangue.

Hope everybody has a good week before Easter Sunday. I love Easter in Spain with all the processions. Yesterday and today I've been organizing some of my  class papers. I've already made one trip to the paper bank and at the moment we've got books scattered on the floor. Hope I get time to do some more organizing and other things that I want to do. Before I go, don't forget to make your wish if you see 11:11!