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Thursday, June 19, 2008

Pot Luck Thursday

You know some bloggers do special things on certain days of the week and then call them by some catchy name to get people to read their blog. For instance Wednesdays are Wordless Wednesdays. They just post a picture and let that be it for the day. I have seen Open Fridays. A short snippet of something is shared and then the readers just share what they want in the comment section. And somewhere...I don't remember where I saw Pot Luck (insert whatever day of the week it happened to fall on here). Pot Luck Thursday (since that's what today is) means that I am just going to share a random variety of things, because the thought of dragging all these things out into an actual blog post is too daunting of a task for me. Not because I am trying to get a whole bunch of people to read my blog. But that would be nice too.

So we'll start with this.


See this building. It will one day be a school. This building has been of interest to me ever since they started building it. Why? Because they started to build it in the middle of a road. See the road? The concrete thing leading up to the building used to actually be a decent-sized road that we drove on all the time.


Here's another picture. Now can you tell it's a road? The construction crew was nice and posted the signs with the arrows to show you to go around the building if you want to continue on to the other side of the road, but really the dirt path around the side of the building leaves quite a bit to be desired and is barely wide enough to fit a car. I highly doubt anyone actually uses it. I know that the first time we started to drive on this road and saw the signs telling us to go around the big hole they were digging we were shocked. We knew exactly what was happening. They were building some sort of building. Now the situation begs the question why. Why are the building a school in the middle of the road? Why was there a road there when the land was going to be used for a school? I don't think we will ever know.

Now on to this...


This is the grilled veggie sandwich I had the other day at lunch. The kids and I walked a long way to get to this restaurant so that we could eat whatever we wanted once we got there. This sandwich was so huge that I could only eat the top half. I mean I know I have a big mouth, but there was no way I could begin to take a bite of it.


My tastes have definitely changed over the years. Several years ago the thought of eating a grilled veggie sandwich would have totally turned me off. I would have wanted something with some sort of meat in it. Not anymore. I am getting soft in my old age. Another sandwich favorite is cream cheese, tomato, and cucumber on Turkish bread. What is wrong with me?

And...

In a recent post I talked about not being able to make rice in Turkey. For some reason it always turned out sticky or crunchy, but nothing in between. Well that, my friends, changed tonight because of this!


This beautiful bag of Basmati rice. I saw it in the store the other day and decided to fork over the small fortune it cost to purchase it. I boiled the salted water. Added the rice and a tiny bit of butter. And let it cook. And I waited. And it smelled so yummy. Exactly like rice is supposed to smell. And when it was time for it to be done I took the lid off the pot and there was the most beautiful rice I have ever seen. White, fluffy, perfectly seasoned. The crab stuffed chicken was secondary on my plate when compared to the wonderfully aromatic Basmati perfection. Ahhh...

Also...

Snowy the rabbit seems to be pooping more today than she did the first 4 days. We were giving her green lentils as per her owner's instructions. I ran out of green lentils but had a bag of red lentils so she got that today. I heard her crunching happily on the balcony several times today. I'm not sure if the abundant pooping was due to the difference in green and red lentils or if she has just gotten comfortable enough to actually go someplace other than at her own house.

Finally...

I think I have cured myself of the lather, rinse, repeat issues I was having. For the last week or so...ever since that Meme post I have only washed my hair once when I have taken a shower. I have stopped myself from doing the repeat just to see if I could actually tell a difference. I can't. I have been wasting shampoo for years doing that whole repeat thing. Man. Now I will add that I don't use the same shampoo two washings in a row. The thought of using the same shampoo twice in a row is just more than I can handle. Baby steps people, baby steps.

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

What an odd place to stick a building. And mmm to the veggie sandwich and to you finally getting decent rice.

Sra said...

I don't even wash my hair every day. Because I don't shower every day. How unamerican of me.

I have never ever seen a building built in the middle of the road. WTF?

That veggie sandwich looks incredible!

Anonymous said...

Finally a picture to go with the story you have told me on several occasions... not that I am complaining!

If you like Veggie Burgers, I have a great place to take you in Austin! I love a good veggie burger more than a meat one any day of the week!

OK, so next package.... Good easy rice to make, Velveeta and plain Doritos, how am I doing so far?

The bunny got comfy... I used to have them as pets, and mine would do the same thing. Is the poor thing only eating lentils?

So what shampoo do you use besides Panteen? Curious mind here wants to know!

Anonymous said...

Hm, thos are some pretty strange zoning laws they have there!

The sandwich looks scrump-dididly-umtious and Basmati is the rice of the week at our house this week! (altho I have to admit that I only ever make rice in my rice cooker)

I only wash my hair a couple times a week...is that gross? I mean, I wash it when it starts looking dirty (usually).

Natalie said...

citizen of the world - i know. the city planning department here needs quite a bit of help. and i am all about good food!

sra - i don't wash my hair every day either. i don't shower everyday either unless it is in the heat of summer, i smell bad, or i just think i need it. mostly i am an every other day showerer.

i wouldn't even know who to ask about the building in the middle of the road.

and the sandwich will definitely be ordered again.

charlie girl - um...i don't know if i like veggie burgers. i don't want fake meat. i liked the grilled veggies and the grilled hellim cheese.

and don't send rice...i loved the basmati. it was perfection.

the rabbit is eating lentils, parsley and an occasional carrot. that is pretty much it so far.

shampoo...it is a turkish one i think. called ellidor. maybe not turkish. i also use one called rejoice which i have never seen in america.

~m - yes...the zoning laws...not sure they exist. really.

ag said the rice tasted like the kind our iranian friends make. and it is the best rice ever. i am happy about the rice!

i wash my hair every other day usually. so i don't think it's gross. my hair dries out easily so i need to wash it as little as possible.

Anonymous said...

Nice eclectic post! The building on the road is hysterical! Makes no sense whatsoever! Glad the rabbit is getting used to the new environs. I have to shower and shampoo twice a day because of allergies. Well, actually, I shower at night so I don't rub the outside pollen into my pillow and breathe it in (my genius dr gave me that advice, couldn't believe I never thought of that!) Then if I don't shower in the morning again I never feel like I really wake up plus my short hair absolutely will not shed its bedhead look unless shampooed. Just getting it wet doesn't do a thing. Glad you have the rice thing solved. Obviously, it wasn't you...it was the rice they sell! And what a beautiful sandwich!
Mamadallama

Natalie said...

mamadallama - thanks. that building being built there has plagued me since they started it. why? that's all i want to know!

i wouldn't have ever thought about showering at night to help with allergies either! what a smart doctor!

i love short hair...i just don't look good with it. i've tried, and it just doesn't do much for me.