Neighbors

***WARNING***
I use some very harsh language about a child. I don't want anyone complaining about my language. If you don't like it, stop reading. Yes, I understand I want to be a developmental psychologist, but that doesn't mean I cant think a child is a stupid fucking moron. I'm pissed and I'm blogging to get it out of my system. Now on to the original blog:


It seems like a have a definite love/hate relationship with my neighbors. Even in college, they either loved me or hated me and the feelings were mutual. I lived in apartments all through college and it's a GREAT way to make new friends!

But I managed to make another enemy tonight.

I really consider myself a friendly person. I try to smile at everyone and say hello when I pass them in the courtyard. Rigel is a great icebreaker. And most people here are very friendly in return.

But the lady that lives next to me is a serious bitch, not just to me either. She hates all dogs, all old people, all children, all people that park next to her car. It's absurd. I can hear her yelling at her husband all the time. Maybe she's just an unhappy person in general. But I've stopped trying to be nice to her.

I love most of the kids that run around here with their siblings and their dogs. Great way to meet their parents and get to know new people. But there is this little boy that rides his scooter on the sidewalks around the courtyard. Last week when the weather started to warm up, my doors and windows were open. The moment he found out there was a dog in my apartment, he decided to stand next to my window and bark into my house at Rigel. I kindly asked him to stop and he did... for about an hour. It REALLY pissed me off. Then the weather got kinda nasty again and he wasn't a problem. The last two days have been beautiful outside, and the barking kid is back. This kid has to be about 12 and should know better. He really works Rigel up. I try everything I can to calm Rigel back down. But this retarded kid stands at the edge of the sidewalk and barks into my house!! So I close all of the windows and blinds and that pisses me off. It's pretty outside, I shouldnt have to do that.

So tonight was the same story. I waited until he was gone to take Rigel outside to potty. We were out there for 30 seconds when he comes speeding towards us on the sidewalk SCREAMING at the top of his lungs. Rigel went crazy. So I scold Rigel and walk down a different sidewalk, avoiding this stupid child. And here he comes. So I turn around and ask him to please leave us alone. And walk down a different sidewalk. Maybe he's truly mentally retarded because he just followed us. So again, I asked him to LEAVE US ALONE!! GO AWAY!!! But nothing. So Rigel and I went inside. He walked to the porch doors and waved at me. I made a 'go away' hand gesture. A few minutes later Rigel is barking his head off in the bedroom. This stupid fucking moron has his face pressed against the screen of my bedroom window. Well, that was it. I started screaming at this retard. He ran off. Five minutes later, here he comes again... with his mother. She doesn't knock at my front door. She comes to the porch doors and... yells into my house, so I just assume that she's retarded too. I put Rigel in his room and step out on my porch. Very politely the mother asks me if I yelled at her son. I'm honest. I told her exactly what I said. But then I asked her if her son told her what he did to piss me off. She said it was because I didnt like the noise his scooter made. I just shook my head and told her the whole story. And she didnt believe me!! She scolded me for yelling at her son. I told her that I would stop yelling if she kept better tabs on her kid. And that if I found him next to my window ever again I was filing a complaint with the office.

Am I totally off base here (minus the lovely choice words)? Am I expected to just sit there while some dumbass barks at my dog? I've worked with kids (I've worked with SPED kids!!) and I know they can understand what is asked of them. Maybe I have really high expectations of others' children.

Please dont let your children be retarded.

Potato & Spinach Soup with Gouda

By popular demand, this is the recipe for the soup I made today. I think it smells and tastes a lot like my dad's Vichychoisse, a French leek and potato soup. But it was much easier to make.

Combine in crock pot:
6 cups of Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and cubed
2 (14oz) cans of chicken broth
1/2 cup water
1 small red onion, finely chopped
5 ounces of baby spinach
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground pepper
1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper

Cook on low for 10 hours, or until potatoes are tender. On high it took about 6 hours.

Slightly mash the potatoes in the crock pot.
Add:
2 cups of shredded Gouda cheese
1 (12oz) can of evaporated milk

Cook on high for 20 minutes or until the cheese is melted.

The recipe now says to thinly slice a clove of garlic and cook the slices in oil on the stove until they are golden brown and then put the slices of garlic in the bowl while you spoon out the soup. But that's not what I did, basically because I'm lazy. I just added a teaspoon of minced garlic (out of a jar) to the crock pot while it was cooking.

And of course for garnish and because I love Gouda cheese, sprinkle some more cheese over the bowl of soup.

Makes 8 to 10 servings.


And if you have a bread maker, I would suggest making some garlic rosemary bread for dipping. Basically it's just a normal box of bread mix with some garlic powder and some rosemary that I've crushed up in my hand. Joe calls it Macaroni Grill bread, since they both have rosemary in them and we dont get out much.


From a Rival Crock Pot Simple 1-2-3 Recipe book.

Hour of Separation

"And ever has it been that love knows not its own depth until the hour of separation."

-Kahlil Gibran

Lost Moon

New Moon

I was like a lost moon

my planet destroyed

in some cataclysmic,

disaster-movie scenario of desolation

that continued, nevertheless,

to circle in a

tight

little

orbit

around the empty space left behind,

ignoring the laws of gravity.

Dara

The newest member of my family, my baby cousin. Born 3/4/10. 8lbs 12oz