what ARE you thinking?

I don't even know where to start on this one. When I was in grade school, we spent a significant amount of time hiding under our desks, waiting for the A-bomb. We were taught to be afraid of the russians, and communism, taught to be afraid of anyone that wasn't like us (whatever that means).

Things went on, and things changed. We always have something to worry about though. Someone is always stirring the pot, taking sides, making people take sides - divide and conquer, you know the story.

I may have grown up in the smallest town ever, in a state that is considered to be full of hillbillies - but I also got introduced to a different world. Moving back and forth from my home to the Washington DC area changed my small town view. I read the Washington Post every day, and considered myself able to understand politics and the people who play that game. I was horrified by Watergate, and afterwards - I was old enough to vote. I don't have to tell you - if you know me - that I'm a tree-hugging liberal - not radical, but definitely will never change over to the other side. no way, never.

So anyway, I have this Flickr account. I have 1800+ contacts. The above picture shows you the friends I have all over the world. Almost every country is represented. So, it's really hard for me to swallow this Arizona immigration thing.

A good percentage of my contacts are from Mexico, Central America and South America. Brasil, Chile, Argentina - are my favorite friends on Flickr. One thing I've learned from them is how charming, beautiful, sweet, kind, and more than generous they are.

I can't support this legislation in Arizona. I can't believe that the people who do support it can be thinking straight. I wonder why they are afraid? I'd like to ask them.

I don't want to live in an America that makes us show our papers. It's just one inch short of fascism. No thank you.

Yum Yum.... Eat Em Up

EASTER DESSERTS I HAVE EATEN

Cranberry Cheesecake
Double D Killer Chocolate Cake
Bobby Flay's Coconut Cake
Good Luck Made Up Coconut/Lime/Cherry Pie

Rachel's Contribution - Bobby Flay's Coconut Cake.

The best coconut cake I've ever eaten.

I like to cook. I hate to cook. Depends on what kind of mood I've got for the day. I've had to cook since I was 12, so yeah, I'm sick of it.

I got myself one of those fancy mixers that will knead dough because I was too lazy to knead it by hand. The first week I had it, I made oatmeal bread. Then I went on a craze of scones - yeah, like I need all that butter. Scones are only good the first day, and maybe the second. I like to put chopped dried cherries in them. that's killer.... so good. Then I tried out brioche - very good, but only on the first day.

Around holidays, I do cook. I'm a maniac in the kitchen. These days though, I have to be careful, as I often mess up the recipe, forgetting to add this or that. So it happens with the above pie. It started out as a coconut pudding with lime and using Coco Lopez. It came out perfect - until I tasted it. What did I forget? Did I write the recipe incorrectly? I'm too lazy to go back upstairs and google the recipe again, so I just think - ok, add some sugar, because it obviously it was not sweet. I added some sugar, but not too much thinking it might screw up the custard.

While I am waiting for the custard to cool, I think I might take some cream cheese and mix it with sugar and then fold it into the custard. It was awesome and tasted perfect. Topped with cherries ....... I could not wait to have a slice.

Unfortunately, I didn't get any, but I licked the top of the parchment paper that covered it.