Best. Salmon. Ever. Tried this recipe from NoDak Outdoors.

Grilled Salmon Recipe :

6 Salmon Fillets

1 1/2 tbs. brown sugar

2 tsp. butter

2 tbs. Dijon mustard

1 tbs. olive oil

2 tsp. grated ginger

1 tbs. soy sauce



Melt butter and brown sugar in a small saucepan. Whisk in Dijon mustard, grated ginger, olive oil, and soy sauce.



Lay out fillets on aluminum foil and leave enough extra space to raise the foil edges into a wall. Pour sauce over salmon and place on grill (medium heat) and cook for approximately 20 minutes.

Even baby Bear yopped for more. And the next day, it was great cold and chunked on a bed of baby spinach. I can’t imagine that North Dakota salmon can hold a candle to our lovely local Coho, but they know how to cook ‘em.

Wow. Thank you, Powerline, for pointing out this flash animation video. It never gets any easier to see these things. It never does. Maybe that’s why no one notices the lack of 9/11 imagery on network news – it’s easier to hurry by an ugly scene. If you run by fast enough, you won’t have to think about it. The entire day has developed an S.E.P. field.

How do you grow alligator skin against something like this? How do you strike a disinterested pose? And how on God’s green earth do you wash the ashes of that day off your soul, only to pull the lever for a man who thinks that Vietnam matters to anybody?

Amy Pak at Homeschool in the Woods has just finished a two-CD set of her amazing timeline figures! These figures are just beautiful, and incredibly well researched. It was hard to restrain myself from doing a Rah!-Rah!-Rah! dance when I heard of the new CD’s. The discount she has for those who have bought her pre-printed figures is great, too.

Today was parent-teacher conference day, so I sat down and talked to myself. I outlined where the Princess was headed in her studies, and praised her creativity as a budding writer. Without being confrontational or blaming, I did express concern that she had been having trouble staying on task and was apt to dawdle. Even though I was gentle in my criticisms, I started getting defensive, (Is there anything worse than an overprotective parent?), even going so far as to insinuate that perhaps it was my fault! After much ranting and character assassination, I finally got myself calmed down enough to communicate like a rational adult. I confirmed that the Princess was indeed a stellar student, but that I simply wished to work on her concentration in the future. We ended the meeting civilly, but I still don’t think we’re on good terms. Thank goodness these conferences only happen once a quarter.

What can I say that all the bigs haven’t already covered? Not much. Only that a copy of Lynne Cheney’s “Telling the Truth” would come in really handy right now over at CBS.

Come to think of it, Terry McAullife and the DU loons could use a few copies, too. Perhaps Santa could be generous this year and give it out instead of lumps of coal.

Ah, a final glimpse of sun today, as we live through the primaries. Lots and lots of brouhaha over our switch to Montana-style primary system. The news has been reporting thousands of confused and angry voters who don’t understand how to choose one ballot. Cue the fuss over our freedoms being hedged. These people obviously don’t recall Dan Savage and his taste for doorknobs.

Update: Saint Paul at Fraters warns of crossover voting in their neck of the woods.

Today felt different. Today would have been my daughter’s first day of state school. It was an awesome feeling to watch the buses go by outside and know that I didn’t have to put her on one; I don’t have to be one of the mamas tearfully watching her walk away into the crowd of tiny strangers. Instead of watching as the class learns their letters and colors, she got to snuggle up to me and read about ancient Egyptian life as her baby brother climbed all over us, trying to grasp our hands, yelling “Pray! Pray!” (He’s got it down pat that we pray before eating. And eating is good.) She aced a spelling test, asked for more math, and told me her latest stories. And gave me attitude over her piano lesson, but geez, she’s not the Pope. Even the Pope isn’t the Pope.

Looking for background on the candidates for the superintendent of Public Instruction, I stumbled on Sharkblog, which I know I’ve seen mentioned somewhere on the blogosphere but can’t remember where. Such a ray of hope to find sanity here in the northwest.

Well, at least one person is doing something useful. That’ll help.

It’s only a matter of time, I think, until we hear hard left loonies spreading conspiracy theories that the Beslan massacre was an election year setup of the Bush administration. ChimpyMcBushitler had children bayoneted and shot to keep the American public quaking about the non-existent war on terror? Anyone who thinks the President knew beforehand and did nothing about the 9/11 terrorists will think it’s possible.

(It’s also possible the Earth’s core is made of jelly, and that macaques know semaphore.)

A sign that I need to get out more? I’ve invented

Swifties Diapers!



You! Yes, you! Need Swifties diapers, the best disposable diaper to be your baby’s John!

Swifties!

• They take a lot of crap, but never sag in their doodies!
• You can try to cover ‘em up, but you can’t drown ‘em out!
• They get to the bottom of things!

(Caution: Swifties may cause sweating, irritation, and explosive outbursts of Democratic asses.)