What started out as a post about Texan culture shock ended up being a list of what it’s like to drive in Austin, and how that in and of itself is a shock, especially to this small town girl. Whenever we're in the car together, at least one of these comes up or becomes an annoyance. So we bring to you: “Top 5 Austin Driving Rants”!
1. Lack of road signs. We live in a city full of busy streets, highways and freeways. I’ve noticed the city or state or both (most likely) love to play tricks on drivers by not signing “turn only” lanes until you are turning. Nor do they clearly mark which road is which. The other day I was looking for 71 East and all I saw were signs for 71 West, until I was driving PAST the exit and finally saw “71 East”!
2. More than one name for every road. You will get confused in Austin right quick if you don’t know that Hwy 71 is also Ben White Blvd., or that Loop 1 is also known as “MOPAC” or Hwy 183 is sometimes Ed Bluestein Blvd. but then it’s Bastrop Hwy, until it changes into Lockhart Hwy… Pick a name, people, pick a name!
3. Stop lights on 65 MPH roads. Really?! I’m just gonna rant about this one: If Austin isn’t asking for more accidents, I don’t know what they’re up to. Some of the major highways around here are loaded with stop lights and side road entrances AND 65 MPH signs. Frank tells me you’re supposed to look ahead and watch the light to turn yellow. (Duh.) Do you know how hard it is to stop without getting rear ended when y’all are trucking down the road at 65 miles per hour and all of a sudden a light turns yellow? It’s crazy ridiculousness. I’ve never seen anything like it, except maybe in Kenya, but at least they don’t bother with the traffic lights over there!
4. Passing techniques. One of the first times I was driving with Frank in Texas, someone was following us really closely, so Frank just pulled over on the shoulder, maintaining his 60 mph speed, and let them pass. After they went by, we pulled back over. The car in front of us put on his hazards for a few blinks. At this point, I was really confused, until Frank pointed to the Hazard light button in our car and said, “This is the ’thank-you’ button,” and smiled at me. I just looked at him and said blankly, “where I come from, that’s the hazard button and you only use it when you’re pulled over on the side of the road and you‘re in trouble.”
5. Longest stop lights ever. Seriously. I’m guessing the camera sensor technology hasn’t hit it big here in Austin. That, and the length of stoplights feels about twice as long as it has other places I’ve lived. Granted, I haven’t lived in the “big city” for a while, but sitting at a light feels excessively long here. That, or I could just always be anxious to get to where we’re going…. Nah, they’re too long! ;-)
Much Love,
Alita & Frank
About Us
Tuesday, August 23, 2011
Thursday, August 18, 2011
You Know you Live in an RV when…
1. “Honey, could you empty the grey tank?!” is a phrase often heard from the shower, usually followed by, “it’s pooling around my ankles, please hurry!”
2. You often wake up to the sound of squirrels foraging on your roof.
3. Your “garage” is the storage area in the rear of the vehicle.
4. Your whole house shakes when you walk.
5. Running your AC and your Microwave at the same time trips the breaker.
6. You are constantly shifting your plates, cups and bowls when the AC is on to stop the symphony in the cupboard!
7. Washing your house is as normal as washing your car.
8. Brushing your teeth together involves rotating in and out of the bathroom.
9. You have to buy dissolvable toilet paper.
10. It takes an hour or less to clean your whole house!
2. You often wake up to the sound of squirrels foraging on your roof.
3. Your “garage” is the storage area in the rear of the vehicle.
4. Your whole house shakes when you walk.
5. Running your AC and your Microwave at the same time trips the breaker.
6. You are constantly shifting your plates, cups and bowls when the AC is on to stop the symphony in the cupboard!
7. Washing your house is as normal as washing your car.
8. Brushing your teeth together involves rotating in and out of the bathroom.
9. You have to buy dissolvable toilet paper.
10. It takes an hour or less to clean your whole house!
Friday, August 5, 2011
Cling to Love
It is a beautiful sunny, Friday morning here in Austin. Today will be the 52nd day in a row the temperature climbs above 100 degrees. Frank is out there delivering the world on time and I am sipping on coffee, writing and thinking about all the things I have to do today. Fridays are my “busy” days. Menu planning, & grocery shopping are on the agenda, along with my daily chores and spending time with my wonderful husband when he gets home. Lately, a couple hours every day have also been taken by a recent opportunity to help reduce our rent.
A few weeks ago our RV park manager, MJ, approached me about filling in at the office for when they need a “back up.” MJ is waiting for a liver transplant and Christina, her right hand woman, is going on vacation tomorrow. MJ is hoping that her phone will ring any day with hope-restoring news for her so I get to be on stand-by for now in case that happens and Christina isn’t here. So for the last couple weeks I have been working in the office for a couple hours each day. For each hour I work we get $8 taken off our rent. Last week I worked 10 hours, which saved us $80 off our rent! I am praising God for this opportunity and praying that MJ gets a liver SOON. She is a light, this woman. Quite endearing. She makes this place what it is and we appreciate her so much.
In other news, I applied at the YMCA and the Boys and Girls Club yesterday. Rumor is that Boys and Girls Club are opening 4 new locations in Austin soon, thanks to a large grant. Again, please pray. Frank was hoping to get a full time route at FedEx this month, as a couple were scheduled to open up this week. Instead, those routes were split into part time routes and added to other drivers’ current routes. That day he was out looking for jobs in and around the same area FedEx is based. We are planning to go down to a one car family as soon as we get some paperwork from Oregon so we can sell my car next week. Frank is planning on riding his bike to work and letting me take “Katie” to work when I get a job. We may soon become very familiar with the Austin public transit system!
I need to apologize to our regular readers of the Buzz. I didn’t think my last post seemed negative but I have had a lot of notes of concern come to me since I wrote it. I am thankful for everyone’s encouragement; it means so much to me. Life has been an adjustment and frustrating in some ways lately, but it would be wrong of me to not give recognition to the fact that we have been provided for, one way or another ever since we got married. Our bills get paid every month and we have food in the cupboard. We are still giving a little bit each month, because we know that we are not poor, by the world’s standards. For every time we’ve given, we’ve probably received at least twice as much back. This isn’t why we give, but the contrast is so stark to me.
My Great-Aunt always says, “My mother always said, when poverty flies in the door, love flies out the window.” Now I love my great aunt and her many proverbial sayings, but after much thought and time, Frank and I are coming to believe that while that may be true for some people, it won’t be true for us. When poverty creeps in, we need to cling to love. Our love isn’t an arbitrary feeling that can so easily be tossed out the window, rather its what motivates us each day to keep giving and serving one another and cling to our Father God, who is the author of Love. No matter what our circumstances are, we are to continue loving. So we love each other, our neighbors and our community. Not because we feel poor, but because love is more important than poverty.
A few weeks ago our RV park manager, MJ, approached me about filling in at the office for when they need a “back up.” MJ is waiting for a liver transplant and Christina, her right hand woman, is going on vacation tomorrow. MJ is hoping that her phone will ring any day with hope-restoring news for her so I get to be on stand-by for now in case that happens and Christina isn’t here. So for the last couple weeks I have been working in the office for a couple hours each day. For each hour I work we get $8 taken off our rent. Last week I worked 10 hours, which saved us $80 off our rent! I am praising God for this opportunity and praying that MJ gets a liver SOON. She is a light, this woman. Quite endearing. She makes this place what it is and we appreciate her so much.
In other news, I applied at the YMCA and the Boys and Girls Club yesterday. Rumor is that Boys and Girls Club are opening 4 new locations in Austin soon, thanks to a large grant. Again, please pray. Frank was hoping to get a full time route at FedEx this month, as a couple were scheduled to open up this week. Instead, those routes were split into part time routes and added to other drivers’ current routes. That day he was out looking for jobs in and around the same area FedEx is based. We are planning to go down to a one car family as soon as we get some paperwork from Oregon so we can sell my car next week. Frank is planning on riding his bike to work and letting me take “Katie” to work when I get a job. We may soon become very familiar with the Austin public transit system!
I need to apologize to our regular readers of the Buzz. I didn’t think my last post seemed negative but I have had a lot of notes of concern come to me since I wrote it. I am thankful for everyone’s encouragement; it means so much to me. Life has been an adjustment and frustrating in some ways lately, but it would be wrong of me to not give recognition to the fact that we have been provided for, one way or another ever since we got married. Our bills get paid every month and we have food in the cupboard. We are still giving a little bit each month, because we know that we are not poor, by the world’s standards. For every time we’ve given, we’ve probably received at least twice as much back. This isn’t why we give, but the contrast is so stark to me.
My Great-Aunt always says, “My mother always said, when poverty flies in the door, love flies out the window.” Now I love my great aunt and her many proverbial sayings, but after much thought and time, Frank and I are coming to believe that while that may be true for some people, it won’t be true for us. When poverty creeps in, we need to cling to love. Our love isn’t an arbitrary feeling that can so easily be tossed out the window, rather its what motivates us each day to keep giving and serving one another and cling to our Father God, who is the author of Love. No matter what our circumstances are, we are to continue loving. So we love each other, our neighbors and our community. Not because we feel poor, but because love is more important than poverty.
Friday, July 22, 2011
Reality
"It's not what you know, it's who you know," could never have been more true than it is right now. I feel like an alien in a foreign land. We have been in Austin for about 2 months now. I have probably been actively looking for a job for 6 weeks. I haven't had one interview. Without an inside connection or at least a familiar resume, I feel like I'm swimming upstream with one arm tied behind my back. I've never been a strong swimmer.
I can only think of two times in my life I was hired "cold," without knowing someone who got my foot in the door. Now, when I need a job more than ever, I don't know enough people to find one. Thankfully, FedEx has been giving Frank decent hours, but every 3 weeks there seems to be a bad week for hours. This has been one of those weeks.
Honestly, I'm feeling discouraged. I don't want this blog to be a downer, but I also don't want to hide the truth from y'all either. I need a job desperately and Frank needs more hours. There are two full time routes coming up in August that he will bid for. We appreciate your prayers. I also appreciate your hints, tips & leads. It's been a while since I had to look for a job. With so many people looking for work the job market has become more competitive and I've never been one for much competition.
Much Love,
Alita & Frank
I can only think of two times in my life I was hired "cold," without knowing someone who got my foot in the door. Now, when I need a job more than ever, I don't know enough people to find one. Thankfully, FedEx has been giving Frank decent hours, but every 3 weeks there seems to be a bad week for hours. This has been one of those weeks.
Honestly, I'm feeling discouraged. I don't want this blog to be a downer, but I also don't want to hide the truth from y'all either. I need a job desperately and Frank needs more hours. There are two full time routes coming up in August that he will bid for. We appreciate your prayers. I also appreciate your hints, tips & leads. It's been a while since I had to look for a job. With so many people looking for work the job market has become more competitive and I've never been one for much competition.
Much Love,
Alita & Frank
Monday, July 18, 2011
Everything but the Kitchen Sink
Ham Steak with broccoli & Yam fries (I thought this was a sweet potato, but I was mistaken... still very yummy roasted with some olive oil, s & p and paprika!)
This was my first attempt at chicken fried steak. I served it with egg noodles and green beans. Frank said he preferred the lightness of the noodles compared to traditional mashed potatoes.
He really like it! :-)
French dips with a packed veggie salad... yummo!
And finally, we just had this last night... A salad every man would dream of. Steak, potatoes & bacon over a bed of red leaf lettuce with homemade blue cheese dressing. To. Die. For. (Recipe is from Real Simple Magazine, August 2011)
Friday, July 8, 2011
Alita's Kitchen
Apparently the key to a man’s heart is through his stomach but I won Frank’s heart a long time before I ever cooked for him. Still, it’s good to know that I could have used my cooking skills as a back up plan!
One of the reasons I couldn’t wait to get married was to start planning menus and meals and cook for my husband (I have never been known for being politically correct… no time to start now!). I love cooking. It relaxes me, especially when I’ve planned ahead and know what I’m making that night. I love trying new recipes. I love the look on my husband’s face when he takes that first bite and looks up at me. I do think he is an easy man to please but I trust if it wasn’t good he wouldn’t look at me that way. So far, 7 ½ weeks into our marriage, he says I haven’t made a dish that disappointed him yet.
What am I cooking? (I knew I should have taken photos!) Here are some recipes that worked wonders for our hungry stomachs these last couple months! My favorite cook book so far is “Betty Crocker’s Cookbook Bridal Edition.” My sister in law, Yvette, gave it to me before we were married and it has awesome recipes. It also has a lot of good cooking and baking basics and tips. If you aren’t a cook, this is a good book to use as it is simple and helpful!
Pecan Crusted Fish Fillets (Crocker, p.314)
We had a two pound bag of pecan halves left over from our wedding so we’ve been coming up with some creative ways to use them. This recipe is one of the best by far!
1 cup finely chopped pecans (not ground)
¼ cup dry bread crumbs (I used a slice of potato bread)
2 teaspoons grated lemon peel
1 egg
1 tablespoon milk
1 pound sole, orange roughy, walleye pike or other delicate fish fillets, about ½ inch thick (I used tilapia)
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon pepper
2 tablespoons vegetable oil (I used olive oil)
Lemon wedges
1. Mix pecans, bread crumbs and lemon peel in shallow bowl. Beat egg and milk with wire whisk or fork in another shallow bowl.
2. Cut fish into 4 serving pieces. Sprinkle both sides of fish with salt and pepper. Coat fish with egg mixture then coat well with pecan mixture, pressing slightly into fish.
3. Heat oil in 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add fish. Reduce heat to medium-low. Cook 6 to 10 minutes, turning once carefully with 2 pancake turners, until fish flakes easily with fork and is brown. Serve with lemon wedges.
I served this with cilantro lime rice: 1 cup rice cooked in rice cooker, mixed with the juices of 1 lemon (the one I grated the zest off of for the fish) and 2 small limes, and about 1 cup of finely chopped cilantro. I also drizzled some asparagus with olive oil and grated garlic and pan fried it for about 5 minutes until it was heated through and slightly browned.
Indonesian Peanut Chicken (Crocker, p. 288)
This is a simple dish with a delicious Asian flavor, combining many of my favorite ingredients. Frank LOVED it! (It’s even better the next day.)
3-3 ½ pound cut-up broiler-fryer chicken
¾ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon pepper
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 medium onion, chopped (½ cup)
1/3 cup peanut butter
¼ cup chili sauce
½ teaspoon ground red pepper (cayenne)
1 cup water
¼ cup chopped salted peanuts (I used dry roasted.)
¼ cup chopped red bell pepper
I also served it with extra ground peanuts, chopped lime and chopped cilantro.
1. Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper.
2. Heat oil in 12-inch skillet or 4-quart Dutch oven over medium heat. Cook chick in oil about 15 minutes, turning occasionally, until brown on all sides. Cover and cook over low heat about 20 minutes or until juice is not longer pink when centers of thickest pieces are cut. Remove chicken from skillet with tongs.
3. Drain all but 1 tablespoon drippings from skillet, heat over medium heat. Cook onion in drippings, stirring occasionally, until tender; reduce heat. Stir in peanut butter, chili sauce and cayenne pepper. Gradually stir in water, stirring constantly, until peanut butter is melted.
4. Add chicken. Spoon sauce over chicken. Heat to boiling, reduce heat. Simmer uncovered about 5 minutes, spooning sauce frequently over chicken, until sauce is slightly thickened. Serve sauce over chicken. Sprinkle with peanuts and bell pepper. (OR: Make rice or noodles (I used whole wheat egg noodles). Cover bottom of serving dish with rice or noodles. Arrange chicken on top of rice or noodles. Pour peanut sauce over chicken, garnish with red peppers and peanuts and serve. I didn’t do the extra step of boiling the sauce with the chicken in it and it still turned out really well!)
Another wonderful wedding present was “Taste of Home’s Complete guide to Baking.” I am more attracted to cooking than baking, but this book is a dream of beautiful photos and delicious, easy recipes. It even has some savory baking dishes that I can’t wait to try. In the mean time, I’ve discovered a Southern must have:
Pecan Squares (Taste of Home, p. 69)
I have actually halved this recipe both times I’ve made it and it still serves plenty!
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/3 cup sugar
¾ cup butter, softened
¼ teaspoon salt
FILLING:
4 eggs
1 ½ cups corn syrup
1 ½ cups sugar
3 tablespoons butter, melted
1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
2 ½ cups chopped pecans
1. In a large mixing bow, combine the flour, sugar, butter and salt until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. (I used a pastry cutter to do this.) Press firmly and evenly into a greased 15-in. x 10-in. baking pan. Bake at 350 for 20 minutes.
2. For filling, combine the eggs, corn syrup, sugar, butter and vanilla in a bowl. Stir in the pecans. Spread evenly over hot crust. Bake 25-30 minutes longer or until set. Cook on a wire rack. Cut into squares. Yield: 4 dozen.
We have a propane oven, so I only need to bake the crust about 15 minutes, especially a half size. The first time I made these I over-cooked them a bit because they still look soupy in the middle after 30 minutes. Take them out anyway. They will firm up as they cool down. Enjoy a taste of the south!
So what’s on the menu next week?
African Stew & Greens with Rice
Ham with Sweet Potato Fries & steamed broccoli
Lasagna with green salad
Chef Salads
Round Steak Stir Fry & Brown Rice
Loaded Baked Potatoes with green beans
For recipes, email me: alita.batham@gmail.com!
One of the reasons I couldn’t wait to get married was to start planning menus and meals and cook for my husband (I have never been known for being politically correct… no time to start now!). I love cooking. It relaxes me, especially when I’ve planned ahead and know what I’m making that night. I love trying new recipes. I love the look on my husband’s face when he takes that first bite and looks up at me. I do think he is an easy man to please but I trust if it wasn’t good he wouldn’t look at me that way. So far, 7 ½ weeks into our marriage, he says I haven’t made a dish that disappointed him yet.
What am I cooking? (I knew I should have taken photos!) Here are some recipes that worked wonders for our hungry stomachs these last couple months! My favorite cook book so far is “Betty Crocker’s Cookbook Bridal Edition.” My sister in law, Yvette, gave it to me before we were married and it has awesome recipes. It also has a lot of good cooking and baking basics and tips. If you aren’t a cook, this is a good book to use as it is simple and helpful!
Pecan Crusted Fish Fillets (Crocker, p.314)
We had a two pound bag of pecan halves left over from our wedding so we’ve been coming up with some creative ways to use them. This recipe is one of the best by far!
1 cup finely chopped pecans (not ground)
¼ cup dry bread crumbs (I used a slice of potato bread)
2 teaspoons grated lemon peel
1 egg
1 tablespoon milk
1 pound sole, orange roughy, walleye pike or other delicate fish fillets, about ½ inch thick (I used tilapia)
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon pepper
2 tablespoons vegetable oil (I used olive oil)
Lemon wedges
1. Mix pecans, bread crumbs and lemon peel in shallow bowl. Beat egg and milk with wire whisk or fork in another shallow bowl.
2. Cut fish into 4 serving pieces. Sprinkle both sides of fish with salt and pepper. Coat fish with egg mixture then coat well with pecan mixture, pressing slightly into fish.
3. Heat oil in 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add fish. Reduce heat to medium-low. Cook 6 to 10 minutes, turning once carefully with 2 pancake turners, until fish flakes easily with fork and is brown. Serve with lemon wedges.
I served this with cilantro lime rice: 1 cup rice cooked in rice cooker, mixed with the juices of 1 lemon (the one I grated the zest off of for the fish) and 2 small limes, and about 1 cup of finely chopped cilantro. I also drizzled some asparagus with olive oil and grated garlic and pan fried it for about 5 minutes until it was heated through and slightly browned.
Indonesian Peanut Chicken (Crocker, p. 288)
This is a simple dish with a delicious Asian flavor, combining many of my favorite ingredients. Frank LOVED it! (It’s even better the next day.)
3-3 ½ pound cut-up broiler-fryer chicken
¾ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon pepper
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 medium onion, chopped (½ cup)
1/3 cup peanut butter
¼ cup chili sauce
½ teaspoon ground red pepper (cayenne)
1 cup water
¼ cup chopped salted peanuts (I used dry roasted.)
¼ cup chopped red bell pepper
I also served it with extra ground peanuts, chopped lime and chopped cilantro.
1. Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper.
2. Heat oil in 12-inch skillet or 4-quart Dutch oven over medium heat. Cook chick in oil about 15 minutes, turning occasionally, until brown on all sides. Cover and cook over low heat about 20 minutes or until juice is not longer pink when centers of thickest pieces are cut. Remove chicken from skillet with tongs.
3. Drain all but 1 tablespoon drippings from skillet, heat over medium heat. Cook onion in drippings, stirring occasionally, until tender; reduce heat. Stir in peanut butter, chili sauce and cayenne pepper. Gradually stir in water, stirring constantly, until peanut butter is melted.
4. Add chicken. Spoon sauce over chicken. Heat to boiling, reduce heat. Simmer uncovered about 5 minutes, spooning sauce frequently over chicken, until sauce is slightly thickened. Serve sauce over chicken. Sprinkle with peanuts and bell pepper. (OR: Make rice or noodles (I used whole wheat egg noodles). Cover bottom of serving dish with rice or noodles. Arrange chicken on top of rice or noodles. Pour peanut sauce over chicken, garnish with red peppers and peanuts and serve. I didn’t do the extra step of boiling the sauce with the chicken in it and it still turned out really well!)
Another wonderful wedding present was “Taste of Home’s Complete guide to Baking.” I am more attracted to cooking than baking, but this book is a dream of beautiful photos and delicious, easy recipes. It even has some savory baking dishes that I can’t wait to try. In the mean time, I’ve discovered a Southern must have:
Pecan Squares (Taste of Home, p. 69)
I have actually halved this recipe both times I’ve made it and it still serves plenty!
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/3 cup sugar
¾ cup butter, softened
¼ teaspoon salt
FILLING:
4 eggs
1 ½ cups corn syrup
1 ½ cups sugar
3 tablespoons butter, melted
1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
2 ½ cups chopped pecans
1. In a large mixing bow, combine the flour, sugar, butter and salt until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. (I used a pastry cutter to do this.) Press firmly and evenly into a greased 15-in. x 10-in. baking pan. Bake at 350 for 20 minutes.
2. For filling, combine the eggs, corn syrup, sugar, butter and vanilla in a bowl. Stir in the pecans. Spread evenly over hot crust. Bake 25-30 minutes longer or until set. Cook on a wire rack. Cut into squares. Yield: 4 dozen.
We have a propane oven, so I only need to bake the crust about 15 minutes, especially a half size. The first time I made these I over-cooked them a bit because they still look soupy in the middle after 30 minutes. Take them out anyway. They will firm up as they cool down. Enjoy a taste of the south!
So what’s on the menu next week?
African Stew & Greens with Rice
Ham with Sweet Potato Fries & steamed broccoli
Lasagna with green salad
Chef Salads
Round Steak Stir Fry & Brown Rice
Loaded Baked Potatoes with green beans
For recipes, email me: alita.batham@gmail.com!
Tuesday, June 14, 2011
Honeymoon Days
It is nearly impossible to believe a month has passed since our big day! Everything about our wedding day still feels so fresh in our minds. We remain basking in the glow of the love that our family and friends poured out for us over the weekend of May 15th. There is no better way to start a marriage than with the incredible support of friends and family. Thank you, again, to those of you who participated in making our wedding week and day so memorable and special!
You may be thinking we've fallen off the map over the last 4 weeks. We have been busy moving across the country, unpacking, settling in and getting used to each other. Frank has gone back to work at FedEx after his 2 week wedding vacation and Alita has been making the trailer a home and starting her job search. We've enjoyed spending time with Frank's family and making a ton of new friends at Austin New Church.
We'll leave you with a couple photos of our cozy abode. We're looking forward to building a deck on the outside and planting more grass and flowers and possibly some garden plants in the future.
Much Love,
the Bathams
You may be thinking we've fallen off the map over the last 4 weeks. We have been busy moving across the country, unpacking, settling in and getting used to each other. Frank has gone back to work at FedEx after his 2 week wedding vacation and Alita has been making the trailer a home and starting her job search. We've enjoyed spending time with Frank's family and making a ton of new friends at Austin New Church.
We'll leave you with a couple photos of our cozy abode. We're looking forward to building a deck on the outside and planting more grass and flowers and possibly some garden plants in the future.
Much Love,
the Bathams
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