Does anymore really need to said????

Taken from a post on www.americablog.com

Palin yesterday in Pennsylvania:

“In times like these with wars and financial crisis, I know that it may be easy to forget even as deep and abiding a concern as the right to life, and it seems that our opponent kind of hopes you will forget that,” Palin told a Pennsylvania crowd.

Still think this woman should be in charge of your 401k? Oh, who cares if you lost half your retirement, at least with a Palin administration you can be sure women will be forced to keep and give birth to their rapists’ babies (after we make them pay for their rape kits). After all, isn’t that what really matters right now?

Not so much to say…

I haven’t written here in a while because…well…not so much to say.  I’ve tired of commenting on the bevy of health ailments that I’ve encountered and I’m happy to report that I’ve been quite healthy as of late.  So…all I can report is that all is good.  I’m growing up a storm in my belly area and other areas below my belly.  My fingers are still fairly nice and svelte.  The baby is healthy, and moving a lot and we’re just getting ready to welcome her.  10 or so more weeks to go!!!  We’ll keep everyone posted,

Stomach bug and cankle…

So that’s me in that picture above.  I am officially 6 months pregnant, and doing really well to my astonishment.  I wasn’t sure how I’d be as a pregnant lady, but I find that I don’t even really notice my ever increasing mid-section until I get dressed most mornings.  It’s the trying to squeeze into my now shrinking maternity clothes, that tends to remind me.  Often, when I’m just going about my day though, I’m tend to forget that I’m getting larger, which is great.  I know this is fleeting, and supposedly the joy of being in my 2nd tri-mester, but I tell you what…I’ll take it! 

I feel good much of the time and I’m working out regularly, which feels especially good.  I never thought I’d like Water Aerobics as much as I do, but I really really do.  It’s the bees knees!  I’m no longer the youngest in my class.  When I started a few months ago, it was just me and several older Irish ladies in their late 60’s early 70’s.  The classes were a bit tame, but sometimes we’d get a real go getter who’d whip us into a aerobic frenzy and really get our floating water noodles pumping!   Now there are a few sprightly young women in my class and we’ve actually become friends, which increases my enjoyment of the class even more.  They tend to take the class up to 11, but me, I’m still just taking my time with the older ladies and enjoying the 45 minutes of blissful movement in the water.  I’ve also started taking Pilates, which I must say is a lot harder than I imagined it would be.  I find it difficult to focus on squeezing my pelvic floor, while I’m holding a ring apparatus in between my legs, squeezing my legs together, while simultaneously lifting my rear end off of the floor.  My mind is good at multi-tasking, but this is beyond it’s capacity!  Needless to say, I also love the Pilates and the challenge of squeezing so many of my body parts at one time has me at least hooked until I master it completely!  So YAY! 

This week though I caught some stomach bug, which during pregnancy shouldn’t happen to anyone.  I woke up on Monday night frightened that I was going into false labour.  Of course the pains in my belly were no where near the area where pregnancy pains occur, but they were in my stomach, so of course my brain spiraled.  In my completely twisted brain, I didn’t first worry about the baby, the health of the baby, etc.  I instead worried that I’m not AT ALL ready to have the baby.  I haven’t cleaned out the cabinet where we plan to store the baby clothes, we haven’t even purchased the crib, stroller, car seat etc.  I went through the list of all that I haven’t accomplished several times before I began to spiral to the fact that what if the baby isn’t alright!  Organization over health I always say!  RIDICULOUS!  Anyway, once I was done spiraling, I was finally able to recognize that the pains in my stomach were more closely related to trapped wind than labour and I repositioned myself trying to dose off back to sleep. 

So, as this week passed, it seems, as I mentioned, that I caught a stomach bug.  I didn’t go to the doctor, because there isn’t much they can do.  I learned that there is something going around, and basically I’ve just been doing my best to stay hydrated, take it easy and eat bland foods till this passes.  I have an OB appt. next week for those of you who are worried…so don’t worry.  All is good.  I have been taking it easy though, like you wouldn’t believe.  Feet up, watching too much TV and parousing the Internet.  I am totally on top of all of the Hollywood gossip, ask me anything.  I don’t need to go to PerezHilton to check it out.  It’s now stored up in those compartments of my brain where I keep useless and trivial information. 

With my keen celebrity trivia in tact, all this relaxing has heightened my basic observation skills due to a lack of interesting things to focus on.  Anyway, what I’ve noticed as I’ve been sitting with my feet up for the entire week is, that only my right foot and ankle tend to swell.  It’s not even warm in Dublin at the moment.  It’s actually rainy and frickn’ freezing!  So I would think there shouldn’t be any swelling!  But, no my weird body is like that.  One sided swelling. I have CANKLE!  It’s not huge swelling, or painful, (not preaclampsia swelling) but to me it’s noticeable.  I notice that the baby tends to sit on my right side, and I’ve seen on the internet that other women have this same problem!  They are swelling only on the side where the baby tends to sit.  I thought it was unique to me, but when I typed it into Google, it came up on several pregnancy chat forums.  So, along with my stomach bug, I’ll bring this Cankle problem up to my doctor next week as well. 

My main man and I were joking around last night about my cankles.  I tend to get them in warm weather, pregnant or not.  You shoulda seen me in Mexico when we were there last summer.  I’m sure the copius amounts of tequila and near 100 degree weather didn’t help with water retention, but still…I was cankle-liscious!  We decided that I truly am going to be that shrinking old Jewish woman, with the giant swollen ankles and my chubby feet bulging out of my old lady shoes when I’m older.  Waddling through life on my cankles…seems like pregnancy is a precursor to my 80’s.  Oh what I have to look forward to!

Ireland, can FLUSH IT!!!

Now, I’m not one to harp on Ireland.  There are a few things I find challenging and I’ve written about them in a witty and forgiving way, but today…IRELAND CAN FLUSH IT!!!!

Over the weekend, the flusher on my toilet broke off.  For the American’s reading this blog, the flushers on European toilets typically are on the top of the lid on the tank.  They’re like a button, rather than a handle.  When I went to flush one glorious morning, I pushed the whole button right into the the tank, leaving a hole on the top of my toilet where the flusher once happily sat.  With my swifty maneuvering, I finagled the flusher button to hang outside of the tank with the lid still on, and my toilet was working good as new.  Since there was no rush and all was still working, I had discussed with my husband that maybe I’d wait a week to call the plumber because I just wasn’t in the mood to be cooped up in the house all day waiting around for the plumber to come and fix my toilet, andmaybe if I gave it a week, I’d be more willing to sit around the following week. 

Well…Monday morning to my dismay, the toilet in our 2nd bathroom began acting up.  For some reason, after flushing, it took almost an hour for the tank to re-fill.  Since this is the bathroom my husband typically uses, I obliged and rang the management company of our “Awesomely located Ireland apartment” to report our very minor, non-urgent plumbing extravaganza!  To my surprise, a plumber called back within a few hours trying to organize a time to meet (see typically it might be a few days…so hours was a shocker!).  Since it wasn’t urgent, I was in no hurry.  So I understandingly listened as he told me that, …”well, it’s not so much trying to set up a time, as to explain to me why he was having a hard time setting up a time and, other clients needs and locations, and it’s going to be difficult to get out today etc, travel time from the North side is a nightmare, blah blah blah, can he come Wednesday evening around 7:00 pm.”  I’m thinking…AWESOME!  Wednesday at 7:00 pm is a set time, I know when to be home, I don’t have to wait around all day for him, and ultimately all toilets are still working with some minor adjustments and patience, so NO PROBLEMO!  See you at 7:00ish on Wednesday.  done, done and DONE!

So, 8:30 pm on Wednesday, the plumber shows up.  And the SAGA BEGINS!  Of course the toilet with the broken flusher is the old model that was cheaply made and they don’t make that button anymore, so he had to take apart my entire toilet, install a new flushing system, turn off our pump, drain all the water out of my toilet, caulk up the holes because the new system is smaller than the old one and, we’ll have to wait 24 hours before the caulking is dry.  Then onto the slow filling toilet.  Supposedly it was just dirt, blocking the pipe, but nope…something worse is wrong, somehow when they were testing it they discovered something drastically wrong with the toilet, it needs a new part, plus it wont stop running now and we have to turn on and off our pump if we want to flush or else the toilet is going to run, and run, and run all night.  This was all reported to us at 10:30 pm when he and his partner were done tearing apart my bathroom and making a mess that I would have to eventually clean. Oh, and,  ”they’ll have to come back tomorrow with a new part for the other toilet, but they have to go get the part in the morning and can he call me tomorrow to set up a time to come by and, blah blah blah blah.” 

In his kindest way, my husband who knew I didn’t want to sit around this week waiting for repair men, tried to get Mr. Plumber to set a time that he’d be calling, and stopping in.   Of course his question was met with…, “well, I’ve got another call in this place tomorrow, and I have to stop and get the part and the North Side, and traffic, and blah blah blah blah blah. Can I call you in the morning to arrange a time?”  While Mr. Plumber went into his soliloquy of reason’s why he couldn’t set a time, I just shook my head and looked amusingly at my husband as he tried ever so hard to secure some semblance of an answer from Mr. Plumber.  I’ve been the one dealing with these men of the trade since we moved to Ireland, and I know this is just a waste of breath and time.  So when he was done talking, I knowingly just sighed, eyed my husband with reasurrance and said…”sure, I’ll be around tomorrow.”  And then I proceeded to cancel any appointments and things that I had scheduled for the following day.

11:30 AM today…I finally called the plumber because he hadn’t called to set up a time and because in my very kind and understanding brain, 1/2 an hour before noon is still considered morning so I’m cutting Mr. Plumber some slack.  We flushed the toilet with the caulking and so far no leaks, so that was good.  A positive!  I have something positive to report, hallelujah!  He answers, somewhat annoyed that I’ve called him, tells me… “he still has to go out to get the part, worked the graveyard shift last night, something about the Northside and some other appointments, blah blah blah blah blah,  he’ll call me later once he gets the part.”  Again, trying to be an understanding, full of good karma lady, I say…”sure!” and hang up the phone.

It’s now 4:15 pm and I haven’t heard a peep.  I haven’t wanted to throw in a load of laundry because to fix the toilets they’ve had to turn on and off the water pump and I guarantee that the moment I throw in a load of laundry, he’ll call saying he’s on his way.  So…I sit here and wait.  Pregnant, hormonal, annoyed…and lo and behold…today is the first somewhat sunny day in Ireland in weeks!  I want to go out and take a long walk, but with my luck, I’ll be miles away and he’ll call saying he’s outside my door, and then I’ll miss him and have to spend another day waiting.  #$#%^&%$!#$!!!!!!!! (that’s me swearing out of utter frustration!!!!) 

I will call him again.  Don’t worry about that, but I’ve learned that the more you pester in Ireland…the longer it takes to get something done.  (Flashback to our month long wait to get our washing machine fixed.)  So, for now, I’m waiting.  Looking longingly out the window at the brisk, sunny day, cursing the day that my stupid, cheap, older version, toilet broke and trying to send out loving vibes to all Irish Plumbers to reverse my bad karma with the tradespeople of this Island.  Because if it comes from a loving place, you should get some love back right????  Please tell me that I’m right!?  Please oh please!

Oh Summer, where art thou…Summer?

Oh Ireland… I was just wondering, being from California and all…where is Summer?  Did it get lost?  Does it need directions?  Maybe it’s SATNAV is set for somewhere called Ireland, but it’s really supposed to have the Irish name typed in instead.  Kinda like when everyone keeps getting lost going to New Grange, when they should be typing in Bru Na Boinne.  I’m just trying to cut Summer some slack here.  See, me and Summer we have a thing.  I love it, and well, it loves to be around because it is loved. 

Ireland loves Summer.  I can feel it!  We just have to help start up a courtship.  Maybe if Ireland bought Summer something special.  Like chocolate.  NO, Summer would melt that.  Ummm…so that means a 99 ice cream is out of the question.  Hmmmm…flowers?  That’s okay, but Summer has tons of those.  I know…A KICK ASS BBQ!  Summer loves a good BBQ.  Ireland can invite summer to a KICK ASS IRISH BBQ!  Hot Dogs, Ribs, Burgers, and Beer lots and lots of Beer.  Ireland can totally handle that.  It’s a great way for Summer to meet people and mingle, and it’s easy prep and easy clean up.  Oh I feel the love already!!!

Now all we need is Summer to show up.

Sidenote:  Yes, I’ve gone a bit MAD.  See this is what happens when my life hasn’t been touched by any semblence of Summer…

Obesity? Nope, Pregnancy…

On Thursday I went to the dentist for a cleaning.  I know, getting your teeth cleaned during pregnancy has some controversy surrounding it.  Something about bleeding gums and infection, but my dentist felt it was best if I kept my regular cleaning schedule and being that Ireland is the land of pregnant women, babies and families of 8 or more, I figured she might know a thing or two about pregnancy and teeth.  I also am in love with my dentist.   I’ve never had such a thorough, honest, and competent dentist in my life.  So with that said, I went through with the appointment. 

It has been raining here, like torrential downpour rain and I was concerned about the possibility of traffic and arriving late for my appointment.  So, as I often do in Los Angeles, I gave myself a few extra minutes to account for traffic.  For some reason the stop lights on the coast road near Dun Loaghaire ( pronounced Dun Leery, don’t ask!) operate weirdly and can create congestion and backup the likes of the 405 freeway.  I don’t mind it because I always give myself extra time, but I think for the Irish who aren’t used to 405 traffic, it can be maddening.  So, this day, I decided I wasn’t going to take the coast road and chose to go the back way, thinking it might take me a bit more time, but I’d avoid any possible traffic delays.  Needless to say, I arrived 15 minutes early for my appointment.  Now in LA, arriving early is what it is, but in Ireland, for some reason arriving early for an appointment is the absolute strangest thing someone can do in the world!  It’s happened once before at this particular office, where I arrived 10 minutes early, and the receptionist made a point to mention how “considerably early” I had arrived for my appointment.  I remarked back, “well only 10 minutes…”, but it fell on deaf ears.  I remember that day feeling stunned that I was being “called out” on actually being courteous and making it a point to arrive on time to my destination.  Today was no different.  As I walked up to reception, I made a point to mention that I was early for my appointment and took a seat in the waiting area.  Several people were in and out of the area, striking up conversation with the reception team, as I sat and gladly read a magazine waiting for my appointment.  At one point, around 10 minutes into my wait, a woman who worked at the office approached me asking if “I was Okay?”  I said, “yes, thankyou, I’m just a bit early for my appointment.” She replied, “well yes, you’ve been sitting there a long time, I wasn’t sure if everything was alright!”  I smiled, said, “nope just early,” and after that exchange she was content to go back to her conversation.  So weird!!!  They treated me as strangely as if I’d come in wearing antlers, wearing roller skates, and carrying a harp.  Apparently, arriving early for an appointment makes you stand out that much!

At this point with all eyes upon me, staring at the “girl who arrives too early”, I was wondering, I hope they know I’m pregnant and not just fat!  That is what travels across my conscious brain as of late.  Even when I’m walking down the street and I notice people looking at me, that’s the first thing that pops into my mind.  So, as I walked out from my teeth cleaning and up to reception to pay for my appointment, the receptionist asked, “when are you due?”  I looked at her stunned.  I haven’t had one person ask me that question without me adding a precursor about morning sickness or just flat out stating that I’m pregnant.  My stunned look must’ve taken her by surprise.  She looked like she wanted to take back the comment and hide under her desk, worrying that maybe “whoops, she is just fat and not pregnant.”  After I sat there for a moment, I said, “you can tell I’m pregnant and not just fat?”  She laughed at me and just smiled.  I told her I was due at the beginning of December, and that was that. 

So I guess I’m finally showing enough for strangers to notice that I’m pregnant.  Right On!!  Although to me, I still look in the mirror and think, just fat…not looking Pregnant, but I guess I’m mistaken. Plus, now that receptionist knows what it feels like to be looked at like you’re a total freak of nature, instead of just… “early for your appointment.”

BOO!!!!

Went online to check directions on how to get to the show tonight and this is what I found on the website…

“The promoters of the Howard Jones show, scheduled for 28th June at The Helix, regret to announce that the show has now been postponed to 2nd November 2008.

Howard, his management, the promoters and The Helix are all really looking forward to the show in November and regret any inconvenience caused.“

WTF Howard?  I’m gonna cry!  I was so excited to see you!  I’ve been singing, “Like To Get to Know You Well” all damn morning!!  I’ll be 8 months pregnant by then and this is a standing room only show.  How’s that gonna work?  No sitting on “my Main Man’s” shoulders with a lighter during “No One is to Blame“!  I guess we’re just gonna have to wait and see how things go. 

Instead, I think “my Main Man” and I are going to go stuff our faces at the Hard Rock Cafe and eat gallons of Ranch dressing to make me feel better.  I need me some comfort food to heal my “Howard Jones inflicted” wound.

McGyver Criminals in Brazil…

This morning when I was watching EuroNews, and I was struck by this story.

http://news.ninemsn.com.au/article.aspx?id=586125

Here is a link that has a “no commentary” visual of what they found…

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/7472537.stm

All I can say is…    them criminals are a crafty bunch!

 

Music, Jambalaya and adding to the list, 26-50…

I was recently emailing with my good friend from college and he informed me that his summer plans entailed traveling to a few different States in the US to see some much loved music festivals.  Back in 1999 this friend and I met in New Orleans with a few of his friends for my last trip ever to Jazz Fest.  He had never been, and I had been twice before and had been dying to go again.  It was a trip to remember, as all my trips to Jazz Fest have been, mostly because it was my last hurrah after graduate school as I ventured into my now career.  Sadly, I have never been back.  This isn’t for a lack of wanting, but as life and careers move forward, sometimes wants often take a back seat to needs.  I wanted to go back desperately, but I didn’t need to really…and ultimately my need to further myself in my career took the front seat.  There are a gazillion festivals over here and in the UK that I know I could garner the strength to go to, but in my opinion nothing compares to Jazz Fest. 

The thing that separates Jazz Fest from other festivals around the world is not only the music, but the people who attend.  Jazz Fest is for music lovers, and mainly people over the age of 25 attend.  Of course you do get your average college student there, looking for a Mardis Gras experience, but they’re not gonna find it.  Jazz Fest is music, music and food.  The Fest starts around 9 in the morning and it’s usually over every day at around 7.  Most people that attend are Jazz and music aficionados who are there for the music, the New Orleans hospitality, the great southern food and just a great day listening to iconic masters playing at an outdoor venue, hopefully in the sun.  There is of course alcohol served at the Fest, but rarely do you see someone passed out drunk in their own vomit, people just don’t want to squander away their experience in that way.  They appreciate the Fest that much! 

There are several stages with all sorts of music, and over the years musicians from mainstream bands have found that they love to be a part of the energy that is, Jazz Fest.  The mainstream music doesn’t deflect from the experience, it just enhances and adds to the overall energy.   One of my favorite places is the Gospel tent.  Gospel groups from all over the world perform hymns and songs from their beloved churches, sharing their joy and rapture with thousands of people dancing in the aisles.  It’s a sight to be seen for sure! It’s awesome to watch people lose themselves in the moment and get caught up in the pure rhythym of the gospel music and voices.  It’s truly AMAZING.  Some more difficult tents to get into, but are also worth every second of your time are the several Jazz tents and stages where masters sit and jam for hours.  People that you’ve only heard about come to play these tents.  It’s amazing when these icons get up together and jam, adding their own life experiences to their music in a way that can only be treasured in that very moment or that very second.  It’s seriously breathtaking.  There is so much to choose from, and your day can be as eclectic as you’d like it.  You can listen to Dixie land music, Gospel, Jazz, Mainstream Rock, you name it, there is a tent or a stage that will have it for you.  And unlike other music festivals, where you camp out, at Jazz Fest you get to go back to a nice hotel room, wash up, head out for a great dinner in New Orleans, and later you can go to a club and see the musicians from the day playing up close and personal.  Plus, it’s probably the cheapest entry ticket to a music festival you can find.  When I was going back in the 90’s it only cost 15 dollars a day to get into the Fest.  I know the price has gone up, but I don’t think it’s more than 30 dollars a day.  Since the devastation of Katrina, New Orleans has certainly had it’s difficulties, but they held Jazz Fest that year, and they have every year since.  It’s a mainstay that brings people together, just as music has for centuries and I can’t recommend it enough.

Now back to the list…That’s what is so fun about making this list.  It’s not about NEEDS, it’s about WANTS and DESIRES.  Those things we often deny ourselves because life and busy schedules get in the way.  Here is my 26-50…

26.       Go back to Jazz Fest in New Orleans again

27.       Go to Austin City Limits

28.       Write in my journal daily

29.       Learn how to give myself a good pedicure

30.       Take skiing lessons again

31.       Ski in Colorado

32.       Ski in Utah

33.       Learn how to snowboard

34.       Visit the East Coast in the Fall with my husband to see the changing of the leaves

35.   Learn how to knit

36.   Learn how to crochet

37.   Learn how to bake a kick-ass dessert

38.   Practice being mindful on a daily basis

39.   Work on being conscious of myself and the world around me on a daily basis (might be the same and mindfulness, but…I’m keeping them separate)

40.   Meditate

41.   Watch less Television (I’m working on this one for when the baby comes, I need serious help…)

42.   Go to Thailand with my Father and Step-mother

43.   Become more comfortable experimenting with color both in clothing and art

44.   Get Laser Hair Removal so I never have to get a bikini wax ever again!

45.   Get Laser Eye surgery (I’m ridiculously frightened of this one!)

46.   Understand and study Buddhism

47.   Better understand and study my own religion, Judaism

48.   Re-read Howard Zinn’s  A People’s History of the United States

49.   Make a list of classic films that I haven’t seen and then rent them

50.   Teach a university class as an adjunct professor

I’m Obsessed…

The wonders of moving to another country lie not only in the culture, but also in the television shows.  As I’ve stated several times within this blog, I was a latchkey child.  Meaning for me…TV is second to breathing!  I’ve worked very hard over the years at weening my dependence on the “Plasma God”, but it just doesn’t work.  I don’t even think that ”Schick-like” tactics of forcing TV down my throat for hours and hours intertwined with shock therapy would dissuade me from seeking out my beloved best friend. I’m that hooked.

With this said, I love BBC Television and Channel 4!  This isn’t BBC America, it’s just good ol’ BBC regular viewing television.  I know it’s not Irish television, but we get it over here in Ireland, and I find that I’m constantly amazed at the array of interesting shows they have to offer on a weekly basis.  The documentaries are absolutely superb, and there are a slew of reality type shows that I MUST watch on a weekly basis.  A few of my favorites are, Embarrassing Illnesses, Freaky Eaters and Supersizers Go…

Embarrassing Illnesses is currently in re-runs right now, but it is my favorite show to date.  I’m typically a bit squeamish when it comes to medical shows, but this one is like no other.  It’s a show where 3 English medical specialists have set up a clinic for people who have ailments that they’ve been too embarrassed to seek attention for at their local GP.  So instead, “why not go on national television and share your embarrassment with the world?”  It’s amazing to me what these people are willing to expose!  Granted, they are seeking help for something that is truly bothering them and inhibits their quality of life, but seriously!!! It’s amazing!  They show breasts, penises, vaginas, rear-ends, you name it, they show it.  It’s educational, informative, absolutely disgusting, embarrassing and fascinating all in one swoop.   I’m in love!

The second show is Freaky Eaters.  This show is currently on hiatus as well, but again, FABULOUS!  The premise of the show is real life adults with food phobias come on the show and meet with a nutritionist and a behavior modification therapist to help them get over their phobia.  They have 8 weeks to begin a crash course in therapy and nutrition, and the show culminates with them cooking and eating a proper meal full of the foods that they feared.  It’s incredible to see the phobias that people have, the extent to which it impinges on their life, and the diets that many of these people have been living on for basically their entire lifetime.  There was the guy that had a fear of fruits and vegetables, he literally couldn’t even touch one. He broke out into a full out panic attack holding a mango!  AWESOME!  The woman who only ate burnt sausages and crisps, the woman who only ate white bread and crisps, etc.  They typically eat processed foods, and have very little fruit, proper protein and vegetable in their diet.  The fear that overcomes them is intense and the variety of therapeutic interventions fascinates me.  In America, I wouldn’t be able to incorporate the tactics that this guy uses, such as hang gliding, but they often work and his patience with the different people is just amazing.  The people are always successful in the end, although not completely triumphant, but the therapist in me is always rooting for them and I often finish watching the show amazed at their progress and feel satisfaction that there is one less “severely anxious” person in the world.

Finally, and my new favorite show is Supersizers Go…  This is my latest obsession.  This show follows the premise of Morgan Spurlock’s movie “Supersize Me.”  The show centers around an English food critic named Giles Coren and a female journalist, named Sue “something”.  For those of you who watch the F Word, Giles is sometimes featured on it, tasting Gordon Ramsey’s food and/or going on exploratory journeys of his own regarding food preparation, etc.  Each week, Giles and Sue immerse themselves in a particular time period, and try to live, eat and drink as they did within that particular period.  So far I’ve seen the early 19th century, the late 19th century, the 70’s and just this past Tuesday, the late 1500’s (Shakespeare’s Era).  They go to a physician at the beginning of the week to get weighed, and tested and to discuss the probabilities how the diet might effect their innards.  They only live in each time period for 7 days, but altogether it makes for great TV viewing.  They usually have a professional Michelin starred chef cooking up their meals. The chefs are able to cheat using modern cooking utensils and means, but they must use all the ingredients of the period and typically are preparing the food following a strict recipe from a cookbook from that time.  It’s disgusting the things that they cook up and eat.  Brains, testicles, tripe, full lambs heads, giant meat pies full of disgusting animal innards, etc.  The show makes sure to be chock full of food historians, general historians knowledgeable of the period, and they follow cookbooks and etiquette guides that were published during that time.  It’s just AWESOME!!!  I missed the first episode, so I’m hoping in typical English TV fashion they will re-run the show soon, but really it’s just great viewing on a Tuesday for now. Plus since it’s on the BBC, NO COMMERCIALS!  Love that! 

I know that there are a gazillion shows in the US that I have not caught up on and I have no idea what’s going on with them, but I’m thankful that I can still feed my nasty habit with the prime viewing of English Reality TV!  Now, if I can only adapt my take away food habit to love the take away food over here…now that’s gonna be tough!