Foxes in trees and gas under a buck!

Well, some days are more interesting than others. With three children in the house, they are usual the reason life is interesting or funny. Last week though, my children were innocent of such goings on.

My two daughters take piano lessons at a friend's house on Monday evenings. As I pulled up to their house, the family was standing on the sidewalk and staring up. I came to a stop near them and rolled down the window asking, "What are we looking at so intently?" My friend Heidi responded: "There is a fox in our tree!". Sure enough as my eyes focused on the branches above us, there was the fox -- apparently chased up the tree by a CAT! I didn't know foxes could climb, nor did I know that they were afraid of cats! Unfortunately, Animal services was closed and not able to make calls to rescue a poor fox. He looked very uncomfortable perched on a few small branches... the fire department also declined aid. He had been there for 5 hours already. He looked tired and hungry. I suppose the 5 or 6 individuals that kept checking on his status had something to do with that.

I talked to Heidi a few days later -- the fox had eventually figured out how to climb back down-- and left without any need for help. I don't imagine he will climb any more trees.

Well, my tank was on empty, so I let the girls out of the car to take their lessons and went to gas up my car at the Von's gas station in Corona.

I entered my club card, since Vons customers earn gas discounts if they fill up at Vons gas stations. I could not believe my eyes. I had not gassed up at a Vons in a while -- I had accrued a discount of 1.50 per gallon of gas bringing regular unleaded gas down to a lovely price of 95.9 cents per gallon. That's right. I filled up my tank with 17 gallons of gas and paid around 16 dollars! I have never done that. Here in California, gas prices always are higher than the national average -- (currently the price of gas is 2. 45/gallon) paying less than a buck for gas really made my day!

It's a strange world when you take a moment to look at it!

Chili Cook off Season

Well, the time of year that I enter a friendly competition among friends has arrived. Ever year we journey along the slow 91 Freeway to enter a chili cook off, that I usually place in. Well, I have had a very good recipe in the past that has consistently won... but now that most of my friends have that recipe I am in "find that perfect recipe mode". I have been trying various recipes that others have suggested or that I have found in various cook books that I own that sound good.

This year I am looking for the "most unique" category. That would mean using a non-traditional meat such as pork (pork butt or shoulder roast - yes, they are the same thing), which gets really soft and buttery with long cooking times, or chicken, which I can add fully cooked, seasoned chicken the last 20 minutes of cooking.

I think my family will be sick and tired of chili by the time the cook off rolls around!

Last night I made my first chili. To my surprise, my children liked it. They can be picky eaters at times. Jonathan, my 5 year old bundle of pure energy however LOVED it! He ended up eating 3 small bowls of it! I had hot dogs in the refrigerator just in case they hated it!

The result of the pork chili was good in testure, but lacking in taste. However, I will retry the chili at lunch time after the seasonings have had a chance to 'marry'.

Hi Ho - Hi Ho -- the Chili Trail I go!