The Boy With The Incredible Brain

Full documentary about Daniel Tammet, an autistic savant who has been diagnosed with synesthesia, where his brain interprets numbers as shapes. This ability allows him to do complex mathematical computations in his head, like solving pi to the 22,500 decimal point. He's also adept at languages speaking more than nine, and able to learn a new one within one week. Though others have similar abilities, what sets Daniel apart is that unlike most autistic savants he does not seem to suffer from disabilities common among other autistic people.

This documentary lasts approximately 45 minutes, but it is rather fascinating.

http://www.spikedhumor.com/articles/87632/The_Boy_With_The_Incredible_Brain.html

Rain, rain, go away...

I just need to vent for a moment....

Damn roofers!! The roofers have been here replacing our roof, so instead of a roof we have a bunch of tarps. Not only did we get a bunch of slate dust on the stuff we were storing in the attic, but, you can imagine what happens with a bunch of wind and a complete downpour of rain. We had a tiny bit of rain in our bathroom, but apparently the neighbors downstairs had quite a bit of water in their kitchen, since the rain traveled down a vent pipe. Apparently when it started pouring, the roofers were scrambling to get everything covered up, but didn't do a very good job. Blake got a call from the landlord asking what was up with the plumbing issue. Ummm... plumbing issue? You mean the fact that there's no roof on your house and it's pouring rain outside? These "roofers" are the same "painters" that were here last summer. Yes, that was a joy. Two months of sanding, grinding and the Violent Femmes blasting their way into our apartment. Not to mention the fact that all of our windows were covered in plastic for the majority of the summer. Oh yeah, and did I mention the squirrels that were living up in the attic over the winter? The roofers/painters/squirrel evictors tried to patch the squirrel entrance, but not even a day later they were back in again. Thankfully the squirrels didn't do too much damage to the stuff we were storing up there, but there was some. When Blake told the landlord about them, he didn't believe him at first. So, Blake took pictures of the squirrels running around up there, and I think that finally convinced him. I've remained quite calm through all of this... but I had a slight meltdown today and needed to get that off my chest. I am so glad we are almost out of here!!!

"Hey Guys, Don't Forget Me..."

I think Sheeba is concerned we may forget her. Nah, actually she doesn't seem concerned in the least. Let's see... after this move, Sheeba will have changed residence a total of 12 times. She has lived on the east coast, west coast, and a couple of places in between. She is a self-proclaimed moving expert, and will tolerate just about anything. Even being on the road for 5 days and staying in strange hotels. But, we sincerely hope this will be the last move that we have to endure. This moving business is for the birds! We met some new neighbors at the house today - who seem very nice. They gave us a little bit of a "scoop" on the neighborhood... like plowing info., and they also informed us that there is an area behind our house (I can't remember what he called it) but the deer like to hang out there to eat and sleep. Also, there are some old logging roads that you can hike on that lead to pretty cool views. There is a river not too far from where we live which may be nice for kayaking, or just taking a nice walk around. Ahhh...spring.

Moving Day

Well, we're closing in on moving day. This weekend we will be busy packing up boxes. Our actual move-in date is the 31st. Tomorrow we will be at the new house briefly while we wait for our appliances to be delivered, then back to packing.

I do have a small dilemma with moving out to the country. I'm not exactly sure what the fate of my blog will be, since our internet options are very limited. If we can't get high-speed (which we are not exactly sure of yet), then dial-up may be our only option for awhile. One of the companies that sets up satellite service is too overwhelmed to return phone calls right now. I don't know if you can even maintain a blog with dial-up. My posts will be few and far between if they take four days to upload! : ) So, I guess we will see what happens. Hopefully I can still blog, because I do really enjoy it. I will keep everyone posted.

Fajitas

We have made these tasty fajitas a part of our regular dinner rotation, so I thought I would share the recipe. This is a twist on a recipe from The Moosewood Collective. They are quite delicious. I would love it if anyone would like to share one of their favorite recipes as well.

1 cake firm tofu (16 ounces) (don't be scared)

1 zucchini

1 onion

1 red bell pepper

2 garlic cloves, minced or pressed

2 T olive oil

1 t salt and any of your favorite spices

Refried beans

Tortillas

Preheat the oven to 425.

Cut the tofu into 1/2-inch strips. Cut the zucchini in half lengthwise, and slice the halves lengthwise into 1/2-inch strips, and cut the strips crosswise into 3-inch lengths. Cut the onion into 1/2-inch thick slices. Cut the pepper in half. Remove the seeds, and cut into 1/2-inch thick strips.

In a large bowl, lightly toss the tofu, zucchini, onions, and peppers with the garlic, oil, salt and spices. (I like to use Jane's Crazy Mixed Up Salt and Pepper, and Tony Chachere's Original Blend). Spread in an even layer on a baking sheet. Roast in the oven for 25 to 30 minutes, until the vegetables are tender and browned.

Warm the refried beans, place the desired amount of beans in your favorite tortilla followed by the fajita mixture and top with salsa and sour cream.

Tofu recommendations:

Small Planet Tofu http://www.smallplanettofu.com/

Soyboy bulk tofu http://www.soyboy.com/best.htm

Coeur d' Alene Wine Cellars

I can't seem to say enough good things about the wine produced by Coeur d' Alene Cellars. Before we left Idaho, Blake and I visited the winery and liked it so much we became wine club members. We have continued our membership since moving to Vermont, so every quarter we get a few bottles of delicious wine. My sister Debi, Blake and I also went to Barrel No. 6 where we enjoyed a bottle (or two?) with this really great variety of cheeses. Blake's favorite is the No. 6 Red and the Opulence. I really enjoy the 2004 Viognier. But, I don't think we've tried any of their wines and been disappointed. Make a visit to the winery and enjoy some samples of great wine!

Snow Angels

Well, just as we were getting all excited about Spring, we got hit with a nor'easter, which dumped a foot of snow on the Green Mountain State. We may get an additional 1-2 inches tonight, and there's a 40% chance of snow tomorrow. After all of this melts, we have to get through "mud season". Yes, there is actually a fifth season in Vermont called mud season. Mud season refers to the time when the snow begins to melt, and all of the dirt paths, roads and trails turn into a big old muddy mess. Hmmm... several roads leading to our new house are dirt roads. Apparently, this is common to the northeastern states. Who the hell decided moving to Vermont was a good idea? Only kidding. It's not perfect, but it sure is beautiful. You'll see why when we get some spring and summer photos posted.
I went to spinning class for the second time today. I learned that last week's instructor was a sub. Today I met Ken, who typically teaches the Saturday class, and is a huge bluegrass fan. Bonus for me, as I am also a huge bluegrass fan. So, today we got to spin to all kinds of bluegrass and some Tom Petty. It was really, really fun!! Ken's class is a bit more challenging, but I'll definitely be going back next week. After spinning class I was in a silly mood so I made some snow angels in our yard.
We stopped by the house today, and I posted a few more pictures on my photo link. Things are coming along nicely. Only a couple more weeks before we can move in.
Hope everyone is well, and enjoying the weekend!!