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Janelle's Journal

janelle
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11/03/2009 10:48 #50208

The flu sucks
If you have it, go home.

If someone else at work has it, make them go home.

The flu is flying through my workplace at an unbelievable rate. Clients, staff, everyone is sick. I've never seen so many people get it so quickly.
janelle - 11/03/09 13:11
(e:jenks), I think you did the right thing. It's so contagious. I have to admit that I felt guilty for not going in to work when I was sick. But when I came back and saw how many of my clients were sick and it was probably because of me and another staff member toughing out the day, I feel super guilty.
vincent - 11/03/09 12:49
In a sick way I am kind of hoping to get the flu, as I could use the weight loss that is associated with it ;-)
jenks - 11/03/09 12:17
I stayed home today.
I got sick on the drive home sunday. Felt ok-ish yesterday, and went to work. This morning woke up feverish with chills and a sore throat and a cough and body aches. I decided that aside from my feeling crappy- it's irresponsible to go spread my germs at work. So I called in.
For the first time in... six years? And only the second time in my whole life.

And I feel horribly guilty about it.
And people are teasing me and calling me 'weak'.
Grr.
I did the right thing! Why do I feel so bad about it?

10/25/2009 19:30 #50115

Polenta Marinara
Slices of polenta layered in a pan
Layer of marinara
Layer of parmesan cheese
Layer of mozzarella cheese

Repeat layering until pan is full
Bake at 350

And you get...



image



image


tinypliny - 10/25/09 21:55
Wow - so this is basically a corn-based lasagna! Brilliant!
janelle - 10/25/09 21:49
Polenta is made from cornmeal cooked in water. I use some chicken broth in addition to water; vegetarians could use a veggie broth of course.

1lb of cornmeal or 3 and 1/3 cups.
Bring to boil 8 cups of water/veggie brother. Slowly pour in the cornmeal while whisking quickly until it's all mixed in. It will be thick. Let it simmer for 45 minutes.

Rinse out a 9x13 glass baking pan with cold water and pour polenta into the baking pan. Put in fridge for two hours to cool.

Now it's ready to use however you want. For the recipe I made, you slice the polenta into 1/2 inch slices.
tinypliny - 10/25/09 21:24
Wait, is that a thing without a nervous system... just checking.
tinypliny - 10/25/09 21:23
We want the recipé for polenta!
We want the recipé for polenta!
We want the recipé for polenta!
We want the recipé for polenta!
We want the recipé for polenta!
We want the recipé for polenta!
We want the recipé for polenta!
We want the recipé for polenta!
We want the recipé for polenta!
Drool Drool Drool Drool Drool!
mrmike - 10/25/09 21:20
Looks great
james - 10/25/09 21:13
Oh my god that looks delicious.
theecarey - 10/25/09 20:07
Oh, this looks so good, Janelle. I usually buy the tube stuff, which may still work just for a small serving, but I like the idea of making polenta to be able to make a larger batch. Yum!
janelle - 10/25/09 20:03
I made my own. I've never tried the store brand stuff. I guess it would be convenient to be able to slice off a small piece to fry or bake. But I think for this recipe you need a lot and it would be less expensive to make your own.
heidi - 10/25/09 19:40
Wow, that looks awesome. Did you make your own polenta or use the sausage-tube prepared kind? I saw two different flavors at the coop last week and was awfully tempted.

10/25/2009 14:11 #50106

Scharf's restaurant
I went with a group of people to Scharf's restaurant. It's a German restaurant on the east side in the Schiller Park area.




I don't know if others on estrip have been, but if you haven't been and would like to try some German food, it was fabulous. We went on a Saturday night for their Oktoberfest menu which largely offered variations on weiner schnitzel.

I had zeuegner schnitzel which was weiner schnitzel in a creamy sauce with strips of red and green peppers. And I shared a potato pancake with someone. Best potato pancake, ever!

They had a small selection of German beers in bottle and on tap. Not a large selection, but the ones they had were good.

I highly recommend and would be happy to go with anyone who wants to give it a taste!
tinypliny - 10/25/09 17:58
I love potato pancakes - even though I never make them at home (because I don't buy potatoes).
dcoffee - 10/25/09 15:58
mmm, we did Oktoberfest in Caz Park. It was fun, though the weather was a bit unpredictable. makes me want to get some Spaten. Hey Flying Bison has a great Oktoberfest beer, you should go to the brewery sometime.

10/19/2009 19:29 #50056

Babies!
After several hours of classes; background checks; fingerprints; and a few hair pulling moments....(e:drew) and I are about to become foster parents.

And we need babysitters!

Yes, I realize, we don't even have children yet, but we are already looking to find a way to pawn them off on other people....

But we would like to find a babysitter soon, because any babysitter for our foster children needs to fill out a background check form and do fingerprints. And all of the aforementioned needs processed before we can leave children alone with said babysitter.

We have one potential babysitter lined up, but I would like to find a second. So I am hoping to work my (e:strip) connections to find someone who is 21 or over; able to pass a background check and fingerprints; and willing to be a regular baby sitter for a little pocket money (i.e. twice a month or so)....

Any takers??
hodown - 10/21/09 16:00
You guys are amazing!
janelle - 10/21/09 13:53
@ (e:libertad) .... That's the fun of foster care... you don't know until they call!

We said we would be willing to consider children from infants up to 7 years old. Prefer one but will take up to two.
libertad - 10/21/09 13:46
Exactly how many babies are you getting?
dcoffee - 10/20/09 20:04
Congratulations!! I'm very happy for you guys for you guys. :)
heidi - 10/20/09 08:46
Wow!!! Congrats!!! Those will be very lucky kids!
drew - 10/20/09 00:04
Maybe an 80/20 split.
janelle - 10/19/09 22:13
Lol @ (e:Jim), well if you we refer you to our agency and you become approved foster parents, Drew and I will get $500 and will split it with you!
tinypliny - 10/19/09 21:52
Congrats! :) (I probably can't be a regular babysitter but you could definitely shoot me an email if there is an emergency.)
jim - 10/19/09 21:49
Congrats. I am jealous. James: my clock is ticking!
mrmike - 10/19/09 21:42
Congrats! and I must add my admiration on the advance planning
paul - 10/19/09 21:40
Congratulations!
james - 10/19/09 21:38
ZOMG ZOMG!

Congrats!
jbeatty - 10/19/09 21:07
Congratulations!

10/05/2009 19:59 #49937

Sticky Door Quick Fix
We've had a sticky door in the back hallway. You have to turn the handle with your right hand while pounding the upper left hand corner with your left hand. Hardly convenient for a fire emergency and deathly for anyone under 4' trying to get out in the event of a fire.

Found a quick fix on line. Where the door is sticking to the frame, hammer a 16d nail into the frame. The force of the hammering the nail in drives the frame away from the door. I used three nails in the frame and it got the job done. I can now open and close the door without pounding it!
dcoffee - 10/05/09 21:42
Good trick, I'll keep that one handy. On some doors in our house I used wax to reduce the friction, it worked for me, I guess it's kind of a skateboarder trick, waxing curbs to slide them. Sometimes you gotta improvise. :)