Blockflöten Hooray!

For several years I've wanted to purchase a set of recorders. Some people say recorders are just for third graders and they sound terrible. Those people are living in ignorance. A recorder is not a toy, it's a musical instrument.
The set I purchased has a Sopranino (dog whistle), Soprano (the kind used by third graders), Alto (The kind professionals play) and a tenor (the mellow version of what the third graders have).
You may ask why I would spend money on such a silly thing. If you are asking that, you don't know me very well. I'm the kind of person who thinks playing the guitar is lame but playing the lute is unbelievably awesome.



This is why recorders are awesone.

St Davids Day in Boise

I went up to Boise over to the weekend to visit my parents. My mom just had her knee re-replaced. It's as complicated as it sounds. Her first knee replacement caused a lot of problems and left her worse off than when her natural knee was causing problems. While she was in the hospital, my dad got really sick with some hideous, monster cold. He was out of it for days. So I went up to take care of my old, sick parents. (They're really not old enough for me to be doing that.)
So the visit wasn't incredibly exciting. I mostly stayed at their house doing whatever they told me to do. (They're so freaking bossy) I decided that since March 1st was St. Davids Day, he's the Patron Saint of Wales, that I would make some traditional welsh food as part of my quest to force welshiness on other people. I made leek potato soup and lamb chops. I had never eaten either. When I went to buy the lamb I discovered why. It's ridiculously expensive.

It turned out to be quite tasty. I'll definitely be making more leek soup in the future. Lamb will probably be eaten sparingly.


Leeks are strange looking, but extra tasty.

Leek Soup - Cawl Cennin

1 oz Butter
6 leeks, washed trimmed and cut into 1 inch pieces
3 potatoes, peeled and cubed
1 to 1.5 pints chicken broth
1 to 1.5 pints whole milk
Salt and pepper

Melt the butter in a saucepan and sweat the vegetables until soft. Add broth bring to a boil and simmer covered for 30 minutes. Add milk and heat - do not allow to boil.
I bet if you added bacon it would be extra tasty.


I went to Barnes and Noble on Saturday. When I told my Mom I was going, she asked me to buy Watchmen for her. That's right, my Mom owns a graphic novel. I think that makes her hipper than me since I don't own one.