Potpourri

The last week could be described as uneventful.  Some of the happenings: I took a trip to St Joseph, Missouri for a work-related conference Sunday through Wednesday, Kelly continued her half-days at school and we received our stimulus check (holla!).  

So, what to do with $1200 from W.  Kelly really wants a brand new Desert Eagle, but she's already so wild with her Glock I think we'll look at something else.   

I'm thinking about buying some BNSF stock because with diesel around $4/gallon, our nation's freight shippers will be looking for less expensive options to get their product from A to B. Plus Warren Buffet recently acquired the controlling share of BNSF.  A local source tells me he toured some BNSF routes, including the southeast Iowa area with some BNSF honchos. He actually stopped in Fort Madison (they had their own private railcar).  

Or how about a stroller like this...

Each kid can recline in full comfort with plush Italian fabrics (seriously) cradling their supple backsides.  And it's $1500.  

Kind of doubt we'll drop $1500 on a stroller but we will likely need something for three.  

($1500 reminds me of my dad always saying he wasn't going to 'spend $1500' whenever we asked for stuff when we were kids.  Me: Dad, can we get some chocolate chip cookies and ice cream at the store? Dad: Fifteen hundred dollars?  For ice cream?  It was his all-purpose response for anything he didn't want to spend money on. Trust me, he hasn't forgotten it!)

Well, enough about the stimulus checks.  Perhaps the most fascinating thing about this week was a dish that didn't make Kelly sick: Honey curry chicken salad.  Yes, that same curry that comes in 15 different levels of hotness from mild to tooth-melting in your friendly neighborhood Indian restaurant.  

Here is the recipe (in rough amounts, I'm kind of a 'by feel' type of cook): 

10-ounce can of chicken breast

2 tbsp dill relish 

2 tbsp mayo (we usually use Hellman's) 

1 1/2 tsp curry powder (we have mild) 

1 tsp honey

Pretty simple, but it's enough to feed both of us for dinner.  It'll make two sandwiches or it's good with crackers, too.  

Kelly is feeling better, but her trigeminal neuralgia has started coming back. 

We have pills to help control the pain, but she is trying to avoid prescriptions during the pregnancy.  Hopefully the diminishing stress of being nauseous will make the TN go away.  

We also wanted to let everybody know about Kelly's brother Tim, who is in Iraq with the Marines. He is trained as a heavy-equipment operator and drill sergeant but is doing urban patrols now. Our prayers are with him to come home safely.  He has two kids at home, Regis and Sophia. 

Regis is a cheeky little guy - here's a video of him singing 'Lola'. 

That's about it from Team Norris.  Think of us on Tuesday where we have our first big appointment and must go through a battery of tests.  It's an all-day affair, hopefully it will be manageable. 

Here's a shoutout to all the moms out there (and moms to be): Happy Mother's Day!