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We, the People of Illinois, Are Confused

No, we’re not confused that Gov. Blagojevich was arrested. I’m sure we’re not even surprised. The last poll of approval that I read about had him at 13%. THIRTEEN PERCENT of the people of Illinois approved of our governor. And this was before he was arrested? How did he ever get re-elected?

This is why we’re confused. At the beginning of November, our little part of Illinois was feeling rather good about itself. You see, we were named one of the best places to raise kids, according to BusinessWeek. Mount Prospect “is a middle-class community with low crime, affordable homes, award-winning schools, ethnic restaurants, a major regional mall, and a small-town charm that makes the big city less than an hour away seem much farther away.” We were praised for our neighborliness, such as sharing generators during power outages and bringing meals to neighbors in need. Ed and I love our neighborhood. We chose our house because we have a great backyard and we can walk to the playground and the elementary school. We love the diversity our neighborhood offers; we’ve eaten Filipino foods at our neighbor’s birthday parties, and English is not always the primary language spoken at the park. Not only that, but President Elect Obama is from Illinois. And he’s the cat’s pajamas, don’t ya know?

‘”If it isn’t the most corrupt state in the United States, it’s certainly one hell of a competitor,” said Robert Grant, special agent in charge of Chicago’s FBI office.’ reported the Chicago Tribune yesterday. Wow. Is Gov. Blagojevich the new Al Capone? I’m pretty sure Capone was a lot smarter.

That’s what we get for bragging. We puffed ourselves up, convinced ourselves that this really is the best place to live and raise our kids. And now, I’m embarrassed to be from Illinois.

But wait; our neck of the woods really is rather nice. Our neighbors haven’t changed, and we’re still walking distance from the playground. We have a fresh layer of snow on the ground, which makes everything look clean. Unlike our government seems to be. With this arrest and subsequent charges, we can only hope that Illinois soon does become an even better place to raise kids.
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Why Didn’t I Think of That Sooner?

I always buy two pounds of ground beef at a time. I used to stick one pound in the freezer, and then never remember to thaw it until it was time to cook dinner. Browning a pound of frozen beef just isn’t fun. I hate getting it in the pan, scraping it off as it slowly cooks, and trying to chop it into pieces with my plastic spatula.

I have non-stick cookware, so I have to use a flimsy plastic spatula. Don’t tell me about teflon; I already worry I’m poisoning my family with it! We received all our teflon pots and pans for our wedding six years ago, and I don’t think Ed will let me switch to stainless steel yet. Especially with the way the economy is going. Plus, then I’d have to learn how to really cook. Non-stick cookware has saved dinner several times.

Last week, I changed my routine. I browned one pound first, drained it, and stuck it in the freezer, ready to go. Then, I browned the second pound and made…what did I make with it? Tacos, I think. No, it was sloppy joes. This is what happens when I blog at night to post for the next day. Less distractions from the children, but my brain doesn’t work right. Oh, who am I kidding, my brain never works right, which is why I may have future posts with the same title! This method of browning the beef before I put it in the freezer may seem obvious to you, but I had an “ah-ha moment.”

For dinner tonight, I made Tater Tot casserole. I didn’t have to brown the beef first! All I did was thaw it a little in the microwave, and put my casserole together. Not only was the casserole easier to assemble, but I had less dishes to clean up afterwards. Now, why didn’t I think of that sooner?