I Ain't Afraid of No Daleks

Okay, so a "doner kebab" is basically what we Yanks call a "gyro!"

Our "gyros" are mostly found in Greek run establishments, but some non-Greek takeaways also sell them.

They were quite the fad in the 80's and 90's...but have died out a bit, nowadays.
Used to be, they were even sold as a ready meal from the frozen food aisle of some grocery stores.

The gyro here, is the mystery meat on the cone, that's shaved off and stuffed in a round pita bread, and served with (normally) a light cucumber sauce, and fresh or sauteed onions and green bell peppers--and, sometimes fresh tomato is added as well.

AN AMERICAN (GREEK) "GYRO":

A BRITISH KEBAB:

The American "kebab" or, "Shish Kebab" which is extremely popular during the summer grilling season...grilled cubes of marinated beef or chicken, with onions, bell peppers, tomato chunks, zucchini or yellow squash, mushroom caps, etc. added

I did a food meme yesterday, and mentioned that we yanks don't have kebab shops--at least not in northern New York state, but that we did have something called a "spiedie," usually made with chicken...but sometimes cubed pork, or more rarely, beef.

Like Buffalo wings, potato chips (crips), apple pie ala mode (pie with ice cream), spiedies are native to New York state, coming from the southwestern part of the state, Binghampton.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spiedies

Spiedie booths are most often found at county fairs and festivals around here. Sometimes they are called kebabs instead, and are normally sold plain (no veggies) either with or without the roll.

Many people make spiedies at home, or may use the sauce as a marinade when baking or grilling boneless, skinless chicken breasts.

It can be ordered online. Or, I can get a bottle of sauce for anyone willing to pay the postage, if you want to try it.

Here's a spiedie:

And it's most often made with spiedie sauce (which is sold where I live, mostly in the summer months):

I thought we'd just had an earth trembler, but I guess it was just our building settling again...or the plumbing going wonky again, or someone shifting some heavy furniture in one of the other apartments. Blimey! Every time someone even slams a door too hard in this building, you can feel the walls and floors move.

I looked up earthquake data...nope. the closest one was a tremor in Tennessee yesterday. They did have some minor quakes in the US--mostly in downtown Las Vegas, parts of northern California, and Alaska. Some bigger quakes tho, I noticed, in Fiji, Indonesia and Afghanastan this weekend, but all under 6, so hopefully, they weren't too bad, and with luck no one got hurt.

So, we've seen in series 4, the Doctor's daughter and his future girlfriend, and, supposedly at Christmas, we'll get a glimpse of the Doctor's future self...but wait, there's more!

In 2009, we'll get the biggest reveal of them all: the Doctor's future mother-in-law!

Whoops! Just got tagged again...this time by someone named janisthorn.

Well, I've nothing better to do--well, okay, I have to finish sweeping and mopping the kitchen floor...you know, meme's are great procrastinating tools, bless.

_______________________________________

And here we go:

WHO WERE YOU NAMED AFTER?

My first name came from the title of a Frank Sinatra song that my dad liked, my middle name came from a character in Little Women, which was mum's favourite book of all time. My surname is Americanized (aka: bastardized) from the Polish name "Golaz"

.2. WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME YOU CRIED?

Yesterday...I was just sick and tired and depressed/worried about missing so much work/pay, no big deal.

3. DO YOU LIKE YOUR HANDWRITING?

I have DCD (dyspraxia) and two crooked fingers--I pretty much write like a first grader and in fact, can't do cursive writing at all.

4. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE LUNCH MEAT?

I don't have a favourite, but I eat a lot of sliced ham (gammon) and turkey breast.

5. DO YOU HAVE, OR HAVE YOU EVER HAD, PETS? HOW LONG HAVE YOU HAD PETS?

Yup. Three cats. Had pets all my life: cats, dogs, mini-lop eared rabbit, mouse, pigeon, guinea pigs, turtles, lizards, and a goldfish. Worked in two kennels and three riding stables, as well, in the last 30 or so years.

6. IF YOU WERE ANOTHER PERSON WOULD YOU BE FRIENDS WITH YOU?

Probably not, I'm too cranky.

7. DO YOU USE SARCASM A LOT?

Not really. I absolutly detest sarcasim--I think it's childish and petty. but heck, I'm human, and yes, sometimes I'm mildly sarcastic, in a humourous vein...but, it's not something I make a habit of.

8. DO YOU STILL HAVE YOUR TONSILS?
Not since 1967.

9. WOULD YOU JUMP OUT OF AN AIRPLANE?
For a million dollars, and free medical care for life--and free burial in the cemetery of my choice, if I die? Probably, yes.

10. WHAT IS YOUR FAVOURITE CEREAL?
Honey-nut cheerios or any generic store brand variation thereof.

11. DO YOU UNTIE YOUR SHOES WHEN YOU TAKE THEM OFF?
No, after a lifetime of terribly sore feet, I kick those puppies off as soon and as fast as I can, baby.

12. DO YOU THINK YOU ARE STRONG?

I worked heavy labour for years--as late as 2006, so I used to be. Since my accident in 2007, no. I used to lift 50 pounds without problems...now I have trouble lifting 15 or 20.

13. WHAT IS YOUR FAVOURITE ICE CREAM?
Starbucks coffee ice cream--it's to die for.

14. WHAT IS THE FIRST THING YOU NOTICE ABOUT PEOPLE?

Their smile--or their frown, probably. After a lifetime of verbal abuse, I naturally tend to look at people from the inside out.

15. RED OR PINK?

Neither...definitely not pink, though. Bleh.

16. WHAT IS THE LEAST FAVOURITE THING ABOUT YOU?
Pretty much a tie between my looks and personality, ha-ha.

17. WHO DO YOU MISS THE MOST?
Mum. I miss her so very much.

18. WHAT COLOUR TOP AND SHOES ARE YOU WEARING?
Navy tee and bare feet

19. WHAT WAS THE LAST THING YOU ATE?
Baked beans with some Jack Daniels (flavour) BBQ sauce mixed in them, and two boiled hot dogs with spicy brown mustard, and some diet peach flavoured iced tea.

20. WHAT ARE YOU LISTENING TO RIGHT NOW?
The Proclaimers, "I'm on my way"

21. IF YOU WERE A CRAYON, WHAT COLOUR WOULD YOU BE?
Toss up between Midnight Blue and Fuzzy-Wuzzy Brown.

22. FAVOURITE SMELLS
A tack room or saddle shop, horse sweat, hay, horse manure (I kid you not), pines after the rain, backstage at a theater (that dusty smell), the crisp-clean air at night--in the bitter cold winter after a snowfall, baking bread, old spice aftershave (reminds me of my dad), Polo aftershave--love the smell, wild oregano/marjoram, fallen leaves, lakes or rivers (a sort of musty-wet smell), lavendar, roses, lilacs, fallen apples, the summer pavement after a rain, fresh mown grass/hay, cinnamon, a roast in the oven, pine shavings, pumpkin pie baking.

23. WHO WAS THE LAST PERSON YOU TALKED TO ON THE PHONE?
The cab dispatcher on Friday night.

24. FAVOURITE SPORTS TO WATCH?
Don't really watch sports any more (no tele, and can't get out to local events much)...but, I used to watch golf, polo, show jumping, local basketball, rodeo, harness racing, and more rarely, ten-pin bowling, football (soccer), snooker and ice hockey.
25. HAIR COLOUR?

Brown with a bit of grey...getting slightly salt and pepper-ish, I suppose.

26. EYE COLOUR?

Brown

27. DO YOU WEAR CONTACTS?

My eyesight's too poor for contacts..my doctor once told me it would drive me bonkers to have them, 'cos they'd have to be really heavy. (I'm extremely near-sighted, and also marginally blind in my right eye).

28. SCARY MOVIES OR HAPPY ENDINGS?

Oh, happy endings. I've been scared for real, don't need a flippin' film to get that way.

29. LAST MOVIE YOU WATCHED?

I watched part of that Neil Simon film, The Prisoner of Second Avenue, on DVD yesterday.

30. WHAT COLOUR TROUSERS, JEANS OR SKIRT ARE YOU WEARING?

Purple jeans.

31. SUMMER OR WINTER?

I'm well used to winter, but after five or six months of the white stuff and the bitter sometimes sub-zero cold, and the sleet and ice, you can get pretty sick of it. Summer's lovely, but I'm not into hot and humid AT ALL. Of course, there's more to do, come summer, so, I suppose summer.

32. HUGS OR KISSES?
Hugs I reckon. I like hugs, never get enough of 'em.

Never really been snogged, so I don't know if I like it or not, do I?

33. FAVOURITE DESSERT?

Ice cream mud pie--coffee ice cream pie in a crushed chocolate cookie crust, topped with hot fudge sauce, whipped cream and cherries. Ooooh, it's sooo-good!

Haven't had it for years.

34. WHAT'S OUTSIDE YOUR WINDOWS RIGHT NOW?

Sunshine through the maple leaves--my wonky tree doesn't turn colour until November for some reason, medium blue, cloudless sky, traffic on Glen Street, the spire of the Presbyterian church and some Victorian rooftops, pines and a few other trees in people's yards, Boots out on the balcony chair, my pot of yellow mums, my windchimes and the balcony, of course.

35. WHAT IS ON YOUR MOUSE PAD?
A Friesian horse

36. WHAT DID YOU WATCH ON TV LAST NIGHT?
Nothing, I don't have tele.

37. FAVOURITE SOUND?
The Doctor Who theme. Always makes me grin, that. Naturally speaking, I adore the sound of the wind soughing in an Eastern Hemlock or other pine tree, or maybe the sound of a brook. very soothing....and, after a long winter, nothing gladdens my heart like the cheerful song of a robin red-breast sitting in a tree...and I adore the sound of wild geese in the autumn dusk.

38. ROLLING STONES OR BEATLES?
For nostalic reasons, the Beatles...like the Stones, but never really got into them.

39. WHAT IS THE FARTHEST YOU HAVE BEEN FROM HOME?

Luxor, Egypt.

40. DO YOU HAVE A SPECIAL TALENT?

Nope, there's not a talented bone in my body.

41. WHERE WERE YOU BORN?
Albany, New York.

God, Palin you ARE an imbecile!

Palin and her ilk are bigger terrorists than the terrorists are!

Palin and her gang of cutthroat republicans are perfectly OK with Americans shooting each other (why else would they be against stricter gun laws), and are against national heath care, on the grounds that it would "hurt the economy." OK, so, it's bad to hurt the economy, but it's GOOD to hurt your fellow citizens, but denying them access to doctors, dentists and other vital health providers? It's GOOD that millions of children, elderly, disabled and adults, suffer horrendous pain and sickness, 'cos YOU don't want to (hypothetically) pay for it! (Selfish self-centered greedy evil bastards that you ARE.)

Well, here's what I say to you, you stinking republicans: YOU are the terrorists. Yes, you are. You may not crash planes to get across your point, but you call people names, you spew hate-EXACTLY like the NAZI's spewed hate at the Jews and gypsies...for anyone that doesn't agree with your pathetically narrow, and totally paranoid views of how the world should be.

I had to postpone the followup with the doctor about the cancer thing. Too far for me to walk to their office, have to wait until I can spare the funds for co-pays and transport and all that blather. People who aren't living on the edge in this country, just don't have a clue--that includes most health care providers. These people may work with the working class and the poor, but they STILL don't "get" what living on low income and/or week-to-week income is like. Totally obtuse...they don't have to be, mind you, they just can't be bothered to make the effort to learn. Reality isn't a TV programme, and TRUE reality isn't much fun to learn about, let's face it.

People die every day of cancer and other illnesses in America--unnecessarily, for no other reason than they can't afford the treatments, the tests, the co-pays to visit the doctor, the hospital stays...and especially, too often, the drugs, that they need to, if not get well, at least to have a better and longer quality of life. Conservatives holler about terror threats...but millions of Americans suffer and die--totally needlessly--every year, for NO OTHER REASON than their fellow greedy, petty, mean-spirited and totally selfish Americans don't want free health care---so, Americans die...at the hands of their fellow Americans. But hey, Americans hurting and killing Americans, that's okay...it's those foreigners we have to watch out for.

Finally got a reasonably good night's sleep, after a relapse yesterday afternoon, that pretty much did me in--I wound up conking out in bed for about 10 hours, more or less...and about four hours Saturday night. Didn't even eat dinner last night, or breakfast today. Sat up in bed reading around 7pm Saturday...woke at 11pm, no idea I'd even fallen asleep. Went back to bed around 1 am, didn't wake at all, until 11am this morning. My cough/lungs are somewhat better today though, so I geuss the layabout did me some good, any way. Gosh, I do feel old sometimes, though.

I want to thank you all for your very kind birthday wishes. Just another day for me these days, but knowing people think enough of me to wish me a happy birthday, is really lovely. Thank you.

It was supposed to be grey and rainy and cold all week--but today is cloudless and warmer--well, around 55 F. And, tomorrow it's supposed to be in the low 60's. And these weather guys go to college to predict the weather? Think we're better off just sticking our heads out the window, ey? No complaints from me. Sunshine's great--bring it on!

So, the title of the Christmas special is "The Next Doctor." And since I'm not big on spoilers (only sometimes, I do confess, my extreme curiosity about all things does sometimes draw me into reading spoilers...like I did just now).

I've known the title for several weeks now, having read it on a Who forum a while back. However, since several people have posted this spoiler already, I don't think I'm saying anything here, that any dedicated Whovian probably doesn't know already--the spoiler warning is for you non-anorak /Whoites out there.

I wrote this to a blog friend this afternoon: (well, it's early afternoon for me, anyway)

I thought maybe RTD was messing with fan's heads again...and perhaps he is, as now every DW forum and blog on the planet will be full of speculation as to whether this Morrisy chap will be taking over from Tennant in '09, or if Davies is screwing with us, and Tennant will still be our Doctor in '09. Ah well, guess that's all part of the "magic" of this new Dr Who these days: Guessing what stunt RTD will pull next.

I've learned the hard way early this summer, not to put too much trust in Dr Who--or Russell T. Davies.

So, David "the best Doctor ever" Tennant: Will he, or won't he? Well, this old fan will just have to suffer the slings and arrows of...waiting, to find out, just like the rest of you lot. (Drums her fingers on the desk.)