Well this was day 5 of the rains, and as far as I know we have another day or two until we will see clear skies. Wednesday afternoon storms came rolling in, bringing pretty heavy rains. It went on into the night, and when I headed out for work Thursday morning I quickly learned just how bad it was. It was coming down hard and constant, which that in itself seemed odd. Typically, our afternoon storms come and go. As I drove to work it wasn't long before I hit horrible traffic. Now I realized it was coming down hard, but this traffic was crazy. So when I came to an intersection that's cops had cut off, and was diverted I had a feeling this storm was wreaking havoc. Much of my "drive" was spent sitting and waiting just to move an inch.
Shortly after I finally made it through this intersection, I witnessed a vehicle (on the other side of the median) halfway submerged in water. At that point I had a slight sinking feeling, and even thought to myself "I sure hope I am able to get home from work."
As the day went on the rain did not let up, and soon enough we were on damage control at work. We began getting leaks, puddles gathering in a spot in the basement, some ceiling tiles crumbling from the weight of the water leaking in, and our poor yard looked like a swamp.
By the afternoon we began more and more aware all the damage in the Boulder area, and also the Aurora area. Which I then began seeing all the road closures due to flooding. Almost every route I take to get between work and home had some un-crossable point. Ultimately, I ended having to go west, far south, and then head east to get home.
This was the road I was diverted from on my way to work.
Where I-70 and 225 merge...definitely couldn't get home that way.
A park I normally drive past to and from work every day.
Numerous roads were completely washed away, particularly in areas to the west.
Luckily, our home has been fine and we are staying above water. But others have not been so lucky, and we really need the rain to let up. My heart goes out to those who have been hardest hit. Never have I ever experienced rains like this in Colorado in all my life. Today was yet another ominous day...I am looking forward to these clouds going away and being replaced by some much needed sun.
...That's right. I am. Let me start by saying the whole weekend wasn't bad. The weekend actually started off great because I attended an AdvoCare 360 event Saturday morning, which focused on various aspects of life. From self improvement, to nutrition, and finances. I loved it and gained a lot of value! Plus, it's always nice to see some of my team members:
But the rest of the weekend felt like an awful reminder of how lonely I am. And maybe it's the hormones, but gaaaahh how crummy it's been literally sitting in the house doing nothing, by myself. Some folks enjoy that kind of downtime, and I do too in small doses, but right now I can't stand it. It even made me want to just be in the kitchen. A few random things sounded good, but also because I think I was so bored that it gave me something to do and distracted me. So Saturday night I made a late trip to the store, and found myself finishing up making soup at 10pm. I was in the mood for some curry lentil soup, so I searched for a recipe that I thought looked pretty good. I decided on a recipe that I found at Oh She Glows. It turned out pretty good, though there are a few changes I will make next time. Instead of water, I suggest using a chicken or vegetable broth, for a richer flavor. Also, after soup has cooked throw some or all of it in a blender to give it a creamier texture:
Ingredients:
2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1.5 cups chopped onion (approx 1 medium onion)
1 large carrot, chopped
2 large garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 celery stalk, chopped (optional - I did not use)
1.5-2 tablespoons curry powder
1 cup uncooked lentils, rinsed and picked over
4 cups water
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
Kosher salt & black pepper, to taste (I think I used 1/2 tsp?)
2 green onions, thinly sliced (optional - I did not do)
1 lemon, cut into 6 wedges (optional - I did not do)
Directions:
1. Heat olive oil in heavy large skillet or pot over medium heat. Add chopped onion, optional celery, and carrot and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cook until onion is translucent, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes or so.
2. Add finely chopped garlic and stir until vegetables are soft but not brown, about 5 minutes longer. Reduce heat if necessary to avoid burning.
3. Add curry powder. I started with 1.5 tablespoons. Now, add the rinsed uncooked lentils and 4 cups water. Season with a sprinkle of kosher salt and pepper, add in lemon juice, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium and simmer until lentils are tender, about 30 minutes.
4. When lentils are tender, I poured about half of the soup into my blender and I blended the soup for a minute. I did this to create a very thick texture. After blending, stir the soup back into the skillet/pot and you will have a very thick soup with some chunky pieces left from the soup you did not process.
5. Season to taste with salt, pepper, and additional curry powder, if desired. Sprinkle with thinly sliced green onions and serve with lemon wedges.
Makes about 4-5 cups
Then this morning, I made a Sausage Egg Casserole for breakfast. I found a recipe at All Recipes and then made a few changes, as well:
1 bag of shredded monterey jack cheese (plus additional to top casserole at end of baking)
8 ounces diced green chile peppers, drained
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup melted butter
Small bundle of fresh spinach leaves
Directions:
Place sausage in a large, deep skillet. Cook over medium-high heat until evenly brown. Drain, and set aside. Melt butter in skillet, and cook and stir the onions and mushrooms until tender.
In a large bowl, mix the eggs, cottage cheese, Monterey Jack cheese, and chiles. Stir in the sausage, onions, and mushrooms. Refrigerate.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease a 9x13 inch baking dish.
In a bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Blend in the melted butter. Stir the flour mixture into the egg mixture. Stir in the spinach. Pour into the prepared baking dish.
Bake 40 to 50 minutes in the preheated oven, or until lightly brown (sprinkle with cheese with about 5 min left). Let stand 10 minutes before serving.
Well if anything, I am sure baby was thrilled mom decided to do some cooking that last two days. And I will have yummy food to take with me to work this week. Ha gotta find the positives in it, right!
