Diner, Drive-In or Dive #2

Most people who know Richard know that his favorite Food Channel program is "Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives" where host Guy Fieri showcases local restaurants featuring unusually good food often prepared in an unconventional way. We decided a while ago that we would try to visit as many of Fieri's "Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives" as we could when we travel. Richard could barely contain his excitement when he found out SEVEN places are right here in Baltimore (thanks for the list, Mike!)!

Today we tried Chaps Pit Beef, a local joint established in 1987 by Gus and Bob. It began as a 12x15 foot shack with no electricity or phone- just really good beef, ham and sausage. The "shack" and their menu have expanded some but the really good food remains.

Chaps Pit Beef... Diner, Drive-In or Dive??

Not even a fancy frame can dress up the outside of Chaps Pit Beef... but just as we shouldn't judge a book by its cover, the real deal is inside. 

We arrived about 1:00pm and the line to order was still long. Would it be worth the wait?

One of the first things I noticed when we went inside was the wonderful aroma that made my mouth start to water. The second thing I noticed was that there were people from all walks of life eating there- a guy in a sport coat and slacks, a worker from the Baltimore Maintenance Department, a retired couple, a group of engineers (easily identified by the Dockers and Polo shirt uniform and the requisite badge hanging on their belt! LOL!), a mom with two teenagers and an elderly gentleman eating alone. It was obvious this was no touristy place! The place is still small (intimate?) with inside seating for about 25 people and every table was taken when we walked in- fortunately, a table opened up while we were waiting for our food.

Good Eats!!

I had the Pork BBQ sandwich (top) with cole slaw. The homemade BBQ sauce has a bit of a kick to it making the sandwich not only tasty but unique. Richard had the beef sandwich with onion and horseradish- also quite tasty. While the cole slaw was better than most, the French fries were "soggy" (Richard's description) and a bit "flat" (my observation). Overall, we both still rate it "two thumbs up" and will definitely come back again... for the Mexican ham... or the Minced BBQ... 

Roadkill... or "sleeping animals"

What do you think of when you hear the word "roadkill"- or as Jenne tells her children "sleeping animals"? Living most of my life in the Phoenix area, when I hear "roadkill" I think "cat"... or "rabbit"... or "coyote"... or sometimes "dog" (because dogs are just smarter than cats!). As we traveled across the United States, the kinds of roadkill changed- we saw armadillos, raccoons, beavers, snakes, a variety of birds and a few deer and coyotes. I began to wonder what kind of roadkill we would see in our new state and what happens to these hapless creatures after they become "flat meat." And lest you think otherwise, I am apparently not alone in thinking about roadkill as there are several "Roadkill Cafes" across our country that serve only roadkill... and "Roadkill Bingo" is a favorite car game among many road tripsters- redneck or not.

According to 2009 data from the US Census Bureau, Phoenix is in Maricopa County (9,203 square miles) and has 437 people per square mile. Columbia is in the smaller Howard County (252 square miles) but has a higher population density of 1,118 people per square mile. Given that statistical data, I expected roadkill in Columbia to be similar to Phoenix roadkill- in other words, domestic animals with the occasional bunny or squirrel (since we have a LOT of squirrels here). However, reality did not support my expectation.

In an effort to learn the roads and find my way around, I have spent many hours driving around Columbia. I have seen lots of roadkill- but surprisingly few cats and no dogs or coyotes. I have seen many squirrels and quite a few raccoons. But the animal that surprises me every time I see one by the side of the road is...

...a deer!

This road, a divided parkway with intersections, is on my way to Target. There are neighborhoods just past the wooded area and LOTS of traffic. And yet, I've seen several dead deer along this stretch of road - and more on other roads!

More than 3000 deer are killed by cars in the Washington, D.C. area every year. State troopers and the Department of Transportation for each state are responsible for their removal from the roadways. What happens to the carcasses has changed over the years. In the 1960-70's they were taken to area zoos to be fed to the large cats. Fear of spreading disease and parasites led to the demise of that practice and roadside burial (the three-man burial teams created new jobs... but that's another topic) became common. As housing developments grew, this practice also fell by the wayside and was replaced with... composting! Maryland transportation crews began experimenting with deer composting in 2001, using the composted material to fertilize wildflowers along the roadways. (Since then, "roadkill composting" has generated interest in many other states, including Arizona.) Some counties dispose of the carcasses in landfills (can we say, "ICKY!") or deposit them back in the forests for other animals to scavenge before the remains completely decompose back to the forest or sell them to companies that make chicken feed out of them or incinerate them. I like composting the best- it's environmentally friendly and so far has not contributed to any disease threat.

I have previously described our neighborhood as "rural meets urban" and in many ways it is just that. Symphony Woods, a deeply forested picnic area with trails is just across the street from The Mall at Columbia and two high-density apartment complexes. Wooded areas butt up to nearly every major street making it impossible to see Costco, for example, less than a quarter of a mile beyond the road. Several rivers and many creeks and streams wind through an area with roughly 14 times as many people as reside in Maricopa County, Arizona. I should be surprised that there are not more dead deer by the side of the road. 

Antietam: the bloodiest one-day battle of the Civil War

Since reading Jeff Shaara's historical novels on the Civil War several years ago, it has been Richard's desire to see as many of the battlefields as possible. For his Father's Day outing, we visited Antietam Battlefield near Sharpsburg, Maryland and were immediately transported back in time...

In September of 1862 the United States had been fighting a Civil War for a year and a half and the Confederate Army could smell victory. Emerging victorious at the Second Battle at Manassas (Bull Run), General Lee moved his army from Virginia to Maryland (a neutral border state) to begin a push northward to Pensylvania. He divided his army, sending part to Harper's Ferry, Virginia to protect his supply line and the rest going to Maryland. The Union Army regrouped in Frederick, Maryland just as the remaining Confederate soldiers were leaving. A Union soldier found a lost copy of General Lee's plan of operations and took it to General McClellan (Union Army). Recognizing the significance of this find, McClellan made plans to engage General Lee's divided army beginning with the Battle of South Mountain (east of Sharpsburg) on September 14th. The following day the Union Army at Harpers Ferry surrendered to the Confederate Army and General Lee decided to make a stand at Sharpburg, a peaceful farming community.

The skirmishes at the Battle of Antietam (named after nearby Antietam Creek) occurred in seven main areas covering less than ten square miles: North Woods, East Woods, the Cornfield (which saw some of the most horrific fighting in US history), West Woods, Sunken Road (Bloody Lane), Lower Bridge (later named Burnside Bridge) and the final attack in the fields west of the bridge. The fighting on September 17th lasted from sun-up to sun-down and ended only when both armies were too exhausted to fight anymore.

It's hard to imagine the carnage that occurred in this beautiful countryside. 

The weapons of the day were muskets and cannons with bayonets and swords being used less frequently. Volunteers did a firing demonstration using muskets, which take at least 30 seconds to reload. The soldier on the top left demonstrated the nine steps to reloading. The cannons (like the one on the lower right) used balls varying in weight from 6 to 12 pounds- and could travel about 2000 yards.

The soldiers of the Civil War fought "up close and personal." These weapons inflicted horrific damage- and produced a "legion of amputees." 

The Union Army in the industrialized north wore blue wool uniforms while the Confederate Army in the plantation south wore gray cotton uniforms. We were able to try on uniforms of both armies and decided we liked the cooler, more breathable uniforms of the Confederacy- at least on this warm day in June!

Janne sported Confederate Gray and carried the battle flag while I opted for Union Blue. As was true in the Civil War, families often were on opposing sides with brother fighting brother.

At the end of the day, while there was no clear cut tactical victor,  the Union Army had forced General Lee and his Confederate Army to retreat back into Virginia- but at heavy cost to both sides. The Union  and Confederate Armies combined suffered over 23,000 casualties that day making it the bloodiest day in American combat history. The ground was red with blood and the screams of wounded and dying soldiers could be heard across the valley.

Although the Civil War in general, and this battle in particular, created what has been described as "a legion of amputees," it also saw the birth of modern combat medical care. Dr. Jonathan Letterman, chief medical officer for the Army of the Potomac (Union), established an ambulance corps to evacuate wounded soldiers from the battle. He also established "triage"- a system of prioritizing the wounded based on the severity of their wounds, not by their rank as was the prior custom. Clara Barton, a Northerner, arrived at the infamous "Cornfield" (the bloodiest skirmish of the battle with 8,850 casualties) with a wagonload of medical supplies she personally collected and brought to "the front". She helped surgeons and comforted wounded soldiers of both armies. Dr. James Dunn, a surgeon at Antietam battlefield, later wrote about her, "In my feeble estimation, General McClellan, with all his laurels, sinks into insignificance beside the true heroine of the age, the angel of the battlefield." Clara Barton eventually went on to found the American Red Cross, an organization that today, among other things,  still provides aid to combat soldiers and their families.

Even though there was no "winner" in this battle, it was a turning point in the war and gave the Union a strategic victory. The momentum of the Confederate Army was lost, international support shifted to the Union and the rest, as they say, is history.

Beautiful flowers now bloom all over the Antietam Battlefield... a reminder of God's goodness.

Duck, duck.. goose?

This morning was absolutely beautiful (temperature 70 degrees, humidity 50%) and since it's been awhile since I walked around Lake Kittamaqundi, I decided to see if I could find the Canada Geese and their goslings.

There was an earthy smell to the air as I stepped onto the path by our apartment building and I could see that the plants had grown- in some places they had overtaken the path! Before I could see the water I heard machine noise- kind of like a huge lawn mower- and wondered who was going to get in trouble for having a prohibited motor boat on the lake. When I reached the lake front path I saw that it was, indeed, a large floating lawn mower! A kayaker explained to me that they essentially mow the grass in the lake and scoop it (and garbage) into a basket to keep the lake cleaner and healthier for the wildlife. I was going to take a picture of this floating lawn mower when I got to the other side of the lake (better camera angle!) but by then my camera battery had died so you'll have to use your imagination!

I was surprised that many of the flowers I had enjoyed last month were no longer flowering- but new flowers had sprung up. Most of them are not planted but grow wild along the lake. Several kinds of berries were growing on bushes and I wondered if they are edible- and by whom or what!

Flowers in many colors and sizes adorned the lake path- a benefit of a warm and humid climate!

The noise from the "lawn mower boat" was really loud and at first I thought it had scared all the birds away. But as I stood quietly gazing into a tree I realized that the songbirds were still there and they were still singing- but I had to really listen to hear their sweet song. I didn't see any Canada Geese but the faithful Mallard ducks were still there. All the babies have grown up and many have "flown the coop." These beauties caught my eye as they paddled around.

As I was walking back thinking how different the lake has been every time I've explored it,  it occurred to me that this continuous change is like my life... babies grow up and leave the nest... flowers (friends) of every description constantly bloom in your path, some coming and some going... you can hear the sweet music of life if you ignore the noise of the world  and really listen... and sometimes you need to clean out the weeds (bad habits).

View of the World or Worldview?

This past year or so I have spent a great deal of time traveling: four cross-country road trips and numerous flights to several destinations.  Traveling generally seems to bring out the worst in people. We all have bad days when we’re tired, hungry or not feeling well and say or do something we later regret.   When I see a three-year-old child throwing a temper tantrum at midnight in the airport my assumption is the child is tired- not necessarily spoiled. In contrast, adults are supposedly more mature and better able to control their emotions so when I see a grown man throwing a temper tantrum multiple times, my assumption is he is self-centered.

Last week I was at BWI waiting to board my Southwest flight to Phoenix. Southwest Airlines doesn’t make seat assignments but has you line up, in order, according to the number on your boarding pass. That number is determined by when you check in and get your boarding pass (up to 24 hours prior to flight time).  This seems like a pretty fair system to me- and I have been in the first 30 passengers to board when I remembered to do it 24 hours in advance as well as the last ten when I forgot to do it until I got to the airport. This particular day my number was B43, which meant I was in the fourth group of 30 to board. As I was waiting for the “A” groups to board, I heard a man raise his voice at the gate agent and say, “That’s the stupidest thing I’ve ever heard!” as he walked away. At first I thought the gate agent told him his carry-on was too big and needed to be checked.  Several more passengers boarded and I noticed the man back in line with his carry-on. When he got to the gate agent and handed him his boarding pass, the gate agent handed it back and told him his group wasn’t boarding yet, he needed to wait for the “C” group. Again the man raised his voice saying, “I need to board now so I can get an aisle seat.” With a more stern voice, the gate agent informed him he needed to wait his turn. The man stomped off and then threw his carry-on bag on the floor. A few of the passengers looked at each other with raised eyebrows but said nothing. Now the “B” group was boarding and I got in line. Yet again the man tried to board and once again the gate agent told him he needed to wait his turn and mentioned something about security. The man huffed off making comments about “incompetent employees” and “stupid rules.”  Now people were shaking their heads with looks of disbelief on their faces.

So what made this man act this way- like he was mad at the world? Is he just someone who has a ”glass is half empty” view of the world? Or is it deeper than that?

This incident reminded me of a book I’m reading- “How Now Shall We Live” by Charles Colson. He defines “worldview” as “the sum total of our beliefs about the world, the ‘big picture’ that directs our daily decisions and actions.” I believe that the man at the airport is probably a “relativist”- one who believes there is no right or wrong, just what you believe to be truth- someone who subscribes to a naturalistic worldview. He believed he was entitled to special treatment just because he desired it- that was his truth.  However, just because he believed it to be truth did not make it truth- just as sincerely believing 2+2=5 does not make it so.  Colson maintains “if you live according to a certain worldview but keep bumping up against reality in painful ways, you can be sure something is wrong with the worldview. It fails to reflect reality accurately.”  This seems logical to me- and makes me wonder why someone would keep on doing what clearly results in their being unhappy and angry a great deal of the time.  The man at the airport still looked irritated and "mad at the world" 5 hours later when I saw him at baggage claim in Phoenix.

I have no answer for why he chooses to believe what he does. But I do know that a Christian worldview says that we must love that man. Jesus said, “Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples.” (John 13:15) Hmmm… so while everyone was milling around the baggage carousel, talking to each other while we waited for our luggage- but steering clear of the “angry man”- some one should have talked to him, smiled at him. “Someone” could have/should have been me. Ouch!

Fortunately, I know that I will be given more opportunities to practice showing love to someone who is difficult to love. God is gracious that way- He gives us another chance when we mess up. And it is only by serving one another in love that we can reach out and influence those with a different worldview.

There's no place like home...

What makes four walls, a roof and a floor a home? In the course of our marriage, we have lived in an unfurnished apartment (in Denver, CO), a completely furnished condo (in Satellite Beach, FL), 3 houses we have owned (in Albuquerque, NM, Chandler, AZ and Gilbert, AZ), an unfurnished house we rented (in Calgary, AB, Canada) and now a completely furnished apartment (in Columbia, MD).  Some were teeny tiny and some were quite large. Sometimes it was just the two of us- and other times there was quite a crowd. We have also lived temporarily with friends and parents while our houses were being built. We have come to realize that "home" is where you live- where your  stories take place- where you feel comfortable and safe. It's more about who you're with than what you have or how you decorate it. It's walking in the door and realizing you're glad to be there. Every place we have lived has been "home." Here is a peak at our current home...

Columbia Town Center

The "traffic circle" in the front took some getting used to! Our apartment is off to the left.

Our apartment complex, Columbia Town Center, is situated across the street from the Mall at Columbia (I haven't decided if that is a blessing or a curse yet!) and in between a public library and Lake Kittamaqundi. There is a river and a "woods" within half a mile. It is, I guess, "rural meets urban"- a fairly typical up-scale apartment complex with the usual amenities (pool, exercise room, common areas).

Our home is apartment 401 in building 10340. Come on in!!

(Yeah- old picture!)

From the foyer, you enter the living area of our home- living room and dining room straight ahead with the kitchen off to the right.

This is my office =)

French doors off the living room go out to the balcony- just big enough for two chairs and a small table.

I can still enjoy my coffee on my patio- but now I have to get dressed first!

The dining room is between the living room and kitchen.

The kitchen is small but functional. Learning to cook with gas has been an adventure in itself!

Across from the refrigerator is a built-in desk- or Richard's office, as we call it!

Our "entertainment center"- tv, Wii, dvr, books, iPod.

We only brought a few of our family pictures and will probably add a few more. The doorway leads to...

...the guest bedroom...

... the guest bathroom- which is about twice as big as the master bathroom...

(I love that they put a towel rack in the shower- you don't get cold reaching for your towel!)

... and the laundry room (closet?) is in between the two. It has a full size washer and dryer which makes me a happy camper!

The door to the master bedroom is to the left of the French doors.  There is a walk-in closet between the bedroom and the master bathroom.

For some odd reason, the master bathroom has virtually no counter, a dinky medicine cabinet and is generally much smaller than the guest bathroom. It's one redeeming feature is a "garden tub"- great for soaking!!

Whether you call it the Perona Inn or the Vanilla Villa (my personal favorite!), it is still home to us. When you're out this way, stop for a visit- we'll keep the light on for you!

All Kinds of Fun!

Merriam-Webster defines fun as "what provides amusement or enjoyment" and gives the following synonyms: jest, sport, game and play. I would add "family" to that list. I spent the last week in North Carolina with Jenne and the grandkids- Richard, Janne and Adam joined us for Memorial Day weekend. We worked together, played together, laughed together and had fun together. What a blessing that God not only gives us joy, but also fun... and family.

Beach Fun: Wrightsville Beach is about a two hour drive from Ft. Bragg and we decided to go for the day. It was supposed to be overcast and rainy but we were greeted with beautiful weather as we arrived at the beach. Since it was supposed to be rainy, we didn't bring swim suits but decided to play in the water anyway. Note to self: clothes get heavy in the water!

The boys could NOT wait to get in the water! Christopher (age 6) helped Ben (age 3) jump the waves while Nick (age 5) tried to keep his shorts up- which grew heavier as they got soaked and filled with sand. (And yes, the adults without cameras were nearby ready to jump in the water!)

Lexie (age 2), on the other hand, wanted NO part of the water- and was quite content to dig for sea shells and scoop sand. 

We enjoy spending time with our children- Adam, Janne, Jenne and Jacob (who is currently in Iraq so Lexie filled in for him!)

Everyone, kids and adults, had a fun day. I was surprised at how sandy (not rocky) the beach was, how warm and clear the water was (and no seaweed!) and how many sea shells were on the beach. We will definitely be back soon- and next time we'll bring swim suits!

Memorial Day Fun: Fayetteville, NC hosts Glory Days on Memorial Day and we went to check it out. Richard, Janne and Adam left to go back to Maryland after the pancake breakfast but Jenne, the kids and I stayed to enjoy the festivities. There were booths with balloons (that Lexie thought was great fun to let go in the sky!), pins, pinwheels, flags... all red, white and blue. We listened to patriotic music and watched American flags wave in the breeze. And before we left, we went on a wagon ride around the parking lot- which the kids thought was "so much fun!"

The boys went in a wagon by themselves and thought they were so grown up. They also liked the mule pulling our wagon- who almost gave them each a big wet kiss!

Everyday Fun: I think one of the best things about being a grandparent is that you can play all day- and someone else (like the mom!) figures out what's for dinner, when it's bath time, etc. We played about a jillion games of Connect 4, War, Go Fish, and Rummikub. Nick tried to teach me how to play a Didj (educational video game) game but I wasn't very good at it. I read, and was read, tons of books. We had tea parties and slumber parties. Every day was a new adventure... and lots of fun!

Ben wanted me to play with his new doggy. And Lexie was surprised at a plot twist in "Go Dog, Go!"

Nick loves playing Didj and has learned to spell quite a few words and do simple math. He beat me every time! Christopher and I worked on a couple of jigsaw puzzles.