MS and Authors, Hurricanes.

Last night I heard a news report about new developments in MS and that Canadians wanted the government to pursue research into a new purported therapy known as liberation therapy – which research has been rejected. Whilst pursuing this subject they mentioned that J.K. Rowling of Harry Potter fame had donated $15 million to MS research at the University of Edinburgh, Scotland because her mother died from complications of the disease. That is not a drop in the bucket. I am staggered she has made so much money from the books and movies – I wish some of my author friends could do as well. At present they (my author friends) are all on their way to Aussie/World con in Australia where they will be enjoying lots of interesting panels and discussions. I would love to go to one of these conferences, but the nearest one to me was a dragon con in Atlanta, Georgia, a couple of years ago. In fact, these days, I guess I couldn’t even manage one if it was in Kitchener.

September 1, we are now counting down to the day we leave as well as counting all the hurricanes in the Atlantic. I see they have evacuated Cape Hatteras and Ocracoke on the islands of North Carolina, but they don’t forecast a direct hit on the mainland, just a nasty skim by with lots of bad weather and particularly bad surf which people will still be stupid enough to go swim or surf in. The cold weather system they thought was going to push it away is being very slow getting to the coast. I am watching the storms on www.Weatherbug.com which was a site I was directed to by a friend in NC. According to the present forecast track TS Fiona will stay away from the mainland although it won’t do the Caribbean islands much good. Then there is another storm behind it which, if named, will become Gaston. That, I think, is the one which might affect us if anything does. A friend phoned us yesterday to see if we were still coming down, I assured her we are; well we are booked and paid for, so unless things get really, really bad, we will be there with bells on. By that I mean the threat of a direct hit on Emerald Isle which is where we shall be.

Matt did his usual stint of going shopping early this morning, I don’t go any more as I am in too much pain by the end of the traipse around the store even leaning on a cart. Oh if only the doctors would get a move on and call me in for treatment (not during my vacation dates of course). Putting in a stent is not that major a surgery really and I can be out the next day and enjoying life again. Mind you I think they need to do several, so maybe its just as well if they don’t call me before we go away. I was actually going to say that I was glad when Matt came back from shopping as I had been dreaming I had lost my purse and keys by leaving them in a cab and was wondering what the heck I was going to do a) to get home and b) to get in when I got there. In my dream I was not living in an apartment – here I could get the super or several other people to let me in although only the super could let me into the apartment. Daft the things you dream sometimes.

Last night Matt made us some hamburgers for supper with Lipton Onion Soup in the mix. Makes a good flavour. Burgers are not something we eat very much and we didn’t have these with buns, just some sliced tomatoes. They were good. Have a couple more for tonight. Once upon a time, Lipton’s made an Onion Soup which was really hot and spicy. That was almost too hot for soup, but it was great in a meatloaf. Unfortunately they stopped marketing it – you just get the plain ol’ onion soup these days.

I haven’t had any fresh corn this year, I have to do something about that soon. This recipe combines nice fresh ingredients all of which are currently available.

Fresh Tomato and Corn Salad

Source rouxdog on Food.com

Ingredients:

Servings: 3

2 large fresh tomatoes (I like creole and beefsteak) or 2 lbs cherry tomatoes

1 1/2 cups fresh corn or 1 1/2 cups frozen corn, blanched and drained

8 fresh basil leaves

balsamic vinegar

extra virgin olive oil

Directions

Wash tomatoes and remove leaves, cut into bite sized pieces or slices, Tear basil leaves into small pieces. Combine basil, tomato and corn in a bowl. Drizzle with balsamic vinegar and good olive oil, to taste.

Stir.

Let chill for 1 hour for flavor mix, or serve immediately for freshest presentation.

Stir again before serving.

Have a great day