Life, Fannishness, and Thespic Infatuation

Geo and I are back in Ohio this weekend. He's recording eps of his radio show, and yesterday, they did one for a "live studio audience" at a Dayton theater.

Also, stopped by the PAC on Friday and touched base with a few people.

Also had an interesting conversation with Geo's radio show partner. I might write about that later.

As I wrote on Friday, Mother and I watched Show together. I'll try to get my long & rambly sometime this week. There will much, MUCH to cover. (Jensen, just rip my heart out, why don't you. Guh!)

So that's an update from here.

So. If you've been following this LJ since the beginning of the year, you know that I've been very shaken up by the death of a schoolmate, Deputy Sheriff Suzanne Hopper.

Well, yesterday, my high school was put on lockdown for 3 hours because of gunshots fired in the neighborhood.

Shots fired near local school.

Now, you gotta understand that I grew up in a rural area, and though the population and housing development on my old street have grown, it's still county and fairly rural. My parents can see the elementary school from their backyard, and the elementary, middle, and high schools are all on the same piece of land.

Thankfully, the shots were not fired at the school. And to my knowledge, discharge of firearms is not illegal in the neighborhood (my dad used to take targets out to the backyard and go plinking. He also used to set off a model canon every 4th of July). However, the guy who was arrested was arrested for inciting panic and drug possession. (Um, that's for inciting panic. And for drug possession. Not inciting drug possession.)

Too bad he couldn't be arrested for dangerous stupidity with a firearm as well.

Oh, also? The trailer of the guy who shot Suzanne was torched this morning. I expect investigators will discover that it was not an accident.

sarcasticval asked, in regard to my earlier post, what a last call is, as it relates to an LEO's or first responder's funeral. I tried to explain, then told her that there are a lot of examples on YouTube.

As it turns out, Suzanne's is there, too.

I'm sorry to be filling up your f-page with this, f-listies. I understand if you're not interested.

I just wish I could be at home to pay my respects.

I think maybe my home church is holding the viewing and funeral services because it's a large venue, and there are going to be a LOT of people there putting Suzanne to rest.

From the Columbus Dispatch

From one of the local TV news outlets: her D.A.R.E. students are remembering her, too.

And from the local paper

Today's searches are also turning up the story on foreign language sites--Norwegian, Romanian, German . . .

1/1/11 looks like a pretty cool date when you write it out like that.

And mine wasn't too bad. Nothing spectacular, but spent well enough, until I heard ( this news )

Oh, my word, you guys. I just made the most amazing soup for dinner tonight. You know how last week I mentioned having pumpkin soup and how finding a comparable recipe was my new culinary quest? You guys. Here's what I found.

Well, first of all, I found pumpkinsoup.org. Everything you wanted to know about pumpkin soup but didn't know to ask. Lots of interesting recipes there of varying levels of complexity.

But that's not where I got tonight's dinner from.

No, one of my newest go-to sites for recipes (I also subscribe to the hard copy magazine) is the Southern Living website. Being from Ohio, I also try to find things on the Midwest Living website, but nine times out of ten, I like the Southern Living recipes better. (If I want Midwestern recipes, I usually head to the church/fundraiser cookbooks from back home.) The trick is to watch your fat ingredients, because if there's one thing Southerners like to cook with, it's fat.

But I digress.

Tonight's dinner was originally printed in the October 1997 issue of Southern Living.

Pumpkin-Corn Chowder

I used 1 cup of half-and-half and 1 cup of 1% milk in place of the 2 cups of half-and-half. And you could use vegetable bouillon cubes or other vegetarian bouillon for a vegetarian variation.

A mild, creamy soup to warm your tummy on a cold winter evening. And delightfully easy, because if you are what you eat, then I'm fast, cheap, and easy.

Also of note: Today I started burning my favorite Christmas fragrance candle. Yankee Candle's Sugared Plum (which they have since repackaged under a different name and color). I've used this fragrance for years, for as far back in our marriage as either Geo or I can remember. It's a warm, comforting fragrance that makes me content and nostalgic at the same time. It smells like Christmas at home.

I pulled out my Gaelic Storm CDs and was listening to them in the car today. I really miss the Irish concerts back home.

On the upside, we're going to Fredricksburg this evening to check out an Irish pub. Here's hoping for a fantastic Irish coffee as part of the evening. (That's me--forever in search of the perfect Irish coffee.)

As a result, I will not be watching SPN live tonight. We'll record it, hopefully not be too wiped out to watch it tonight. Then of course, the download tomorrow.

Also, if I get nothing else done today, I still count it as productive. I refilled the air in my tires.

Also, also? An $80 pair of ankle boots for $33.90. Yes, JCPenney discounts are that awesome. They also have reasonably good taste in models.

( My weekend in Ohio )

( Upcoming thespian endeavor )

Okay, so, enough babbling from me for now? Yeah, probably. It's overcast and rainy out, and the office is, as usual, very quiet. I'm still in limbo with my medical stuff, but I'm going to try to get to zumba class tonight, if I can get the grocery shopping done.

If there's ever any question as to where I get my fannishness . . .

( look no further )