Fans of Team Thompson: Do not be dismayed...we have not abandoned our blog! While December may be a month of rest and relaxation for most, Team Thompson works in the world of retail. It is there that a simple request for R&R garners a look of disappointment and the threat of job loss.
We hope you all had a very Merry Christmas and have smashing plans to celebrate the New Year. We'll be celebrating New York New Year with friends this year, watching the ball drop at 9 p.m. instead of midnight. Most of our buddies have little ones now, thus the New York New Year hoopla -- complete with street-cart style hotdogs, giant pretzels and other fun NY paraphernalia. Also, JT and I will be defending our winners' title in round two if Minute to Win It! Wish us luck!
We'll be back in action next year. Until then, may 2012 bring you much joy, excitement, blessings and adventure!
Friday, December 30, 2011
Wednesday, December 7, 2011
The Duplex Chronicles: woodworking by moonlight
I often wonder what all our wall-sharing neighbor can hear Team Thompson doing, saying, singing or thinking. Neighbor lives alone so he is inherently more quiet than we. He has no one to talk to, no one to scream “kill that bug!” to, no one to serenade from the shower, no one to listen to rants about poor work days, no one to laugh with until he cries while watching reruns of Frasier or 30 Rock.
Overall, he keeps quiet. He even sleeps in on the weekends until just one hour of daylight remains...but that’s another story for another time.
There is, however, the witching hour. It falls anywhere between 11 p.m. and 1 a.m. about every other night, just as Team Thompson is tucking itself in for a long winter’s nap.
Last night was one of those nights.
We were both just about five minutes into REM sleep when I woke to a bang bang bang, hammer hammer hammer.
See, it’s our bedroom wall that butts up to Neighbor’s abode.
Bang bang bang, hammer hammer hammer. Bang bang bang, hammer hammer hammer.
It soon woke Justin. We kept still for about five minutes, just listening. I made myself a deal, saying that if he went on for an additional, and generous, five minutes more, I’d have to go over there.
Bang bang bang, hammer hammer hammer. Bang bang bang, hammer hammer hammer.
Up I got, grabbed my robe, and headed for the front door. I waited outside his door to see if the hammering would continue.
It did.
I knocked…magically in-sync with the hammering.
I knocked again…just as Neighbor started hammering again.
I knocked a third time, louder. The hammering stopped. The porch light was flipped on and it blinded me. Neighbor opened the door, just a crack, and I whispered, “we’re sleeping.”
Neighbor apologized, he is quite kind, by the way, and I replied, “ok, night night,” and went back inside.
Then JT and I lay giggling and making jokes about what it is we think Neighbor only feels fit to do after 11 p.m., or once the neighborhood is asleep.
“Maybe he’s making an armada of tiny wooden ships,” said Justin.
“Maybe he’s making small, wooden puppets that come to life in the moonlight,” said Christine.
“Maybe he’s hulling out a fallen tree to make a canoe,” said Justin.
“Maybe he’s getting started on that fence he keeps talking about,” said Christine.
This went on until we laughed ourselves back to sleep.
I wonder if he could hear that?
Overall, he keeps quiet. He even sleeps in on the weekends until just one hour of daylight remains...but that’s another story for another time.
There is, however, the witching hour. It falls anywhere between 11 p.m. and 1 a.m. about every other night, just as Team Thompson is tucking itself in for a long winter’s nap.
Last night was one of those nights.
We were both just about five minutes into REM sleep when I woke to a bang bang bang, hammer hammer hammer.
See, it’s our bedroom wall that butts up to Neighbor’s abode.
Bang bang bang, hammer hammer hammer. Bang bang bang, hammer hammer hammer.
It soon woke Justin. We kept still for about five minutes, just listening. I made myself a deal, saying that if he went on for an additional, and generous, five minutes more, I’d have to go over there.
Bang bang bang, hammer hammer hammer. Bang bang bang, hammer hammer hammer.
Up I got, grabbed my robe, and headed for the front door. I waited outside his door to see if the hammering would continue.
It did.
I knocked…magically in-sync with the hammering.
I knocked again…just as Neighbor started hammering again.
I knocked a third time, louder. The hammering stopped. The porch light was flipped on and it blinded me. Neighbor opened the door, just a crack, and I whispered, “we’re sleeping.”
Neighbor apologized, he is quite kind, by the way, and I replied, “ok, night night,” and went back inside.
Then JT and I lay giggling and making jokes about what it is we think Neighbor only feels fit to do after 11 p.m., or once the neighborhood is asleep.
“Maybe he’s making an armada of tiny wooden ships,” said Justin.
“Maybe he’s making small, wooden puppets that come to life in the moonlight,” said Christine.
“Maybe he’s hulling out a fallen tree to make a canoe,” said Justin.
“Maybe he’s getting started on that fence he keeps talking about,” said Christine.
This went on until we laughed ourselves back to sleep.
I wonder if he could hear that?
Tuesday, December 6, 2011
Mexican Chicken & Lime Soup
I made this Rachael Ray soup a few weeks ago for dinner. It’s one of the recipes I’ve had in my cut & paste recipe binder for a few years, but had never given it a go.
Chipotles in Adobo seem to be all the rage lately and since I’m not necessarily in style clothes-wise, I thought I could at least be in style food-wise.
The first night we ate it, JT and I both thought it was a little lacking. The second night I added in some cooked rice and dressed it up with sour cream. Ohhh my, the rice did the trick!
This is a good soup to warm the bones. Trust me…this 50F weather we’re experience is down right numbing…just kidding, all you peeps in colder climates!
Enjoy!
Mexican Chicken & Lime Soup
Chipotles in Adobo seem to be all the rage lately and since I’m not necessarily in style clothes-wise, I thought I could at least be in style food-wise.
The first night we ate it, JT and I both thought it was a little lacking. The second night I added in some cooked rice and dressed it up with sour cream. Ohhh my, the rice did the trick!
This is a good soup to warm the bones. Trust me…this 50F weather we’re experience is down right numbing…just kidding, all you peeps in colder climates!
Enjoy!
Mexican Chicken & Lime Soup
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 onion, finely chopped
- 6 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
- 6 skinless, boneless chicken thighs, cut into 1/2-inch pieces (I used breasts because that’s what I had)
- 2 canned chipotle chiles in adobo sauce, finely chopped, plus 2 tablespoons adobo sauce (these suckers are hot, so be careful about getting it on your fingers)
- 6 cups chicken broth
- 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
- Juice of 2 limes
- Salt and pepper
- 1 hass avocado, thinly sliced lengthwise into 12 pieces
- Crushed tortilla chips
Team Thompson Extras:
- 3/4 – 1 cup cooked white or brown rice, for oomph
- Sour cream, for dolloping
DIRECTIONS:
- In a large saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Stir in the onion and garlic, lower the heat to medium and cook until the onion begins to brown, about 7 minutes. Increase the heat to high, push the vegetables to the side of the pan, add the chicken and cook, stirring, until golden, about 5 minutes. Stir in the chipotles and adobo sauce, then stir in the chicken broth (and rice, if using). Lower the heat and simmer for 15 minutes, skimming any foam. Stir in the cilantro and lime juice; season with salt and pepper.
- Place 2 avocado slices in each of 6 soup bowls and pour in the soup. Top with the tortilla chips (and a dollop of sour cream).
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