Michelle Smiles

Teaching my children to question authority, except mine.

Look kids! Big Ben, Parliment!

November26

When we moved to this suburb in May, I gleefully went to check out the brand spanking new Super Target.  It was the first store open in a new plaza being built.  The only entrance to this plaza is a traffic circle.  I told my husband that I anticipated the circle would be quite ugly once the plaza was full and traffic increased.  In this area, traffic circles are not often seen and I assumed it would cause some angst for nervous drivers.  Angst is the least of our concerns.  People can not figure out how to negotiate this simple circle.  They had to publish directions in the newspaper a couple of weeks ago and people still can’t figure it out. I’ll admit I think designing the entrance as a traffic circle was flat out stupid but I am amazed that it flummoxes everyone to the degree it does.

It is a pretty simple circle.  There are 4 off shoots – 1 to the right of the plaza, 1 in to the center, 1 to the left, and 1 to exit the plaza back onto Main Street.  Often when, someone stops dead in the middle of the circle staring like a deer in headlights.  They just don’t know what to do.  Others stop because they don’t understand that they have the right of way over those entering the circle from the spokes.  That is bad but worse are the people who don’t understand that all traffic circles work on the principle of 1 way traffic.  I’ve seen half a dozen people drive the wrong way trying to exit the circle.  I’m thinking of petitioning the TN institute an IQ requirement for drivers licenses – or at least one to enter our Target plaza.

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Tessa slept through the night for the first time in 6 weeks.  I’ve never been so happy to wake up and see the numbers 5:30 on my clock before.

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Proof my baby is growing up – this outfit used to be long sleeves and long pants:

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I made dinner for one of my mom’s club friends last night.  (When someone has a new baby, we sign up to provide some meals.)  I decided to try a new recipe from my Cooking Light magazine.  I realized afterward that perhaps I should have tried the recipe before inflicting it upon someone else.  Fortunately it was quite yummy (I also made it for us for dinner).  It was a quick and easy meal so I’ll share it.

Chicken and Basil Calzones

Cooking spray

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 lb ground chicken breast

3/4 cup prepared pizza sauce

1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper

1/4 cup chopped fresh basil

1 (13.8 oz) can refrigerated pizza crust dough

1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

(I reduced chicken to 3/4 lb and added 8 oz of mushrooms, 1/4 cup finely diced onion, and a few tablespoons of red wine)

Preheat oven to 425.

Saute chicken, onion, garlic and mushrooms until chicken is no longer pink.  Stir in pizza sauce (and wine) and red pepper.  Simmer for 5 min.  Remove from heat and stir in basil.  Let cool for 10 min.

Coat baking sheet with cooking spray.  Unroll pizza dough.  Cut into quarters.  Pat each quarter into 8×6 rectangle.  Divide chicken mixture evenly between the quarters.  Top with cheese.  Fold dough over and seal edges by pressing together.  Bake 12 minutes.

posted under food, nashville
7 Comments to

“Look kids! Big Ben, Parliment!”

  1. On November 26th, 2008 at 9:04 am Malia Says:

    I’ve done that, too, make something for someone else before trying it out myself. I think, er, hope that they’ve all turned out fine. I’m quite certain they’ve all been edible and not poisonous!

  2. On November 26th, 2008 at 10:03 am terri Says:

    Now I know that you are a Yankee gal trapped in a Southern town (a more cosmopolitan one at that), but you have to hand it to us Southerners, we are a very considerate and polite group of folks. We will LET you come on in to the circle. LET you have the right of way, even though it is ours. And usually we wave a friendly hello to you as well. So you need to ease up on your expectations, learn to slow it down, sip some syrupy sweet iced tea, answer when someone asks you ’bout your Mama, and know that we accept you just as you are.

    Now admit it, our slower pace of life and friendly demeanor is a better way to live!

  3. On November 26th, 2008 at 10:57 am Vanessa Says:

    ROFL at your southern comment!!! I’m WAY down south in Louisiana so this made me grin!! Hopefuly they’ll figure that circle thing out!! LOL

  4. On November 26th, 2008 at 1:06 pm Shannon Says:

    That sounds so good. i may have to try it myself!

    They’ve put a traffic circle to get in and out of my neighborhood. It’s a nightmare. The people coming down the main road just don’t get that there might be merging traffic entering the circle. they fly thru the circle at 45mph. It’s insane. It’s like playing frogger with your life. It’s not that they don’t get which way to go, they just think THEY are right, regardless of where they are in the circle or who else might be present. It makes me bonkers. YIELD PEOPLE. YIELD!

  5. On November 26th, 2008 at 2:58 pm Alleen Says:

    There is one plaza here with a traffic circle, but thank gawd they didn’t do it at the entrance. Wonder whose brain child that was???

    That recipe sounds so easy and good!!! I am going to make it!

  6. On November 26th, 2008 at 9:58 pm Bobbi Says:

    Yeah, Tessa!!!

    Traffic circles should be outlawed!! I can never get them right, BUT I do know enough to keep moving. I love that they publised rules!!

  7. On November 27th, 2008 at 12:24 am Rhonda Says:

    OH NO! My city is getting ready to put a circle at one of our intersections. I hope everyone gets the hang of it. If not, we may have a lot of dizzy people.

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