Thursday, October 16, 2008

A little Salsa & some Salsa music please…


Okay, I’ve just got to bring it up. Yes, I’m watching Dancing With the Stars. I didn’t watch the first two seasons because I thought – well – I thought it was stupid. And well, maybe it is a little but it’s also great entertainment. A wholesome, G rated, funny and frankly sometimes stunning show. So it’s not PBS’s Upstairs Downstairs. So, it’s not Face the Nation. What it is, is fun – especially this year with Cloris Leachman dancing – albeit in geriatric hose – across the floor.
If you haven’t watched, it’s worth tuning in just to see her. Because she can dance? Well, heck no. But because the woman is 82 years old. Let me repeat that – 82 years old and darn if she can’t do things on that dance floor that I don’t think I could do - like lift her leg straight out in front of her then prop her foot on her partner’s shoulder.

It’s just plain amazing – and an incentive for anyone who thinks they have to hang up their dancing shoes when they hit Senior Citizenville city limits.

The show is introducing 4 new dances in the coming weeks – one of them is Salsa – and to commemorate that and with cudos to Cloris (who, by the way, was born in Des Moines, Iowa) I’m sharing a super yummy fresh, no cook salsa recipe from my daughter-in-law’s kitchen that I know you’re going to love.

GARDEN SALSA
Chop the following and throw in a bowl:
1 cucumber, 1 bunch of green onions, 1 red pepper, 1 green pepper, 1 yellow pepper.
Add: 1 can of corn (drained), 1 can of black beans (drained), 1 cup of salsa, 1 cup Western Dressing, 1 can Rotelle tomatoes (NOT drained)

Stir and refrigerate. Best if made a day or two before serving. Can store for 2 weeks in the fridge – but I promise, it won’t last that long. Enjoy.

Okay – now back to Cloris. She truly is amazing and you've got to figure that at 82, it took some guts for her to agree to be on the show. Now I want to ask you. What would you do if you didn’t feel you had limitations that kept you from doing it? For me, it’s hang gliding. I’d love to try it but, there are no cliffs in Iowa :o). And I might have a little issue with heights. So… if weight or age or gender or health issues or location or time or money or anything you can think of were not factors, what would you do that you haven’t done?

24 comments:

Keri Ford said...

I've always wanted to learn to water ski. I've got terrible knees now, so I don't know that I can put all that strain through the legs to stand up (it looks like a lot of work).

I've been watching DWTS, but not as regularly as I have the past few years. I actually enjoyed Cloires's tango. I thought it was very age appropriate and she really brought the drama to the floor.

Oh, and what is Western (uh, can't remember the other word!) Blogger took off the post so I could comment! BRB....

Keri Ford said...

Western dressing! What is that? I do like the sound of this dip.

Anonymous said...

Cloris is incredible, isn't she? I couldn't do half of the things she's doing on there! Very cute. My niece is 23 and she was talking about Cloris just the other day - she was getting a kick out of watching her

Helen Brenna said...

Wow, Cloris is amazing! I will have to watch just to see her.

If my could stand it, I'd love to train and run a marathon. I can't imagine the high someone gets after finishing that kind of ordeal.

Cindy Gerard said...

Yes, Keri - Western dressing. I'll go back in and fix that post.
And I water skied when I was a kid. It was hard then. Can't imagine what it would be like now.

Cyndi - besides being fun to watch, Cloris is a stitch. She steals the show.
Helen - a marathon. Wooo. You're hardcore. I HATE to run. Wish it wasn't so but I just hate it. Never hit that runners high everyone talks about. I hit the wall instead ... and it hurts ;o)

KylieBrant said...

Cloris has it all over me these days, LOL. Not only can't I lift my leg up, I can't even manage a small jig.

Things I still want to do: scuba dive, sky dive and hang glide. But I need to do them soon before fear and common sense take over!

Playground Monitor said...

I understand Cloris applied for the show several times before they accepted her. I did enjoy her tango -- very age-appropriate as you said. The week she lost her wig was hilarious. Wonder which new dance she'll get?

I always wished I could figure skate like the Olympic champions with all those spins and jumps. Too late now cause I'd sure hate to break a hip or something when the ice jumped up to meet me.

Marilyn

Cindy Gerard said...

Kylie - hey - we can go hang gliding together. It may require a trip. Maybe to Costa Rica or something. It's a huge sacrifice, but sacrifice we must in the name of stupidity.

Cindy Gerard said...

Marilyn
I'm of the weak ankle set when it comes to Ice skating. Always had that problem - even when I was little. and when I see those skaters fall all I can think of is, why aren't they broken??

mslizalou said...

I would love to try sky diving and hang gliding.

I haven't watched DWTS yet, because it is on at the same time 2 other shows I watch are on. Might have to see if I can tivo it this week so I can see Cloris Leachman dance.

Hellie Sinclair said...

Troop all over Scotland; horseback ride (I'm allergic to them--it's not fun when your eyes swell shut and you sneeze the whole time); skydive; waterski (I've always wanted to learn that one!); learn how to sail a ship!; ballroom dance (okay, actually I want to learn the lambada; I've been watching Dirty Dancing again lately and I want my teacher to be a bit like Johnny Castle)....

Anonymous said...

I have a book that I have kept since I was a little kid and it has all the things I want to do, have, see before I die.

I would ice climb, sail a boat, backpack around Scotland and Ireland, drive a racecar, hike the Grand Canyon and whitewater raft- just to name a few. I'm not very adventurous but I wish that I was:)

Cindy Gerard said...

Liza - pack a bag. You and Kylie and I have a date to hang glide!

Mshellion and Anna - Scotland seems to be a theme with you two. Do you know each other, by chance??

I actually hiked the Grand Canyon and on a separate trip, whitewater rafted the Colorado in the Canyon. I HIGHLY recommend both. Of the two - the hike is by far the most difficult and scary - provided you can get past the chopper ride down into the Canyon to get on the raft :o)

Unknown said...

Is she really 82? I had no idea. I saw her the other night when I watched The Women. I thought she was the highlight of the movie.

I've been dreaming lately about horse back riding coast to coast. Then writing a book about it. :)

Cindy Gerard said...

Hey Lois - I agree. I saw The Women too and Cloris was wonderful. I also loved a Candice Bergen line about has anyone noticed that there are NO 60 year old women in America? Or at least none that haven't had plastic surgery and now look a very windswept 45 :o)

Unknown said...

I was a devotee of Dancing with the Stars in its first season, but have only dropped in from time to time since. I loved watching Warren Sapp recently. The big guy has some moves! But I didn't stay long enough to see Cloris! Gosh, I have to go back to get that one! I LOVE her.

At 82, who knows what I'll be up to. Maybe breaking in a new pool boy or making fabulous wood and glass sculptures or in Minnesota running my own apple orchard and baking cookies. There's a part of me that's all about adventure. . . from a comfy arm chair.

catslady said...

I too love dancing with the stars. I'm going to hate to see Cloris go and I'm afraid the time is getting close. That leg raise amazed me too!

I'd love to do most anything since I was never allowed to do much and have this fear of most physical things but I do enjoy rollercoasters lol.

Cindy Gerard said...

Betina - I LOVE the way you think. Bring on that pool boy.

And catslady - rollercoasters? Amazing. I'm a big chicken when it comes to those monsters.

and I forgot to say - I'd be a professional singer if I could be. But since I'd be hard pressed to make a living - even with my delicate birdlike voice - that's probably not happening ...

Christie Ridgway said...

I love Cloris so I must watch this show. But what I'd do kinda goes along with it...

I'd ballet dance. I used to take lessons (was even on toe shoes) and took a class in college, but I'd like to do it again. Oh, yeah, and Irish step dancing (is that the right term?).

I'm going to start taking the kick-boxing class at the gym which is not quite the same, but still, I'm looking forward to it.

But, I don't know what Western dressing is. And I'm from as West as you can get!

Estella said...

Skiing!

Cindy Gerard said...

Christie - Western dressing is like French dressing - a very sweet French. Maybe Catalina. This salsa is just yummy - and so healthy so it's great if you can't get your kids to eat veggies.
Kick boxing sounds cool!!

Estella - water or snow? Either way, cool!!!!!!!

Kathleen Eagle said...

I love Cloris! I wish I'd paid attention--definitely would have watched just for her.

Cindy Gerard said...

Kathy - go to you tube and search for Cloris Leachman dancing with the stars. there are several clips out there of her dancing - including the one where she lost her wig. She's a stitch.

Dara Edmondson said...

God - I love Cloris Leachman, a true funny lady and an inspiration at her age.