Don't Step on a Crack!

Tuesday didn't start out well! 


Grandpa went on his normal daily walk at about 6 am and we got a phone call from a neighbor saying that he had fallen in front of their house.  Greg went and got him and he was bruised and bleeding from his face and left hand.  It was obvious that he had broken at least a couple of fingers and bruised his face under his left eye.  Greg took him to the emergency room where they ex-rayed, manipulated, medicated, splinted and consoled him.  He broke the ring and middle finger on the left hand.  No fractures on the head or face, but he will be bruised up for awhile.  

Greg had warned Grandpa about the variations in the sidewalks in our neighborhood, due to the trees placed so closely to the sidewalk in the greenbelt bordering the street.  Grandpa had been taking his walker, which would hit the bump or crack first, warning him of the un-evenness of the cement.  However, this morning he decided to forgo the walker because he thought it made too much noise and he was afraid he would wake the neighbors!  The reason it makes so much noise is because it is always hitting those uneven pieces of cement.  Where he fell is about 1-1/2 inches different on each side of the seam in the sidewalk.  A variation which can't be seen well by 92+ year old men walking early in the morning!

The City of Gilbert needs to fix the sidewalks, but it will be an expensive and elaborate process!  Poor grandpa!  


But, I decided that he needed some soup to get better!  Doesn't soup always make YOU better?  So, I made this Sausage Italian Soup, and it is absolutely delicious!  I've already had three bowls of it and it's not even time for dinner!




           Sausage Italian Soup

• 1 lb italian sausage
• 1 cup uncooked small pasta
• 2 celery ribs, thinly sliced
• 2 medium carrots, thinly sliced
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 4 cups water
• 1 can (14-1/2 ounces) diced tomatoes, undrained
• 1-1/4 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth or vegetable broth
• 1 teaspoon dried basil
• 1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary, crushed
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon pepper
• 2 cups shredded fresh spinach
• 1/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese, optional
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• In a large nonstick saucepan, saute the celery, carrots, onion and garlic in oil for 5 minutes. Stir in the crumbled sausage and cook until browned.  Add water, tomatoes, broth, basil, rosemary, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 10 minutes or until carrots are tender.  Add uncooked pasta and simmer until tender.  Stir in spinach; cook until spinach is wilted, about 2 minutes. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese if desired. 
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• Yield: 5 servings.