"...no dead end in sight..."

Easter food

The fridge whiteboard:

You may notice also that the note in the upper right-hand corner says that the dishwasher dishes are clean. They will not be for very long.

The first dish in - the lovely roast beast:

Just meat with minced garlic and other spices rubbed in. I wish Yankee Candle would try to replicate this smell...

Oh, and my Giant White Bean recipe flopped. I was going to be all professional, soak the beans in a stockpot overnight, but apparently leaving the pot on top of the stove while I baked scones in the oven caused the beans to steam themselves open. Dry and gross on the outside, squishy and gross on the inside.

This wouldn't have been very appetizing.

I ended up using canned white beans instead, and substituting cooked frozen spinach for kale or chard. The white bean dish is a mix of all of this, diced canned tomatoes, and adobo sauce, with a little queso fresco on top right at the end.

Queso fresco is my new favorite cheese. It's soft and creamy with a little bit of a salty taste, which will offset the sweet tomatoes and the bite of the adobo nicely.

I'm also making mashed potatoes (instead of the oven baked diced potatoes that the quasi-lamb beef recipe called for) and, as is usual for me, I jumped the gun and started them off way, way too early. So they are in a Pyrex pie plate in the fridge, topped with two different kinds of cheeses, ready to be put in the oven right before the roast comes out.

Last, but not least, is HOUSKA:

This is a bread a lot like my mom's challah, which she makes at Christmas.

Houska is a traditional Czech Easter bread, from what I've read on the topic, and it has golden raisins and chopped almonds inside. We'll see how the flavor and texture compares to the challah; this may become an Easter tradition if it's good. I'm hypothesizing that this will be more of a desserty bread, whereas we eat challah sliced with butter during the regular lunch/dinner meal.

Both my cookie sheets are in the dishwasher, so I thought about putting the bread on our pizza stone:

...which is heinously filthy. Maybe okay for pizza, but not for experimental sweetbread.

I ended up putting it in a 13x9"(?) brownie pan. We'll see if this impacts the cooking time any.

It's 5 minutes until 4, which means things are about to get pretty hectic around here...Happy Easter, everyone!

lately

Yay and woohoo, lovely weekend! In which I get absolutely no housework done but am still enjoying relaxing.

Next weekend I'm going to Houston because my baby sister is turning 16. I am not there for my parents, who seem to think everything is all okay now and they can return to Pretending Nothing Bad Has Happened, but I am there for my sister, who I haven't seen in almost nine months. I would lay down in front of a bus for that kid. She is so smart and pretty and fun.

Also during this weekend I am going to probably see if I can have brunch with my aunt and grandmother. Just because it annoys me that my dad will say he wants to do something, then back out of it when we all get our hopes up. But I need to find that Stop the Negativity switch and keep my hand firmly in the Off position for this next week, focus on the positive and stay strong so I don't say anything this next weekend that I'll regret later.

This weekend pookie and I have discussed my possibly going to get my master's degree once he gets his career!job started and we are moved to a more permanent place. (I'm talking the place that we will live in until we have The House (haus), in which we will stay and be fabulous and raise little adorable babies forever and ever, amen. But probably not til we're like, thirty or something.) I'm thinking about Interior Design because it's something I'm interested in. I've found a program but I have to have 20 portfolio samples. And with wiring and stuff like that? Something I've never done before, and something that I'd have to read up on, hardcore, before saying I'm good enough to get in and complete a master's program in the stuff.

We'll see. I just think if I take 2009 to do some independent study and get a portfolio put together I can be ready to apply in February 2010, for Fall 2010 classes. The degree program is all online, too, so I can still work full time and hopefully maintain my sanity. But we'll see how things go in the next year and where we end up.

Also I have photos to share also so this is going to be written out of order:

Driving back from Oklahoma after Christmas. There are casinos like this everywhere!

She is TOTALLY not supposed to be up there. But I caught her anyway. Then yelled at her and made her get off the counter.

This is our cable amplifier so we can cancel our cable because it sucks. The reception here sucks anyway, because it's satellite, and satellite is lame, and no one has yet to prove me otherwise. This is also getting moved to another location eventually because Elephant Clock is not pleased by having his view obstructed in such a manner.

This is how our living room looks with all the cables and stuff. We are watching KERA because there is nothing interesting on on Sundays. Oh plus that's my Brothers & Sisters DVD on top of the currently unused Direct TV box. Also note the Tivo that's been shut off and my copy of Animal Crossing: City Folk sitting next to the Wii. More on my views on that game in a later post.

The rest of today is going to be spent cleaning and planning healthy meals. I've lost another pound this week!!! That means 5 total since I started dieting two weeks ago. I'm not at even a third of my goal yet, but that's okay. I think I'd be happy with ten pounds, or at least something where I look better. I looked in the mirror last night and it's like, okay, I don't feel so bad. But I can't remember what I looked like when I weighed 120, and it must have been really thin.

There is football on TV and a whole pile of things to put in page protectors in my scrapbooking resource album, so I will shove off and go accomplish something today!

Starting off 2009...

Well, sort of, because I'm aware that my previous 2008 post was the first one of 2009. Also, I think I'm officially Old when I fall asleep on the living room floor at 10:30 and pookie has to wake me up to tell me to go to bed.

But here are some resolutions! More things that I will probably Not Do this year:

1. Start at least two extracurriculars (mandolin and...?).

2. Start foreign language classes (this does not count as #1)

3. Eat less, move more.

4. Start volunteering.

5. Be nicer, be calmer.

6. Put more money into savings.

7. Visit with my family more.

8. Cook more during the week.

9. Work on my writing regularly/possibly getting published/freelancing this year.

10. Finally buy that Ikea craft cabinet I've been planning.

So...we've been to Target like a zillion times this week/quasi-weekend. I found out they are doing some sort of cubelike storage thing which may be a cheaper alternative to Ikea. Although I really really like Ikea's frosted glass cabinet doors. So we shall see how finances line up this year.

Also!! We are going to Abilene this weekend to see Jay's family so we are driving tomorrow straight from work! This means I have 439068703496 things to do to get Rudie/the babehs/the apartment ready for me to be gone for another weekend.

Good night and Happy New Year, lovelies! <3

2008 Recap, per my desk calendar at work

This desk calendar became almost a marker of the kind of day our office was going to have - I'd tear off the page and go "oh great, this doesn't bode well" - and over the course of the year I kept some very special ones, to gather up at the end of the year and pereuse.

The top 10 in chronological order (courtesy of the Worst Case Scenario Survival Guide desk calendar, 2008). I went to Barnes & Noble today to look for a 2009 edition, but alas, I have yet to find one. But it does exist!

Thursday, March 6(?)

How to Survive Psychological Torture

1. Do not show weakness. Your tormentors will look for weak individuals, focus on them, and exploit their fears. Resist the urge to burst into tears, beg for mercy, flee, or bond with your tormentors.

2. Live in the moment. Do not worry about what comes next. Do not dwell on what just happened. Deal with each horror on its own terms, as it happens.

3. Keep your mind occupied. You may be isolated from the group, kept awake for several days, or seemingly singled our for special treatment. In such situations, keep your brain active by recalling the lyrics of all the songs you know, remembering pleasurable experiences, or focusing on the goal of rejoining the group.

Monday, May 5

How to Stop a Runaway Horse

1. Hold on tight to the saddle with your hands and thighs. Most injuries occur when the rider is violently thrown and hits some immovable object, such as a tree, fence post, or the ground.

2. Sit up in the saddle as much as you can. Fight the instinct to lean forward, since this is not the standard position for a rider when the horse is asked to stop (whoa!) and the horse can feel the difference.

3. Alternately tug and release the reins with a medium pressure. Never jerk or pull too hard on the reins of a horse running at full speed - you could pull the horse off-balance, and it may stumble or fall.

4. Wait for the horse to stop. Eventually the horse will feel that you are back in control and will stop running.

Thursday, May 22

How to Survive If You Think You Have Been Exposed to Nuclear Fallout

1. Remove contaminated clothing.

2. Take a shower. Use soap and warm water and clean under fingernails and toenails. Take a sponge bath if you do not have enough water for a shower. Make sure the water goes down the drain.

3. Take potassium iodide (KI) or potassium iodate (KIO3) pills. Potassium iodide or iodate helps prevent radiation absorption by the thyroid gland. If no pills are available, mix 2 ounces of granulated potassium iodide with clean water and shake or stir vigorously until the solution is saturated. Take 4 drops per day for at least 10 days. For infants, paint iodine onto the soles of the feet.

4. Monitor your symptoms. Mild exposure may result in skin burns, weakness, loss of appetite, vomiting, and diarrhea. High doses lead to fainting, bleeding from the nose and gums, hair loss, and anemia.

5. Get help.

Wednesday, June 25

Essential Survival Knowledge: Plants You Can Eat

- Burdock - This plant's huge, wedge-shaped leaves, whitish underneath, emerge from a long beige taproot the first year it grows - this is when it is edible. Scrub the first-year taproot, cut it into razor-thin diagonal slices, and cook for 10 to 20 minutes. You can also peel the tender, immature flower stalk in late spring and cook this.

- Dandelions - Among the most widespread and common edible plants. You can eat the leaves raw or cook them.

- Mulberries - These look like raspberries, but each delicious berry has a slender stem. Great quantities of red, white, or pink berries fall from trees, not bushes, in late spring and early summer. Harvest them in quantity by shaking the tree's branches over a dropcloth.

Saturday, June 28/Sunday, June 29

Critical Knot: Constrictor

Used for securing a load. May be difficult to untie when pulled tight.

Thursday, July 10:

How to Foil a UFO Abduction

1. Control your thoughts. Do not think of anything violent or upsetting - the extraterrestrial biological entity (EBE) may have the ability to read your mind.

2. Resist verbally. Firmly tell the EBE to leave you alone.

3. Resist mentally. Picture yourself enveloped in a protective shield of white light, or in a safe place. Telepathic EBEs may get the message.

4. As a last resort, go for the EBE's eyes - you will not know what its other more sensitive areas are.

Tuesday, July 29:

How to Escape from an Angry Gorilla

1. Evaluate the gorilla's behavior. An angry gorilla is likely to vocalize and pound, jump, or slap the ground before attacking.

2. Do not react to or antagonize the gorilla.

3. Watch for a bluff charge. A gorilla may threaten a fast and intimidating "bluff" that resembles an attack.

4. Crouch down into as small a target as possible.

5. Groom. If the gorilla is holding you, begin to "groom" its arm while loudly smacking your lips. As the gorilla's grip relaxes, slowly move your grooming hand to the gorilla's hand, showing keen interest in any bits of leaf or dirt on the gorilla.

6. Remain quiet and passive until the gorilla loses interest.

Tuesday, September 16:

How to Survive a Hit and Run

1. If a car is headed directly for you, assess the amount of time you have.

2. Dive and roll out of the car's path if you have enough time before impact. You may get some cuts and bruises, but you will not get run over.

3. If you can't get out of the way, jump as high as you can before impact. Jump in a tight tuck or ball position, with your arms over your head. Jump in profile with your shoulder toward the car; this exposes fewer vital organs.

4. Brace for impact. You will probably hit the windshield.

5. Roll onto and off the windshield.

6. Stay rolled into a ball and brace yourself for when you hit the ground. Keep your arms over your head.

7. Try to roll or crawl out of the way of any other cars that might be approaching from either direction.

Friday, October 31 (Halloween):

How to Avoid a Vampire Attack

1. Garlic, garlic, garlic. Wear garlic and display it in the doorway.

2. Stay outside during daylight hours. Sunlight will severely burn vampires.

3. Wear a cross. Press the cross into the vampire's flesh to cause burning and scarring and drive the vampire away.

4. Do not make eye contact.

5. Carry a vial of holy water. Besides causing burning and scarring to the vampire, holy water will also glow or bubble in the presence of the undead.

6. Carry a wooden stake. For most vampires, a wooden stake (made from an ash tree or a cross) driven through the heart causes death. The stake must be 2 to 2 1/2 feet long, with one end sharpened to a point and the other flat. Use a mallet to drive the stake in quickly.

Thursday, December 25 (Christmas):

How to Survive When Lost in the Jungle

1. Find Water. If you do not have the means to purify water, cut sections from large water vines or cut banana trees and capture the water welling out of the stalks. Only drink water from streams and rivers as a last resort, as this water will most likely give you diarrhea.

2. Eat only foods that you can peel or cook. Avoid brightly colored plants or plants with a milky sap (many of these are poisonous). Insects, grubs, and raw fish (except those with bristles or spines rather than scales) are safe to eat. Peel fruits before eating; the peels may harbor diarrhea-causing bacteria.

holidays!

We went out into the middle of nowhere for our first Christmas. Almost five hours of driving later, we were at this adorable little cabin in the middle of the woods, where we spent three days lounging, cooking, and spending quality time together. 

So on Christmas Day I decided to take a nature hike!: 

This was right before I slipped on some massive green moss and fell in the water -_-;

Further down the path.

Leaves!

The view up the mountain from the top of the path.


The ground here was covered in slate chips.

This was the river at the bottom of the trail. Or maybe it wasn't at the end of the trail, but it was where I ended up when I got lost x.x;

The colors in this photo do not do it justice. So beautiful!!

Can I say, also, what a feat this was? I am terrified of snakes in the wilderness. I mean like where every tiny cricket or jumping bug rustling around in the leaves made me freak out a little. But after awhile I just started to enjoy the scenery. The sky was clear and perfect, the temperature was nice, and when I got home there was nothing else to do but cuddle with my pookie and relax.

I finished two books this weekend. Two books!! It's so amazing. I never get to read anymore. Also, played Sims until my eyes started bleeding, roughly, and the in-ground jacuzzi was fantastic.

Good first Christmas. I approve! And I hope next year is just as good. Now we are back at home and Rudie is curled up on the couch with me. The waterway is choppy - we drove through thunderstorms and a cold front on the way back from Oklahoma and it's been windy - and there are tiny whitecaps out there. It sounds nice, the sound of the water.

Jay built a Go board last weekend that we left here at the apartment because it is a huge piece of heavy polyurethaned fiberboard, so perhaps we will play some Go tomorrow! I'm bad at it though. So we shall see.

I hope everyone's Christmas was as awesome as ours! I got a lot of good wishes on Facebook on my birthday too.