I was filling out a profile today that asked for my blog address and so here I am, checking in. Please don't think for one minute that I have forgotten my favorite room on the internet. I have to much to share and none of it earth shattering.
Well, wait a minute, one announcement is ginormous! My son has been accepted to a big 4 year university! This is big for any kid, but this one, the one who has so-so grades and a mediocre ACT, it is monumental, especially for this particular school.
At the moment it's snowing. We haven't had nearly as much white stuff as we did last year and nothing like the east coast has experienced. That said, this one looks like a doozy, at least for us.
Showing posts with label Weather. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Weather. Show all posts
Saturday, February 28, 2015
Friday, January 10, 2014
Slip Slidin Away
Several weeks ago we had our first ice event. During my commute to work, I hit a major backup at the on-ramp to another highway. So as I sat and waited. And waited. And sat. I watched car after car slide their way across. WHILE A SNOW PLOW WAITED IN THE TRAFFIC JAM. Three cars in front of me. And no one would let him through!
So while I waited, I snapped a picture
And through my super awesome technology goddess skillz I zoomed in on the slip sliding cars
So while I waited, I snapped a picture
And through my super awesome technology goddess skillz I zoomed in on the slip sliding cars
Tuesday, January 07, 2014
Blizzard AKA Doom and Gloom Armageddon 2014
Evidently a crazy freeze vortex or some such technical term descended on the midwest. Poor little St. Louis Missouri was in the crosshairs and this is the third day of the city and surrounding counties are basically shut down. I've been enjoying the days off work, not that I've done anything particularly productive. I'm hoping today to finally get my Christmas tree taken down. Or level up on Candy Crush Saga. Whichever comes first.
I've taken pictures around the yard but I find myself missing my old house! This yard is 4 or 5 times larger but that old one had lots of architectural features that made for great photography. I've been itching to establish a fabulous garden here. Hopefully next winter will have some of those structural features.
It wasn't a complete wash
This was from the snow on New Year's. I love how the sun glistens off the snow.
On Sunday we received over 10 inches of snow. There are no tracks in my yard except a highway of sorts between two trees for the squirrels and this one single set of rabbit tracks going from a tall bush to this scrawny tree. Or is it the other way around? I can't tell.
Several neighbors have large snow drifts. My yard only has swirls.... not that I'm disappointed.
I've taken pictures around the yard but I find myself missing my old house! This yard is 4 or 5 times larger but that old one had lots of architectural features that made for great photography. I've been itching to establish a fabulous garden here. Hopefully next winter will have some of those structural features.
It wasn't a complete wash
This was from the snow on New Year's. I love how the sun glistens off the snow.
On Sunday we received over 10 inches of snow. There are no tracks in my yard except a highway of sorts between two trees for the squirrels and this one single set of rabbit tracks going from a tall bush to this scrawny tree. Or is it the other way around? I can't tell.
Several neighbors have large snow drifts. My yard only has swirls.... not that I'm disappointed.
Wednesday, December 18, 2013
Significant Snowfall
Last Friday we had a big storm roll through. Like the week before doom and gloom was predicted, however that storm swung south leaving St. Louis cold with a smattering of snow flakes. This storm lived up to its predictions with approximately four inches left to shovel.
Most people here ate the stuff, but me, I love it. I'm not particularly fond of the bitter cold that seems to accompany snow. Saturday morning was not an ass-biting cold day so it was pleasant to be outside clearing my driveway. Unfortunately my son wasn't home to build any snowmen with me. We could have built a whole army! ....hmmm that would be fun!
Since I first saw this house I've wondered how the yard would look in a good layer of snow. According to my smartass brother, "white". And yes it was white. No footprints other than a track from some rabbits sullied my snow. Five days later the white garden is nearly as pristine as the day it arrived. Everything under the trees has melted away but not enough to detract from the rest of the yard.
Most people here ate the stuff, but me, I love it. I'm not particularly fond of the bitter cold that seems to accompany snow. Saturday morning was not an ass-biting cold day so it was pleasant to be outside clearing my driveway. Unfortunately my son wasn't home to build any snowmen with me. We could have built a whole army! ....hmmm that would be fun!
Since I first saw this house I've wondered how the yard would look in a good layer of snow. According to my smartass brother, "white". And yes it was white. No footprints other than a track from some rabbits sullied my snow. Five days later the white garden is nearly as pristine as the day it arrived. Everything under the trees has melted away but not enough to detract from the rest of the yard.
Monday, December 09, 2013
Pancakes
We try to avoid making pancakes since it jacks with our blood sugar, but on a cold, snowy day there is just nothing better than a steaming stack of flap jacks.
Much to my sister-in-law's horror, my brothers and I and all of our assorted children eat peanut butter on our pancakes. And to answer the question everyone asks, yes WITH syrup. No, no butter, that would be excessive. I used to eat them with peanut butter, jelly, and syrup but I have since dropped the jelly. My husband eats them with only peanut butter and jelly. We will also eat peanut butter on waffles and french toast, also with syrup.
My youngest enjoys pancake days. He delights in the goofy designs I attempt. Over the summer I discovered a pancake mix dispenser that allows you to draw as you squirt the mixture into the skillet. The trick is to get the cakes thick enough that you're not making crepes but not so thick the squirty hole gets clogged. I'm still learning. I bought this device at Walmart in the baking aisle. It looks like two plastic cups screwed together with a frosting tip at one end. Everyone needs one of these doohickeys.
**Because I love you I did a google search. I didn't find the exact model but this is similar enough and in the same price range https://slice-heaven.com/store/show/A80-4784 You could also get a mambo sized ketchup bottle - just make sure both the squirt hole and the screw top are large enough to load and dispense your mix.
One of the brilliant tips I came up with all on my own was how to keep pancakes warm while flipping enough to feed my entire family. I know most people either offer one serving at a time not allowing for group dining or shoving the cakes in a warm oven until all are ready. My eternal fear is that the oven will be too warm, take too long to heat up, will dry out the pancakes, or I manage to burn myself as if the stovetop wasn't dangerous enough. I discovered using two deep plates, one inverted as a lid, will keep the pancakes hot for quite a while (as in over an hour). If you're making a large stack, use a mixing bowl as your lid. The pancakes generate a lot of steamy heat so you just need to keep that trapped. The nice thing is that this contraption can sit anywhere on your counter making it easy to flip the plate or bowl as you toss in the next pancake - no need to open and close the oven. Do be careful because that "lid" gets mighty hot and I would caution allowing small children getting near it.
Much to my sister-in-law's horror, my brothers and I and all of our assorted children eat peanut butter on our pancakes. And to answer the question everyone asks, yes WITH syrup. No, no butter, that would be excessive. I used to eat them with peanut butter, jelly, and syrup but I have since dropped the jelly. My husband eats them with only peanut butter and jelly. We will also eat peanut butter on waffles and french toast, also with syrup.
My youngest enjoys pancake days. He delights in the goofy designs I attempt. Over the summer I discovered a pancake mix dispenser that allows you to draw as you squirt the mixture into the skillet. The trick is to get the cakes thick enough that you're not making crepes but not so thick the squirty hole gets clogged. I'm still learning. I bought this device at Walmart in the baking aisle. It looks like two plastic cups screwed together with a frosting tip at one end. Everyone needs one of these doohickeys.
**Because I love you I did a google search. I didn't find the exact model but this is similar enough and in the same price range https://slice-heaven.com/store/show/A80-4784 You could also get a mambo sized ketchup bottle - just make sure both the squirt hole and the screw top are large enough to load and dispense your mix.
One of the brilliant tips I came up with all on my own was how to keep pancakes warm while flipping enough to feed my entire family. I know most people either offer one serving at a time not allowing for group dining or shoving the cakes in a warm oven until all are ready. My eternal fear is that the oven will be too warm, take too long to heat up, will dry out the pancakes, or I manage to burn myself as if the stovetop wasn't dangerous enough. I discovered using two deep plates, one inverted as a lid, will keep the pancakes hot for quite a while (as in over an hour). If you're making a large stack, use a mixing bowl as your lid. The pancakes generate a lot of steamy heat so you just need to keep that trapped. The nice thing is that this contraption can sit anywhere on your counter making it easy to flip the plate or bowl as you toss in the next pancake - no need to open and close the oven. Do be careful because that "lid" gets mighty hot and I would caution allowing small children getting near it.
Sunday, December 01, 2013
Autumn is here
10/29/13: This morning I looked up at the exact moment the sun rose. It was a cloudy morning casting an orange glow over the neighborhood. It was very pumpkin hued and I tried to get a picture unfortunately the colors didn't capture well. It only lasted a few minutes and went away.
Two days later a rainstorm hit and every leaf dropped from the tree
Friday, June 14, 2013
I Remember The Storm of 1926
Isn't it funny to listen to "old" people talk about back in the day? You're already following where I'm going with this question aren't you?
I was a teenager in the 80's and thought it was ridiculous how people would go on and on about storms 20, 30, 40 years prior. Telling me about the horrific snow storm of 1950-something may as well have been discussing something as long ago as an 1920's event or the 1904 San Fransisco earthquake. Ancient freaking history.
Why do old people do that?
Multiple times I have reminded people how the circumstances of weather following drought this year is exactly how the Flood of 93 came to being. 1993. I talk about it as if it happened two or three years ago. It is so incredibly fresh in my memory. In 1992 my friend and I walked to an island in the Missouri River. WALKED. The water was the lowest either of us had ever seen and without getting our feet wet, we stepped over the little trickle onto the island. Last year I posted pictures of my son doing exactly the same thing.
In 1993 I visited the same park where the river was out of its banks and flooding the park which was impossible to imagine considering the height of the banks. They are almost cliff-like with a significant, dangerous drop to the water below.
Or let's discuss the Blizzard of '82. I remember the night it started snowing, not so much the following days. I probably knew from the snowfall at night that there wouldn't be any school so I surely slept in. This was a mere two years after moving to St. Louis from Oregon so seeing the town flip out over several inches of snow was laughable, but definitely not memorable. But that night, the sudden accumulations, THAT was memorable. But let's get this straight, it was THIRTY years ago! And I remember it as clear as if it happened last night. My mom and I had gone to Venture... what, you don't know what Venture is? Oh, yeah, that's a store like K-Mart that closed... well probably twenty years ago. In fact, K-Mart now lives in the building where I was shopping that night. It was expected to snow that night, it may have started with flurries as we walked into the store. While my mother is a shopping pro and can go at it for hours upon hours, I'm pretty sure we were not there for more than one hour. By the time we left the store the parking lot was a genuine mess and several inches had to be cleared from the car. It was stunning how much snow had fallen in such a short time. Now I don't exactly remember the ride home but it surely blurred into the many times I've ridden in the car with my mom driving in the snow. Even to this day I get a tutorial about how to drive in the snow, reminders of pumping my brakes, and no sudden movements. Every. single. time. By the way, when you drive in the fog, do not use your brights.
So here we are decades later and I am able to talk about ancient history in first person as if they happened only yesterday, but do not ask me where I left my glasses. My memory is shit.
I was a teenager in the 80's and thought it was ridiculous how people would go on and on about storms 20, 30, 40 years prior. Telling me about the horrific snow storm of 1950-something may as well have been discussing something as long ago as an 1920's event or the 1904 San Fransisco earthquake. Ancient freaking history.
Why do old people do that?
Multiple times I have reminded people how the circumstances of weather following drought this year is exactly how the Flood of 93 came to being. 1993. I talk about it as if it happened two or three years ago. It is so incredibly fresh in my memory. In 1992 my friend and I walked to an island in the Missouri River. WALKED. The water was the lowest either of us had ever seen and without getting our feet wet, we stepped over the little trickle onto the island. Last year I posted pictures of my son doing exactly the same thing.
Or let's discuss the Blizzard of '82. I remember the night it started snowing, not so much the following days. I probably knew from the snowfall at night that there wouldn't be any school so I surely slept in. This was a mere two years after moving to St. Louis from Oregon so seeing the town flip out over several inches of snow was laughable, but definitely not memorable. But that night, the sudden accumulations, THAT was memorable. But let's get this straight, it was THIRTY years ago! And I remember it as clear as if it happened last night. My mom and I had gone to Venture... what, you don't know what Venture is? Oh, yeah, that's a store like K-Mart that closed... well probably twenty years ago. In fact, K-Mart now lives in the building where I was shopping that night. It was expected to snow that night, it may have started with flurries as we walked into the store. While my mother is a shopping pro and can go at it for hours upon hours, I'm pretty sure we were not there for more than one hour. By the time we left the store the parking lot was a genuine mess and several inches had to be cleared from the car. It was stunning how much snow had fallen in such a short time. Now I don't exactly remember the ride home but it surely blurred into the many times I've ridden in the car with my mom driving in the snow. Even to this day I get a tutorial about how to drive in the snow, reminders of pumping my brakes, and no sudden movements. Every. single. time. By the way, when you drive in the fog, do not use your brights.
So here we are decades later and I am able to talk about ancient history in first person as if they happened only yesterday, but do not ask me where I left my glasses. My memory is shit.
Friday, March 01, 2013
Friday Fragments - March 1, 2013
It's snowing!!!! ...still
I live in St. Louis, Missouri on the eastern edge of the state approximately 300 miles from Kansas City on the western edge. Last week a big snow storm came through, but we didn't have nearly as much snow as KC. The heavy part was centered over Kansas City and when it pushed east it hit Columbia at the center of the state and veered north. If it were a hurricane we only got the outer rings whereas KC and Columbia got the eye.
A second storm came into the state on Monday. The eye veered north again but we also had different temperatures so KC had snow, lots and lots of snow on top of what was still on the ground, and we had rain. Lots and lots of rain. Everyone pondered what our Tuesday morning would have looked like had it been snow. Then the colder temps blew in and what had been drizzle turned into very light snow. Fortunately, nothing stuck. And then another drizzle type snow on Wednesday, actually there was a burst of big fluffy flakes, still nothing significant stuck. I walked out of work yesterday and it was still drizzle type snow. This morning? BIG flakes, sticking. And it's predicted to do this all day with another storm coming in on Monday night. I'm starting to wonder if we'll ever see the sun!
******
Last Friday (after two modified work days due to the snow) a few coworkers gathered for happy hour. The food was so-so and the service was crappy. The neighboring tables were extremely boisterous and then the mariachi band stood next to our table most of the night. It was impossible to talk. BLAH! Definitely not going there again.
******
On Saturday we gathered with friends outside of town at a little brewery for dinner. It was the absolute opposite experience of the night before. The food was exquisite, the service was attentive, and we were able to hold a full conversation! I also ran into my ex's sister-in-law. It was funny since we were both so far away from home. She was there with friends, staying at a B&B for a scrapbooking weekend. After dinner my group moved to the beir garten behind the parking lot. There was a fire pit and more beer. Since we were the only patrons there we hogged the fire and had plenty of laughs.
I've decided that fire pits are incredibly relaxing. The only thing that could ever top that relaxation is sitting on a floaty in the middle of a serene lake.
*******
On Wednesday I took a day off work. Hubby and I attended to some necessary financial business and then finally took advantage of the free movie tickets we got back in December. I don't know if we'll ever participate in the Cans Film Festival again. This was a program collecting cans of food for a local food pantry and for every 10-15 cans you bring in you get a certificate to a local movie theater. We got four tickets. The last time we did this we missed the deadline to use the tickets because of work schedules. Well this time we made a genuine effort, but damn, there are a lot of hoops to jump through. They can only be used Monday - Thursday, before 5pm, not on a holiday, and then we found out not for any movie that was released less than two weeks! Oh, and the expiration date is March 7th. Isn't that insane?
We'll donate our food through the Boy Scouts. Screw the film festival.
We did get to watch one movie, Identity Thief, and we laughed our butts off. There wasn't any toilet humor and it wasn't laden with bad language but it wasn't squeaky clean either, a couple of F bombs. Hubby didn't like the drug lord, feeling it was unnecessary, but he did add to the complications of bringing in the credit card thief. I liked the ending - I won't go on about it so I don't give it away.
I live in St. Louis, Missouri on the eastern edge of the state approximately 300 miles from Kansas City on the western edge. Last week a big snow storm came through, but we didn't have nearly as much snow as KC. The heavy part was centered over Kansas City and when it pushed east it hit Columbia at the center of the state and veered north. If it were a hurricane we only got the outer rings whereas KC and Columbia got the eye.
A second storm came into the state on Monday. The eye veered north again but we also had different temperatures so KC had snow, lots and lots of snow on top of what was still on the ground, and we had rain. Lots and lots of rain. Everyone pondered what our Tuesday morning would have looked like had it been snow. Then the colder temps blew in and what had been drizzle turned into very light snow. Fortunately, nothing stuck. And then another drizzle type snow on Wednesday, actually there was a burst of big fluffy flakes, still nothing significant stuck. I walked out of work yesterday and it was still drizzle type snow. This morning? BIG flakes, sticking. And it's predicted to do this all day with another storm coming in on Monday night. I'm starting to wonder if we'll ever see the sun!
******
Last Friday (after two modified work days due to the snow) a few coworkers gathered for happy hour. The food was so-so and the service was crappy. The neighboring tables were extremely boisterous and then the mariachi band stood next to our table most of the night. It was impossible to talk. BLAH! Definitely not going there again.
******
On Saturday we gathered with friends outside of town at a little brewery for dinner. It was the absolute opposite experience of the night before. The food was exquisite, the service was attentive, and we were able to hold a full conversation! I also ran into my ex's sister-in-law. It was funny since we were both so far away from home. She was there with friends, staying at a B&B for a scrapbooking weekend. After dinner my group moved to the beir garten behind the parking lot. There was a fire pit and more beer. Since we were the only patrons there we hogged the fire and had plenty of laughs.
I've decided that fire pits are incredibly relaxing. The only thing that could ever top that relaxation is sitting on a floaty in the middle of a serene lake.
*******
On Wednesday I took a day off work. Hubby and I attended to some necessary financial business and then finally took advantage of the free movie tickets we got back in December. I don't know if we'll ever participate in the Cans Film Festival again. This was a program collecting cans of food for a local food pantry and for every 10-15 cans you bring in you get a certificate to a local movie theater. We got four tickets. The last time we did this we missed the deadline to use the tickets because of work schedules. Well this time we made a genuine effort, but damn, there are a lot of hoops to jump through. They can only be used Monday - Thursday, before 5pm, not on a holiday, and then we found out not for any movie that was released less than two weeks! Oh, and the expiration date is March 7th. Isn't that insane?
We'll donate our food through the Boy Scouts. Screw the film festival.
We did get to watch one movie, Identity Thief, and we laughed our butts off. There wasn't any toilet humor and it wasn't laden with bad language but it wasn't squeaky clean either, a couple of F bombs. Hubby didn't like the drug lord, feeling it was unnecessary, but he did add to the complications of bringing in the credit card thief. I liked the ending - I won't go on about it so I don't give it away.
Wednesday, November 21, 2012
The Fog
It is so incredibly foggy this morning...
I EFFING LOVE FOG!
It ranks up there with snow in my book. I love looking out the window at it, I love standing outside in it, and the thicker the better.
And this morning it's a big thick fog.
Like snow, everyone hates driving in it. And yes, it's a royal pain in the ass from that vantage point - even super duper dangerous. But it doesn't stop me from admiring it.
Fog is cool
I EFFING LOVE FOG!
It ranks up there with snow in my book. I love looking out the window at it, I love standing outside in it, and the thicker the better.
And this morning it's a big thick fog.
Like snow, everyone hates driving in it. And yes, it's a royal pain in the ass from that vantage point - even super duper dangerous. But it doesn't stop me from admiring it.
Fog is cool
Monday, October 15, 2012
Storm Clouds
Wind in St. Louis means bad weather is coming. We had strong winds all day Saturday and then an expected storm Saturday night. But the wind didn't go away.
Yesterday was warm and sunny and windy. We took advantage of the sunny afternoon by going to Tower Grove Park (pictures posted yesterday). I very literally said, "what a perfect day to be at the park."
On the way home we noticed the big, black, ugly clouds in the west. Something was blowing in...
We pulled into Dairy Queen before it started to sprinkle. While we ate we watched sideways rain pelt our truck and then ease up. By the time we left the restaurant the rain stopped. Two hours later sun was shining and the big ugly clouds went away.
Yesterday was warm and sunny and windy. We took advantage of the sunny afternoon by going to Tower Grove Park (pictures posted yesterday). I very literally said, "what a perfect day to be at the park."
On the way home we noticed the big, black, ugly clouds in the west. Something was blowing in...
We pulled into Dairy Queen before it started to sprinkle. While we ate we watched sideways rain pelt our truck and then ease up. By the time we left the restaurant the rain stopped. Two hours later sun was shining and the big ugly clouds went away.
Monday, October 08, 2012
Freezing My Chukkas Off
We had dinner last night with a friend from Oregon. He observed how quickly the weather turns here. On another trip to town he said he was driving around with his windows down when he got a call from the airlines about moving up his flight home - an ice storm was expected. Sure enough, the next day he was on the last flight out of town. We were iced in and many people lost power.
Yep. Last week we were skipping along with temps in the 80's and upper 70's. On Thursday a cold front blasted into town and now freeze warnings are being issued.
Of course we aren't ready to turn on the furnace quite yet. Just close the windows and pull out some more blankets. Put some socks on for Heaven's sake!
My son is convinced this is a rare form of child abuse. All the while he keeps the fan running in his room.
The furnace will be stoked soon enough, but in the meantime we cling to the tender hope that an Indian Summer will surge before Halloween.
We can hope, right?
Yep. Last week we were skipping along with temps in the 80's and upper 70's. On Thursday a cold front blasted into town and now freeze warnings are being issued.
Of course we aren't ready to turn on the furnace quite yet. Just close the windows and pull out some more blankets. Put some socks on for Heaven's sake!
My son is convinced this is a rare form of child abuse. All the while he keeps the fan running in his room.
The furnace will be stoked soon enough, but in the meantime we cling to the tender hope that an Indian Summer will surge before Halloween.
We can hope, right?
Friday, August 31, 2012
Friday Fragments - August 31, 2012
I'm baaaaaaack!!!!
I took a wee little Blogcation as I ironed out crap at home. I think this happened last August too. Not that anything has settled down, I just missed you so much and had to get back in the pool!
I took a wee little Blogcation as I ironed out crap at home. I think this happened last August too. Not that anything has settled down, I just missed you so much and had to get back in the pool!
******
While we were apart you missed my grandbaby's first birthday. Yes, he is one whole year old. Not at all possible, is it?
Need a good laugh? Here he is with his cake
******
My youngest finally got his driver's permit!!!! He hasn't been behind the wheel yet, which I'm sure is simply killing him. Getting that stupid permit has been sheer torture. He has had the book to study for the test since his birthday in May. Finally, two weeks ago, he announced he was ready for the test. Hubby took him up for the test and he totally nailed it. I think he missed two questions (see what studying can do??? - oh wait, he's not reading this, but yeah, that's the moral of the story - study). So they go up to the desk with birth certificate in hand and nooooo it's not good enough to simply know ones social security number, this particular office insists upon seeing the card. Guess who can't find the SS card? Moi. We turned the house inside out looking for it. I know I had it, I remember taking it to the tax prep office last spring and I think I made a photo copy of it for his work permit. WHERE IS IT????
I never did find it. So I finally look up the social security administration online to find out what I have to do to replace a lost card. I gathered up the necessary paperwork, made sure I went overboard and got extra items on the list just in case, took an hour off work, grabbed the kid and headed to the local SS office. We waltzed in, took a number and before I could sit down for what I was sure was going to be the most ridiculously long wait imaginable, I was called to the window. Badda - bing- badda - boom, we were out of there WITH a temporary card. A-MAZING!
******
And in other kid news, we will be spending this weekend moving my daughter into her new apartment. This will be the first time she won't have extra roommates other than her boyfriend so it's an exciting time for her. I hope this means a little tranquility in their lives! They certainly need it.
******
As I write this we're keeping an eye on the sky. Big ugly clouds have already rolled into town, the remnants of Hurricane Isaac have reached St. Louis. We're hoping for a good soaking rain after a summer of drought, but it's more likely there will be lots of flooding and probably a few rounds of tornados. It's kind of weird to be in the middle of the country and have to deal with a hurricane. Several others have made this route, including Katrina.
******
Work is absolutely crazy right now. We are about to roll out a new database. If you've never suffered that fate, let me tell you it is downright miserable. Especially for your IT department. Big boss took pity on me and my partner in crime and sent us out of the office last Thursay for a day at the ballpark. We sat ten rows behind the dugout, in the sun. Fabulous day! St. Louis Cardinals beat the Houston Astros 11-5 (if I happened to remember the score incorrectly, sorry. Bottom line - we won).Friday, July 20, 2012
Friday Fragments - July 20, 2012
Last week I gathered with friends to watch Magic Mike. It was FABULOUS! I find it funny that men are avoiding this show. It is absolutely nothing like a movie with female strippers where all of the focus is on naked body parts. This actually has a storyline, spends more time away from the stripper show than on it and when it does show the stripper acts, NO NUDITY. It was a fun movie all around.
My mother's children are all in disarray. I'm coping with financial collapse of my consignment shop. The brother that had been living with me and then moved to Florida can't find a job and is trying to come back to Missouri. The other brother who lives in North Dakota and is preparing to move his family to Missouri next week managed to break his finger impeding him from assisting in packing and possibly driving one of the three trucks needed to make the move. None of us are in dire straights, just odd how it all happens at the same time.
My children, on the other hand, seem to be relatively quiet. I'm sure I've jinxed myself with saying that.
Round two of the heat wave is upon us, this time with the glorious St Louis humidity. It is purely insufferable to be outside. This means my daily walks have not yet resumed. I've gained weight, I feel crappy and I really miss the fresh air. Grrrrrrrrr I could do alternative methods of exercise but I have no desire. It makes me happier to be grumpy and whine about my current situation.
My mother's children are all in disarray. I'm coping with financial collapse of my consignment shop. The brother that had been living with me and then moved to Florida can't find a job and is trying to come back to Missouri. The other brother who lives in North Dakota and is preparing to move his family to Missouri next week managed to break his finger impeding him from assisting in packing and possibly driving one of the three trucks needed to make the move. None of us are in dire straights, just odd how it all happens at the same time.
My children, on the other hand, seem to be relatively quiet. I'm sure I've jinxed myself with saying that.
Round two of the heat wave is upon us, this time with the glorious St Louis humidity. It is purely insufferable to be outside. This means my daily walks have not yet resumed. I've gained weight, I feel crappy and I really miss the fresh air. Grrrrrrrrr I could do alternative methods of exercise but I have no desire. It makes me happier to be grumpy and whine about my current situation.
Monday, July 16, 2012
Too Hot To Walk
I realized that it had been three weeks since I took my last walk. THREE WEEKS!
I knew it had been a while, my back was starting to ache. Yes, daily walks banished the aches in my lower back. That may be a secret the rest of the world knew, but it was totally unforeseen by me. So I looked at my calendar and realized three weeks had passed.
Once I stop something, like walking, it takes me forever to nag myself back into doing it again. It didn't take too much to figure out why I stopped in the first place, the excessive heat courtesy of a ten day long heat wave parked by ass on the couch.
Saturday night I finally broke away from the couch and got some fresh air.
I definitely worked up a sweat. It was hot and I was power walking. And I'm sure a hot flash was setting in - seriously, must I endure both internal and external heat waves concurrently?
There was enough energy to do another block but I was sweating. A lot. I headed home.
Mere houses away from my front door a damn BAT swoops within inches of my head! Bats don't terrify me, although I'm not fond of one tangling itself in my hair.
Last night I saw a hawk land in a nearby tree. It's been a couple of years since I've seen a hawk on one of my walks. When I got closer he flew off and was clearly carrying something, probably a chipmunk or a mouse.
Encounters with wildlife are enough to encourage me to venture out again.
Of course another heatwave (external) is supposed to set in this week. ugh!
I knew it had been a while, my back was starting to ache. Yes, daily walks banished the aches in my lower back. That may be a secret the rest of the world knew, but it was totally unforeseen by me. So I looked at my calendar and realized three weeks had passed.
Once I stop something, like walking, it takes me forever to nag myself back into doing it again. It didn't take too much to figure out why I stopped in the first place, the excessive heat courtesy of a ten day long heat wave parked by ass on the couch.
Saturday night I finally broke away from the couch and got some fresh air.
I definitely worked up a sweat. It was hot and I was power walking. And I'm sure a hot flash was setting in - seriously, must I endure both internal and external heat waves concurrently?
There was enough energy to do another block but I was sweating. A lot. I headed home.
Mere houses away from my front door a damn BAT swoops within inches of my head! Bats don't terrify me, although I'm not fond of one tangling itself in my hair.
Last night I saw a hawk land in a nearby tree. It's been a couple of years since I've seen a hawk on one of my walks. When I got closer he flew off and was clearly carrying something, probably a chipmunk or a mouse.
Encounters with wildlife are enough to encourage me to venture out again.
Of course another heatwave (external) is supposed to set in this week. ugh!
Monday, July 02, 2012
My Week Without Power
Way back in 2006 a huge storm blew through St. Louis. I was attending a PartyLite conference at the dome downtown and remember walking onto the concourse, hearing the tornado sirens and seeing the green sky through the window. And the WIND. We were three stories up and the debris was blowing past at eye level.
What I was witnessing, I found out later, was "straight line winds" not a tornado. Trees and branches had dropped all over town and power was out.
There was little surprise driving home with so many of the street lights and signals out that my own power wouldn't be working. And as with any power outage I pulled out the candles and hunkered down for the night. My kids were with their dad that Thursday night and his power was also out. In fact everyone's power was out. When I arrived to work the next morning my office was up and running and the conversation centered on that weird storm the night before and how wide spread the outages were. I returned home with my power still out. That had officially been the longest I have ever gone without electricity.
This was at the end of July and the heat was increasing. The kids returned home so we sought refuge at my mom's house for the evening - this wasn't a full scale blackout, merely large pockets of outages. We went home the next day with promises to return if the heat was too much.
My power did not come back on until the following Friday. EIGHT DAYS.
We never went back to my mom's house, but we did have to change our routine and we survived (obviously).
Let's be clear, I am not a prepared person. I do not, and did not, have huge stores of supplies for doomsday circumstances. Well, today I have what equates to a miniature grocery store in my basement, but it wouldn't have been helpful in this situation.
The first thing that came out were my candles. Having been a PartyLite representative for five years I have plenty of wax on hand, even today. After my traumatic experience of no power for EIGHT DAYS I will forever have candles at my disposal. My tale of woe was woven into my candle demonstrations from then on out. I had enough candlelight to be the most illuminated house on the street - you could see us blocks away! I rigged a three wick monstrosity next to the couch so I could comfortably read - seriously, it was bright enough.
I knew not to muck with the refrigerator. Leave it closed, it would be fine for a day. And it was. As it became clear I was exceeding the 12 hour limit of safety I bought a bag of ice to cram into the freezer. That saved me more time. On my way home Saturday morning I bought two more bags of ice figuring I would continue tossing them into the fridge and freezer. When I got home it was clear I would need a ton of ice for that procedure to work properly and knew I had to move everything into a smaller device. I had two coolers that had served me well the previous year when I toted my spawn across the country for a ten day journey of travel, camping and sightseeing. Milk and all of the perishables were carefully packed into the coolers covered with plenty of ice.
Every morning I would drive to the grocery store and buy two bags of ice. The store almost walking distance from my house was impacted by the power outage so I had to drive a few miles away and back. I would drain the excess water from the coolers and cram as much ice as would fit. It was funny how this became my new routine, me the non-morning person running to the store.
Just about everything was stashed in Ziplock bags before hitting the cooler. I rarely make specific brand recommendations but I've learned that nobody makes a zipper bag like Ziplock. They seal completely and are not prone to pin holes along the seams. Even items that don't look like they will take on water should still be put in plastic bags. There's nothing worse that hotdog flavored butter. And in this instance I wanted to keep the melted ice water as pristine as possible in case we had issues with water purity, rumors were already circulating. In that burst of brilliance I made sure to clean out my coolers with bleach water before storing food in them.
My house was not completely electric. We had gas to our stove and hot water heater. While the electric spark on the stove was inoperable I could still use a match to light it. I opted not to heat up the house any further by cooking on the stovetop other than to boil water or small food preparation. Instead I lit up the grill in the backyard. The kids gathered small branches since there were plenty after that storm and I didn't exhaust my charcoal supply. We didn't have much to be rescued from the freezer and what was there was promptly cooked and eaten.
It's been a few years and my memory is crap, but I think maybe my kids spent time with other family members. I don't remember incessant whining about boredom. Detoxing from the TV was refreshing and I caught up on my reading. I spent a lot of time sitting outdoors in the shade because the house was pretty freaking hot. At night I slept with a wet towel to keep cool. I now pay attention to window placement in houses. This particular house was not built with airflow in mind.
Overall, it was not a completely negative experience. I felt proud for being resourceful enough to rise to the challenge. Little did I know that in six months I would have to repeat my resourcefulness for another extended power outage, this time during an ice storm.
My husband hates the potential harm from gas lines and fireplaces, but my experience has made both very necessary. The fireplace was the only way to keep warm during the ice storm. I had pet birds at the time so I crammed their cages as close to the fireplace as possible and draped heavy blankets over them. This time I do remember the kids were not home as I recall sleeping on the couch in front of the fire. Fortunately my power was back on in 48 hours. I had already kicked into my previous routine of running to the grocery store for ice (kind of ironic with an ice storm, huh?) and cooking the contents of the freezer.
I think of these experiences as I hear of others facing long term outages. It is possible for an unprepared person to survive.
If ever you were to give something valuable to a young adult moving out on their own let it be an emergency kit:
• Candles
• Lighters (more than one!)
• Manual can opener
• Ziplock bags
• Cooler
• Gallon of water
And if you were really generous, pack it with non-perishable food.
What I was witnessing, I found out later, was "straight line winds" not a tornado. Trees and branches had dropped all over town and power was out.
There was little surprise driving home with so many of the street lights and signals out that my own power wouldn't be working. And as with any power outage I pulled out the candles and hunkered down for the night. My kids were with their dad that Thursday night and his power was also out. In fact everyone's power was out. When I arrived to work the next morning my office was up and running and the conversation centered on that weird storm the night before and how wide spread the outages were. I returned home with my power still out. That had officially been the longest I have ever gone without electricity.
This was at the end of July and the heat was increasing. The kids returned home so we sought refuge at my mom's house for the evening - this wasn't a full scale blackout, merely large pockets of outages. We went home the next day with promises to return if the heat was too much.
My power did not come back on until the following Friday. EIGHT DAYS.
We never went back to my mom's house, but we did have to change our routine and we survived (obviously).
Let's be clear, I am not a prepared person. I do not, and did not, have huge stores of supplies for doomsday circumstances. Well, today I have what equates to a miniature grocery store in my basement, but it wouldn't have been helpful in this situation.
The first thing that came out were my candles. Having been a PartyLite representative for five years I have plenty of wax on hand, even today. After my traumatic experience of no power for EIGHT DAYS I will forever have candles at my disposal. My tale of woe was woven into my candle demonstrations from then on out. I had enough candlelight to be the most illuminated house on the street - you could see us blocks away! I rigged a three wick monstrosity next to the couch so I could comfortably read - seriously, it was bright enough.
I knew not to muck with the refrigerator. Leave it closed, it would be fine for a day. And it was. As it became clear I was exceeding the 12 hour limit of safety I bought a bag of ice to cram into the freezer. That saved me more time. On my way home Saturday morning I bought two more bags of ice figuring I would continue tossing them into the fridge and freezer. When I got home it was clear I would need a ton of ice for that procedure to work properly and knew I had to move everything into a smaller device. I had two coolers that had served me well the previous year when I toted my spawn across the country for a ten day journey of travel, camping and sightseeing. Milk and all of the perishables were carefully packed into the coolers covered with plenty of ice.
Every morning I would drive to the grocery store and buy two bags of ice. The store almost walking distance from my house was impacted by the power outage so I had to drive a few miles away and back. I would drain the excess water from the coolers and cram as much ice as would fit. It was funny how this became my new routine, me the non-morning person running to the store.
Just about everything was stashed in Ziplock bags before hitting the cooler. I rarely make specific brand recommendations but I've learned that nobody makes a zipper bag like Ziplock. They seal completely and are not prone to pin holes along the seams. Even items that don't look like they will take on water should still be put in plastic bags. There's nothing worse that hotdog flavored butter. And in this instance I wanted to keep the melted ice water as pristine as possible in case we had issues with water purity, rumors were already circulating. In that burst of brilliance I made sure to clean out my coolers with bleach water before storing food in them.
My house was not completely electric. We had gas to our stove and hot water heater. While the electric spark on the stove was inoperable I could still use a match to light it. I opted not to heat up the house any further by cooking on the stovetop other than to boil water or small food preparation. Instead I lit up the grill in the backyard. The kids gathered small branches since there were plenty after that storm and I didn't exhaust my charcoal supply. We didn't have much to be rescued from the freezer and what was there was promptly cooked and eaten.
It's been a few years and my memory is crap, but I think maybe my kids spent time with other family members. I don't remember incessant whining about boredom. Detoxing from the TV was refreshing and I caught up on my reading. I spent a lot of time sitting outdoors in the shade because the house was pretty freaking hot. At night I slept with a wet towel to keep cool. I now pay attention to window placement in houses. This particular house was not built with airflow in mind.
Overall, it was not a completely negative experience. I felt proud for being resourceful enough to rise to the challenge. Little did I know that in six months I would have to repeat my resourcefulness for another extended power outage, this time during an ice storm.
My husband hates the potential harm from gas lines and fireplaces, but my experience has made both very necessary. The fireplace was the only way to keep warm during the ice storm. I had pet birds at the time so I crammed their cages as close to the fireplace as possible and draped heavy blankets over them. This time I do remember the kids were not home as I recall sleeping on the couch in front of the fire. Fortunately my power was back on in 48 hours. I had already kicked into my previous routine of running to the grocery store for ice (kind of ironic with an ice storm, huh?) and cooking the contents of the freezer.
I think of these experiences as I hear of others facing long term outages. It is possible for an unprepared person to survive.
If ever you were to give something valuable to a young adult moving out on their own let it be an emergency kit:
• Candles
• Lighters (more than one!)
• Manual can opener
• Ziplock bags
• Cooler
• Gallon of water
And if you were really generous, pack it with non-perishable food.
Friday, June 29, 2012
Friday Fragments - June 29, 2012
Sunday begins the happiest season of the year - BIRTHDAY MONTH! No special celebrations are planned other than annoying the piss out of everyone around me :)
At work we are deep in the throes of a database rebuild. This is not for the faint of heart, it is quite frustrating. I liken it to building a house - it's slow and never goes as you wish. It would be easier if we were to leave town for nine months or longer and come back to it all completed. That, of course, would come with a whole different set of complications. There is a part of this ordeal that I actually enjoy - reviewing the new releases and giving feedback on functionality. The contractor, on the other hand, is more than a little sick of me trying to move the bathroom three days in a row.
At home I'm muddling my way through the long list of Oscar movies. Between TCM, OnDemand, and the local video store I'm knocking out a lot of titles. As I write this I'm watching Cabaret. A few days ago I saw A Star Is Born. It was totally accidental that I have watched Judy Garland and Liza Minelli movies back to back, but how interesting. Liza definitely has her mother's voice. I have officially seen 40% of movies nominated for best picture. I'm also tracking best actor, supporting actor, best actress, and supporting actress. It certainly provides for a wide variety of viewing options at my house.
The annual Slaughter Of Flies has begun. It's amazing how a house closed up for an entire day suddenly sprouts 900 flies and starts looking like Amityville Horror. I am rather deft at the swat and kill, frequently while they're in flight.
St. Louis is enjoying this heatwave. The point of conversation over the past few days is the lack of humidity. People are saying to each other "but it's a dry heat". Honestly it's not torturous to be outside - hot, not sweltering. The distinction is lost on my husband who would rather be in arctic temps year round.
At work we are deep in the throes of a database rebuild. This is not for the faint of heart, it is quite frustrating. I liken it to building a house - it's slow and never goes as you wish. It would be easier if we were to leave town for nine months or longer and come back to it all completed. That, of course, would come with a whole different set of complications. There is a part of this ordeal that I actually enjoy - reviewing the new releases and giving feedback on functionality. The contractor, on the other hand, is more than a little sick of me trying to move the bathroom three days in a row.
At home I'm muddling my way through the long list of Oscar movies. Between TCM, OnDemand, and the local video store I'm knocking out a lot of titles. As I write this I'm watching Cabaret. A few days ago I saw A Star Is Born. It was totally accidental that I have watched Judy Garland and Liza Minelli movies back to back, but how interesting. Liza definitely has her mother's voice. I have officially seen 40% of movies nominated for best picture. I'm also tracking best actor, supporting actor, best actress, and supporting actress. It certainly provides for a wide variety of viewing options at my house.
The annual Slaughter Of Flies has begun. It's amazing how a house closed up for an entire day suddenly sprouts 900 flies and starts looking like Amityville Horror. I am rather deft at the swat and kill, frequently while they're in flight.
St. Louis is enjoying this heatwave. The point of conversation over the past few days is the lack of humidity. People are saying to each other "but it's a dry heat". Honestly it's not torturous to be outside - hot, not sweltering. The distinction is lost on my husband who would rather be in arctic temps year round.
Friday, June 01, 2012
Friday Fragments - June 1, 2012
Whew! May is OVER. It is such a crazy busy month with something going on in every corner of my life. It's fun and always memorable, but damn, it's also exhausting. June seems to blur into the other months of summer as we look forward planning our social schedules. Already we've had to stare at the calendar for August figuring out what day Ian has to return to school. It doesn't seem right to be talking about that so soon after school letting out just days ago.
******
We've already had summer-like weather. Until yesterday it was hot and humid, setting record highs in the 90's. We don't normally get this type of heat until mid-June. Then this morning it dropped to 49°!!!! It will rebound soon enough. Fasten your earplugs as I launch into my regular tirade of hating St. Louis weather.
******
In family news, my youngest brother is looking to move back to Missouri. He and his wife are done with their stint in North Dakota. He has retired from the Air Force and they are feeling the pull to be closer to family (or at least that's what they're telling us). They aren't wanting to be super duper close so St. Louis is out of the question, but nearby rural property has caught their eye.
Over Memorial weekend they breezed into town, dropped the kids with various friends and family, and took off in search of their next home. No decisions were made, so we wait. Cross your fingers, toes, rattle some bones, and offer a few prayers that they get something fabulous.
*****
While bro and SIL were galavanting about the wilds of Missouri, we had their two youngest over Saturday night. Both are fabulous little boys, one incredibly energetic, both very inquisitive. Fortunately we (okay, IAN) had enough stuff on hand to keep their minds and bodies entertained. Bionicles are lego toys that can be built into transformer-like monsters. That retained their interest the most. We also blew bubbles, walked to the park, and investigated every nook and cranny of my house.
After they left on Sunday, I collapsed onto the couch and didn't move until dinner.
*****
We declined an invitation to hang out with friends Sunday night and instead grilled at home. I've posted in the past how we have taken up cooking nearly a week's worth of food on the grill. Sunday I did four large steaks and a whole gob of stew meat.
The stew meat was a lark as we made our first attempt at "Grilled Stew". We grilled the meat and then I had intentions of grilling the vegetables. The veggies ended up getting roasted in the oven. Overall the stew was good and we will be doing this again. Yet, it was missing something so more tweaking is needed before I post the recipe.
For quite some time we have grilled more steaks than we can eat in one night. I've learned to cook two of them medium rare (a tad too bloody for our tastes) to use a day or two later in fajitas. Between refrigeration and reheating, they come up to medium well (just a smidge of pink). The meat is tender and smoky and absolutely delicious. Hubby doesn't like any spicy seasoning and to be honest the meat really doesn't need much sprucing up. I slice it super thin, toss it in a skillet with onions just long enough for the onions to carmelize and the meat to warm up. I eat mine with a few reserved uncooked onions, bell pepper, salsa and cheese. Hubby just goes for meat and cheese. This has been a huge hit with everyone we serve and I like it because it's quick and easy.
******
We've already had summer-like weather. Until yesterday it was hot and humid, setting record highs in the 90's. We don't normally get this type of heat until mid-June. Then this morning it dropped to 49°!!!! It will rebound soon enough. Fasten your earplugs as I launch into my regular tirade of hating St. Louis weather.
******
In family news, my youngest brother is looking to move back to Missouri. He and his wife are done with their stint in North Dakota. He has retired from the Air Force and they are feeling the pull to be closer to family (or at least that's what they're telling us). They aren't wanting to be super duper close so St. Louis is out of the question, but nearby rural property has caught their eye.
Over Memorial weekend they breezed into town, dropped the kids with various friends and family, and took off in search of their next home. No decisions were made, so we wait. Cross your fingers, toes, rattle some bones, and offer a few prayers that they get something fabulous.
*****
While bro and SIL were galavanting about the wilds of Missouri, we had their two youngest over Saturday night. Both are fabulous little boys, one incredibly energetic, both very inquisitive. Fortunately we (okay, IAN) had enough stuff on hand to keep their minds and bodies entertained. Bionicles are lego toys that can be built into transformer-like monsters. That retained their interest the most. We also blew bubbles, walked to the park, and investigated every nook and cranny of my house.
After they left on Sunday, I collapsed onto the couch and didn't move until dinner.
*****
We declined an invitation to hang out with friends Sunday night and instead grilled at home. I've posted in the past how we have taken up cooking nearly a week's worth of food on the grill. Sunday I did four large steaks and a whole gob of stew meat.
The stew meat was a lark as we made our first attempt at "Grilled Stew". We grilled the meat and then I had intentions of grilling the vegetables. The veggies ended up getting roasted in the oven. Overall the stew was good and we will be doing this again. Yet, it was missing something so more tweaking is needed before I post the recipe.
For quite some time we have grilled more steaks than we can eat in one night. I've learned to cook two of them medium rare (a tad too bloody for our tastes) to use a day or two later in fajitas. Between refrigeration and reheating, they come up to medium well (just a smidge of pink). The meat is tender and smoky and absolutely delicious. Hubby doesn't like any spicy seasoning and to be honest the meat really doesn't need much sprucing up. I slice it super thin, toss it in a skillet with onions just long enough for the onions to carmelize and the meat to warm up. I eat mine with a few reserved uncooked onions, bell pepper, salsa and cheese. Hubby just goes for meat and cheese. This has been a huge hit with everyone we serve and I like it because it's quick and easy.
Friday, February 03, 2012
Friday Fragments - January 3, 2012
Okay, everyone bellyaching about the loss of winter? Denver is currently getting pummeled. Quit yer bitchin' and appreciate the pleasantness. I have never heard so much negativity around something so beautiful. How about a few doses of gratitude? Savor what you've been given instead of worrying about when it will stop. Anyone who can bitch about a beautiful, sunny day is not capable of being happy.
It is a glorioius day and I love it.
******
Yesterday I met with my son's English teacher. It's a little late in the school year to be holding a parent-teacher conference, but hopefully early enough in the semester. He's just not grasping certain concepts so in order to be a better tutor I had to find out what she's presenting in class, how she tests and where to find more information. It was a productive meeting and now she knows I'm on board with getting this kid through her class.
And while he's bombing English, he just signed up for Honors Geometry. There is not a chance in hell that I will be able to help him in that class. I remember telling his brother and sister when they maxed out my knowledge and would have to seek tutors for any assistance. The look on their faces was priceless - I really DON'T know everything.
******
Dear Daughter,
Beware of your 45th year. That is when hormones will start to kick your ass. Sleepless nights, random sweating, weird periods, bursts of energy, complete lack of energy, grogginess. I think forgetfulness is a symptom, but I've been suffering that my entire life so I don't notice. People are telling me this will last at least five years. Yippee. Oh, and gray hair. You do know you're doomed to a life of coloring or else changing into a silverback?
You've been warned,
Crazy Cat Lady In The Making
******
Yeah, I actually had to leave work because I was so groggy. Honestly, it hasn't been too terrible, but the sporadic nature of symptoms is annoying. I wish I could find the triggers or patterns so I could at least have a little preparation or be able to say to myself "aha, hormones going insane, time to lie down."
******
I still haven't made a pie like I keep nagging myself to do. No, I went the easier route by making a Pineapple Upside-Down Cake. I swear this is easy-smeasy. After baking several where you make the cake batter from scratch and not really liking the cake itself (I mean come on, shouldn't the cake be delicious before you add all the gooey stuff?) I found an easier solution.
So here is my secret to fabulous Pineapple Upside-Down Cake
LEMON cake mix - any brand. You'll also need 1 can of pineapple rings and 1 can of pineapple tidbits (in natural juices not syrup), brown sugar, and whatever stuff the mix requires like oil and eggs.
Start off by spreading an even layer of brown sugar on the bottom of your pan (the springform pans are awesome, but when I'm super lazy I use a 9x13 and just don't flip it out of the dish at the end... which is a lie because I have flipped a 9x13 onto a platter and then slid it back into the dish with the pineapple slices face up).
No, I did not melt butter or spray the pan. Just an even layer of brown sugar, not so thin you can see the pan, but not too thick that you have to pat it down. It might be 2 cups, maybe less, clearly I just open the bag and start shaking it out. Since there's no goo in the pan you can scoop out any excess.
Drain the juice from the slices and tidbits into a cup because you're going to need it later.
Arrange the slices into a pretty design on the brown sugar. If you have maricino cherries you can pop them into the picture too. I don't because I never have them on hand.
You're ready to mix the cake. Replace the water with the drained pineapple juice. Go a little lighter than it says because there is still a ton of juice in the pineapple pieces. Add the eggs and oil as specified on the box. Once your cake batter is free of major blobs stir in the pineapple tidbits. Do not use "chunks" because they are just too large.
Pour it in the prepared pan and cook according to the directions. Once you hear the timer, turn off the oven, but leave the cake in there. It's still too jiggly in the middle. I keep telling myself I should put foil on the cake to get that center fully baked without burning the edges, but I always forget.
This is a very moist cake (even when I burn the edges) and the lemon cake mix is a perfect blend with the pineapple.
It is a glorioius day and I love it.
******
Yesterday I met with my son's English teacher. It's a little late in the school year to be holding a parent-teacher conference, but hopefully early enough in the semester. He's just not grasping certain concepts so in order to be a better tutor I had to find out what she's presenting in class, how she tests and where to find more information. It was a productive meeting and now she knows I'm on board with getting this kid through her class.
And while he's bombing English, he just signed up for Honors Geometry. There is not a chance in hell that I will be able to help him in that class. I remember telling his brother and sister when they maxed out my knowledge and would have to seek tutors for any assistance. The look on their faces was priceless - I really DON'T know everything.
******
Dear Daughter,
Beware of your 45th year. That is when hormones will start to kick your ass. Sleepless nights, random sweating, weird periods, bursts of energy, complete lack of energy, grogginess. I think forgetfulness is a symptom, but I've been suffering that my entire life so I don't notice. People are telling me this will last at least five years. Yippee. Oh, and gray hair. You do know you're doomed to a life of coloring or else changing into a silverback?
You've been warned,
Crazy Cat Lady In The Making
******
Yeah, I actually had to leave work because I was so groggy. Honestly, it hasn't been too terrible, but the sporadic nature of symptoms is annoying. I wish I could find the triggers or patterns so I could at least have a little preparation or be able to say to myself "aha, hormones going insane, time to lie down."
******
I still haven't made a pie like I keep nagging myself to do. No, I went the easier route by making a Pineapple Upside-Down Cake. I swear this is easy-smeasy. After baking several where you make the cake batter from scratch and not really liking the cake itself (I mean come on, shouldn't the cake be delicious before you add all the gooey stuff?) I found an easier solution.
So here is my secret to fabulous Pineapple Upside-Down Cake
LEMON cake mix - any brand. You'll also need 1 can of pineapple rings and 1 can of pineapple tidbits (in natural juices not syrup), brown sugar, and whatever stuff the mix requires like oil and eggs.
Start off by spreading an even layer of brown sugar on the bottom of your pan (the springform pans are awesome, but when I'm super lazy I use a 9x13 and just don't flip it out of the dish at the end... which is a lie because I have flipped a 9x13 onto a platter and then slid it back into the dish with the pineapple slices face up).
No, I did not melt butter or spray the pan. Just an even layer of brown sugar, not so thin you can see the pan, but not too thick that you have to pat it down. It might be 2 cups, maybe less, clearly I just open the bag and start shaking it out. Since there's no goo in the pan you can scoop out any excess.
Drain the juice from the slices and tidbits into a cup because you're going to need it later.
Arrange the slices into a pretty design on the brown sugar. If you have maricino cherries you can pop them into the picture too. I don't because I never have them on hand.
You're ready to mix the cake. Replace the water with the drained pineapple juice. Go a little lighter than it says because there is still a ton of juice in the pineapple pieces. Add the eggs and oil as specified on the box. Once your cake batter is free of major blobs stir in the pineapple tidbits. Do not use "chunks" because they are just too large.
Pour it in the prepared pan and cook according to the directions. Once you hear the timer, turn off the oven, but leave the cake in there. It's still too jiggly in the middle. I keep telling myself I should put foil on the cake to get that center fully baked without burning the edges, but I always forget.
This is a very moist cake (even when I burn the edges) and the lemon cake mix is a perfect blend with the pineapple.
Thursday, November 17, 2011
Squirrel Weather Report
Between the wooly caterpillers and squirrels you're supposed to be able to predict the severity of the coming winter. I haven't seen any caterpillers to determine their wooliness, but I have plenty of squirrels romping around in my yard where, from my breakfast table, I can easily report that St. Louis is in for a cold, frigid winter.
The typically sleek brown squirrels have sprouted a thick coat. See for yourself...
It doesn't take any coaxing to get them to play in the yard but I had the leftover chestnuts from my CSA box so I tossed those outside the kitchen. The squirrels were funny to watch. There were probably five different squirrels darting in and out. Only one could be at the nut pile at a time. He would grab his nut and then scamper off then someone else would dart in. If one lingered too long the waiting squirrel would try to chase him off - and they were quite vocal about it.
The typically sleek brown squirrels have sprouted a thick coat. See for yourself...
It doesn't take any coaxing to get them to play in the yard but I had the leftover chestnuts from my CSA box so I tossed those outside the kitchen. The squirrels were funny to watch. There were probably five different squirrels darting in and out. Only one could be at the nut pile at a time. He would grab his nut and then scamper off then someone else would dart in. If one lingered too long the waiting squirrel would try to chase him off - and they were quite vocal about it.
Friday, September 02, 2011
Friday Fragments - September 2, 2011
Is another heatwave really necessary? Blech, it's hot. I've made the mistake of being holed away inside all summer so I barely step outdoors and burst into sweat. I also suspect my internal furnace has kicked up a notch... grrrrrrr.
And yet, somebody who has an even more robust internal furnace has taken control of the AC dial at work. I am actually SHIVERING at my desk every day. This is not healthy and I foresee a major cold barreling in my direction.
I got an email from my son asking for a copy of his baptismal certificate. I don't know if this is for wedding arrangments or getting the baby baptized. That point didn't really matter or the fact that he can easily go back to the church where it was performed and get a new copy. No, the problem this question posed was finding my copy.
Part of my ADD is that I have to put things in certain places and be systematic about it or I spend all of my time trying to find basic supplies like my car keys. My car keys will always be in my purse and my purse is always kept by the front door. Always. The second I stray from that habit I fail to remember the new location and melt into a non-functional blob.
So, the kids' baptismal certificates are stored in their baby books. The baby books have been stored in an antique trunk for twenty years. Last year I needed to use the trunk for grandma's quilts and I moved all of the scrapbooky stuff into rubbermaid tubs. I have a lot of rubbermaid tubs. I learned a long time ago that no matter how dry a basement appears, they are prone to capturing water and to never ever store anything in a cardboard box. So I have a lot of tubs. And no clue which one holds the kids baby books.
CRAP! <-- both as an expletive and description of what I manage to find. Never did find the baby books, but I did come across all of the little stuff I've been holding on to (I'm a packrat, a hoarder in training) that would be awesome to pass on to my kids when they became parents. Oooooohhhhh! (ADD kicking in) Yeah, basically this manic search and the plethora of stuff I found turned into a whole evening. But now I have the outfit my sons and their dad wore at their baptisms. And I found several tiny baby boy outfits. And an etched photo album with my son's name. Oh and silver frames for each of my kids with their names and birthdates etched - pictures in the frames for the older kids, the youngest still empty.
Later this weekend I will start the search anew, with fresh eyes and not distracted by other baby items. We don't have any fabulous plans for this weekend so it would be a good time to search.
And yet, somebody who has an even more robust internal furnace has taken control of the AC dial at work. I am actually SHIVERING at my desk every day. This is not healthy and I foresee a major cold barreling in my direction.
I got an email from my son asking for a copy of his baptismal certificate. I don't know if this is for wedding arrangments or getting the baby baptized. That point didn't really matter or the fact that he can easily go back to the church where it was performed and get a new copy. No, the problem this question posed was finding my copy.
Part of my ADD is that I have to put things in certain places and be systematic about it or I spend all of my time trying to find basic supplies like my car keys. My car keys will always be in my purse and my purse is always kept by the front door. Always. The second I stray from that habit I fail to remember the new location and melt into a non-functional blob.
So, the kids' baptismal certificates are stored in their baby books. The baby books have been stored in an antique trunk for twenty years. Last year I needed to use the trunk for grandma's quilts and I moved all of the scrapbooky stuff into rubbermaid tubs. I have a lot of rubbermaid tubs. I learned a long time ago that no matter how dry a basement appears, they are prone to capturing water and to never ever store anything in a cardboard box. So I have a lot of tubs. And no clue which one holds the kids baby books.
CRAP! <-- both as an expletive and description of what I manage to find. Never did find the baby books, but I did come across all of the little stuff I've been holding on to (I'm a packrat, a hoarder in training) that would be awesome to pass on to my kids when they became parents. Oooooohhhhh! (ADD kicking in) Yeah, basically this manic search and the plethora of stuff I found turned into a whole evening. But now I have the outfit my sons and their dad wore at their baptisms. And I found several tiny baby boy outfits. And an etched photo album with my son's name. Oh and silver frames for each of my kids with their names and birthdates etched - pictures in the frames for the older kids, the youngest still empty.
Later this weekend I will start the search anew, with fresh eyes and not distracted by other baby items. We don't have any fabulous plans for this weekend so it would be a good time to search.
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