My quest for this evening is to go through my recipie cards and find the reason I bought the curry powder so I can make it for dinner tomorrow. I'm assuming it was a Rachel Ray meal, the only other cookbook I have been using in the past few months is Giada DiLorentis & curry doens't feature much in Italian food.
Tuesday, September 18, 2007
where does he get this?
The younger of the little demons, er, angels, loves spicy food. Where did that come from. DH & I are not spicy food eaters. I like flavorful stuff but heat turns me off. I am a bland eater. I'm not fond of mexican due to the peppers & I like mild forms of Indian & Thai food. I love the flavors in Japanese food & non-hot Chinese food. I like unusual spices but not heat. DH like thigs a bit hoter than me but even then he is an American Hot sort of eater (as opposed to Mexican Hot or Thai Hot, the grades that appear in several of our local ethnic restuarants). DS2 however likes it HOT. He likes spicy curry. He'll eat Wasabi ranch dip with a fork. He loves spicy taco meat. I am a bland cook & I have joked that I need to just start shaking Tabasco sauce on his food to get him to eat it. Turns out it really isn't a joke. I bought chicken taquitos because the store was out of the usual beef & cheese ones. The chicken ones are bland, even to me (and that is sayin something). DS2 loves taquitos but he doesn't like the chicken ones because thy are bland. The beef ones don't really qualify as spicy but they do at least have a nice flavor. He's only 2 and a half & doens't understand that we don't have the taquitos he wants. He sees the box and wants taquitos. Explaining they are the chicken ones he won't eat makes no difference. All he knows is that I am denying him the taquitos of his dreams. So today I went through my spice rack, looking for something to dress up the taquitos. I'd though I had some red pepper (though why I though I would have that is a mystery). What I found was curry powder (and why I have that is a bigger mystery). I made the taquitos and then sprinkled a bit of curry powder on them. They smelled good. DS2 ate them up with speed and requested more. I made another batch, including some for myself. They were delicious. DS1 was not as approving, but he is a bland eater too. He did eat them eventually.
My quest for this evening is to go through my recipie cards and find the reason I bought the curry powder so I can make it for dinner tomorrow. I'm assuming it was a Rachel Ray meal, the only other cookbook I have been using in the past few months is Giada DiLorentis & curry doens't feature much in Italian food.
My quest for this evening is to go through my recipie cards and find the reason I bought the curry powder so I can make it for dinner tomorrow. I'm assuming it was a Rachel Ray meal, the only other cookbook I have been using in the past few months is Giada DiLorentis & curry doens't feature much in Italian food.
Thursday, September 13, 2007
Baggage - labels
The mental & emotional kind, not the kind that gets x-rayed at airport security.
I have baggage. Everyone I know has baggage of some sort. Among my friends it is religious or cultural mostly, but educational, athletic and economic bags also sit on the luggage cart was well. We all have things that our family made us do, or wouldn't let us do, or were inflicted upon us by our peers. We swear these things will not happen to our children. We will do it differently. We will do it right .
My baggage is food related (with a carry on of organized sports issues). There was little variety in the meals in our house. I was labeled a picky eater at an early age, but never really encouraged to try new things. No one in my family ate new things either, at least not in front of me. I assume when my parents were in Japan and the Philippines my dad, at least, tried new foods. My mom I know existed on Mc D's french fries & milkshakes. It was a case of the pot calling the kettle black. But as a child I could not see that. I now realize that the limited variety of foods in my house was due to my parents own baggage. Dad had issues with things he would not eat from his poor childhood. Mom just lacks a desire to try new foods. So we were left with what what my dad was willing to eat of what my mom was willing to eat. Ground beef, pork chops, ham steak & the occasional grilled steak. Chicken was expensive when I was child, so we had something called 'city chicken', which was breaded pork kabobs. There was also spaghetti, lasagna & tuna noodle casserole. Vegetables were canned green beans, canned corn, canned succotash, frozen broccoli & cauliflower, both smothered in a cheese sauce. There may have been carrots, but I think not. My dad doesn't like peas. There were no other vegetables in my world, apart from iceberg lettuce
So really, looking back it is not surprising I was a reluctant eater. I can't stand canned green beans. Loathe them, always have, but as they were the veg of choice they were on offer 2 or 3 times a week. Limiting my already limited menu caused me to be labeled a picky eater. I never turned my nose up at zucchini or kohlrabi or asparagus. I was never offered them. Maybe I might have liked them. Maybe if I had seen my parents trying new foods from time to time I would have as well. Maybe not. Maybe the list of foods I refused to eat would have gotten longer. But I know now I was not and am not a picky eater. I like different things than my parents do.
Even knowing this on an intellectual level, I still carry this big bag labeled picky eater with me into every kitchen, grocery store, market & restaurant. "What's that thing?" a suspicious child's voice in mind wonders looking at a star fruit. "Eww, that's yuck." the voice says looking at the okra. "Are there onion chunks in that?" it ponders, looking closely at the stir fry on the plate. "You haven't even tried it yet."the adult me asserts. "Give it a chance." I seem to spend as much time trying to convince myself to try things as I do trying to convince my children. I succeed with myself only because the guilt of being a good example tends to overcome the reluctance. I have lived outside my parent's home for 22 years. I have made my own food choices for longer than I had to live with theirs. But the early training is still there. The reluctance to step outside the known, the encouragement to stick with the familiar. "What if is is yucky?" is the question in my mind.
I don't want that for my children. I want them to look at new foods and ask "What if it is wonderful?" So I eat the slimy okra & find other ways of preparing it. I eat the starfruit and the stir fry. I try my best to range outside my own food comfort zone & provide them with variety. And when people say my child is a picky eater I say "He isn't picky. He just doesn't like everything we do and that is ok."
I have baggage. Everyone I know has baggage of some sort. Among my friends it is religious or cultural mostly, but educational, athletic and economic bags also sit on the luggage cart was well. We all have things that our family made us do, or wouldn't let us do, or were inflicted upon us by our peers. We swear these things will not happen to our children. We will do it differently. We will do it right .
My baggage is food related (with a carry on of organized sports issues). There was little variety in the meals in our house. I was labeled a picky eater at an early age, but never really encouraged to try new things. No one in my family ate new things either, at least not in front of me. I assume when my parents were in Japan and the Philippines my dad, at least, tried new foods. My mom I know existed on Mc D's french fries & milkshakes. It was a case of the pot calling the kettle black. But as a child I could not see that. I now realize that the limited variety of foods in my house was due to my parents own baggage. Dad had issues with things he would not eat from his poor childhood. Mom just lacks a desire to try new foods. So we were left with what what my dad was willing to eat of what my mom was willing to eat. Ground beef, pork chops, ham steak & the occasional grilled steak. Chicken was expensive when I was child, so we had something called 'city chicken', which was breaded pork kabobs. There was also spaghetti, lasagna & tuna noodle casserole. Vegetables were canned green beans, canned corn, canned succotash, frozen broccoli & cauliflower, both smothered in a cheese sauce. There may have been carrots, but I think not. My dad doesn't like peas. There were no other vegetables in my world, apart from iceberg lettuce
So really, looking back it is not surprising I was a reluctant eater. I can't stand canned green beans. Loathe them, always have, but as they were the veg of choice they were on offer 2 or 3 times a week. Limiting my already limited menu caused me to be labeled a picky eater. I never turned my nose up at zucchini or kohlrabi or asparagus. I was never offered them. Maybe I might have liked them. Maybe if I had seen my parents trying new foods from time to time I would have as well. Maybe not. Maybe the list of foods I refused to eat would have gotten longer. But I know now I was not and am not a picky eater. I like different things than my parents do.
Even knowing this on an intellectual level, I still carry this big bag labeled picky eater with me into every kitchen, grocery store, market & restaurant. "What's that thing?" a suspicious child's voice in mind wonders looking at a star fruit. "Eww, that's yuck." the voice says looking at the okra. "Are there onion chunks in that?" it ponders, looking closely at the stir fry on the plate. "You haven't even tried it yet."the adult me asserts. "Give it a chance." I seem to spend as much time trying to convince myself to try things as I do trying to convince my children. I succeed with myself only because the guilt of being a good example tends to overcome the reluctance. I have lived outside my parent's home for 22 years. I have made my own food choices for longer than I had to live with theirs. But the early training is still there. The reluctance to step outside the known, the encouragement to stick with the familiar. "What if is is yucky?" is the question in my mind.
I don't want that for my children. I want them to look at new foods and ask "What if it is wonderful?" So I eat the slimy okra & find other ways of preparing it. I eat the starfruit and the stir fry. I try my best to range outside my own food comfort zone & provide them with variety. And when people say my child is a picky eater I say "He isn't picky. He just doesn't like everything we do and that is ok."
Sunday, September 09, 2007
the single most frustrating thing
I have found about parenting is this:
They do not make choices based on what they want to have, but rather on what they want to deny their brother.
They insist on watching something nor because they want to watch a particular show, they just don't want their brother to watch what he wants.
They scream bloody murder because their brother took a specific toy. Not because they really want to play with the toy, they just don't want their brother to play with it.
When told it is their turn to choose the shared snack, they don't choose what they like to eat, they choose what their brother dislikes.
it's not about making your own happiness. Its about making others unhappy. I'm hoping they outgrow it, because that is no way to live.
They do not make choices based on what they want to have, but rather on what they want to deny their brother.
They insist on watching something nor because they want to watch a particular show, they just don't want their brother to watch what he wants.
They scream bloody murder because their brother took a specific toy. Not because they really want to play with the toy, they just don't want their brother to play with it.
When told it is their turn to choose the shared snack, they don't choose what they like to eat, they choose what their brother dislikes.
it's not about making your own happiness. Its about making others unhappy. I'm hoping they outgrow it, because that is no way to live.
Saturday, September 08, 2007
How I kill time online!
I read blogs. I have dozens of them in my bloglines - digiscrapping, challenges, food & parenting. I don't read them every day because I don't have time, but I catch up with them when I can.
I love the food blogs! They are a mix of news, stories and recipes. My favorites are ruhlman.com, Slashfood, Simply Recipes, The Great Big Vegetable Challenge and the Food Whore. I keep changing out my digi blogs, adding & subtracting as I find new blog or other blogs go a long time without new posts. My favorite parenting blog is Motherhood Uncensored (she really is not kidding about that, so don't read it if you have issues with language or raunchy behavior). Most of the parenting blogs I read are of the venting & humor variety. I'm not looking for advice just entertainment & the welcome knowledge that mine are not the .only occasionally badly behaved kids in restaurants
Monday, September 03, 2007
Bad, bad baking
I've had a run of bad luck with baking lately. My second to last loaf of sandwich bread did not go over too well with the demons. I have to tread a careful edge on the whole wheat to white flour percentage with them. I thought I had found a good balance but then I tried with this loaf to add some oat bran to it. Apparently it added a barely noticeable density to the bread, which was just too much for them. Their basis for comparison is Wonder bread, which admittedly I love too, so I know I am fighting an uphill battle on the texture front. And I must admit, peanut butter on a slice of dense wheat bread is like eating spackle in my opinion (which i have not voiced to the demons, they arrived a similar conclusion completely on their own). So I decided to make a different loaf of bread, a 'fluffy sandwich loaf' it claimed and it used a similar proportion of wheat to white that had been working ok for me. This loaf had 3 rising periods, which is a pain if you are not around all day to check on it and despite that it turned out like a brick. With DS2 repeatedly begging for 'san-ich, san-ich Mama!' I bought a loaf of Wonder bread.
Then yesterday I decided to make a cake. I had some yogurt that I needed to use in the next day or so and a recipe for yogurt cake I wanted to try out. I baked it the initial 40 minutes but it was underdone so I baked it a bit longer & the toothpick came out clean (I've been having that issue with my oven with everything lately. I need to get a new oven thermometer, the last one got fried when DH ran the the 'cleaning' cycle) It smelled good and looked good. It cooled & I iced it. Dessert time came around & I started to cut it. I have never had to SAW slices off of a cake before but I knew when my steak knife was having issues sliding through it there was a problem. The outer couple inches of the edges of the cake were overbaked & rock hard. The inside was underbaked. I cannot recall the last time I have spit food out, let alone cake, but I couldn't bring myself to finish chewing it. The icing was ok, but it was Duncan Hines.
So I am on a baking hiatus. The cake problem can possibly be blamed on the high humidity - there was too much flour in the mix. Also I am just hopeless baking sweets. I can bake bread and make a delicious cobbler, but that is it as far as baking goes for me. The bread flour is kept in the fridge at a constant humidity, though I suppose possibly the humidity did something during the risings... or there could be a problem with the oven I won't know about that for awhile. It's too damn hot to be using the oven now anyway.
Sunday, September 02, 2007
I had good intentions
We all know what road is paved with those....
I was really going to try this year to branch out on side dishes; do something more than just microwave some frozen veggie mix - MAKE THINGS! I was going to make things, to serve something more than steamed broccoli with a bit of garlic butter. I was even going to make a few veggie meals. But it's September & it just hasn't happened. I still make the plans to cook these things, but by 6pm most nights just grabbing a bag of frozen peas & tossing them in the microwave seems an effort, especially since no one will eat them anyway. Peas coated in butter, peas with garlic, peas in ginger sauce, pea soup, peas with bacon. The boys will not touch them. It's draining - mentally & emotionally.
It's not just the peas or the veggies in general, it's everything. Just getting them to taste things is a miserable experience. One bite. That all I ask. Before you turn your nose up and announce "That's yuck!" to the room at large TRY THE THING FIRST!!! Just taste it. If you don't like it, fine. It's ok to not like everything. But taste it...please. I want them to like food, I want them to enjoy food. They don't have to be adventurous eaters snacking on fried mosquito larvae, but for crying out loud take a bite of chicken that is not coated in breading once in awhile.
I keep telling myself it is just a stage, normal & natural. But is it. Other people's kids seem to eat more variety, eat more willingly, don't shout 'yuck' when presented with anything but pizza for dinner. Other children will take the one bite without being asked or told to do so. I don't compare my kids to other peoples in anything but this. Learning to crawl, read, ride a bike, these are things kids do in their own time. They are skills you develop when you are physically & mentally ready to do so. What about trying food? Is this my fault? Are my genes to blame? My parenting? Somedays it just so overwhelming to me that all I can do is order pizza and savor the site of them eating something willingly.
I was really going to try this year to branch out on side dishes; do something more than just microwave some frozen veggie mix - MAKE THINGS! I was going to make things, to serve something more than steamed broccoli with a bit of garlic butter. I was even going to make a few veggie meals. But it's September & it just hasn't happened. I still make the plans to cook these things, but by 6pm most nights just grabbing a bag of frozen peas & tossing them in the microwave seems an effort, especially since no one will eat them anyway. Peas coated in butter, peas with garlic, peas in ginger sauce, pea soup, peas with bacon. The boys will not touch them. It's draining - mentally & emotionally.
It's not just the peas or the veggies in general, it's everything. Just getting them to taste things is a miserable experience. One bite. That all I ask. Before you turn your nose up and announce "That's yuck!" to the room at large TRY THE THING FIRST!!! Just taste it. If you don't like it, fine. It's ok to not like everything. But taste it...please. I want them to like food, I want them to enjoy food. They don't have to be adventurous eaters snacking on fried mosquito larvae, but for crying out loud take a bite of chicken that is not coated in breading once in awhile.
I keep telling myself it is just a stage, normal & natural. But is it. Other people's kids seem to eat more variety, eat more willingly, don't shout 'yuck' when presented with anything but pizza for dinner. Other children will take the one bite without being asked or told to do so. I don't compare my kids to other peoples in anything but this. Learning to crawl, read, ride a bike, these are things kids do in their own time. They are skills you develop when you are physically & mentally ready to do so. What about trying food? Is this my fault? Are my genes to blame? My parenting? Somedays it just so overwhelming to me that all I can do is order pizza and savor the site of them eating something willingly.
Wednesday, August 29, 2007
the future in my present
Havoc got a CD game in his kiddie meal at Chick Fil A. leap Learning or Learning Leap... something.. It's purported to be educational but all i see it teaching is how to use a mouse properly. And that is fine with me. Work on those motor skills and hand eye coordination. There are some drawing type things and a game kind of like Super Mario where you have to climb around & find things & you get splatted with paint if you aren't careful, plus 2-3 others. You get points for things and exchange the points for parts to build a carnival. So we finally got a working power cord for the 8 year old laptop we got from my parents and I was able to set the game up for him (Because I am *not* sharing my computer). he plays the painting thing for a while and then switches to the Mario type game... 45 minutes later I call him for dinner and I hear "I'm in the middle of my game now Mom!" And suddenly the future opened up before me. I have 14 more years of this response to look forward to. So I went into the living room and told him that when dinner is ready you save your place, turn off the game and come to dinner. Then I guided him through doing that. maybe if I am on top of it now it won't be a problem down the road.
at least that is what I am telling myself
at least that is what I am telling myself
Tuesday, August 28, 2007
school started
Havoc went back on Thursday and apart from initial shyness with the teacher, he had no problems with it. Now on his 3rd day of school he goes in, puts his snack in the bin and starts playing.
Mayhem started today. He's been very up and down about the whole idea. He has periods of "not go to school, mama. not wanna!" and then after talking to him for a bit, out of the blue he'll say "ok, I go to school." So this monring started off with "not going to school". By the time we got there an hour later he'd decided he would go to school. I took him in the class room, the teacher showed him the different play areas. He went over to the rice digging bin. She gave me the paperwork & I turned to where Mayhem was and said "Sweety it's time for mommy to go now" he looks up from the bin absently and says "Ok, see ya later." I did get a hug & kiss out of him but he was so blase about it after the drama. Heck it took Havoc more than a week to reach that point. However the thing with Havoc is - this is just a single experience. Havoc could see the whole 'go to school every day, and on going experience' thing. Havoc has gone to school *today*. It's entirely possible he would decide that means he has now done with it. we'll see how it goes.
What am I supposed to do with myself?
Mayhem started today. He's been very up and down about the whole idea. He has periods of "not go to school, mama. not wanna!" and then after talking to him for a bit, out of the blue he'll say "ok, I go to school." So this monring started off with "not going to school". By the time we got there an hour later he'd decided he would go to school. I took him in the class room, the teacher showed him the different play areas. He went over to the rice digging bin. She gave me the paperwork & I turned to where Mayhem was and said "Sweety it's time for mommy to go now" he looks up from the bin absently and says "Ok, see ya later." I did get a hug & kiss out of him but he was so blase about it after the drama. Heck it took Havoc more than a week to reach that point. However the thing with Havoc is - this is just a single experience. Havoc could see the whole 'go to school every day, and on going experience' thing. Havoc has gone to school *today*. It's entirely possible he would decide that means he has now done with it. we'll see how it goes.
What am I supposed to do with myself?
Sunday, August 19, 2007
went for a picnic
DS1 wanted to go on a picnic yesterday. He wanted to go to the park, ride his bike & then have a picnic. So we decided to go early and have a late snack picnic. we left the house at 10:30am He rode his bike, they threw rocks in the lake & climbed on the equipment. In between we spread out the picnic blanket and had crackers & juice and at one point DS1 and I got stuck in the ladies bathroom and I had to kick the door out. I had though the deadbolt wouldn't open completely but after I kicked it open I think the metal had expanded and the door itself was just stuck. DH and DS2 are no where nearby & can't hear me kicking & pounding on the door. And if it is actually locked I have no idea who'd we call about. While I am considering the situation I am imaging the call DH would have to make to 911 "Hi. My wife & son are locked in the ladies room at the lake park." It's not like there is a phone number anywhere and I'm guessing the county Parks & Rec are probably closed on Saturday. But I did manage to kick it open.
The park was our only plan when we left the house. But then DH & I decided we wanted lunch & as long as we were there I wanted to swing by Lowes & price outdoor storage. So we drove into town. Lunch took forever as the place just reopened & are still dealing with staffing issues. Then there was a long wander at Lowes and some wishful looking at washers & dryers. Lowes didn't have the right size pipe insulation I wanted (to protect the kids from the sharp edges of the woodstove we never light) so we went to Wal Mart. I forget what we then decided we needed that sent us to Target, by then it is past 3:30 and we were in Target for almost an hour. The boys got new shoes. DS2 has outgrown his and DS1s pair, while new, is both lace up and Pirates of the Caribbean themed. He is showing no progress at tying which makes them a PITA for me. Also his school has restrictions on stuff on clothing - no cartoon characters, no Harry Potter or wizard/magic themed stuff (yeah, pagan parents send their kids to Christian schools) . Pirates doesn't actually fit in those restrictions (which puts the school in the odd position of banning Care Bears but allowing Jack Sparrow) but I thought it might be better to just get a pair of plain velcroed shoes.
While in Target DS2 announces he wants to go to Chili's for pizza for dinner. DH & I have no better suggestion. But Chilis is a cross the street and it is only 4pm. We live almost a half hour away, so going home & coming back later is a waste of time. To kill time we went to Pet Smart, next door to Target and looked at the fish, birds, hamsters and cats. Then to Office Depot to price laptop power supplies ($70!) and I got some new earphones for my Zen. Finally it was 5pm and we drove over to Chili's. DS2 ate 2 slices of his pizza and promptly fell asleep in the booth and remained asleep until we woke him up at 6:30 when we got home.
Today DH is going back with the boys to get the storage shed we found at Lowes (but couldn't fit in my car) and possibly this side table that goes with our outdoor picnic table. They only had the floor model left and it might have been sold because it was marked way down. It too would not fit in my car.
I've got a meeting from 11-3 and then have to leave for bunco at 6:30, so that'll be 2 days with no real chance to scrap.
Monday, August 13, 2007
My Favorite Muffins
Finally something baked came out right! Possibly because I used the bread flour from the fridge instead of the regular flour in the bin on the counter. I have over soft bananas so it was time for Banana Yogurt muffins. I love this muffin recipe. It's delicious! My only problem with it is I always end up needing 1.5 bananas & what do you do with half a mushy banana? I made a smoothie out of it but that isn't always an option.
This makes 12 muffins
Preheat your oven to 375 and set paper liners into 12 muffin cups.
Combine these ingredients:
1 2/3c flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
Then cut in,using 2 forks or a pastry blender until crumbly:
1/2c soft butter
Then stir in:
2/3c bran (I prefer oat, but wheat works too)
1/2c mini chocolate chips
In a larger bowl mix together:
1 egg
2/3c well mashed bananas
1/2c yogurt plain (vanilla is good too)
1/2c brown sugar
1 tblsp molassas
Then add the dry ingredients and mix until just blended, don't overmix.
Scoop batter into the paper line muffin tins. Bake about 25 minutes.
Sunday, August 12, 2007
the week that was
Oh my god it has been hot! HOT HOT HOT and humid as all hell. Thursday here was declared the hottest place in the nation and that didn't take the humidity into account.
Fortunately the A/C problem in my car was a simple case of neglect & not actual damage. it just needed fluids. so I have A/C there again. I suspect the problem with the house A/C is somewhat more significant. The filter is clean, which is the main neglect issue. I can see no place to pour any fluids. But the monitor has flashed 'trouble' twice this week and it has stopped blowing cold air, just the fan works. First time I took out the filter, hosed it off, let it dry, replaced it and flipped the breaker off & on (what I'd been told to do by the installers). It came back on worked fine for about 48 hours & then 'trouble' again. Flipped the breaker again & it's been working for almost 3 days now. I think there is a problem with the thermostat. I've long thought that. I have it set to 78 and I am FREEZING! I don't think I should be freezing at 78. So now I have it at 80. That seems to be the humidity break point. At 81 it's a bearable temp but the humidity is too high & it;s clammy. But I really think it is about 75 in here. I have the same problem in the winter. I should not be cold at 72, but if it is actually 68 that would make sense. but you can't just go buy a new thermostat for this 'water furnace' that we have. You have to get a special one & it's the same kind & no money back guarantee if you have the same problem.
I'm listening to a book called A Mortal Bane which is a murder mystery set in 1100's England, during King Stephen's reign. The main detective is a whore. And the word whore appears quite frequently as a result, not so much as an invective as a statement of fact "Yes I am the Whoremistress at the Old Priory Guesthouse." "Well, we can't accept just the word of a whore". Used casually like the word prostitute. I listen to it in the car, so every 5 minutes or so the boys get to hear it too. So far they don't seem to have noticed. I think because it is not said with any special emphasis, they don't realize it has any significance. Like embroidery, tunic, priest and bishop, it's just a word for something they don't know & can't visualize & doesn't seem particularly important.
I had a MOPS newsletter meeting. I'm doing the recipe section again. assuming I stay out the year. It's like when I joined a sorority. I joined a newly forming chapter. We were girls who were in a sorority. After about 3 years we starting getting members who were sorority girls. When I joined MOPS they were moms, who happened to be Christians. Now they mostly seem to be Christians who happen to be moms. And I am not really loving the change in emphasis. They have a theme I can get behind, cocooning, focusing on making your home a sanctuary. I'm all about that. My personal beliefs are all about that. So I think I can work well with this. but 3 of our group leaders are the sort who, if you found a dollar on the street would quote you a bible verse about the blessings of the Lord. That's fine, but it's just a bit much for me on a constant basis and our groups are the basis of our playdates. Plus I think given Drake's school schedule I will be constantly arriving 5 minutes late and having to leave 10 minutes early from meetings and that is disruptive. I'm going to the first meeting, I'll see how the timing works, get a feel for who is in my group & see how it goes. The timing thing will be my biggest issue I think. even if they don't mind me being a few minutes late, I *hate* being late. It causes me all sorts of stress to know I am late. Bunco has gone secular, so it doesn't matter there if I am in MOPS or not.
Fortunately the A/C problem in my car was a simple case of neglect & not actual damage. it just needed fluids. so I have A/C there again. I suspect the problem with the house A/C is somewhat more significant. The filter is clean, which is the main neglect issue. I can see no place to pour any fluids. But the monitor has flashed 'trouble' twice this week and it has stopped blowing cold air, just the fan works. First time I took out the filter, hosed it off, let it dry, replaced it and flipped the breaker off & on (what I'd been told to do by the installers). It came back on worked fine for about 48 hours & then 'trouble' again. Flipped the breaker again & it's been working for almost 3 days now. I think there is a problem with the thermostat. I've long thought that. I have it set to 78 and I am FREEZING! I don't think I should be freezing at 78. So now I have it at 80. That seems to be the humidity break point. At 81 it's a bearable temp but the humidity is too high & it;s clammy. But I really think it is about 75 in here. I have the same problem in the winter. I should not be cold at 72, but if it is actually 68 that would make sense. but you can't just go buy a new thermostat for this 'water furnace' that we have. You have to get a special one & it's the same kind & no money back guarantee if you have the same problem.
I'm listening to a book called A Mortal Bane which is a murder mystery set in 1100's England, during King Stephen's reign. The main detective is a whore. And the word whore appears quite frequently as a result, not so much as an invective as a statement of fact "Yes I am the Whoremistress at the Old Priory Guesthouse." "Well, we can't accept just the word of a whore". Used casually like the word prostitute. I listen to it in the car, so every 5 minutes or so the boys get to hear it too. So far they don't seem to have noticed. I think because it is not said with any special emphasis, they don't realize it has any significance. Like embroidery, tunic, priest and bishop, it's just a word for something they don't know & can't visualize & doesn't seem particularly important.
I had a MOPS newsletter meeting. I'm doing the recipe section again. assuming I stay out the year. It's like when I joined a sorority. I joined a newly forming chapter. We were girls who were in a sorority. After about 3 years we starting getting members who were sorority girls. When I joined MOPS they were moms, who happened to be Christians. Now they mostly seem to be Christians who happen to be moms. And I am not really loving the change in emphasis. They have a theme I can get behind, cocooning, focusing on making your home a sanctuary. I'm all about that. My personal beliefs are all about that. So I think I can work well with this. but 3 of our group leaders are the sort who, if you found a dollar on the street would quote you a bible verse about the blessings of the Lord. That's fine, but it's just a bit much for me on a constant basis and our groups are the basis of our playdates. Plus I think given Drake's school schedule I will be constantly arriving 5 minutes late and having to leave 10 minutes early from meetings and that is disruptive. I'm going to the first meeting, I'll see how the timing works, get a feel for who is in my group & see how it goes. The timing thing will be my biggest issue I think. even if they don't mind me being a few minutes late, I *hate* being late. It causes me all sorts of stress to know I am late. Bunco has gone secular, so it doesn't matter there if I am in MOPS or not.
Saturday, August 11, 2007
I'm worn out
It's hot & humid. I've been working a lot the past week (and will be for a few more). So the boys are desperate for attention & behave badly constantly. It's like they forgot how to hear. I have to grab them and shout to get their attention. And DH worked late 3 times this week, plus had to leave this morning at 5am to be some place & won't be back until noonish. DS1 came in our room at 6:30 and spent 15 minutes just sobbing that Daddy is supposed to be home today & he wants his Daddy. <sigh> I know a lot of it is the heat. I spent a couple hours yesterday afternoon with some friends & their kids & their kids have forgotten how to hear too. By the end of the play date we were 3 women shouting "I said STOP THAT!" over and over. But I do feel better knowing that they are going through the same thing & it isn't just my own bad parenting at play here. We;re getting a sitter tomorrow and going out to dinner.
making yogurt
When I tell people I make my own bread & yogurt I get all sorts of responses, mostly involving the time & effort. Honestly, if either took much time or effort, I wouldn't do them. Bread needs 5-10 minutes of actual effort on my part, most of of the time involved in making bread is spent waiting around - for the mixer to knead it, for it rise, and rise again and to bake and to cool. But you can do other things, even leave the house, while most of that is going on.
Yogurt is the same way, but needs even less effort. Get a quart size glass mason jar, wide mouths are best. Fill it most of the way up with milk (not skim), microwave it for 6-7 minutes until it reaches 180-185 degrees. Stick it in the fridge for about a half hour (check at 20 minutes until you know for sure) until it cools to between 110-115 degrees, stirring occasionally. You can also leave it on the counter for 45-60 minutes. Add to it a quarter cup powdered milk, 2 tablespoons of yogurt from your last batch, or that you bought and a good squeeze of honey. Stir it gently together. Wrap the jar in a bunch of kitchen or hand towels and put in a 6 pack sized insulated tote or small cooler. Fill the corners & crevices with towels/washcloths as well. Wait about 8 hours (at least 6 hours for thinner, up to 10 for thicker). Unwrap the jar & put it in the fridge, wait 8 more hours. Open and enjoy your yogurt. Seriously. The biggest problem you will have with this is finding enough small towels.
Thursday, August 09, 2007
Bad, bad baking
I've had a run of bad luck with baking lately. My second to last loaf of sandwich bread did not go over too well with the demons. I have to tread a careful edge on the whole wheat to white flour percentage with them. I thought I had found a good balance but then I tried with this loaf to add some oat bran to it. Apparently it added a barely noticeable density to the bread, which was just too much for them. Their basis for comparison is Wonder bread, which admittedly I love too, so I know I am fighting an uphill battle on the texture front. And I must admit, peanut butter on a slice of dense wheat bread is like eating spackle in my opinion (which i have not voiced to the demons, they arrived a similar conclusion completely on their own). So I decided to make a different loaf of bread, a 'fluffy sandwich loaf' it claimed and it used a similar proportion of wheat to white that had been working ok for me. This loaf had 3 rising periods, which is a pain if you are not around all day to check on it and despite that it turned out like a brick. With DS2 repeatedly begging for 'san-ich, san-ich Mama!' I bought a loaf of Wonder bread.
Then yesterday I decided to make a cake. I had some yogurt that I needed to use in the next day or so and a recipe for yogurt cake I wanted to try out. I baked it the initial 40 minutes but it was underdone so I baked it a bit longer & the toothpick came out clean (I've been having that issue with my oven with everything lately. I need to get a new oven thermometer, the last one got fried when DH ran the the 'cleaning' cycle) It smelled good and looked good. It cooled & I iced it. Dessert time came around & I started to cut it. I have never had to SAW slices off of a cake before but I knew when my steak knife was having issues sliding through it there was a problem. The outer couple inches of the edges of the cake were overbaked & rock hard. The inside was underbaked. I cannot recall the last time I have spit food out, let alone cake, but I couldn't bring myself to finish chewing it. The icing was ok, but it was Duncan Hines.
So I am on a baking hiatus. The cake problem can possibly be blamed on the high humidity - there was too much flour in the mix. Also I am just hopeless baking sweets. I can bake bread and make a delicious cobbler, but that is it as far as baking goes for me. The bread flour is kept in the fridge at a constant humidity, though I suppose possibly the humidity did something during the risings... or there could be a problem with the overm I won't know about that for awhile. It's too damn hot to be using the oven now anyway.
Friday, August 03, 2007
Back to Blogging
It's August, the last VBS is over & school starts in 2 weeks, so it is time to get back to the routine. That means trying to blog regularly again.
It was Lammas wednesday, the festival of the first wheat harvest of the year, the loaf-mass. Given that i am so fond of baking bread, I naturally planned to make a loaf for the occasion & had considered a few of my favorites. By morning I had decided that family dynamics required pizza for dinner so I would make pizza dough. Well, the morning went by. I took DS1 to VBS, did laundry, I did some homework, I read to DS2, & then it was time to pick DS1 up and no dough had been started. I knew I wouldn't get home in time to start some for dinner so I decided to buy some, even if it meant going into the crappy Food Lion (I like most Food Lions, it's just this one that sucks). As usual the Food Lion lived up to my expectations - no frozen dough, no premade crusts, not even Chef Boyardee Pizza in a box. I ended up buying crescent rolls, generic ones because they were out of Pillsbury, and using them. I should have just made a biscuit crust but that didn't occur to me until after dinner. So for Lammas we had 'bread' about as far removed from fresh ground wheat as you can possibly get. My sabbat intentions always fall through. However, last Sunday I prepared a feast for a dozen people that included hot flat bread grilled by me on open fire (ok it was a gas grill, but there was actual fire & I have the scorched arm hair to prove it). everyone said the meal was delicious & satisfying & this sunday I am making cheese bread for our coven's Lammas feast. I think that covers me. I may not have celebrated on the exact day, but I did and will be celebrating anyway.
Sunday, July 08, 2007
Not back yet but close!
I'd promised myself I would go back to regular blogging in July but it's the 8th already and we're headed out on vacation in a few days (my & the boys. DH is staying home) and I'm not sure what my internet connection will be there.
I'm baking lots of bread & enjoying it, except the house gets hot, so as soon as I can find some foil loaf pans I am going to attempt bread in the gas grill, just to see what happens. If I put it on the upper rack & regulate the temp to keep it at 350, it should theoretically work like a gas oven. We'll see.
Tuesday, May 22, 2007
this blog is on hiatus for a month or so
It's summer. The kids are outside in the pool, playing with the hose & running around the yard. I have to be with them & my laptop has a high gloss screen, making it impossible to use outside due to glare. Also, it's thunderstorm season, usually in the early evening, which means no computer use during them. So I will be catching up on my reading during this enforced lack of computer time. I am planning on rereading all 10 SPQR books, all 18 Didius Falco books I own and several dozen library books as well. I'm also experimenting with bread recipes that don't involve a bread machine. Mine broke & I'd rather put the $100 for a new one toward a Kitchen Aid 6 quart Professional stand mixer to replace the 4.5 quart Heavy Duty model we currently own.
And maybe I'll get a bit of scrapping in when I can use the computer. See you in July!
And maybe I'll get a bit of scrapping in when I can use the computer. See you in July!
Friday, May 18, 2007
Love it or Hate it?
Scary Movies - hate them. They don't give me nightmares but they keep me from sleeping.
Amusement Parks - love them. I love riding rides, though most give me motion sickness now. I even love the rides at fairs
Valentines Day - I'm neutral. I love an excuse to eat chocolate but no one needs to get me anything
working out - I've learned to love it. After 2 years of regular workouts I really miss it when I gon't go
tattoos - love most of them. Not to fond of the death & destruction themed ones, but I love the art in general. I have 4 and I am seriously freaked out about needles. The difference about tattoos is, they are not an injection, and you don't have this big syringe coming at you. The needles are encased in a machine, you don't see them. They scratch you, not stick into you like a shot does. It burns more than hurts.
guacamole - love it. Homemade is best, that way I can control the onions (I don't like onions much)
Hillary Clinton - she worries me. I don't love her or hate her. I won't be voting for her but that is nothing to do with her, I just have this thing about voting 3rd party whenever available.
Napolean Dynamite - the movie - hated it
Meat Loaf - love the food and the singer. Paradise by the Dashboard Lights brings back so many fun memories
Forwarded Emails (videos, stories, etc.) - hate them. All of them, even the cute babies dressed up like fruit. Especially the "totally true stories" that a 15 second visit to www.snopes.com would prove false. Please, ask yourself before you hit send "If I had to pay for sending this, would I still send it?"
Amusement Parks - love them. I love riding rides, though most give me motion sickness now. I even love the rides at fairs
Valentines Day - I'm neutral. I love an excuse to eat chocolate but no one needs to get me anything
working out - I've learned to love it. After 2 years of regular workouts I really miss it when I gon't go
tattoos - love most of them. Not to fond of the death & destruction themed ones, but I love the art in general. I have 4 and I am seriously freaked out about needles. The difference about tattoos is, they are not an injection, and you don't have this big syringe coming at you. The needles are encased in a machine, you don't see them. They scratch you, not stick into you like a shot does. It burns more than hurts.
guacamole - love it. Homemade is best, that way I can control the onions (I don't like onions much)
Hillary Clinton - she worries me. I don't love her or hate her. I won't be voting for her but that is nothing to do with her, I just have this thing about voting 3rd party whenever available.
Napolean Dynamite - the movie - hated it
Meat Loaf - love the food and the singer. Paradise by the Dashboard Lights brings back so many fun memories
Forwarded Emails (videos, stories, etc.) - hate them. All of them, even the cute babies dressed up like fruit. Especially the "totally true stories" that a 15 second visit to www.snopes.com would prove false. Please, ask yourself before you hit send "If I had to pay for sending this, would I still send it?"
Friday, May 11, 2007
update
There is a new coffee shop in town! Called Raven something or other on Davis. Odd. For a long time there was no place to get coffee. I've lived here 12 years and for about 7 of them there were no coffee places. Then there was a short lived one. Then there was the drive up Gusta Vita & the Cameron Street one for awhile. Then Cameron closed. Then, not 1 but 2! Starbucks opened. One in Target and one across the street from it, with a drive thru. And there is one opening in the little plaza at the 3 & 15 intersection and I believe there is one somewhere on Main as well. And now this one Davis. Plus a tea shoppe. Proof positive of the spectacular growth of this county, assuming the vast new housing tracts were not enough to convince anyone.
I'm almost afraid to write about this because I always jinx it, but .... today and yesterday Mayhem not only pooped in the potty, he told me himself that he needed to go and did not ask for a diaper but just that I come sit with him in the bathroom. We'll see what happens next.
Havoc is #6 on the wait list for pre-K at public school. 6 is not too bad. Odds are good of 6 people dropping out by September, especially given there are morning & afternoon session. I can see people dropping out because they didn't get their preferred session. I don't care which session he is in, I suspect it will end up being the afternoon one, given nearly everyones preference for morning sessions. Morning would be more fitting with our current routine but afternoon has it's points too.
Signs that it is summer.... the kiddie pool is up, naked little boys are running around the yard in the sun and tonight is the first 'yard camp' of the season. We got the boys a little junior tent on Wednesday, mostly as a playhouse & set it up, but it is an actual tent and Havoc has been asking to sleep in it. Brad set up his one man tent next to it (it's only 65" long, I can't really lay straight in it) and they are all sleeping outside tonight. So far. We'll see how it goes. They did this last summer a few times but with everyone sleeping together in our big tent. I'm no sure one or both of them won't wake up in the middle of the night and be really scared if Daddy isn't in sight.
I'm almost afraid to write about this because I always jinx it, but .... today and yesterday Mayhem not only pooped in the potty, he told me himself that he needed to go and did not ask for a diaper but just that I come sit with him in the bathroom. We'll see what happens next.
Havoc is #6 on the wait list for pre-K at public school. 6 is not too bad. Odds are good of 6 people dropping out by September, especially given there are morning & afternoon session. I can see people dropping out because they didn't get their preferred session. I don't care which session he is in, I suspect it will end up being the afternoon one, given nearly everyones preference for morning sessions. Morning would be more fitting with our current routine but afternoon has it's points too.
Signs that it is summer.... the kiddie pool is up, naked little boys are running around the yard in the sun and tonight is the first 'yard camp' of the season. We got the boys a little junior tent on Wednesday, mostly as a playhouse & set it up, but it is an actual tent and Havoc has been asking to sleep in it. Brad set up his one man tent next to it (it's only 65" long, I can't really lay straight in it) and they are all sleeping outside tonight. So far. We'll see how it goes. They did this last summer a few times but with everyone sleeping together in our big tent. I'm no sure one or both of them won't wake up in the middle of the night and be really scared if Daddy isn't in sight.
Saturday, May 05, 2007
Sweet Shoppe survey
Q1: If you could vacation anywhere in the world where would you go and why?
I'd go back to England. There were so many things we wanted to do & see while we were there on our honeymoon and we lacked the time & money to do them all.
Q2: What cartoons do you absolutely detest & refuse to allow anyone to watch {be it child, spouse- haha, nieces/nephews.. etc just plain don’t want it viewed on your television)?
Sponge Bob. i think he is obnoxious & the boys don't need his example
Q3: You just woke up, you’re a mess, haven’t showered, there are dishes in the sink.. There’s a knock at the door, what do you do?
Depends on what room I am in & where the boy are. we have French doors. Anyone outside can see in them to the kitchen. If I am alone & in the living room or bedroom I'll just peek out the curtains & see who it is, answering or not depending on that. If the boys are home or I am in the kitchen, then the person is basically looking right at me. Depending on who they are I'll open the door or speak with them with the door closed.
Q4:When you looked at yourself in the mirror today, what was the first thought that ran through your mind?
Goodness those 'fine lines' are getting deeper
Q5. Tell me a story about your Dad..
My dad is good person, very giving. He does a lot of work with teen boys through baseball. There was a boy who was a very very good player and Dad thought he had an excellent chance of getting a scholarship to college & maybe even make the majors. If his grades improved. The kid was from the projects, his dad was absent, his mom was busy providing for her kids & didn't have the time to take an interest in this. My brother & I were out of the house by this time & my parents took this boy into their home, helped him through 2 years of HS and into college. Dad has helped a number of low income teens, boys & girls track themselves into college with grades & athletic scholarships.
Q6: You open your drawer, find 1 pink polka dotted sock and 1 black sock with reindeer on it.. Do you wear them together and hope no one sees them or go without socks today & hope your feet don’t get sweaty?
go without socks
Q7: Are there any strange stains on your carpet, floor, walls, ceiling or couch? Do you know how they got there?
Our old carpet was full of them, most of them from juice spills or coffee spills. The new floor is still to new.
Q8: Are you neighbors annoying???
My nearest neighbor is a quarter mile away. he'd have to be trying very very hard to be able to annoy me. Somebody within a mile or so lets their dogs run wild and a black one keeps getting into our trash.
Q9: Are you a phone person.. if I called you right now would you chat with me? lol
I like to chat on the phone so yeah, I'd talk to you. :)
Q10: What colour popsicle would you like.. Orange, Purple, Red, Yellow, Green, Pink or Blue?
Purple
I'd go back to England. There were so many things we wanted to do & see while we were there on our honeymoon and we lacked the time & money to do them all.
Q2: What cartoons do you absolutely detest & refuse to allow anyone to watch {be it child, spouse- haha, nieces/nephews.. etc just plain don’t want it viewed on your television)?
Sponge Bob. i think he is obnoxious & the boys don't need his example
Q3: You just woke up, you’re a mess, haven’t showered, there are dishes in the sink.. There’s a knock at the door, what do you do?
Depends on what room I am in & where the boy are. we have French doors. Anyone outside can see in them to the kitchen. If I am alone & in the living room or bedroom I'll just peek out the curtains & see who it is, answering or not depending on that. If the boys are home or I am in the kitchen, then the person is basically looking right at me. Depending on who they are I'll open the door or speak with them with the door closed.
Q4:When you looked at yourself in the mirror today, what was the first thought that ran through your mind?
Goodness those 'fine lines' are getting deeper
Q5. Tell me a story about your Dad..
My dad is good person, very giving. He does a lot of work with teen boys through baseball. There was a boy who was a very very good player and Dad thought he had an excellent chance of getting a scholarship to college & maybe even make the majors. If his grades improved. The kid was from the projects, his dad was absent, his mom was busy providing for her kids & didn't have the time to take an interest in this. My brother & I were out of the house by this time & my parents took this boy into their home, helped him through 2 years of HS and into college. Dad has helped a number of low income teens, boys & girls track themselves into college with grades & athletic scholarships.
Q6: You open your drawer, find 1 pink polka dotted sock and 1 black sock with reindeer on it.. Do you wear them together and hope no one sees them or go without socks today & hope your feet don’t get sweaty?
go without socks
Q7: Are there any strange stains on your carpet, floor, walls, ceiling or couch? Do you know how they got there?
Our old carpet was full of them, most of them from juice spills or coffee spills. The new floor is still to new.
Q8: Are you neighbors annoying???
My nearest neighbor is a quarter mile away. he'd have to be trying very very hard to be able to annoy me. Somebody within a mile or so lets their dogs run wild and a black one keeps getting into our trash.
Q9: Are you a phone person.. if I called you right now would you chat with me? lol
I like to chat on the phone so yeah, I'd talk to you. :)
Q10: What colour popsicle would you like.. Orange, Purple, Red, Yellow, Green, Pink or Blue?
Purple
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