Monthly Archives: December 2008

U Can Go 2 America

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I imagine in roughly 3 hours or so, someone will be heading towards the airport, en route to America.   I can’t wait.

I remember this feeling of, “Ok, my brain has shut off or all the blood is rushing to my head.. one of those… because I can’t think”.   Short-term memory does not exist for me right now.    I can troubleshoot at work, but that’s about it. 

I did manage to get most of the errands done I needed to, though.    I even found something very cool at the grocery entirely by accident.   YAY!  (I’ll tell you later)

At least I’ve printed the map to the airport.  And I know where the map is.

Tomorrow, I am going to work.   Don’t ask me to do any Linux stuff with Drupal, though (not that you would).   My brain will simply explode.

Happy, Happy

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It’s two full days and some change until Ian arrives.   The fridge is flaunting a few extra cheeses it’s never seen before, a bag of beef sticks and a bottle of the ever-so-mysterious “White Merlot”.    The plans are forming.   I can’t wait.

Note to self:  Print map to airport.  :D

The Nail Varnish Fairy

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When she was little, one night after she’d fallen asleep, I sneaked into her room and painted her nails with sparkly pink nail varnish.

She woke up the next morning and noticed it right off, in utter surpise and excitement that only occurs when you believe “the nail varnish fairy must have visited last night.”

“What does she look like…..?” she asked, with wide-open eyes. :)

Making Cake

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I made this fruit cake last night.   My mom sent it and I was instructed to “go out immediately and get the ingredients so it’s ready when Ian comes.”   :)       I had enough batter for 2 medium loaf pans and 3 cupcakes.  

What I appreciate about this recipe, by Alleene Bary-Cooper, is that it doesn’t involve citron, which I don’t really care for.

 CHUNKY DRIED FRUIT CAKE

  • 1/2  cup butter, softened
  • 1/3  cup butter-flavored shortening
  • 1  cup sugar
  • 3/4  tsp. baking powder
  • 4  eggs
  • 1-1/2  tsp. almond extract
  • 1-1/2  cups all-purpose flour
  • 1/3  cup orange juice
  • 1-1/4  cups Brazil nuts, coarsely chopped
  • 3/4  cup blanched whole almonds
  • 1  cup pecan halves
  • 1  cup dried apricots, halved (7 oz.)
  • 1  cup dried cherries (6 oz.)
  • 3/4  cup dried blueberries
  • 3/4  cup dried cranberries
  • 3/4  cup pitted whole dates, halved (4 oz.)
  •   Brandy or orange juice

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Grease and flour a 10-inch tube pan; set aside. In extra-large bowl beat butter and shortening with electric mixer on medium speed for 30 seconds. Add sugar, baking powder, and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Beat until combined, scraping sides of bowl as needed. Beat in eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in almond extract. Alternately beat in flour and orange juice, beating on low speed after each addition until just combined. Stir in nuts and fruits until combined. Spoon batter into prepared pan, spreading evenly.

2. Bake for 1-1/4 hours, or until a wooden skewer inserted in cake comes out clean. To prevent over-browning, cover cake with foil during last 1 5o 20 minutes of baking. Cool in pan on wire rack 15 minutes. Remove from pan; cool completely on rack.

3. Wrap cake in cheesecloth soaked in brandy or orange juice. Wrap cloth-wrapped cake in foil; refrigerate overnight. Store in refrigerator up to month, moistening cheesecloth with additional brandy or juice once a week. Makes 20 servings.

YUM!

You Know It’s Cold When The Dogs Pee Icicles

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-7F, is what it was outside this morning. The windchill was in the negative 20′s. This is weather that we normally reserve for January and February. If it’s THIS cold in December, let’s hope it’s some sort of fluke, instead of a possible trend, plunging toward more freezing temperatures.

More freezing than this.

I’m sorry I saw that movie… the one where everything froze… even the air.. even the flag blowing in the breeze. “The Day After Tomorrow“, it was called. It gave me something to imagine what’s going to happen if it gets too much colder!

These are days when you don’t mind starting your car 10 minutes in advance before you get in it, and you stay up late into the night adding flannel sheets to your next online Christmas order.