So there is a bakery across the street from me that has a warm cookie radar. As in they tell you when they have just pulled a sheet of cookies from the oven. I just had a warm snikerdoodle and I think I was able to attain nirvana for a few moments.
The problem is the huge yummy cookies cost way too much, so they are a treat to be had only once is a great while.
Oh well... at least for now I am on cloud nine.
Wednesday, June 30, 2010
Monday, June 28, 2010
oh wow
This summer is just steam rolling ahead. I can't believe we have already hit the end of June.
Bill and I have been super busy.... this weekend alone: bowling, Lady A& Tim McGraw concert, agility class, market, rinse and repeat.
The garden is growing nicely, though I had to toss my fist pepper as it had holes in it (maybe because it was laying on the ground. The broccoli has been eaten up pretty bad. not sure exactly what it was, because the last year we didn't have this problem at all. I have a few green tomatoes and my green beans should be coming in soon.
Winnie has had 4 weeks of agility now (half way through) and she will have the next two weeks off, and then we will pick up again after the 4th and an agility trial on the 12-13.
Not much else shaken around here. I am slowly making my way through a back log of books that my dear friend lent to me (along with some from coworkers). I am averaging a book every 2 days with is pretty good. I always feel so parched for new fiction after I finish my CFA exam. Anyway... If any of you have a good book that you would like to recommend I will be done with this collection in the next two weeks I think.
Hope you are all enjoying the summer.
Bill and I have been super busy.... this weekend alone: bowling, Lady A& Tim McGraw concert, agility class, market, rinse and repeat.
The garden is growing nicely, though I had to toss my fist pepper as it had holes in it (maybe because it was laying on the ground. The broccoli has been eaten up pretty bad. not sure exactly what it was, because the last year we didn't have this problem at all. I have a few green tomatoes and my green beans should be coming in soon.
Winnie has had 4 weeks of agility now (half way through) and she will have the next two weeks off, and then we will pick up again after the 4th and an agility trial on the 12-13.
Not much else shaken around here. I am slowly making my way through a back log of books that my dear friend lent to me (along with some from coworkers). I am averaging a book every 2 days with is pretty good. I always feel so parched for new fiction after I finish my CFA exam. Anyway... If any of you have a good book that you would like to recommend I will be done with this collection in the next two weeks I think.
Hope you are all enjoying the summer.
Wednesday, June 23, 2010
big scardy cat
I do not like storms like this one. the lights keep flickering i have lost tv and am camping out in the basement.
sigh
____
Update:
storm has passed for the most part still no tv but only lost power for a min. time to go reset all the clocks in the house.
sigh
____
Update:
storm has passed for the most part still no tv but only lost power for a min. time to go reset all the clocks in the house.
goooooal!
Ok yesterday I started a boring post about my weekend (which was like half a week ago. So I gave up. We had a nice weekend. it was busy and fun. saw family and friends. the end.
Let's talk World Cup soccer. Let's talk about how frustrated I was getting this morning. Let's talk about how awesome our goal was. Ok enough talking now onto the final 16. I don't know if we can win the next game, but every advancement is great for the sport in the US.
And now the Puma add I pass as I walk to and from the train station....
Let's talk World Cup soccer. Let's talk about how frustrated I was getting this morning. Let's talk about how awesome our goal was. Ok enough talking now onto the final 16. I don't know if we can win the next game, but every advancement is great for the sport in the US.
And now the Puma add I pass as I walk to and from the train station....
Sunday, June 20, 2010
how to make freezer jam
1. Talk about how this year you are going to stop being chicken and make regular cooked jam
2. To back up this claim buy a canning rack thingie and a book on canning
3. Buy quarts of strawberries at the market
4. Realize you haven't even finished last year's double batch because your husband doesn't like jam all that much
5. Realize the berries have been in the fridge for over a week and decide you must make them at 9 pm on Sunday
6. Find out you only have one thing not two of surejel and also realize that some people haven't returned your jars (combined with the jars still in the freezer makes you short)
7. Decide to make one batch using one quart and promise that you will eat the rest of the quarts of berries for lunch
8. Clean the berries and de-stem them
9. Mash strawberries with potato masher. take well needed break from standing and do this task seated
10. Measure out the insane amount of sugar (4 c!!)
11. Combine the berry mush and the sugar
12. Heat the pectin in 3/4c water stirring constantly. Bring to boil and boil for one minute
13. Pour pectin syrup into bowl with sugar berries. Stir until sugar isn't grainy (about 3 min)
14. Put into clean, pretty (not pretty clean) glass jars.
15. Wipe off the dribbles and close all jars. Let sit over night.
16. After 24 hours, put into fridge (3 weeks) or freezer (1 year) move old jam upstairs and eat right now.
2. To back up this claim buy a canning rack thingie and a book on canning
3. Buy quarts of strawberries at the market
4. Realize you haven't even finished last year's double batch because your husband doesn't like jam all that much
5. Realize the berries have been in the fridge for over a week and decide you must make them at 9 pm on Sunday
6. Find out you only have one thing not two of surejel and also realize that some people haven't returned your jars (combined with the jars still in the freezer makes you short)
7. Decide to make one batch using one quart and promise that you will eat the rest of the quarts of berries for lunch
8. Clean the berries and de-stem them
 |
| From I'm not creative ... |
9. Mash strawberries with potato masher. take well needed break from standing and do this task seated
10. Measure out the insane amount of sugar (4 c!!)
 |
| From I'm not creative ... |
11. Combine the berry mush and the sugar
12. Heat the pectin in 3/4c water stirring constantly. Bring to boil and boil for one minute
13. Pour pectin syrup into bowl with sugar berries. Stir until sugar isn't grainy (about 3 min)
14. Put into clean, pretty (not pretty clean) glass jars.
 |
| From I'm not creative ... |
15. Wipe off the dribbles and close all jars. Let sit over night.
16. After 24 hours, put into fridge (3 weeks) or freezer (1 year) move old jam upstairs and eat right now.
Tuesday, June 15, 2010
ode to a beet
sweet juicy root
so misunderstood and unloved
your greens are so tender
the stems dye my rice bright pink
your root, boiled to perfection
not earthy and muddy as some claim
more like a burst of sugar
you dye my hands as as I clean you
your skin slips off like a sleeve when cooked
the pink red stains everything it touches
thank you for your intricate flavor
and being so complete
I enjoy your entire plant
from the tips of your leaves
to the base of your root
yum.
by the way... there is a reason I stopped writing poetry.
so misunderstood and unloved
your greens are so tender
the stems dye my rice bright pink
your root, boiled to perfection
not earthy and muddy as some claim
more like a burst of sugar
you dye my hands as as I clean you
your skin slips off like a sleeve when cooked
the pink red stains everything it touches
thank you for your intricate flavor
and being so complete
I enjoy your entire plant
from the tips of your leaves
to the base of your root
yum.
by the way... there is a reason I stopped writing poetry.
Sunday, June 13, 2010
Quiet
I know this might sound weird, but I enjoy getting up early when it is nice and quiet in the house (if I have had enough sleep.) It isn't like we have a bunch of kids running around, but there is something peaceful about being up and just being quiet.
It has been raining here a lot, which is good for plants but bad for the humans taking care of plants. Our grass needs mowing, our hedges need trimming, and I have weeds taller than my pepper plants (and they seem to have stunted growth)
Our TV went out on Friday. Not a big deal since it is the summer, but this is the 4th time we have had basically the same problem. It is annoying because we will lose all of our shows that we have recorded (like I never finished watching the last episode of the pacific). We will also lose our schedule, so I will have to re program the dang thing. I know I am lucky to have tvs and be able to afford cable, but it drives me nuts to pay for a service that I don't always get.
Ok time to get ready for the day. Maybe I'll have pictures from Winnie's class tomorrow.
It has been raining here a lot, which is good for plants but bad for the humans taking care of plants. Our grass needs mowing, our hedges need trimming, and I have weeds taller than my pepper plants (and they seem to have stunted growth)
Our TV went out on Friday. Not a big deal since it is the summer, but this is the 4th time we have had basically the same problem. It is annoying because we will lose all of our shows that we have recorded (like I never finished watching the last episode of the pacific). We will also lose our schedule, so I will have to re program the dang thing. I know I am lucky to have tvs and be able to afford cable, but it drives me nuts to pay for a service that I don't always get.
Ok time to get ready for the day. Maybe I'll have pictures from Winnie's class tomorrow.
Thursday, June 10, 2010
Yay Hawks!
So for the second time since I moved to Chicago in 99 I will get to watch a ticker tape parade from my office window. I am so happy and excited for our team and all the fans. It was an exciting game and I hope everyone that went out partying last night got home safe and sound. (though I don't think any of my readers are blackhawk fans)
In case you didn't see Bill's reply to my post, the bat came back negative for rabies. we still are super leery of noises at night and opening closet doors etc. Bill has taped our folding fireplace gate against the actual opening and pushed stuff in front of it. We will have to have a company come out and deal with the cap and maybe installing glass doors .
This week has gone by quickly and Bill will start orientation for school tomorrow. We have another busy weekend and our summer is shaping up to be very active.
In case you didn't see Bill's reply to my post, the bat came back negative for rabies. we still are super leery of noises at night and opening closet doors etc. Bill has taped our folding fireplace gate against the actual opening and pushed stuff in front of it. We will have to have a company come out and deal with the cap and maybe installing glass doors .
This week has gone by quickly and Bill will start orientation for school tomorrow. We have another busy weekend and our summer is shaping up to be very active.
Sunday, June 06, 2010
we don't have a belfry.
so why did we have a bat in our bedroom at 3 am the day of my test?
For those counting that is two aviary creatures found flying around my upstairs in two months.
Ok so I was feeling pretty good about my exam Friday. We had an early dinner and I relaxed in the evening. I got to bed around 10:30, making sure I turned off the fan so it wouldn't wake me up. Bill came up late and it woke me a little, and then i went back to sleep. i then felt a breeze on my face woke up ready to complain to Bill for turning on the fan. I noticed the fan wasn't on and the was something over near the window. Assuming a big moth had flown in i work bill up saying something was flying around.
Bill turns on the light telling me to cover my eyes. unfortunately, I was then instructed not to come out of the bed. after a few swings and misses bill caught the bat in a laundry basket. unfortunately, it seemed dead and pinned so bill moved the basket off of the bat so that it wasn't pinned. what we didn't realize was the bat had more fight it him, and he got back up and flew erratically around the room. bill couldn't find him. so around 340 i said good night and wished him good luck.
Around 5 i gave up trying to sleep and got up to find most of my bedroom in the office and bathroom. Bill still hadn't found the bat and he was systematically taking any movable object out of the room shaking it out and putting it aside. We finally found the dang thing around 530. I had to be up at 6 so i just started making my breakfast and bill started calling around to find out about testing the bat
Oh yeah, bats cause something like 95% of rabies cases in humans (though only about 5% of bats have rabies). So I get ready to go downtown and Bill has called animal control (closed) the police (no help) an animal hospital (answering service.) Bill drops me off downtown an goes back home and spent the majority of the morning finding someone to take the bat until the health department could test it on Monday. The test is quick but if it had rabies Bill and I will have to get the series of rabies shots.
So last night after finishing my test we cleaned up the room and tried to find where it would have come in from. We really can't find any obvious cracks, but we will probably have to have someone come out.
so that was my Saturday.
Today was less eventful more fun and over all a nice day. Winnie started agility classes this morning. Bill went to a "boy party" this afternoon (for our neighbor's young son), and we plan on hanging out tonight.
oh and Alana --- i got to use my bird tag again. HA!
For those counting that is two aviary creatures found flying around my upstairs in two months.
Ok so I was feeling pretty good about my exam Friday. We had an early dinner and I relaxed in the evening. I got to bed around 10:30, making sure I turned off the fan so it wouldn't wake me up. Bill came up late and it woke me a little, and then i went back to sleep. i then felt a breeze on my face woke up ready to complain to Bill for turning on the fan. I noticed the fan wasn't on and the was something over near the window. Assuming a big moth had flown in i work bill up saying something was flying around.
Bill turns on the light telling me to cover my eyes. unfortunately, I was then instructed not to come out of the bed. after a few swings and misses bill caught the bat in a laundry basket. unfortunately, it seemed dead and pinned so bill moved the basket off of the bat so that it wasn't pinned. what we didn't realize was the bat had more fight it him, and he got back up and flew erratically around the room. bill couldn't find him. so around 340 i said good night and wished him good luck.
Around 5 i gave up trying to sleep and got up to find most of my bedroom in the office and bathroom. Bill still hadn't found the bat and he was systematically taking any movable object out of the room shaking it out and putting it aside. We finally found the dang thing around 530. I had to be up at 6 so i just started making my breakfast and bill started calling around to find out about testing the bat
Oh yeah, bats cause something like 95% of rabies cases in humans (though only about 5% of bats have rabies). So I get ready to go downtown and Bill has called animal control (closed) the police (no help) an animal hospital (answering service.) Bill drops me off downtown an goes back home and spent the majority of the morning finding someone to take the bat until the health department could test it on Monday. The test is quick but if it had rabies Bill and I will have to get the series of rabies shots.
So last night after finishing my test we cleaned up the room and tried to find where it would have come in from. We really can't find any obvious cracks, but we will probably have to have someone come out.
so that was my Saturday.
Today was less eventful more fun and over all a nice day. Winnie started agility classes this morning. Bill went to a "boy party" this afternoon (for our neighbor's young son), and we plan on hanging out tonight.
oh and Alana --- i got to use my bird tag again. HA!
Friday, June 04, 2010
my test is tomorrow
Hi all 7 people who read my blog. I bet your life has been super boring without me.
My test is tomorrow and I am starting to feel ok about it.
In the last week and a half so much of my life has be turned upside down I don't know where to begin. Obviously most of that is because I was accepted into the MBA program at UChicago.
So lets see a week and a half ago Bill was in Miami for a bachelor party. I was feeling mopey about my test and being waitlisted so I decided the most prudent thing to do was enroll my dog Winnie in agility classes. It would be something that started right after my test and something to do this summer to keep my mind off things. I also watched the Lost finale which I liked and the more I think about it the more I like it.
So Bill gets back, Winnie is enrolled in school and I start heading into the home stretch. I knew I would be taking study days off so my last day of work for a while would be Thursday. My little cousin was in town and I would have to get him from his class trip on Thursday to the airport for his cousin's wedding in Colorado Friday morning. And then Wednesday midday I got a call from UChicago.
It never ceases to amaze me that just when you are ready to move on and have come to terms with things that is when your world gets turned upside down (in a good way). I know it is cliche, but it has happened to me more than once in different aspects of my life. It's God's way of stirring the pot.
So since then I haven't really celebrated, in fact I don't know if the ramifications have fully hit me. Bill and I are going from being DINKs to TSOINKs (two students one income no kids). I won't be working starting September. Even in collage, I worked 20 hours a week plus my classes (and 40+ in the summer).
I know things will have to change for both of us, but I also know I am super excited. And as tomorrow is edging its way closer, I think I am letting myself feel more happy and excited about what is to come. This test still means a lot, and I will continue to pursue my charter if I pass level two. (I think it would be crazy to have sunk 18+months into getting this only to stop one level short). If I don't pass I don't know what I will do, but I am going into tomorrow with my fighting face. I have done all the readings, all the classes, all 2,100+ practice questions and I really do know this body of knowledge.
See you guys tomorrow!
ps I won't find out my score until mid to late August
My test is tomorrow and I am starting to feel ok about it.
In the last week and a half so much of my life has be turned upside down I don't know where to begin. Obviously most of that is because I was accepted into the MBA program at UChicago.
So lets see a week and a half ago Bill was in Miami for a bachelor party. I was feeling mopey about my test and being waitlisted so I decided the most prudent thing to do was enroll my dog Winnie in agility classes. It would be something that started right after my test and something to do this summer to keep my mind off things. I also watched the Lost finale which I liked and the more I think about it the more I like it.
So Bill gets back, Winnie is enrolled in school and I start heading into the home stretch. I knew I would be taking study days off so my last day of work for a while would be Thursday. My little cousin was in town and I would have to get him from his class trip on Thursday to the airport for his cousin's wedding in Colorado Friday morning. And then Wednesday midday I got a call from UChicago.
It never ceases to amaze me that just when you are ready to move on and have come to terms with things that is when your world gets turned upside down (in a good way). I know it is cliche, but it has happened to me more than once in different aspects of my life. It's God's way of stirring the pot.
So since then I haven't really celebrated, in fact I don't know if the ramifications have fully hit me. Bill and I are going from being DINKs to TSOINKs (two students one income no kids). I won't be working starting September. Even in collage, I worked 20 hours a week plus my classes (and 40+ in the summer).
I know things will have to change for both of us, but I also know I am super excited. And as tomorrow is edging its way closer, I think I am letting myself feel more happy and excited about what is to come. This test still means a lot, and I will continue to pursue my charter if I pass level two. (I think it would be crazy to have sunk 18+months into getting this only to stop one level short). If I don't pass I don't know what I will do, but I am going into tomorrow with my fighting face. I have done all the readings, all the classes, all 2,100+ practice questions and I really do know this body of knowledge.
See you guys tomorrow!
ps I won't find out my score until mid to late August
Tuesday, June 01, 2010
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