Mld-Week Catch-up

I hope I have better luck with the page today than I did Monday.  I've decided not to cut and paste anything any more, ever, just stick with my limited knowledge. 

Yesterday was just solid rain most of the day, really all week.  I wish someone would take me to the Falls to see how big it is.  I don't want to go by myself.  I've seen pictures taken yesterday and today, and it's even more impressive than usual.  Thank goodness we've not had any of the flooding I've been hearing about. 



When I walked to school to pick up Graysen Monday, it was raining pretty hard, but I decided to go ahead and walk since I'd rather be walking than standing in a puddle waiting for a slow child to get into her car seat and then waiting for that same child to get out again.  It was really pretty pleasant.  I could tell when she came out the door that she had lost her second tooth.  She was grinning and waving the little plastic tooth-shaped necklace that they get.  SO excited.  Her first permanent one is almost in.  I should have taken some pictures. 

Yesterday I spent trying to embroider Katherine's Halloween shirt and making a huge mess of it.  I've been out of the loop for much too long.  She's into bigger designs now, so I had to hoop the shirt sideways to fit.  I know I've done the BOO! design before, but you'd think I'd never seen it.  It went okay once I got started until I got to the spider on top.  The shirt is black, and so is the spider, so I consulted with Elise, and we decided a dark blue or green would work.  I picked the blue and started the machine, and the first leg just got completely eaten up by the machine to the point where I had to cut it away from the needle.  And, of course, cut the shirt.  That took a lot of taking out and muttering and then ironing on a patch and starting over.  It worked but looks pretty rough.  I'm not sure why the white bobbin thread was showing, but I'm pretending that's the spider's hairy legs. 

She was watching me finish it and said, "Is the spider going to get sucked into the machine again?"  I think she was hoping she'd get to see it.

I had to order a black shirt to fit Graysen, and she wanted a different pattern, so I tackled that today.  I'm not sure where the design came from.  It may have been a freebie, but the digitizing left a little to be desired.  The satin stitch was not consistent and wandered off on its own a couple of time.  It was much easier to do - no spider - and since Graysen picked out her fabrics, I hope she will like it.   I'm not sure I like this was as much as the original one, but it will do for one week.

After that, I did a massive cleanup of the sewing room so I can start fresh without scraps and thread and pins all over the place. 

I had brought in the Christmas Holiday cactus from the balcony and almost forgot about it until I started to water it yesterday.  I guess the combination of dark and light was just right for it to bloom for Halloween.  It pretty much gets ignored all year, but it always comes through with blooms for some holiday.  Never Christmas. 

The girls were upset at having to leave their scene they had set up in my room when Emily picked them up yesterday, so I promised I would leave it just as they had it.  I did have to move some things for a path in and out and to the bathroom because that would not have been fun to step on one of those pointy little Polly Pocket ladies in the middle of the night. 

It looks like there was a pretty bad accident and some casualties, but no one mentioned it, and there was a dessert cart set up nearby, so I left things pretty much alone.  I believe they must have been delivering the cherry pie.

I finished one book this weekend - Night Road by Kristen Hannah - and enjoyed it very well once I got into it.  I started another one I didn't think I would like, but it is growing on me.  Whisper Network by Chandler Baker, all about the dynamics of males versus females in the work place.  The three main characters are women who are attorneys in the same firm as well as friends, and the book promises lies, secrets, and WHISPERS!  Hmmm.  I have a perfect person to discuss this with tomorrow.  Katherine and her very best friend Makena have a playdate at Kidz Bounce, and Makena's mom just happens to be an attorney juggling 3 kids and a job and might be able to add some insight as we watch the bouncers together. 

The last book I brought home is Atomic Habits.  I think there's a pretty good chance I won't enjoy that, or even open it, but I've heard it's supposed to teach you how to break bad habits and built good ones.  It may be too late for me.  

For my last thought tonight, am I eating baby food?  It sure looks like this is geared for children, but I can't imagine too many liking garlic herb cauliflower.  I do, though.  It's really, really good.

I'm supposed to eat 20 ounces of vegetables a day and don't like salad - or don't like making one myself - so this is a perfect dinner option.  I had the whole box tonight with some cheddar cheese melted on top and 4 ounces of shrimp, and it was the best!  For cauliflower, that is.

Writer's Block

I'm not sure what's going to make me keep up with posting.  I think about pictures and things I want to remember, and if I don't write it down immediately, it will become overwhelming, and I'll just skip it another day.

[Looks like I should have skipped today.  In trying to post a recipe below, I messed up the background and the font and who knows what else.  I've edited and changed, and I think it keeps getting worse, so I think I will never deviate from just straight typing.  I even went into HTML and looked around to see if I could see what the problem was, but nothing jumped out and said, "Here's how you fix it."]

So, deep breath.  Maybe I can write just what I've done today and get started.

We're still in the nicest rainy spell.  I've enjoyed it a lot because I haven't had to go out, and it really storms in the early evening and night when I'm ready to sleep.  Nothing better than being ready for bed with a good book and rain coming down like crazy.   A  little wind would be nice to go with it.

So, today.  Monday is usually my day with no kids to do with exactly as I choose.  And I chose laundry - washing sheets - and making a couple of phone calls I've been putting off.

I call every couple of months to see why the funeral home has not put the date on Mama's headstone.  It's been nearly a year now, 10 months, and the girl I talk to is always so apologetic and says she will be sure someone gets on it right away.  It's too cold.  It's too hot.  It's been raining a lot.  People have been out.   I'm sure she can't do anything herself, but today I talked to someone else, the owner maybe, and told him my story, but he only said he would have Nicki call me back when she got in.   I told him I had had great patience but that if Mama had known this was not done,  she would NOT be happy.  He understands, blah, blah.  I'm not sure what I can do since they don't allow anyone else to work in that cemetery.  I can't exactly take my business elsewhere.  As it is, I'm going to ask for a discount on the price (which is not a whole lot).  That would have pleased Mama, to get it on sale.

Then I walked up to the apartment office with two loaves of pumpkin bread for Carly and Tom.  Tom had gone above and beyond with some maintenance issues last month, and I wanted to thank him some way.  He said, "Make me some of that pumpkin bread."  I've never made any before, but I found a good-sounding recipe and just did it.

Since I don't usually eat sugar and flour, I make a mini cupcake to taste before I gave it to him.  I saw him last week, and he was raving about it and said he was sharing it with everyone.  I hope that means it was good!  I told him I would make some more, so I made Carly one too.  She keeps the place running since we still don't have a manager, and I couldn't ask for better maintenance help.  Just ask, and it's done.

Here's the recipe.  From Once Upon a Chef.    I love the pictures.  I did add a handful of walnuts, because nuts make everything better.

So that's 4 pumpkin loaves baked this fall.  While looking back for a picture of the pumpkin bread, I found this.

I really do have to be watched, as I'll explain later.  I had seen an easy recipe for some pumpkin spice muffins and bought the ingredients that morning at the the grocery store.  I also bought some sauerkraut, and when I was putting up the groceries, I mistakenly put that can with the other ingredient. 

 Disaster narrowly averted.  This is better.  

I can't remember if the girls liked them or not.  Probably not as much as I thought they would have, but they went home with them anyway.  How could I not make something that just wants you to pour a can of pumpkins into a box of cake mix and call it a recipe?  

The latest disaster wasn't averted, and it just made me so mad.  In my baking mode (I also made some blueberry muffins with vanilla yogurt for the girls, which they DID love), I decided to make banana bread since I had some way overripe bananas.  I didn't have any buttermilk, which my usual recipe calls for, so I looked for a new one.  I think this is it.  It also uses yogurt but plain yogurt. 

 I took my time on it because I knew I didn't have time to do the whole thing then, so I mixed the dry ingredients and took out the butter to soften and the eggs to come to room temperature.  Look at me, being ahead of the game.  

When I finally did get around to making it, I was feeling pretty good about my domestic successes and already planning who was going to receive this.  I got it all mixed together, but it looked a little soupy.  Since it was a new recipe, I didn't worry long about it but popped it into the oven for an hour.  After an hour, it still wasn't done, and even the little taster muffin was looking sad.  I cooked it another 30 minutes and still not done, so I just marked it up tomething different, maybe the yogurt, and tossed it.  

Finally, two days later, I had the sudden feeling that I had not put in the dry ingredients - NONE of them.  Just mashed bananas, eggs, butter, and brown sugar.  I even wasted a cup of nuts on it!  And tried to cook that mess!   I went to the kitchen and looked beside the mixer (which is white), and there sat my white mixing bowl with the flour and baking soda and salt, etc., still there.  

So, I hope I'm over my sudden desire to bake.  It really is deflating to think about how stupid it is to forget the main ingredient in a recipe.  And to not have  clue when I looked at the batter.  Because I remembered that I had measured out all those dry ingredients, so no way I could have left them out.  I then had to wait for four bananas to ripen, but you better believe I jumped right back on that horse and made that banana bread.  I gave it to Emily, and I think she gave it to their new neighbors.  

So, no baking today.  My sheets are nice and fresh and on the bed, and I left the office and walked to the library in the misty rain.  Not cold but just fresh air and beautiful leaves.   These were from Friday but just breathtaking.  I've been trying to get a good picture of this row of trees all week and finally did.  

The office main room is so pretty this morning and so inviting.  I thought about bringing my books back and settling down there to read a little bit.  

This is always a welcoming sight at the library.  All mine!  

Except really only two.  All the others are Halloween books for the girls.  And the top one about me!  Unfortunately, not...

This one is a HUGE thing. 

 If it's any good, I'm going to be reading this for the full three weeks.  

I don't know.  700 pages.  And the reviews sound pretty serious - like wars, and immigrants and history, Oregon and logging.  It must have been on some best-seller list, because it doesn't sound like my usual fun reading.  Maybe I'll learn something.  I'll give it a try anyway when I finish the two I have started.  

I just saw my planner all decorated for Halloween.  Checkin' off that list today!  

I was planning on finishing a doll skirt today, but I'm bringing Graysen home while Emily takes Katherine to ballet.  I bought them a couple of 18" dolls from Target this week for Christmas to see if they keep being interested before I fork out American Girl money.  They're really cute and at Target prices, I was able to get them doll luggage sets, a spa set with a bathtub, two bicycle seats for their dolls and a couple of horses.  I'm not sure girls here are interested in American Girl and whether it will ever matter if it's the "real thing.  

The dolls and other things are packed safely out of sight, but here is the travel set that Graysen admired in the Target flyer. 

 I did this top yesterday and started the skirt front.  Gathering those little pieces and putting in elastic is quite a challenge, but I think I've worked out the kinks and can make another top and pants pretty quickly.  With Velcro closures and even a little gluing in places, it's a little easier than sewing for people.  

The girls also want Halloween shirts with BOO on them for themselves, and my fall sewing should be ending - except for more doll clothes.  I did make Graysen's present doll a Halloween skirt and lost it.  I took it over to their house, and Gray wanted me to add a ribbon, so I brought it home with me.  I went by the grocery store and came home in a storm.  I saw the skirt on the seat and stuck it in my jacket pocket - I thought.  I lugged all the groceries up those stairs, and when everything was unpacked the skirt was nowhere to be seen.  I retraced my steps, but the maintenance guys were blowing leaves, and that skirt probably looked like a big leaf if I dropped it.  I rechecked all the bags and all my pockets and looked in the car twice but no Halloween skirt.  

I'm wondering if I need to be allowed to go places on my own.