Princess Amidala Came to Visit

Things you should know about my youngest daughter:
1.  She is a great house guest
2.  She has a great sense of humor (much like my own...)
3.  Her husband eats my cooking
4.  Our toenails are the same color (Green With Envy)
5.  She gives great hugs
6.  I did not take enough pictures of her while she was here
7.  I miss her like crazy

Thanksgiving Morning

The turkey is in the oven.  Stuffed.    The cranberry jello salad is complete.  The pumpkin sandwich cake is ganached.  Let the festivities begin.

92.  Airplanes that travel across the country in mere hours.
93.  Hearing my baby girl sing praises
94.  Being able to sing next by her
95.  Stuffing and cranberry jello salad like my mom makes
96.  Sweet potato casserole like the STP's mom made
97.  A day to give thanks
98.  That I do not have any need for Black Friday deals
99.  Finishing things on my list
100.  Finishing the list

My Mistake

86.  Zumba (because its good to burn some calories before the day really starts)
87.  Mistakes (like a jar of crunchy peanut butter that the Goob won't eat)
88.  Oatmeal Cranberry Peanut Butter Flourless Cookie Recipes (and all the ingredients on hand to make them--even crunchy peanut butter)
89.  Whistling tea kettles (because warm cookies are even better with a cuppa tea)
90.  Adaptations (like mini-chocolate chip oatmeal peanut butter flourless cookies)
91.  Sharing (flourless cookies with the gluten-free STP and the recipe with you)

peanut butter cookies

1  16oz jar of crunchy peanut butter (Or 2 cups creamy p.b.--if you never make mistakes)
1 cup light brown sugar
1 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt  (I omitted this by mistake.  Oops!)

Add ins:
1 1/2 cups rolled oats
1 cup dried cranberries

Heat oven to 350F.  Line baking sheets with parchment paper.  Mix the first six ingredients until smooth.  Fold in the add ins. 
Shape the dough into balls, place on prepared sheets.  Using the tines of a fork, flatten each ball, creating a crisscross pattern.
Bake, until puffed and golden, 10-12 minutes.  Let cool slightly on the baking sheets, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely enough to not burn your mouth.
Enjoy.

Note:  Optional add ins:
                 1 cup broken salted pretzels
                 1 cup chopped chocolate covered toffee bar
This option sounds absolutely wonderful although not gluten-free.  Still and all, I may have to pick up some Heath Bits at the grocery store by mistake.




 

Little Things, Big Thanks

76.  Discount codes
77.  Freshly fallen snow
78.  Footprints in freshly fallen snow
79.  Anticipation
80.  Early out on Friday afternoon
81.  One day until Thanksgiving vacation
82.  Muppets, especially Statler and Waldorf
83.  Sleeping lap dogs
84.  Kisses and hugs
85.  Chocolate

75%

71.  DVR
72.  succulents
73.  snow
74.  cute flats
75.  stylish sweaters

One Day--Real Simple

I tore the page right out of the November issue.  Real Simple's guide to getting your shopping done in one day. 

And I tried to follow the plan as closely as possible.  Including oatmeal for breakfast.  Because nothing says Christmas like fiber, protein, and healthy fats.  I wore my stylish new sweater and my cute flats.  And I think they did boost my self-confidence.  I had my coupons and my list compiled.  I had no companions.  I arrived at my first store at 10:00 am. 

Buy something inexpensive first.  Check.  Get in, get out.  Toys R Us in under 10 minutes?!?  Check.  Steer Clear of Attractive Sales People. Check.   

Avoid the main entrance by entering a side door.  Check.  (Although I would have benefited by exiting the same door I entered, thus saving the time I spent looking for my car.) Pay for purchases in less crowded areas of the store like men's underwear.  Check.  

Lunch at 1pm.   I opted for the chicken snack wrap at McD's (and the protein rich salad later in the day for supper.)  NO carboydrate-laden picks for me.  At 2pm I was supposed to perk myself up with a manicure or a massage. 

A free chair massage at Bed, Bath, and Beyond.  Check and Recheck.

Add in a stop at the fabric store and a shopping cart full of all the ingredients for a project.  Could this day be any more fun?  They were playing "I'll Be Home For Christmas" in the store, but I had Katy Perry's "Firework" in my head.  124 beats per minute and me moving quickly and efficiently.  (I think I was just doing my zumba moves in my head, but I could have gotten a little carried away.)

I picked up the STP after lunch.  Office Max and two Sporting Good Stores later he had broken the Get in, Get Out rule, and the Don't talk to Attractive Salespeople rule.  (And he had steak and mashed potatoes for supper.)  But meet your spouse for supper was strongly suggested, and I have to admit he is good company.

And we multitasked and ate at a restaurant that offered a $10 bonus with our gift card purchase.

 At the end of the day, after just one additional order online, I was finished with my Christmas shopping.  If I didn't live 2 hours from civilization I could have gotten my wrapping done as well.  As it was I just enjoyed the sleigh ride home.

Let it snow.  Let it snow.  Let it snow.

William Reuben

Bilirubin crystals in an unstained urine.

 I think I missed my calling to laboratory textbook illustrating.

Ein herzliches Dankeschön

Something bizarre is going on in my blog world.  Typically I have about 12 'views' a day.  You know, on a good day. But last week there was a big jump in my views.  And most of them are from my Valentine's day post from 2009.  ( I linked to it just in case you don't remember my tutorial on ice fishing.) 

 Actually I have several posts on ice fishing.  Pre-ice fishing and Post-ice fishing.  Even one or two on fishing the STP out of the ice.  Clearly, I am somewhat of an authority on ice fishing.

The other bizzare turn in Blog world is my audience.  Which is typically 3 of my children, 3 of my siblings, 3 of my friends, and 3 bored people who have arrived by googling things like 'brother-in-law day' and 'birthday cake rabbit'.

Until this week--when the majority of my readers are in Germany.  (My mother's maiden name isn't Weinzierl for nothin'.)
I think its just a matter of time before I go completely viral and have my first book deal--Ms. Brenda's Guide to Life and Fishing 
So I would like to take this opportunity to welcome and thank my German readers and mention to them that I also have a good deal of knowledge on fly fishing, including fly tying. 

In addition to (61.)  Germany, I am thankful for:
62.  My Discover Card
63.  Diet Pepsi
64.  Free shipping
65.  The color turquiose
66.  Bacon
67.  My grandbabies
68.  My parents
69.  My girls
70.  Plans

Tomorrow I plan to put the Real Simple Christmas Shopping Done in a Day plan into effect.   Wish me luck.

A Yesvember Day At Work

51.  Alarm clocks
52.  Deer who stay off the road
53.  Early morning phlebotomists
54.  Quality control that is all within 2 sd
55.  Free hot chocolate
56.  Lunch with the boss
57.  One completed validation plan
58.  Staphylococcus lugdunensis  (Not thankful to have it, just thankful to identify it-- 'cause its fun to say)
59.  A good picture of bilirubin crystals to add to my crystal collection  (You will have to wait until I get home from work to post the pic.)
60.  Overtime pay

Thanks Be

41.  Homemade potato soup
42.  Candlelight
43.  Hot bubble baths
44.  Chocolate milk made with Quik
45.  Kleenex
46.  Spending the evening with my husband
47.  Two couches
48.  The Big Room
49.  The Story
50.  Constructive criticism

When I say "JoePa"

Just wanted to say it is a sad week to be a Penn State alumnus.

Joe Paterno coached Penn State football when my dad (finally) graduated with his engineering degree.  Between the time my oldest brother was born in Happy Valley and when he graduated (despite a stint of disciplinary probation) with his first degree (in what we thought might be his career as a professional student) Joe Paterno had become the iconic head coach.  JoePa coached football at PSU when my baby sister fell in love there on her way to getting her landscape archetechure archetecture architecture degree.  (Despite my own PSU education, a course of study I can't even spell!)  When my other brother's mother sent him off to Penn State, it was not to play football, but to get his degree in something that would make him a productive member of society.  When he graduated, Joe Paterno was still there. 

I remember the last time Joe Paterno missed a PSU football game.  Back (in the dark ages) when I was a student on campus.  His son was injured in a trampoline accident and his choice was family over football.  The football faithful questioned that decision.  I was raised by a dad who would have made the same decision for any one of his kids.  A dad who consistently chose family over career.  I admired Joe Paterno's decision then.

As the mom of a fifteen year old son, I understand the outrage surrounding Penn State this week. 
As an alumnus (even one who still does not know the words to the Alma Mater),  I am just sad.

A Particularly Easy Day To Be Thankful

31.  Sunshine
32.  Snow capped mountains
33.  The color brown (without which most of Wyoming would be invisible)
34.  Roast beef
35.  Company for supper
36.  Leftovers
37.  Hay bales
38.  A job
39.  Mail
40.  Buttons

Random Thankfulness

26.  Seedless grapes
27.  Big brothers
28.  Clean laundry
29.  New sheets
30.  Days off

There Are No Bakeries Here

I once had a list of things I should teach my kids before I launched them.  Things like how to balance a checkbook and how to bait a fish hook.  I finally just bought the two oldest each a book and sent them on their way.  I trusted them to pass the books back and forth and eventually on to their little sister. The books had information on how to poach an egg.  And other invaluable information I didn't have time to pass on.   A mother can only do so much.  But clearly somewhere along the way we missed the info on parchment paper.

 And clearly it is information they needed.  As evidenced by the amazing birthday cake fiasco (Note 9:15pm) of September 2011.
Step #1  Follow the directions:

Step #2  Cut parchment to fit pans.

Step #3  Note that parchment paper lines just the bottom of the pan.  I sprayed the pan with cooking spray before I put the parchment paper in the pan.

Let's review.

Right way:

Wrong way:

TaDa!  The cake comes out of the pan easily, in one piece, and shaped like the pan.

Sorry I did not give you this before you left home.  Maybe you should come back for a little bit.

25%

18.  Monday morning zumba
19.  Morning conversations with the Goob
20.  Walks with the SLD
21.  Real international workers
22.  Mango fruit smoothies in downtown Dodge City
23.  Lunch with the STP
24.  Thankful daughters
25.  Afternoon naps

Alternate Endings

Goob (Upon waking this am):  Don't tell me.  I know how the game ended.  One second left.  Roethlisberger pass complete to the endzone.  Steelers win.
Me:  I thought you saw the end of the game.
Goob:  I did.  I just like that ending better.

Me:  People in Pittsburgh are calling in sick this morning.  And they are being meaner to their kids.
Goob:  And to their moms.

Me:  Aren't you glad we know it is just a game?
Goob:  Yeah.  Of course, if we had won it would be a matter of pride, and dominance, and who is the better man.
Me:  Exactly.

Yesvember-(The Positively Thankful Month)

Is it just me or is Christmas coming earlier every year?  The last trick-or-treater wasn't off the porch yet, and Toys R Us was on the TV making me feel like I was behind. 
So I am changing the month from NOvember to YESvember.  Today I say YES to the following:

11.  Seafood Friday at the Historic Dodge City Hotel.  (I ate all the food I saw and then requested to see the huckleberry cheesecake.)
12.  My pedometer.  (Even though I know 70,000 steps will not counteract the slice of cheesecake.)
13.  Cruise control.  (Reveling in the fact the the flashing lights in my rear view mirror were NOT directed at me this time.)
14.  Rubberbands.  (While reviewing my original thankful list from 2006, I noticed rubberbands made the list.  At work I have these great orange rubberbands.  They make me happy in an office supply sort of way.
15.  The color orange.  (Orange applied to almost anything makes it better.)
16.  Reuben sandwichs.  (Nice try,  Arby's. You made me hungry for the real thing.)
17.  Heated car seats.  (Even though the car book has 6 warnings about things that could go wrong with them, and things not to do in them.  And what not to wear while sitting in them.)

Let's just pick it up here next time. 

Six and Beyond

Something about a gratitude attitude that changes your focus. Sensing a change coming...
6.  My sense of humor.  Spent a few quality minutes with the Goob before school this morning.  Shared a laugh or two. 
7.  My sense of touch.  Came back from dropping the Goob off at school and spent a few quality minutes snuggling with the STP.
8.  My sense of smell.  In between making the Goob's lunch and making love I made a pan of brownies.  The whole house smells like chocolate. 
9. My sense of taste.  Debating whether I should indulge it with a cup of chai latte accompanied by a brownie...
10.  My sense of right and wrong.  Would it be wrong to serve the brownies to company without having taste tested them first?  
That's exactly what I thought.

A Slow Start

I am aware it is November.  And tradition has it that I will list 100 things I am thankful for.  But I am having a hard time getting started.
The STP has been sick for two weeks. I am thankful he is not dead.
My cold sore that lasted two weeks healed up just after the STP got sick. So I have not been kissed for a month.  And last night I accused him of breathing on my pillow.    I am thankful that we are still sleeping together.
I got my flu shot so I would not get sick.  My shoulder has hurt ever since I got the shot.  No flu but bursitis in my left shoulder.  I am thankful for Aleve and physical therapy. 
I cleaned the bathroom.  You know the kind of cleaning where you even do the carpet.  The kind of cleaning that causes your children to develop projectile vomiting within 8 hours.  No projectile vomiting for the Goob, just a bloody nose.  I am thankful he did not have the stomach flu. 

I think that's five.  It's a start.

Belly, Belly Button

Impossible things my Zumba instructor says:
Put your belly button to your spine. 

Sure, as soon as I get my elbow out of my ear...

Black Out

So was I right about the black pumpkins? 








The only question is whether the set designers on MNF on ESPN read women's magazines or just my blog.

In honor of full disclosure I think I need to mention that if you paint your pumpkins black and let them sit in the sun they will absorb enough heat to prematurely bake them and start the rotting process inside their black skins.

Then you will have to turn them around and carve their face on their back sides.  (Which can lead to Zachary's Disease.)

Excuse me while I haul my black pumpkin to the dumpster...