Apol-ogy

"Summer vacation, you didn’t do right by me. You planned a romance that just hadn’t a chance, now we’re through. I'm back on the shelf and I'm blaming myself, but it's you. "

I’ve heard that we are given June roses for the December of our lives (extreme liberties taken with the referenced quote) - but, if you can’t even get outside to see the roses bloom, cause you’re sitting in a cubicle with poor lighting with little to no sound barriers, really the beauty of the Schizanthus pinnatus, or the radiance of the Centaurea cyanus and the intensity of the Tithoria rotundifolia, is not going to help in the winter, let alone get me through the next 90 minutes.

As I look back on my life I feel that there is someone, somewhere that owes me an apology. That’s right an apology. An apology for great summers lived with carefree abandon. Months of thoughtless bliss not marred with the black spot of production measures. Years lived with hope - buoyed up by the knowledge that there were at least 90 days of happiness to be savored.

The expectation was set, the pattern established, the freedoms enjoyed. As the responsibilities of adulthood come crashing down I am left to wonder, who is to blame! Where do I direct the rage that lies within my heart! The open road calls my name, yet I must not yield to its enticements. I am left a broken shell, yearning for the adventures of summer to fill the vacation void that gapes in my soul. Too dramatic?! Perhaps. But to convey the pain of this cubicle suburbia requires that I lay bare my misery.

I am so bored.

Summer vacation - you didn't do right by me
As they say in the song...you done me wrong.

Used to

I used to write essays when I was bored at work.
I thought they were funny, creative and informative.
I have tried to pick up my pen (aka keyboard) and find that kind of creativity again.
Its gone.
So while I look for it I am going to recycle some of my old ramblings here.
Cause I can.

Wrinkled Grapes

A truer statement has never been made.
Raisins ruin everything. Eve-ry-thing.

I have horrible memories of liquid engorged raisins in the oatmeal my mother made when I was a child.

Nightmares of the tainted pumpkin bread that even laboriously picking out the raisins could not save.

A truly embarrassing and gut wrenching adult experience with Raisin Bran that I have never shared with any one.

These are but a few of the reasons why I hate raisins.

When I saw the "Raisins Ruin Everything" shirt on shirt.woot a couple of months back I knew it was time to make a statement. I had no idea that statement would be so controversial.

During a trip to the local farmers market I purchased lunch from one of the food vendors. The server who brought my food to the window handed me the food, stopped, did a double take and said,
"Really?"

I did not know what she was talking about until she followed up with,
"Do you really hate raisins?"
Me:
"Well, yeah. They are really just gross wrinkled grapes."
Server: "Ohhh, that is so sad."
She shook her head slowly and turned away with a look of puzzlement on her face.

This is but one of the strange and confusing conversations I have had as a result of my shirt. And though it may not be popular my declaration of raisin animosity will continue. People need to know.

Archer Farms

I heart Archer Farms.

What is Archer Farms???

Archer Farms is the store brand of premium foods offered exclusively by the U.S. retailer Target. Archer Farms products can be found in all Target stores and many are available online at www.target.com. Many Archer Farms products, including their line of teas, are certified organic.

Yes, yes. Basically Archer Farms IS Target. I am okay with that because I also heart Target. Deeply. Passionately.
Heart it.

I knew that I was in like with Archer Farms, but my feelings were solidified when my local Target recently expanded to include a full grocery. Be still my heart.

I bought Smoked Salmon Archer Farms dip, Chicken Curry box meal and Caramel Cashew Trail mix all in one trip.
If I am being honest, it was the Caramel Cashew Trail mix that sealed the deal. A trail mix with NO RAISINS! Life is good. Life is very very good.

Share the Road

I see bikes.

I wish there was some way I could get Haley Joel Osment to say that phrase just like he says " I see dead people" in the movie The Sixth Sense.

Get sound effects & royalty free music at AudioMicro.

I live in a town where people ride bikes all over the place. I see bikes .... everywhere.
Sometimes I see bikes in places they do not belong.

This is a picture taken through the windshield of my car when I found myself behind a gaggle of cyclists. This gaggle and I traveled the same road for far longer than I would have preferred as they dawdled in the part of the road where cars drive. I conferred with Webster on this, and had expected to have my ire validated by finding that the definition of "road" only talked about cars. I found the following:

road (noun) a : an open way for vehicles, persons, and animals

Eh-hem. Well .........
My only explanation is that Webster's definition is based on the historical use of the word road and not the practical use of the word road. Persons and animals have no place on the road. There are many squirrels who have learned that lesson the hard way.

I don't hate people on bicycles. In fact, some of my closest friends ride bicycles. I may someday be one of those people on a bike near a road. I hope that I remember how to share.

Showering a Bride

I have one sister.

I was the host for her bridal shower, and while it was fun there is only one other person on earth for who I would throw their bridal shower. I might even fight her sisters for the right to throw her shower. I fight dirty. Fair warning girls.

I had called my sister and asked if she had considered a Cupcake Wars themed shower and asked who was in charge of it. Her response? Sounds like a great theme that you are in charge of.
Off I went. I am a fiend with a theme.

The challenge was to made 12 cupcakes to share that incorporated her wedding colors in the taste or in the decorations. I blogged previously about my test recipes. Both my sister and I took the recipe testing very seriously. I have learned that my sister only uses cake flour for her cupcakes because she prefers a denser cupcake. Sheesh. A monster is born.

I had tested 6 batches which included:
Key Lime, Lavender Rose, Lemon Lavender, Lavender Rose Reboot, Orange, and Butternut Squash.

Frosting recipes tested:
Classic Cream Cheese Recipe, Lavender Infused Frosting, Marscopone

Butternut Squash Cupcakes with Marscopone frosting was my recipe choice.

Food table included: Quinoa salad, turkey rolls and mozzarella tomato basil appetizer. Lime slushie drink. I loved the mozzarella dish, but sadly many of the guests do not like fresh tomato. The ribbon light from a previous post made an appearance in the decoration of the room.

Side Note: Quinoa pronunciation verified below. I will do a victory lap later.

Gift table, framed art was one of the shower gifts.

Cupcake Table

Cupcake table included (from left to right):
Lemon Cupcakes with Marscopone frosting decorated with a bride and groom
Assorted Cupcake Tray that held Coconut, Raspberry Lemonade, and Cream Puff Cupcakes decorated with sprinkles.
Bowl of party favors that held cupcake key toppers and assorted hand towels that looked like pastries.
Orange Cupcakes decorated with homemade candied orange
White Chocolate Cherry decorated with Maraschino cherries

You might ask: what happened to the Butternut Squash. Tragedy struck the kitchen the night before the shower. Something went horribly awry with the Butternut Squash cakes. Still haven't figured it out, but it is our suspicion that my mom needs a new stove that maintains a constant temperature. Side note: mom you also need a new dryer. The heating element is shot on yours. 1 t-shirt should not take three cycles and not be fully dry.

We played 4 shower games.
1. Memory game with pictures drawn on an apron. (thanks to our cousin who added Stewie to the art, it wouldn't have been complete without him)
2. Pin the Candle on the Cupcake
3. Spice Game
4. Cupcake Tin Toss

Game #2
Pin the Candle on the Cupcake.
Yes, yes it says Happy Birthday. I thought about removing the word "Birthday" but eh.

Aunt J. won this game. It was hilarious.

Game #3
Spice Game

Aunt J (pictured above) is a spice hound and trounced the competition.

Game #4
Cupcake Tin Toss

Three varying sizes of cupcake tins were used.
Three bean bag (aka hacky sack) tosses.
Most points wins.
My sister won ... sorta', and is pictured above with her prize blanket.

The games were fun, the prizes amazing, and gifts exchanged. But the cupcakes were the stars. We spent a great deal of time talking about our recipes and the trial and errors of our baking.
The Cupcake War Prizes went to the following:
Best Tasting: Aunt J's store bought coconut cupcake (the vote was unanimous)
Best Decorated: My sister's White Chocolate Cherry cupcake
Fan Favorite: My sister's friend with the Orange cupcake

In packing up we chatted about a Cupcake War Tournament to be held with our friends in the different cities we all live in. Local brackets that lead up to a national tourney of recipe winners around Christmas time. It could work! But we need to find a bigger taster pool or my sister won't be able to fit into her wedding dress!

Rinse and Repeat

Again.

I have a long term memory problem with my hair. I like my hair short, but continually forget this and decide to let my hair grow out. Become frustrated with my hair mop and decided to chop it all off. Joy floods through my body at my new short hair cut. Then I rinse and repeat this cycle. I am at the joy part of the hair cycle right now having just cut it all off again. I also had feathers put in it this time. Love them. I do think they are more business appropriate than the business appropriate faux hawk haircut I tried to convince a stylist to give me a couple years back. (Though I hold out hope that there is such a thing).

Hard to tell from this picture but there are two feather extensions.