October 25, 2009

1. It’s “lentil-ganza” around here as I just spent hours chopping and dicing and boiling etc and now have lentil soup for tonight, and lentil salad to take to school tomorrow.  The soup is pretty good.  I just wish I had a giant loaf of bread to dip in it, but I am trying to lay off the bread for at least 10 minutes.
2. If you yell across the courtyard to the people (who you’ve never met) playing with their children: “Hey are you coming to my house for Halloween?  I’ve got candy!” you become “that crazy lady whose house we are not going to.”  Also: yelling out the window on Halloween “come up here!  I’ve got candy!” yet again makes you a character of some suspicion.  I’m so conflicted over Halloween.  I know I could go to other places that have more children, like Paul’s family, and get the Halloween vibe, but I cannot desert my post!  It is my duty to hand out candy.  What is unfortunate is that those household who do not pass out candy, and those who do not send children to trick or treat mess up the delicate balance that is America.
3. This was the first weekend since school started that I didn’t have any responsibilities/activities.  Was very nice. 
4. One thing, I did have to write a recommendation for a kid for college.  That’s a lot of pressure.  I don’t know how the high school TAs at our school survive, because they have to do a jillion.
5. Tired again.  and here comes the monday.

October 19, 2009

1. My little cat violet is lying across my arms purring and napping.
2. It’s time to go get some lasagna, but who can move such a sweet kitty?
3. My TV might be ready by the end of the week.  Or it might not.
4. Up at 5:30, out of the house by 6:50 (hit the snooze several times) very busy weekend, it’s only Monday and I am tired already.  If I can go to 10 I can get 8 hours of sleep, get up at 6 and do it again.  Getting in two hours early is very helpful.
5. Violet jumped down.  Time for lasagna.

September 9, 2009

1. First day is easy. Second is where things get tougher.
2. But first day is tiring, and I was about out of my mind mad when we got to our group training, and they wanted us to do the scary workout challenge on the first day.  I’m worried the three new people are going to be so sore today they will never come back.  Also I was tired, and didn’t want to.  I got everything done except the laps, My achillies is hurting.  I need to go see my foot guy.
3. I’m feeling very worried about our exchange student from Kenya.  He is in my sociology class, and even though they have an independent assignment today for a discussion Friday, I hope he comes.  I don’t know if he even has a login for the computer system, or what his experience level with computers and library research.  I’d like to get hime a one on one tutorial with the librarian.  I hope he does come, and if he doesn’t I’ll go looking for him.  Having a “Lab Day” could be pretty different from his usual experience.  I wish I knew what his experience was.  They should give us some sort of dossier on exchange students, that very specifically describes their circumstances.  After the experience in Tanzania, I imagine it could be very very different than what he is experiencing here.
4. AB and her parents came over for the newly reinstated “Dog Swim” in the last hour of the Fairlington pool season on Monday.  I love the dog swim.  The seem to get so excited and before they get the courage to jump in, they all run around the edge of the pool and shimmy with excitement.
5. I want a balanced life.  Also a balanced diet.  Need fruit delivered to my desk.

August 13, 2009

1. All the time when I am away from the computer I think of things to write, then when I get here – nothing!  Think, Eleanor, Think!
2. Getting ready for the trip.  Just a few more things to buy, it seems like I have spent a ton of money already.
3. I’ve been laying off the cardio days of my workout for the last week, since my heel has been hurting.  It’s so easy to fit those workouts in, but also shockingly easy to leave them out.
4. Desperate for a cupcake just now. I may try making these, a lovely portion controlled cupcake activity, this weekend.
5. The most fabulous cakes in the world, however, can be seen on Cakewrecks!  I spent most of Monday and Tuesday “resting” my foot and my mind and attitude, looking at the archive of the entire sight.  This sequence got me laughing out loud. It’s even funnier if you are familiar with the Bud light “Salute” adds and read the captions that way.  I really got the giggles, and it felt good.  I haven’t laughed out loud like that in a long time.

June 7, 2009

1. “And the devil will drag you under, by the sharp lapels of your checkered coat, sit down, sit down, sit down, sit down sit down you’re rockin’ the boat!” (Watching the tony’s tonight, reminded how fun musicals are. That’s from guys and dolls for those who are playing the home game.)
2. Had a lovely family birthday dinner saturday at the sushi place and we got the sushi boat!  Hooray! That is a wooden boat about 2 feet long filled with delicious sushi and sashimi.  Tip, before the sushi boat, don’t fill up on bread.  I don’t know if I will have any particular observances tomorrow.  Just the usual 21 gun salute maybe.
3. I went car shopping this weekend.  All due respect to the red menace, but that car’s time is DONE.  The engine hitches if it gets about 50 mph, and it has been raining like crazy around here and I have been scrambling to find rides or drive in the breaks in the rain since the windshield wipers went dead.  I know I could have it fixed, but that seems a waste of money since the grim reaper is banging on the windshield. So I test drove the Honda Fit and the Hyundai Elantra and the Elantra touring (which is kind of a code word for “station wagon.”  I was really focusing on the fit, but I was so impressed with the test drive on the elantra that I think that is the way to go, and mama may just have a little wagon to drive around right soon.
4. I started working out with a trainer on Friday,and go again tomorrow  For the time being, until his personality is revealed, we shall refer to him as “Captain Asskick.”
5. Two weeks left of school!

February 24, 2009

1. Almost midnight, I’ve got a kitty resting on my arm as I type, and I need to be to bed, since I have to get up 5 hours from now for a full and exciting day of Ash Wednesday church action!
2. Pancake supper tonight.  I do love me some pancakes.  Suffice it to say that tonight was not a great weight watchers moment. 
3. I do feel like I have only eaten cookies for the past 24 hours.
4. Having two close friends have major challenges in their life, with their children, makes me reflect that I really need to be more cheerful about my circumstances.  I have a wonderful life.  I really need to quit bitching about how busy I am because people think I am smart enough that they ask me to do things.  Oh woe is me, right?
5. I am allowed of course to worry about Chris and Richard.  I sent Chris a box of pencils and pencil sharpeners today.  I say a thing on the news about a man in Kabul who didn’t send his girls to school beacuse he couldn’t afford pencils.  I know my pencils won’t lead to world peace, but maybe they can be useful to some kid or school.
6. Everytime El Presidente speaks, I fall in love with him all over again.

January 5, 2009

1. Well, I guess it wasn’t that bad going back to school today.  Helps that I had some transitional videos ready to go.  I like to ease into these things don’t you know.
2. Sometimes it feels like worries are little bricks on ones soul, that keep one from being happy or even from feeling God.  If you could just identify and lift those bricks off things would be better. 
3. Workout tomorrow.  The first time in two weeks.  That’s going to be ugly.
4. The slippers I sent north can be glimpsed here.  I’m pleased that they were pleasing.  I bought those at the Icelandic festival about a month ago.  The Icelandic festival is interesting, not only because of its many fine woolen goods, but because of it’s very interesting foods.  Like Mayonnaise loaf.  And hot dogs.  Some of the other reasons tomorrow’s workout is so necessary. (though I’d like to say, I did not eat the mayonnaise loaf this year.  I had to try it last year, because, well, I’m an internationalist you see.)
5. I think I am going to be a very grumpy old person, because I really can’t stand being cold.  And there is no way I am moving to Florida, so I see problems, probably in the form of a very high heating bill, in the future.

January 3, 2009

1. Tea party today.  I ate more than my share of tiny sandwiches.  Why are tiny sandwiches more tasty than regular size sandwiches?
2. Then another party. Fun kids running around.   Took the last of this season’s gingersnaps.  Fair well sweet gingerness.
3. Must face reality that work is going to resume on Monday and cannot be avoided by praying for snowstorm or boiler explosion.  Really really hoping that the student teacher contacts me soon! (you know, for her benefit.  Snort.)  No, seriously.  There are just some years in teaching that are harder than others, and this has turned out to be one of those years, and what with the whole Altar Guild presidency coming up, it would really take the pressure off to be able to have a little wiggle room for a few months. 
4. And really I would love the planning time for the high school classes.  Argh.  I am tired of having the same old problems.
5. January 11   – 24 starts, January 21 – Lost.  At least I have that to cling to!

December 19, 2008

Gingersnap recipe with commentary.

They are our absolute family favorite, and the recipe is attributed to my Great Grandaunt Zelta Esther Peace.  Unusual name, no?  I don’t know what was in the water out there in Oklahoma, but the Peace sisters were: Zelta Esther, Bessie Arzona, Evelyn Geraldine, and Opal Vinnie.  Other notable names among the Peace Family: Okie Lucinda, Edphard Bemus, and Hobart Waldo.  May they rest in peace.

Aunt Zelt’s Ginger Cookies

1 C. granulated sugar
3/4 C. shortening
1/4 C. molasses (Green Label*)
1 egg
2 C. flour
1/2 t. salt
2 tsp. baking soda (yes soda, not powder)
1 tsp. ginger
1 tsp. cloves
1 tsp. cinnamon
granulated sugar
Stir sugar, shortening, molasses and egg together.  Combine flour, salt, soda, ginger, cloves and cinnamon, stir into molasses mixture. Chill dough thoroughly for easier handling.  When chilled, make dough into balls the size of walnuts.  Dip one side of balls into suger and place, sugared side up, on baking sheet.  DO NOT FLATTEN.  Grease the cookie sheet for the first time only.  Bake in preheated 325 degree oven for 10 minutes. DO NOT OVERBAKE.  The gingersnaps will seem soft when they come from the oven.  Store covered.

Historical Notes:

* The Original recipe says, in bold and threatening letters “BRER RABBIT GREEN LABEL” DO NOT SUBSTITUTE ANOTHER BRAND OF MOLASSES, YOU MUST USE BRER RABBIT GREEN LABEL.” – I have not been able to find Brer Rabbit for years, so I use Grandma’s with the green label, but I am pretty sure I am going to hell because of it. 

I recommend a heavy duty stand mixer for this dough.  We made it with a bowl and wooden spoon growing up, because it gave us character so we could handle life’s challenges, but now that I am grown, I bust out the Kitchen-Aid.

I also use a silicone mat for baking instead of greasing, but it doesn’t matter.  My mom has three cookies sheets, expressly for this purpose, that she greases up every year. (She also still uses the bowl and wooden spoon method, but she is much tougher than me.)

For the most recent batch I did not chill the dough and I think that might account for the cookies being so thin.  Experimentation on this issue will continue.

I like all the capital letters in the instructions.  Clearly Zelta did not put up with any nonsense.  It’s all true though, I have done both the flattening and the overbaking, and I am the lesser for it.

I have never made a single recipe of this.  I always double and I do that about 3 times.  I mean, what is the point otherwise?

December 18, 2008

1. Baking gingersnaps tonight for the staff party tomorrow.  Also testing a cheese straw (or rather disc) recipe, for some savory deliciousness.  (Later note, the cookies were a big hit.  I sent out the recipe to the staff with witty commentary, which perhaps I will post here.)
2. Very good field trip to the national Building Museum yesterday.  The kids built a house and a geodesic dome.  That is such a beautiful building!
3. I’ve been trying to post for days, but I keep falling asleep in my chair.
4. So I had an electrician come to fix a little home improvement project that I should not have attempted on my own.  He did a great job, but unfortunately, since he left after Paul had gone to work, he locked the bottom lock on the door, which we never use, and for which, I for some reason, no longer have a key on my ring.  So I had to have a locksmith come, adding to the total electric repair in a notable fashion, since it was overtime. 
5. All these deferred maintenance projects, though needed, are definitely banging up my bank account.  If only I could dip into maintenance reserve!  If only I HAD a maintenance reserve!