Wednesday, September 30, 2009

Frozen Fingers

My work place has to be one of the coldest places on earth. Its freezing in the winter due to huge windows that surround my office and just as cold in the summer because central air is, I believe, from the devil. I sit directly under the air duct and shiver all day long. Yes I have jackets. Yes I have sweaters and a blanket too. But these are mere mortal accessories that do nothing for a simple human when used as tools against something as wicked as ‘forced air’. But then there are the other two times of the year when it is neither summer nor winter and so my colleagues (mostly men) decide to keep the central air on. Today is the rainiest coldest day of the season so far, and I am very uncomfortable. I keep trying to type fast, but all the muscles in my fingers are on lock up and each time I slam a finger down onto a key I get a jolt of pain, like when your toes are really cold and then you stub them into the vacuum that you were to lazy to put away. The windows are seeping whispers of the temperature outside, while the vent that is aimed directly onto my head, showers me with bursts of chills. So I am sure you will understand when I say that the cold sandwich waiting for me in the fridge for lunch was not exactly calling my name.

I then got a great idea; I’d go to Village Inn for lunch. I would go in and order a warm meal and just sit there and bask in the warmth. It would be great. I mean it’s an Inn after all, the title alone suggests comfort.
Not so. Village Inn is even colder than work. I didn’t know it was possible. But there I sat shivering, all alone with my warm French dip and way too salty aujus sauce, thinking “how is this possible”? I spent $12.00 dollars.

One thing is for sure. When I am done today, I will go home soak myself in the hottest bath I have ever had. There will be bubbles and steam and happiness everywhere. I will even torture my puppy by making her stay in the bathroom with me so that I have someone to talk to. All plans for this afternoons accomplishments have been canceled. All appointments, overlooked. I will be warm today, maybe not now and maybe not for many hours to come, but eventually I will get there.

Monday, September 28, 2009

Yummy Blue Berry Bran Muffins

When starting these muffins, I will admit, my expectations were quite low. But, turns out they are delicious. I decided to try them because I am so sick of oatmeal or cereal for breakfast; I just had to come up with something else to eat in the mornings. Aunt Jill predicted that they may taste like a Mormon Muffins, and she was absolutely right. They are Mormon Muffins with a little blueberry. YUM!


2 cups Whole Wheat Flour
3 cups White Flour
3 cups All-Bran Cereal
5 tsp Baking Soda
1 tbs Salt
1 cup Brown Sugar
3 cups Natural Bran
3 Eggs
1 1/2 cups Apple Sauce - unsweetened
1/2 cup Molasses
1 liter 1% Buttermilk
2 cups Blue Berries

Mix dry ingredients in a large bowl. In a separate bowl, beat eggs and add all liquid ingredients. Add to dry ingredients and mix well. Refrigerate overnight. Fold in blueberries. Fill muffin tins 2/3 full. Bake 375* for 15-20 minutes.

I sprayed the muffin tins with Pam. I also used drained and rinsed canned blueberries, so if you use fresh blueberries they may not turn out as sweet. Also this recipe makes a ton of muffins. My whole dang kitchen is covered in cooling muffins right now. I have no idea where I am going to store all these!
If you make them as directed above these little babies are only 1.5 weight watcher points!

Friday, September 25, 2009

Fall


I just love the fall. Although this year it seems to have come too soon, the air is still refreshingly crisp in the morning and the sounds of football in the background make me want to bake muffins, wrap up in fluffy blanks, and take rides in the mountains.
"The tall maple tree outside my kitchen window is bent and blowing; the branches are bouncing and almost brushing the ground; the shhhhh noise of thousands of leaves rubbing together in the wind is the music of September".

Monday, September 21, 2009

Those cute British people

There is just something about the British that we Americans absolutely cannot get enough of. I am pretty sure it’s the adorable accent. But we love them for other things as well; their royalty, their history, and especially The Beatles. Now, with that said, I have to just mention how bad some of the British celebs are pissing me off. They keep coming over here, and talking about our politics.
Eddie Izzard (whom I adore, absolutely) said in his famous stand up skit in Los Angeles “The NRA says “People kill people, not guns…..well, I think the gun helps””. Hilarious, Eddie, I love you. But really you come over here and start talking about our politics as if Europe’s got it all figured out and we are sooo behind. We fought a horrible war in order to have our own system that we would get to dictate. Our ancestors went through hell in order to get away from Europe’s ‘already figured out’ ways. In case you haven’t noticed, we still aren’t listening. We are still fixed on having our own individual ideas.
Eddie’s little comment there makes me laugh and so I easily forgave his audacity. Plus he is a comedian so he has full blanched on jokes.
But then, at the MTV video music awards, Russell Brand stands up and says something about how in his country they don’t let the citizens die in the streets, and we need to pass healthcare. To this I say, well I am glad that you are the authority on what we should do to fix our problems. And we don’t let our citizens die in the streets. If they need medical care, they can walk into an emergency room anywhere across the country and get help. Please.
Russell, you are adorable; obnoxious to a fault, but adorable. But really, why don’t you go home and fix your own problems, and leave our problems up to us to work out? We all know there is a need for healthcare reform, and we will decide what we are going to do to fix it. “For the people, by the people”, you want to be “one of the people” come on over, we’d love to have you and your adorable accent. But until then don’t come on TV programs and spout your views on what needs to happen in MY country. It’s none of your business. And if MTV put him up to it, which I am totally sure they did, that is fine, but get an American to come out to spout these brainwashing the youth political agendas and leave those adorable British people to do what is that you are paying them to do….talk in that adorable funny accent. And so Russell, using a great Death to Smootchy quote; “You’re not paid for your opinions so get your ass our there and dance for the cameras”.

Thursday, September 17, 2009

Friday, September 11, 2009

9/11/01

The biggest lesson I took away from that day was about unity. Remember how united we were? All the lines and boundaries disappeared. All the arguing and disagreeing faded away. There were no Democrats or Republicans; there were no racial or sexual barriers. We were all just one thing on those days after 9/11, we were Americans. It was the first time in my life that I understood the phrase “United we Stand”, and came to the realization that when we are united, Americans stand hard.


Thank you to the service men and women for protecting my family, my friends and our way of life.

God Bless America

Wednesday, September 2, 2009

Flying Friend

I just read something that I really want to try…I can’t explain why.

How to make a fly your pet:
Catch a fly in a jar, put him in the fridge and let him cool down just long enough for his metabolism to slow so he is not his perky self. Then take him out of the jar and tie a 15” string around his leg. Now you have a fly on a leash and can tie the other side of the string to your finger. (They said that they tried it and although it required alot of patience it did work).