Welcome to my thoughts . . .

I am amazed at how good of a tan I already have, given I wear SPF 45 to work every single day. Sunglasses and a hat, too, and I reapply at lunch.

I got my first mosquito bite of the season today. Phooey.

One of my favorite things in the whole wide world to do is drive on the interstate with the radio blasting and all the windows rolled down.

I had a great birthday! We went out for lunch and to see "Star Wars." I got some cool and/or funny gifts from friends, too.

I think Oliver thinks my sunscreen tastes good. He's licking my arm. He never does that.

I like baked tofu.

We almost set fire to the oven at work tonight. There was lots of smoke, but we didn't set off the smoke detector, fortunately.

I like coffee. And Diet Coke.

It's going to be a busy week and weekend, so if I don't post for a week, don't despair. :0

I have had more pizza, macaroni and cheese, and ice cream in the last four days than I ever want to eat again in my life.

I lost 2 more pounds this week. Strange.

I worked a 12 hour day today, and I'm exhausted. Later, folks.

Chai love to cook

Ha, bloody ha. But I do love to cook! I started reading "The Joy of Cooking" tonight, like one would read a novel. It will probably take me the rest of the year to get through, but it will be an interesting read. (I'm also simultaneously reading The Chronicles of Narnia. I'm usually in the middle of at least two, if not three books.)

I made myself a cup of chai tonight. I had a former colleague who I knew during grad school who lived in Pakistan for a while, so she taught me how to make chai the "right" way, according to her. This makes 2 servings, give or take:

Place 1 cup milk and 1 cup water in a saucepan. Add half a cinnamon stick, a 1-inch piece vanilla bean, two green cardamom pods (cracked between your eyeteeth,) two whole cloves, a few grates nutmeg, and 1 rounded tablespoon full of sugar. (The sugar is optional and to your liking -- you can add more or less if desired.) (You can also add a slice of peeled fresh ginger, but I didn't have any on hand.) Bring milk, water, and spices to a simmer. Add 2 black teabags and continue simmering 10 to 20 minutes. Drain, discarding solids, and serve.

Now, I love the stuff that comes in the box from the natural foods section of Rainbow, but there's just no comparison to the homemade kind. Mmmm . . . !

foiled again!

Ann and I attempted to go see "The Upside of Anger" at the cheap theatre in Hopkins last night . . . we were a little pokey and arrived about 5 minutes before the movie was to start. The line for tickets was out the door, down the block, and around the corner! Gah. We decided to go to Southdale instead and do a little window shopping. I tried on a few shirts at the Gap and New York and Company . . . I didn't buy anything because I don't have any money right now, but . . . I can't wait to have a little spare cash! I found a few really cute things that might work with a pair of dress pants for the upcoming wedding(s) I have to attend in the next year or so. Plus they would double as nice "going out" shirts.

After shopping, we went to Sebastian Joe's. I had two mighty fine scoops of ice cream -- White Chocolate, and Before Dinner Mint. (The ice cream base in the Before Dinner Mint actually tasted like butter mints! Mmmmm..........) I discovered the universal problem at Sebastian Joe's, however -- one scoop isn't enough, two is too much. Alas. Well, then I came home and did an hour's worth of yoga. Man, that particular yoga DVD kicks my butt . . . my arms, shoulders, and stomach muscles are a wee bit sore today!

I will be returning to Sebastian Joe's today to have a snack/coffee with Beth for my birthday! I may just get coffee this time.

Hm. I'm kind of hungry. (Well, probably because I haven't had breakfast yet.) I should do something about that!

I'm working on creating a digital photo album using my .mac account. I'll let you know what the url is when I get it all uploaded!

Oh -- if any of you are members of Netflix, let me know -- I'm looking for more "friends" to add to my list so we can recommend movies to each other.

This was a very random post. My apologies.

new and improved

It only took me all afternoon to upload this photo of myself and make a few simple changes to my blog. I hope you all enjoy the new and improved "ramblings and recipes."

Why I haven't posted in a while

Monday:
Work
Short team meeting with Natalie and Don
Home to make dinner, do yoga, and watch a movie

Tuesday:
Work
Home to make dinner
Walk Lake of the Isles with Christine

Wednesday:
Work
BAD TRAFFIC
Home to shower, get dressed, and pack a large snack
Off to First Ave to see this rock fashion show with Ann, Ann's friend Michelle, and Michelle's friend
Get home at 12:30 a.m. . . . . .

Thursday:
Work (no Natalie in the afternoon -- we had a parent sub)
Home to make dinner and pass out on the couch

Friday:
Work (no Natalie all day -- two subs)
Out for dinner with coworkers after work
Home to pass out on the couch

And now it's Saturday. I'm looking forward to a weekend of writing year-end reports again. Bleah. At least my birthday's on Monday -- that will be fun!

I think I've had too much coffee -- I'm having a hard time typing with much control -- my fingers are shaky and all over the keyboard! Gosh. Well, I'll leave it at that for now, then!

A good question

I just watched "The Chorus" -- a very excellent French movie. Why are foreign films so much better than ours?

wibble-wobble

I just finished an hour yoga practice -- "Yoga Conditioning for Weight Loss," to be precise.

I feel all wobbly like wet spaghetti now. Having trouble typing accurately.

And I had the best dinner, too -- an enormous salad. Mixed baby greens with a little of each of the following: cherry tomatoes, roasted red peppers, baby carrots, yellow squash, sprouts, cucumber, and green pepper. Top it all off with some walnuts, red wine vinegar, extra virgin olive oil, a little salt and pepper, and that's one tasty dinner. (I had a muffin, too.) I love spring and summer food. So simple, tasty, and healthy!

I don't know why I love blogthings so much!

I am 31 Years Old

31 Under 12: You are a kid at heart. You still have an optimistic life view - and you look at the world with awe. 13-19: You are a teenager at heart. You question authority and are still trying to find your place in this world. 20-29: You are a twentysomething at heart. You feel excited about what's to come... love, work, and new experiences. 30-39: You are a thirtysomething at heart. You've had a taste of success and true love, but you want more! 40+: You are a mature adult. You've been through most of the ups and downs of life already. Now you get to sit back and relax.

What Age Do You Act?

Ineresting that I look much younger than I actually am, but according to this internet quiz (which we all know to be gospel, right? ha,) I am actually older than I am. So confused . . . !

argh!

I am so sick of writing year end reports I could just about spit. I'm making very little progress for a variety of reasons:

1. I don't sit still very well
2. The weather has actually improved somewhat and I want to be outside!
3. The reports are sort of boring to write -- easy, but boring.
4. I have lots and lots and lots of other things to do at home, and I've found coffee shops unpleasant for working these past few days.
5. I haven't been feeling the greatest.
6. I am nearly finished reading a really good book.
7. Great movies keep arriving from Netflix.

I do have to say, even though I've been plugging along writing, these past few days have been nice -- almost a mini-vacation. Possibly just the thing I needed to recharge myself before the craziness of the last three weeks of school!

I am pretty far behind in the writing, however. This week and coming weekend (happy birthday to me,) are going to be stinking busy. Especially since Christine and I will more than likely walk tomorrow and Tuesday night, Ann and I have tickets for a concert Wednesday night, we have a team meeting Thursday night, and I have a potential babysitting job Friday night.

I can't believe it's nearly June! Wow.

I discovered a fun website the other day: vegkitchen.com. It has lots of cool recipes and other information about vegetarianism. I'm starting to realize that this flexitarian move on my part is a good thing -- I never realized how much less of an environmental impact eating (mostly) plants makes. It's pretty interesting!

Well, I've started rambling, so I'm off. Wish me luck in finishing these reports, and offer words of encouragement if you have them!

sometimes I even impress myself

Pizza with Pear, Brie, and Walnuts

Combine and let stand about 5 minutes:
1 1/8 tsp active dry yeast (half of one packet) -- NOT the quick-rising kind
1/2 cup plus 2 1/2 tbsp warm water (110 to 115 degrees F)
1/2 tablespoon Sugar in the Raw
Combine:
2 cups whole wheat flour
1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 tbsp kosher salt
Stir the yeast mixture into the flour until a soft dough forms. Transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface and knead about 5 minutes. Coat a bowl with cooking spray, place the dough in the bowl, and turn the dough to lightly coat it with oil. Cover with plastic wrap and place in a warm spot (gas oven which is turned off is excellent) and let rise until double, about 40 minutes. Then, punch dough down and lightly knead for 5 minutes. Press dough out to 12 inch round or 9X13 inch rectangle, depending on what kind of pan you are using. Grease and lightly flour your pan before plopping your dough in. Top with:
1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil (smear it round as best as you can)
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
2 oz brie, (or more, if you really love brie . . . which I do, but I only had 2 oz on hand) rind removed and pinched into tiny pieces
1 medium pear, cored and sliced thinly
half a small sweet onion, thinly sliced
Bake at 425 for 5 minutes. Top with:
1/4 cup to 1/2 cup chopped walnuts
Bake an additional 5 or so minutes or until walnuts are toasted, cheese is brown, and crust is crisp. Let pizza rest a few minutes before slicing.

Serve with a salad of mixed greens dressed with balsamic vinegar, EV olive oil, salt, and pepper, and you have the makings of heaven on a plate.

I may add thin slices of garlic to this bad boy the next time I make it . . . .

no surprises here . . .

My Political Profile

Overall: 10% Conservative, 90% Liberal

Social Issues: 0% Conservative, 100% Liberal

Personal Responsibility: 25% Conservative, 75% Liberal

Fiscal Issues: 25% Conservative, 75% Liberal

Ethics: 0% Conservative, 100% Liberal

Defense and Crime: 0% Conservative, 100% Liberal

How Liberal / Conservative Are You?

Can you tell I'm procrastinating?? I'm just completely unmotivated . . . should be writing year end reports . . . well, at least I wrote a newsletter earlier today!

dinner and a movie

Ann came over for supper before we went for a walk downtown. (Lots of people looked at me strangely -- it could have been the CamelBak, or it could have been the Wonder Woman t-shirt!) Regardless, this is what we had:

Mashed Sweet Potatoes

Peel and chunk a large sweet potato. Boil until fork-tender (the sweet potato slides off the fork easily when you spear it.) Drain. Add about two teaspoons of sugar in the raw, a tablespoon or less of butter, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Whip with an electric mixer. Add enough half and half (a tablespoon or so) just until it thins out and gets all creamy and tasty.

Brown Rice and Lentils (4 servings)

Saute a small onion, diced, a clove of garlic, minced, and a medium green pepper, diced, in some extra virgin olive oil. Add 1/2 cup small dried lentils, rinsed and drained, and 1/2 cup brown Basmati rice. Add about 2 cups liquid (vegetable or chicken broth would be best!) and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 50 minutes or until rice is tender. Stir in 1 can diced tomatoes (or less -- I used part of my can for lunch already today!), drained, and salt and pepper to taste.

Jon-O-Meter rating (for both): 0! (Will Jon eat lentils??)

I watched "Spanglish" tonight. I had forgotten how much I love that movie! I may end up having to buy myself a copy.

PASTA

I'm home working on year-end reports today, and made fantastic pasta for lunch. (It goes along with the whole "Mediterranean Diet" thing. Vegetarian, full of fiber, and loaded with veg.) Just wanted to share:

Pasta with Edamame, Spinach, and Tomatoes (1 serving)
1. Bring a small pot of well-salted water to a boil. Add 1/2 cup of your favorite shape whole-wheat pasta. Return to a boil, and cook.
2. When 5 or so minutes remain on the pasta, stir in 1/2 cup frozen shelled edamame and 1/2 cup frozen chopped spinach to the pasta. Return to a boil, and finish cooking.
3. Test the pasta to be sure it's done. Drain. Return pasta and veg to pan. Stir in 1/2 cup diced canned tomatoes (no liquid) and extra virgin olive oil. Garnish with a little freshly shredded parmesan cheese.

happy times with galactic pizza

Have I ever told you how much I love Galactic Pizza? I think I have. Well, I love them now just as much as ever. Went over to Christine's for the Gilmore Girls season finale, and we ordered from Galactic. A man in spandex and a cape delivered our pizza, and it was piping hot (Christine actually burned her mouth!), not greasy, and absolutely delicious. (Spinach and tomato on their bianca sauce.) The two of us nearly finished a medium pizza . . . and split a piece of cheesecake as well! (I am now officially not a fan of Muddy Paws cheesecake, however -- too fluffy.)

Off to read Eat, Drink, and Be Healthy by Walter Willett. So far, it's great!

I finished Wicked by Gregory Maguire not too long ago as well. Any one else read it? I'd love to discuss it with someone!

stream of consciousness

I haven't received a single comment on my blog here in a very long time! I so sad.

Someone upstairs must be assembling furniture or something -- there is a lot of pounding going on. It's sort of funny! Oliver keeps looking up at the ceiling and meowing because of the unusual noises.

I tested out my CamelBak today -- I LOVE IT! First time in a while I haven't had a headache at lunch from dehydration. I'm considering purchasing a second one to be my purse. I will test it out over June break to see if I will actually use it, though!

I also tested out my new rain boots and my new shoes today as well -- love them both, although the rain boots got a little pinchy after about an hour hiking. (The rubber just needs to be stretched out a bit, methinks.)

My apartment still smells like curry, 24 hours later!

We interviewed a very promising candidate for a lead teacher (for the fall) after school today!

Oliver keeps trying to sit ON the keyboard.

I had McDonalds for supper and I feel a little icky. Hm. I may head out for a quick walk now!

It's only a 3-day work week for me this week (I have Thursday and Friday off to work on year-end reports) and I'm looking forward to it!

It's really difficult finding a way to draw stream of consciousness to a close, since it doesn't really close ever. Well, except when you're sleeping. But then you are still dreaming, so . . . .

my nose is running . . .

. . . from the curry I just made for dinner! (Have I told you how much I love curry? So versatile -- take whatever you have on hand, throw it in a pan with some garlic, ginger, and seasonings, plop it over rice, and, TA-DA!) Here's another version:

1. Start some basmati rice. (It should be finished cooking near when your curry is.)

2. Heat a pan with a little olive oil. Add a large handfull of baby carrots, slicing any really thick ones in half. Then, chop and drop in approximately this order, stirring after each addition:

1 medium or most of 1 large onion, halved and sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
loads of curry powder
several shakes of ginger
several shakes of Garam Masala
a few shakes of cayenne pepper
a good amount of salt
a big handfull of raisins (you don't need to chop these, obviously)
1 apple
most of 1 small or medium zucchini
1 can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
Then, add enough vegetable broth to come about a half an inch up the side of the pan. Bring to a boil, scraping the bottom of the pan with a wooden spatula to loosen the stuck-on seasonings, garlic, etc. Continue boiling until the broth is reduced about by a third. Serve over rice.

Jon-O-Meter Rating (omiting cayenne): 1

Don't make the same mistakes I did: I did not add nearly enough curry powder OR salt. What looks like a lot may not be a lot at the end once you finish adding everything. Taste the curry before you serve it and adjust seasonings accordingly. :)

Enjoy!

NEW GEAR!

I had an oil change this afternoon, then wandered over to Midwest Mountaineering to look for rain boots, since the ones I bought this fall are all leaky and cracking. I bought two pairs of SmartWool socks (buy one get one half off!) and a pair of Merrells . . . and I have to say, for seventy dollars, they are, singlehandedly, (or dual-footedly) the most comfortable pair of shoes I've ever owned! And they are designed for hiking -- nice treads, water resistant, etc. I've died and gone to shoe heaven!

Since I babysat last night, (and I need a new pair of sneakers/work shoes anyway -- my Newbies are shot!), I didn't feel terribly bad about the purchase.

Then I went to R.E.I. They did have rain boots (a steal at $16!) and I also bought a CamelBak -- a backpack with a built in water system (there's this wobbly blue water "reservoir" stored in the pack, and a nice blue straw that snakes its way out and clips to the pack strap.) It's technically a children's model, but because my shoulders are so narrow and I have such a short torso, it's the perfect size for me! There are also a few zipper pockets (kind of like a mini-backpack) in which I can keep my first-aid supplies for work, a small notebook, pen, spare hat/mittens, etc.

I'm so excited to go to work tomorrow and try out all of my new gear!

My cat totally just tried to jump up on my desk, but didn't make it. The scrabbling claws on his way down were pretty funny!

a wise man sayeth

Anna sent me a postcard from the Martin Luther King, Jr. Museum in Atlanta, GA. It contained this quote of his:

"Many people fear nothing more terribly than to take a position which stands out sharply and clearly from the prevailing opinion. The tendency of most is to adopt a view that is so ambiguous that it will include everything and so popular that it will include everybody."

what the hell is a quarterlife crisis anyway?

Well. I am in a funk. Have been for a few weeks, actually. (Noticed the drop in postings?) As you may or may not know, I have been in the throes of a quarterlife crisis now for a little over a year. And it's not fun. Sometimes I do okay, other times I feel it more, and right now is one of those times when I'm feeling it. Thought I'd research the phenomenon a little further to make sense of it myself, and in turn pass that sense along to you.

According to quarterlifecrisis.com, those of us in our early to mid twenties who are (mostly single) and struggling to make sense of:

education
finances
health and fitness
living (day-to-day stuff, apartments, etc.)
work
dating
travel
interests, hobbies, and entertainment

could possibly be having a quarterlife crisis. Here's where I'm at:

EDUCATION: As I look up to my left a little, I see a copy of my Minnesota teaching license, and my two diplomas: for my B.A. and my M.Ed., both from the University of Minnesota. I'm feeling properly educated, and no qualms about this area of my life. No desire to go back to school any time soon.

FINANCES: A big old mess. I'm in debt up to my eyebrows and I am a teacher. I have pared my living expenses down to the minimum, and am now considering moving into a studio apartment (opposed to my one-bedroom I'm living in now) to save money. My car is falling apart and I have a long commute to work each day. I feel like I'm doing everything right, yet getting nowhere really stinking fast.

HEALTH AND FITNESS: Well, I've learned a lot about healthy eating over the past year or so, and have a very active job. I've lost some weight, gained some muscle, and am feeling pretty good. Personally, I think I'm in the best shape of my life. So this area is fabulous!

LIVING: I have been living on my own for over a year now and love it. I don't think I'll ever be able to have a roommate ever again. The only downside to solo living is I am the only person available to do the chores, and I have to do ALL of them: clean the bathroom, sweep the floors, wash the dishes, take out the trash, do laundry, scoop out the litterbox, do the grocery shopping, put gas in the car, feed the cat, cook dinner, buy toilet paper, pay the bills, etc. Sometimes I wish I had someone around to help me out with some of this day-to-day stuff. It's hard, being on your own and having to do EVERYTHING ALL THE TIME. At least when you have roommates, someone else takes out the trash once in a while. Well, if you have at least okay roommates, I guess. But I had mostly awful roommates, so I'm not about to take on one of those any time soon! I am also working at living "green" -- which is a new, interesting challenge.

WORK: I do, ultimately, love my job. I wouldn't work anywhere else right now.

DATING: What's that? (Obviously an area of concern)

TRAVEL: Again, what's that? (See: finances.) (Although not much of a concern, since I don't actually enjoy travelling much. But it's pretty sad I'm nearly 26 years old and have never beeen out of the country. Not even to Canada.)

INTERESTS, HOBBIES, AND ENTERTAINMENT: I do manage to keep quite busy, both on my own and with friends. I love living in the city, and I love living in my apartment. I cook, bake, read, walk, get coffee, go out to eat, go to the movies, go to the theatre, sing in my church choir, shop, write, do yoga, and see great bands (well, and some not-so-great bands) play around the Cities. It's actually been nice rediscovering all of the things I enjoyed doing before college and graduate school took over my life! I do need to volunteer more, though. AND, this area is highly dependent on finances, so I end up doing a lot of things that are cheap or free. That sometimes gets really stinking old, although it does force me to keep being creative.

Hm. It felt kind of good to make sense of all of those things. And I guess you get to read them, too. Hope this helps explain what the QLC is for those of you who don't know, and helps those of you who do know feel a little less alone in your misery!

I'm not planning a move any time soon, but . . .

>

American Cities That Best Fit Me:

70% Chicago

65% New York City

65% Philadelphia

65% San Francisco

65% Washington, DC

Which American Cities Best Fit You?

blueberry cream muffins

I adapted this recipe to make it a little healthier . . . the portion size is still a little large, in my opinion, so I am reducing the amount of batter used (so the muffin cups don't overflow, too!) so if you choose to make these muffins, you may have a few extra tablespoons of batter at the end.

Whisk together until smooth:
4 oz light cream cheese (generally marketed as "Neufatchel" -- but I'm not sure I spelled that correctly)
1 egg white
pinch salt
2 1/2 tbsp sugar (you can use white sugar, sugar in the raw, or half as much honey)

Whisk together:
2 cups whole wheat flour
1/2 cup sugar (again, see above note on the sugar -- if you use honey, I'd add it to the wet ingredients instead)
1 tbsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt

Whisk together:
2 egg whites
1 cup milk
1/4 cup canola or Enova oil

Additional ingredient: 1 cup blueberries (fresh, well washed and drained, or frozen -- either will work just fine. If you use frozen, just don't thaw them before you use them, or they will break down and turn your batter a slight purpley shade.)

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 375. Spray 12 muffin cups with PAM.
2. Toss blueberries with 1 tbsp flour mixture. Reserve
3. Make well in remaining flour mixture, and pour in milk mixture. Gently fold just until combined. Fold in blueberries.
4. Fill muffin cups with 1 1/2 tbsp blueberry mixture. Layer with 1 tbsp cream cheese mixture. Top with remaining 1 tbsp blueberry mixture.
5. Bake at least 18 minutes at 375. (Mine took 22 minutes. But just start checking them at 18.)
6. Cool in pan a few minutes before removing to a wire rack.

flexi, flexi, elasti, hummus

I have 3 silly comments, all about being flexible:

1. I have decided to try out flexitarianism for a while. (Basically, flexitarians are people who generally eat a vegetarian diet, but who occasionally eat meat.) Basically, I'm not buying meat for home any more, but will still eat it if I go out to eat or am at a dinner party or something like that. Why, you ask? Well, a few reasons: meat is expensive, I've never really liked meat much, vegetarianism is healthy, vegetarianism is a new cooking challenge for me, and I'm starting to realize that if I eat meat I want to eat stuff that is raised cage free/free range/antibiotics free/hormone free, and that meat is especially expensive. I have no major moral issues with consuming meat (although having a pet chicken at school has made eating chicken less appealing lately,) since we are at the top of the food chain for a reason, in my opinion.

2. I need to do more yoga, (for both strength training and increased flexibility,) and I need your help! Pester me -- I plan to do yoga on Mondays, Thursdays, and once over the weekend. Check up on me and make sure I'm doing it, and yell at me if I don't!

3. Natalie and Don have started calling me elasti-girl lately, because there have been several occasions lately where we all wished my arms could stretch indefinitely. (I like to say "go, go, gadget arms!" but, of course, the kids don't understand that. Elasti-Girl is familiar to them.) It's pretty funny.

The only thing I "cooked" this weekend was hummus. Here's my recipe (very easy!):

1 can garbanzo beans, partially drained (the more liquid you use, the runnier your hummus will be, but the less oil you will need)
1 clove garlic
juice of 1 small lemon
rounded teaspoon full of tahini, almond butter, OR peanut butter
salt and pepper to taste
extra virgin olive oil
fresh herbs if desired
cayenne pepper if desired

* Combine the garbanzo beans, garlic, lemon juice, nut butter, salt, and pepper in your blender. (You can also use a food processor if you have one, which I don't!) Turn it on, pull the little round thingy out of the middle of the lid, and stream in enough olive oil until it comes together. (Have a folded towel handy to cover the little hole in case the hummus starts spurting everywhere, but it shouldn't.) Blend thoroughly. Add the herbs and cayenne if desired, blend a bit longer, and serve. Store leftovers in the fridge.

Jon-O-Meter Rating (omitting pepper and cayenne): 0

Serve with crudites, pita, crackers, use instead of mayo on turkey sandwiches (especially good: whole grain bread, hummus, turkey, provolone, avocado, tomato, and lettuce!), tortilla chips, etc. . . . . . . hummus is very versatile! Enjoy.

more owwies

I hiked so much today I actually have a blister! My ankles and feet just ache. But it was a mighty beautiful day to be outside.

I am looking at a weekend of zero plans -- and I'm excited! I have 5 year-end reports to write, a sinkfull of dishes to do, a newsletter to write, and some other little stuff to get done.

I left work a little early and stopped at the grocery store on my way home. Boy, did it feel good to get that out of the way! I was home, unpacked, and fed by 6:15.

Happy Weekend!

a new blogthing and an apology

Since all y'all liked the last blogthing, I thought I'd add another!

My #1 Match: INFJ

The Protector You live your life with integrity, originality, vision, and creativity. Independent and stubborn, you rarely stray from your vision - no matter what it is. You are an excellent listener, with almost infinite patience. You have complex, deep feelings, and you take great care to express them. You would make a great photographer, alternative medicine guru, or teacher.

What's Your Personality Type?

Well, I'm already a teacher, so I guess I'll explore photography next, since I'm not certain what a guru does for a living!

Raondom segue: I apologize for the lack of recipes lately -- I just haven't been cooking much. Too tired, busy, and cranky!

It's nearly Friday, folks. Enjoy the latter half of your week!

chick-a-doodle-doo!

We now have fourteen baby chicks in our water table, one more drying his down in the incubator, and one who was just pushing his way out of his shell after school today!

They are all so darn cute and my favorite one is tan with black stripes -- Mark, our custodian, has named her "Gopher."

Hooray for chickens!