Beyond Binkies, Code and Make-Believe

Spring in the Fairy Garden has Arrived!

It was sunny and pleasant this afternoon. Perfect weather to clean up the fairy garden.  Photo album is at right or you can click here to view it.

I attempted to take a quick tour for you but Austin kept yelping about various issues that he was frustrated about - mainly that his sister is invited to so many parties and he's not.

Here's the YouTube video:

Plan B Krusty's Pancake Cookies

We have a sweet neighbor.  She's in her late 70's and just had hip replacement surgery.  She called to let us know all of the days that would be good for visitors - ANY.  We decided to make cookies to take to her.

We gathered our usual ingredients and began creaming:
1 stick butter
1 stick shortening
1 cup packed brown sugar.

Had 2 cups of oats, 2 cups of chopped pecans and almonds as well as one bag of Ghiradhelli dark chocolate chips.

Time for flour --oops -- all out. Nothing to fall back on.  Our son blurted out, "PLAN B!"

Science Project - all on her own

Our daughter came home with a packet of instructions for the annual science fair at her school. She's in first grade, so it is still optional.  The part of the instructions which really sank in was that it was to be HER work - not a parent's. HER work.  She took this to heart.

We had just repainted our kitchen and the fan was in there blowing it dry.  She and her brother were playing with a balloon and decided to see how long the balloon floated.  Then, they tested a piece of paper.  VIOLA!  A science fair project was born.  She carefully documented her experiment, hypothesis, methods and results.

Technicolor Rosaries for First Holy Communion

Yes, that's me, Catholic.  I don't flaunt it, I don't defend it, debate it, etc. I'm just Catholic.  Our daughter is 7 and that means next year she will be making her First Holy Communion as her father and I both did around that age.  We go to the classes because she attends the school that has a bus that drives by our house in the morning. 

At these classes, there is a parent class for the parents of children preparing for this event.  I've met two friends on Mondays. I look forward to seeing them and they look forward to my lively debate and razzing of our volunteer teacher.  Last night we spent the evening with the two families from the classes.

Our Traveling Pants Have Been Retired

My best friend and I share many things.  We are able to finish each others' stories, recount memories when the other forgets the details and child-rearing tips and horror stories.  Another thing she share from season to season are clothes. 

Both of our weight has gone up and down between health issues and pregnancies.  When one of us is up the other is sometimes down so we ship off a box of goodies.  These usually include Lucky Jeans, business dresses, track suits and other items.  We've been doing this for years.

Today we bid farewell to a pair of jeans we've shared since 1998.  They are the typical Gap jeans - from before the time where everything was so low you needed special "low jean" chones to avoid being tacky.  These are just your basic faded, soft jeans.  They started out as jeans for going out with friends, a day at the school, weekend date jeans. 

Au Gratin Potatoes for Special Events

There are times when you just need to follow the recipe and not worry about the calories.  This is one of those times. Substituting soy anything or non-fat something will ruin it. Just make this:

4 lbs russet potatoes - scrubbed not peeled and sliced 1/8" thick
1 lb Gruyere cheese - the good stuff in a nice brick with the ends you have to cut off. It should run about $9.  Shred.
6 fat cloves of fresh garlic minced or run through the garlic press.  Add more if you want.
Feel free to roast them first, if you prefer to tone them down.

Actually, a pumice stone is in order.

It was a glorious day.  These are those days that Oregonians can claim bragging rights to our beautiful weather.  There are buds everywhere and life is starting anew in gardens and woods. 

As my husband was renting the chainsaw-on-a-stick (pole-pruner) from Home Depot, he marveled at the true arrival of spring evident by the parade of lawnmowers out the door.  He said it was comical and almost had a rhythm as people were capturing their next favorite tool to welcome the season.

We managed to break the chainsaw-on-a-stick  before we finished, but not before one tree was hacked into submission.  Not this tree - another odd smoketree gone wild in the corner of two fences.

He and I dragged 20' branches to the curb for Umberto to cram into his truck before he called it a day.  We caught him up the street finishing with another client.  I think he viewed it as a mixed blessing. Great to get a new client, but it's 2 on a Sunday and they were pooped.

Gloves. Yes, gloves would have been smart.  They were not handy; and being the spontaneous gardener that I am my fingers are cracked as I type this. Each spacebar, Y, U, J, H, N are causing me to wince.  Any miracle salves you recommend - I'm all ears. I'm not a manicure type of person so this would have to be at-home-treatment.

We are both exhausted with Polysporin on a variety of wounds.  Crocs almost count as closed toe shoes, but we have injuries just the same - everywhere!  My 3rd degree burn from the Peeps incident last week is now inflamed with scrapes on top of scrapes.  AND it was a glorious day. We had a great weekend outside.