My weekend

Cake
Our wonderful neighbors, Dennis and Alicia, invited us over for dinner friday night and I said I'd bring a dessert. I made a cake thursday night and frosted it friday evening. It's a yellow butter cake with Grandma's whipped cream frosting recipe (no actual cream involved!).

Here's the cake:


Homeless Shelter
On sunday I worked at the homeless shelter. I've completed about 26 hours so far, so I should have all 40 completed by the end of next month. It was a kind of crazy morning. There are two kids there that I've been hanging out with - Mike and Beth, ages 7 and 4. Their parents seem to have some issues and I've never seen them give their kids positive attention. One time, Beth wanted a glass of water and kept asking her mom for something to drink. Her mom said she was busy. 20 minutes later, Beth was still asking for a drink, and her mom blew up and said "I don't give a damn if you're thirsty!" It just breaks my heart to see these poor kids in this situation. The kids have poor behavior at times that I'm sure could be improved if they were in a positive environment.

Mike has really taken a liking to me. I spent a lot of time playing games with him, talking to him, letting him and Beth hang out with me behind the reception desk, and giving them piggy-back rides. He kept asking me if I would come back the next day (no, I had to work), when I'd be back, if I could spend the night, etc. I told him I had a job and a family of my own and that I couldn't come back every day but I'd be back next weekend.

Later on in the morning, one of our residents, a 13-year-old girl, had a seizure. We were standing by a counter and I was helping her with her math homework. Suddenly, she fell over, hit her against the wall, and started seizing. Not only was this scary for me, but Mike and Beth were there, too. I ran down the hall to get the girl's mom, and then we called 911. The girl had had no history of seizures and it was all very scary. I spoke to Mike and told him that she would be okay, and if he had any questions he could talk to his parents or me. Hopefully the doctors can figure out what's going on with her.

My experience yesterday motivated me to start thinking about joining Big Brothers, Big Sisters again. To give kids positive attention that could help them feel better about themselves.. well, I think that could be a great thing. Due to my other activities (the baking business, homeless shelter, and house projects), I am not sure I'd have the time for it, so that's why I'm going to think about it before diving into anything.

Shopping
I placed an order for new Tupperware and a cute little purse. I can't wait for them to come in!


Today's Lunch:
Ham sandwich on whole wheat with yellow mustard
Banana
Hershey's kiss
A homemade caramel

In fast-forward

It always happens the days I miss the van and have to drive to work. I get really, really thirsty on my way in.

I drink about 4 glasses of water before I leave the house, but it's not enough to hydrate me. I don't know what it is, but I just need a lot of water. I think if I were to get lost somewhere and not be able to drink water constantly, I would shrivel up and blow away. I fill up my 1-liter Nalgene bottle at least 3 times just when I'm at work.

So the ride to work just kills me. I still have that morning dehydration thing going on, and it really kicks in as I'm driving to work. Today, being cold and wintery, I felt like drinking something hot, so I went to a coffee shop. I got a skim-milk latte to enjoy at work, and now I'm feeling very awake. I also have coffee breath.. ew. But I'm kind of digging the caffeine buzz.

New subject:

Last night I baked three pies for Zach's boss's grandpa's 90th birthday party that's taking place tomorrow. I was SO excited to bake those pies! They wanted a pumpkin pie, apple pie, and chocolate cream pie. Oh my god, that chocolate cream pie is awesome! I had to lick the spoon (when I was done with it, of course), then the wire whisk, and then I used my finger to get the remaining pudding out of the saucepan. Then I started the apple pie. Cook's Illustrated says to use Granny Smith apples for tartness and texture and Macintosh's for flavor. I used Granny Smiths and Fujis, since the Macs at The Pig looked bad. I cooked the apple filling ahead of time so it wouldn't shrink in the pie and create an air space between the filling and the top crust. The pie turned out wonderfully. This morning I whipped some cream for the chocolate pie but put it in a separate container to be spread over the filling before serving. I also have a pecan pie bar order for sunday for a staff person at the homeless shelter.

And... I finished my Peace Corps application yesterday and turned it in electronically. It was nice to finally have it done - it was a lot of work! I had to write essays, list practically all the volunteer work I've done in my entire lifetime, and find references. After over a month of working on it, I finally completed it. I'm proud of myself. Now I'll just have to see if they want to interview me.

Okay, now it's time to go to a coffee break with our economics peeps.

Today's Lunch:
You guess! The winner gets mailed a dozen gingersnap or chocolate chip cookies - your choice!

My little diva

Thoroughly confused

One of our assistant directors, Lee, is new at the lab, and she wanted to have a meeting with me. I scheduled a meeting with her secretary and met with her today.

It was all very flattering. She told me that she sees me as a promising young employee and she wants to help me further my career and be my mentor. I thought that was really cool. She said she's impressed at how many groups I'm active in at work and likes how I am extroverted and friendly with people. She stressed the importance of having "emotional intelligence" and said that even the smartest people, the most dedicated scientists, would find it difficult to have a successful career without having emotional intelligence.

She also mentioned the Peace Corps. She had heard I was applying, and seems to understand that I'm not completely happy at the lab and am looking to do other things. But, she said, I am "above" the Peace Corps and could do similar things in the Forest Service with their international forestry programs. It would be nice to not have to leave the Forest Service to pursue my dreams. I'll start looking into international forestry, and maybe if something doesn't come up by the time I would potentially leave for the Peace Corps, then I will join the Peace Corps.

It was an emotionally wracking experience. I never know when to trust my instincts while making decisions. I mean, I could join the Peace Corps or I could wait for the Forest Service to offer me something similar. I'm not one to wait for opportunities to come, I find them. Sometimes I act too rashly, and other times I wait too long. It's difficult for me to determine when to move on.

Today's Lunch:
Leftover pasta (whole wheat penne with tomatoes, mushrooms, and garbanzo beans)
Banana

Quiz answers

Wondering where you went wrong? Here are the answers to my quiz.

Question #1

We'll start with something easy... which of these hobbies don't I partake in?

Bicycling

Scrapbooking

Baking

Sewing

Question #2

Next.. where did I spend the majority of my childhood?

Houghton, MI

Gaylord, MI

Grayling, MI

Rural Zimbabwe

I threw that in there because a lot of people think I'm from Gaylord. Gotcha!

Question #3

Okay, here's something a little harder. Which government agency do I work for?

Natural Resources and Environment

Forest Service

National Park Service

Office of Wood Research Becky, you would've gotten that one right if you'd come to visit me!

Question #4

How many times have I visited Alaska?

2

3

5

7

That one was tough, I know. I went there twice for work and three times with Zach.

Question #5

So you think you're smart. But do you know what my favorite DQ Blizzard is?

Peanut butter cup

Oreo

Pumpkin pie

Hamburger Heaven

Yep, that one was tough, too... unless we went to college together and you paid attention. Pumpkin pie is a very close second!

Question #6

Now, what was my major in college (for my undergrad degree)?

Forestry

Underwater basket weaving

Mathematics

Wood Science

Yeah, wood science rocks!

Question #7

You may know that a lot of things annoy me. But which of the following is my ultimate pet peeve?

When people chew their food loudly

Toilet seat left up

Humans making animal noises (like meowing)

Toilet paper roll facing wrong direction Seriously, it's like nails on a chalkboard.

Question #8

What kind of vehicle do I drive?

Gas-guzzling SUV

Small truck

Station wagon

Minivan

Question #9

I have a list of goals that I'd like to achieve before I die. Which of the following is NOT on that list?

Go skydiving

Become a master electrician

Write a book about U.P. pasties

Live off the land for a summer

I think almost everyone got that one right.

Question #10

Okay, and last but not least... which of the following foods would I be LEAST likely to eat?

Eggplant

Raw fish

Deep fried, mechanically separated chicken parts

Calf brains

I'm surprised at how many people got that wrong, I thought it was a no-brainer. In some countries, calf brains are considered a delicacy, and if I had the option I would certainly try them over eating McNuggets. But only if the cow doesn't have Mad Cow Disease. :)

Special kudos to Bo Ca (who??), Mary, Laura S. and Mama Mel for doing well on my quiz!

Scared

Lately I've been thinking about my possible Peace Corps duties, and I'm a little afraid. I'm afraid I can't do it. I'm afraid I'll just be a statistic, a person who doesn't last the whole 2 years, that I'd be contributing to the 29% dropout rate.

I hear so much about people not lasting the whole time. I read Tasha's blog about it when she went to Panama as part of the Peace Corps Master's Program at MTU. It sounded like she was really going through some rough times, and now she's back in the U.S. I don't know if I'd be able to handle it, either.

I've never had a problem with confidence, but for once, I'm afraid of failing. I know I have to try it - I can't fail at it unless I try - but still, I don't want to fail. I want to make it the whole 2 years. Zach wasn't very helpful, either. When I told him I was afraid I wouldn't last the whole 2 years, he didn't say anything supportive, which just gave me the impression that he thinks I won't make it. *sigh*

I think I will email my recruiter and ask her why so many people drop out, and what I can do to avoid it.

Today's Lunch:
Leftover whole wheat penne pasta with mushrooms and tomatoes
Apple

Take a quiz.. about me!

I'm not a very secretive person; I'll tell anybody just about anything. So let's see what you know. You may learn a few new things about me in the process. Good luck!


Create your own friendquiz here

Today's Lunch:
Went to UW Cafeteria again, this time with co-workers. I ate:

• The same salad as yesterday - spinach and romaine, garbanzo beans, shredded carrots, pickles, Greek olives and sunflower seeds with balsamic vinaigrette
• Cup of chili
  

The best walk EVER

Today I took a great walk. First, I went to the UW Hospital across the street for lunch, since we don't have any lunch food at home. Then I traversed through a couple of parking lots and around a marsh to get to the trailhead to Picnic Point.

My original plan was to hike to Picnic Point and back, but it didn't go as planned. As I walked from the marsh to the Picnic Point trailhead, I saw another trail. It was a trail less traveled. It was covered in brown leaves, and the soil that was showing was muddy. The best part of it is that it went uphill. Trails that go uphill are trails with adventure potential. You never know what's at the top of that hill. I had to take it.

When I got to the top of the hill, I saw a huge pile of firewood. As I looked around, I saw what appeared to be a junkyard off in the distance. Next to the junkyard were a couple of white pines, a rarity in these parts. I wanted to get a better look at the trees, so I made my way around the stacks of firewood toward the trees. Then I realized that the junkyard wasn't a junkyard, it was a community garden plot. And I was on the top of a big, grassy hill surrounded by trees with the lake at one end (way down at the bottom of the hill). I was excited to explore a new area, an area with unmowed grass and pine trees (both rare).

The garden plots were for the student family apartments that I could see about 200 yards away. I strolled through them, completely forgetting to examine the pine trees. I saw old stalks from brussels sprouts, empty squash shells, dead sunflowers. Each little garden plot had its own bit of character, from a windchime made from empty yogurt containers to a 15-foot-tall chicken wire trellis for beans. It was really cool.

When I got to the end of the gardens, I saw more trails. I walked on one that headed toward the lake. To my right was a large, weedy field, and when I saw a sign for it, I realized that it was a prairie restoration site with the UW Biology department. Sweet! I love prairies. This was very exciting to me. I can't wait for spring so I can walk through the prairie and see all the flowers developing and hear the birds singing.

Beyond the prairie, before the lake, were some trees. As I walked through the woods, I noticed pieces of concrete block scattered about. Many of them had thick green moss growing on them. One block had been purposely stood up on its edge, and engraved into it was the date 1891. I could see the lake from where I was standing, and wondered if there had been a building there long ago.

As I turned around and walked back around the prairie, I could see another grassy hill about 200 yards away. I wanted to climb the hill to see what was beyond it, so I made my way back through the woods to get to it. The grass had been long and lush but was now brown and blown over by the wind and trampled by the snow. It made little mounds on the hillside. Near the top of the hill was a cluster of white pines. I wanted to step into the cluster, to be beneath the trees; it reminded me so much of my hometown. I saw the perfect climbing tree - a white pine that hadn't lost its lower branches. Since I had my coat and mittens on, I didn't climb it, but I made a note of its location and will climb it someday.

I decided to end my walk and get back to work. I will have to come back to that spot again, maybe for a picnic when it gets warmer outside.

So on my walk, I saw some of my favorite things - a path less traveled, gardens, a prairie, a little bit of history, and pine trees. It was a nice time.

Today's Lunch:

• Spicy lemon-chicken stir fry with steamed brown rice.
• A salad made with spinach, romaine, beets, carrots, sunflower seeds, and pickles; topped with balsamic vinaigrette with a couple of greek olives on the side. It rocked.
  

Cat video

Here's a video of my cat, Kitty, rolling around on the floor. I know it's a little dark, but it was my first time taking a recording. Hopefully I'll get the hang of it with more practice.

She flops around when I first come home, I think because she's happy. Sometimes she meows, too.



Today's Lunch:
Leftover roasted pork with rhubarb-lemon glaze
Leftover Three Golden Squash and Corn, from my Lewis and Clark cookbook

Cheese = evil

I was reading a nutrition bulletin at work, and there was a little quiz where you'd test your knowledge on the amount of calories found in different foods.

What it boiled down to is that... anything with cheese is bad for you.

I used to follow that advice. In college, I'd peel the cheese off my pizza before eating it (well, in the early years, anyway). My first summer in Wisconsin, I ate cheese sparingly and stuck to skim milk for my dairy intake.

I blame it on Zach. He loves cheese and thinks no food is good without it. Chili? Must have shredded cheese on it. Chicken and rice? With cheese on top, thanks. Hamburgers? No, cheeseburgers. French fries? With cheese sauce. Pizza? Stuffed crust! As a result, I've gained about 10 pounds since he joined me. Okay, that and going out to eat more often. And preparing real dinners instead of just eggs and toast. And not hiking as much. All those things combined I'm sure have something to do with my weight gain. Not that I care that much or obsess over it.

I try to justify it all by saying that I'm much healthier now, which I am. I'm growing out my fingernails for the first time in about 4 years, and they are strong and white, not the peeling gray color they used to be. And my hair is healthier, too. I also have a lot of energy. Is it worth a few extra pounds? You betcha.

But I digressed. What I'm getting at here is that cheese is fattening (duh). And if you want to be a poster child of good health, you should eat it sparingly.

Stay tuned for a video of Miss Floppy Flop... coming tomorrow.

Today's Lunch:
Leftover chili (with no cheese, thankyouverymuch)
Banana
Peanuts

Kitty!

Brought to you by popular demand... (my dad finally looked at my blog and asked why I don't have more pictures of "The White Girl.")

A video of Miss Floppy Flop herself. Don't mind the scary Kitty talk (get it? Baby talk, Kitty talk).. she loves it when I talk to her and that helps her get flopping.



Also, when she rubs her face on something, I call her "Miss Rub."

She's my little princess!

Today's Lunch:

Vestibule issues

My mind has been occupied with concern over the vestibule in our house. There are moisture problems in that room and the walls are growing mold. Also, when I look at the door, water is cascading down the window and the doorknob is wet and slippery. The door is so swollen from the moisture (it's wood) that I couldn't even open it this morning. Fortunately, we almost always use the back door, but still.. it makes me very uncomfortable.

Wondering what a vestibule is? Here's a photo of my house. It's that little room that sticks out in the front.


So we're going to seal off the vestibule from the rest of the house in an attempt to keep it cool. It's not an insulated room (none of our rooms are), and because it sticks out, it's been subject to cold outdoor air. And when the cold outdoor air comes in contact with the warm, humid room, it condenses and that's why we have moisture issues. So yes, we need to seal off the vestibule and consider buying a new exterior door, since the one we have now is practically rotten.

This is all so stressful for me. We didn't have any problems with that room last winter, so why now? Also, I may have to dip into my kitchen/bathroom remodeling fund to take care of this. Bummer.

Today's Lunch:
Turkey and salami sandwich on whole wheat with dijon mustard
Banana
Lindt chocolate truffle (mmmm)

Now.. where was I?

Oh yes, I was going to blog about the wedding we attended.

JP (the Bet Sig, for all you MTU people out there) and Perry (DZ) got married on New Year's Eve. I didn't bring my camera because I didn't want to lose it, so I don't have any photos of the wedding or my cool dress. Hopefully other people will share their photos.

Zach was one of the groomsmen, so we had a lot of events to attend. Saturday was the rehearsal and rehearsal dinner, so in the morning we helped set up (there were people already drinking beer at 11:00), then went to the rehearsal. The dinner was really fun and sponsored by Perry's uncle Rod, who is a chef. Being the hopeful culinary student that I am, I introduced myself to him, told him that I'd like to go to culinary school someday, and asked him if he had any advice for me. He is a CIA graduate (Culinary Institute of America, not the Central Intelligence Agency) and told me I should go there, as it's the best culinary school in the country. Because I have a college degree already, and am actually interested in pastry arts, he suggested that I attend the 30-week pastry certificate program in California (right in the heart of Napa Valley). It's a pastry program for people who've already "done" college and don't need the basic classes. I was really excited to talk to Chef Rod. He gave me his email address and we'll keep in touch. I don't think I'll do the program until I go to the Peace Corps, and by the time I'm done with that I may have changed my mind. But it's nice to know what's out there.

Some of my baking orders from last month:

Check out the police gingerbread-man! I had so much fun decorating these cookies.

A cheesecake with a chocolate glaze (I was really bummed when the chocolate glaze slid off the cake during transit)

During break, we took some pictures of Blackie, my parents' cat. Whenever I unroll wrapping paper to wrap gifts, he walks around on it and then sits on it. He likes how it's crinkly.

Robber Kitty - yes, it ain't nice, but I'm sure his primitive animal brain has already forgotten about it. We only did it twice, I swear!

Here he is again, being cute.

Blackie sitting outside of his "lair" - he lays under the purple pillows. Also, the red pillow on the left is his "girlfriend" - he likes to hump it. It's really scary. We avoid touching the red pillow at all costs!

Today's Lunch:
Turkey sandwich with low-fat provolone cheese on whole wheat with low-fat Miracle Whip
Banana
Chocolate Santa

Holiday recap

Whenever I go to my Blogger dashboard, there's a message in big, bold type inviting me to switch over to Blogger Beta. I'm scared to, since I keep hearing about how bad it is and people wish they'd never switched. Any opinions?

Today, a Beer Bread in a Bottle mix showed up on my desk. I have no idea who it's from! Whoever put it there didn't leave a note and I haven't seen an email about it.

For the holidays, Zach and I went to my parents' house in Michigan. We mostly hung out around the house. I did some cooking and worked on a recipe book for my sister, Becky, and Zach watched TV and cut down a tree for my dad. I needed to sew a dress for a formal wedding on New Years' Eve, so my mom and I worked on that for 1-1/2 days. She did all the hard parts, which was about 3/4 of the dress. The fabric was crepe-back satin, which I thought would be easier to use than regular satin, but the dress pieces were cut on the diagonal and wanted to become stretchy.

The wedding was a nice time. I can't go into detail now, because I have to leave or else I'll miss my van!

Today's Lunch:
Leftover beef stir fry with frozen "oriental" veggies and whole wheat spaghetti