Aya has a “how to” project due next week, an oral and written presentation for her second grade class.  When she came over yesterday afternoon, she told me that she wanted to make bread rolls with me, using dough made in the bread machine, and use that for her project, [...]]]> Well, not really snails.  Snail rolls.

Aya has a “how to” project due next week, an oral and written presentation for her second grade class.  When she came over yesterday afternoon, she told me that she wanted to make bread rolls with me, using dough made in the bread machine, and use that for her project, because the bread I make is THAT good.  I was flattered.

She really does like my bread, though.

So we got out the flour, sugar, butter, eggs, milk and yeast and combined them in that age-old way. Give this day our daily bread and all that…

Aya was very patient  as I stuck a camera in her face and snapped shots of most of the steps along the way.  We spent a good three or four hours today in the kitchen and had a lot of quality Mom-and-Daughter bonding time.   The full set of 13 photos is up on Flickr. Some of them turned out very good!

My mom was a domestic goddess.  Well – she was a computer programming genius, too, but what I remember most about her was her work around the home.  She was an amazing cook, kept a spotless house, and grew and canned her own fruits and vegetables up until [...]]]> Have I mentioned how wonderful Home-Ec 101 is?

My mom was a domestic goddess.  Well – she was a computer programming genius, too, but what I remember most about her was her work around the home.  She was an amazing cook, kept a spotless house, and grew and canned her own fruits and vegetables up until she passed away.  So, growing up in my mom’s house, I managed to pick up some of her skills.

But not all of them.

Mom died in late 2001, shortly before the birth of my daughter – and that was when I really needed to learn more about domestic duties than apartment life had prepared me for.  As isolated as I was, there wasn’t really anyone I could call with basic (and sometimes ridiculous) little questions like,

• How do I cook a roast? It’s this big, intimidating slab of meat.
• How did this bathtub get so grimy… never mind that, how do I get it clean again?
• I drove a cigarette-addicted co-worker to lunch yesterday and now my car stinks. Help!

I wish Home-Ec 101 had been around then.  I think the site was founded in 2006 – and if you need to know how to clean it, cook it, fix it, or wash it, Home-Ec 101 has ALL the answers.  Every time I have one of those, “I wish Mom was around so I could call her and ask her how to…”, I check Home-Ec 101 first.

Also. You know how when company’s coming over and the house is a mess and you spend a frantic hour trying to get everything cleaned up so your friends don’t think you’re a slob?  (Is it just me?)  Home-Ec 101 also has a great basic chore list – not too detailed, and not too simple – to help you get in the habit of keeping the house up every day, a little bit at a time.

They also have a great recipe for a Ground Beef and Cabbage Skillet.

Anyway, I’ve been following this site’s RSS feed since I stumbled across it.  You should too!

The rest of the I Protest! Failures In Group Communication series is even better.  Thank god(s) for the Cheezburger Network.

Two years of high school German was sufficient to translate it, but I used Google Translate to verify what I thought I was reading.  Because, at 5:50 A.M., it didn’t make a lot of sense.

This missive politely informed [...]]]> I just received the weirdest email ever, from a very well-established Austrian stonemason company that specializes in grave monuments.

Two years of high school German was sufficient to translate it, but I used Google Translate to verify what I thought I was reading.  Because, at 5:50 A.M., it didn’t make a lot of sense.

This missive politely informed me that as ordered, a lantern for some other family’s tomb has been assembled, thanks and best wishes from Vienna.

I responded that there  must have been a mistake as I hadn’t ordered anything.  We’ll see if I get any further reply or if this was just some poorly-planned but still amusing gothic prank.

Well, maybe I’ve been brooding my way through this divorce, too. Did you know [...]]]> I haven’t been blogging much lately. Hell, I haven’t been doing much of anything other than working, cooking, cleaning and exercising. It’s a good thing I enjoy doing three of those things, right? (Guess which one I don’t like…)

Well, maybe I’ve been brooding my way through this divorce, too. Did you know almost half of marriages in the United States end in divorce? Why does anyone even bother getting married in the first place?

It occurs to me that I don’t have a lot to write about when I’m not ranting. I guess I could start writing about the humdrum details of my oh-so-mundane life or my struggles with diabetes and ulcerative colitis, but I know that’s not nearly as interesting as my overwrought rants. I’ll think of something, when I get enough time, probably involving amusing anecdotes and my daughter. Suggestions are appreciated.

I stopped participating in Wordless Wednesday several weeks ago because I haven’t been taking many photos. I did get a few shots of the snow earlier this month, but I haven’t pulled them off the camera to see how they turned out yet. The LCD viewscreen on my camera finally succumbed to the abuse it suffered rattling around in my purse (oops?), so I haven’t been able to spend much time working on my amateur photography skills — even though the world around me is so beautiful. (Cell phone photography just isn’t the same, you know? Any recommendations for a new camera?)

The time I spend with Aya is too precious to waste on any other hobbies, so if it seems like I’m not writing and/or gaming with the usual crowd, I’m not, and I’m not avoiding you guys. I love and miss you guys. . . but moments of true leisure are few and far between these days.

I do wish I had more time.

This thing all things devours:
Birds, beasts, trees, flowers;
Gnaws iron, bites steel;
Grinds hard stones to meal;
Slays king, ruins town,
And beats high mountain down.

“I meant,” said Ipslore bitterly, “what is there in this world that truly makes living worth while?” Death thought about it. “Cats,” he said eventually, “Cats are Nice.

–Terry Pratchett