Fitz? Me? Daisy?
Fitz ate the whole bag of Dum Dum Lollipops.
I left the lollipops in the car.
I bought them for St. Patrick's Day...to put green lollipops in the kids' lunches.
I left Fitz in the back of the car.
Mistake.
Daisy missed out because of her good manners.
Don't go away! I can use a day or two like this. It's a beautiful day to get work done at home. Not the kitchen floor...I've finally caught on after years with lots of paws with animals in the house.
Even if I wash the kitchen floor on a sunny day....dogs find puddles!
Here we are. One big happy family. In the smallest room in the house, The bathroom. I kid you not.
Biff has just gone off to work and the kids are at school. Quiet. Peace. You think. My family thinks. "What do you do all day?" they ask me.
Me? Alone? I'm in the bathroom. Daisy, Fitz and Boo have joined me. No one believes me when I tell them that I have no privacy....even when I'm home alone. Yes, this my life.
| 6 1 2 4 1-1/2 1/3 2 1 2 2 | 1 oz. squares semisweet chocolate tbsp. shortening 3 oz. packages cream cheese, softened tbsp. butter (1/2 stick), softened (do not use margarine) c. powdered sugar c. unsweetened cocoa tbsp. milk tsp. vanilla c. heavy or whipping cream pints strawberries (or any other fresh berries) Mint Leaves for garnish (optional) |
Line 8-inch square pan with foil; press out wrinkles so chocolate box will come off foil smoothly. In heavy 1-quart saucepan over low heat, heat semisweet chocolate and shortening, stirring frequently, until melted and smooth. Pour melted chocolate mixture into foil-lined pan and swirl around sides and bottom, keeping edges as even as possible. Refrigerate 1 minute, then swirl chocolate mixture around inside of pan a second time, to reinforce sides of chocolate box. Refrigerate until chocolate is firm, about 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, prepare filling. In large bowl with mixer at medium speed, beat cream cheese and butter until smooth. Add powdered sugar, cocoa, milk and vanilla; beat until light and fluffy.
In a small bowl, with mixer at medium speed, beat 1-1/2 cups of heavy or whipping cream until stiff peaks form. With rubber spatula, fold whipped cream into cream cheese mixture.
Carefully remove foil-lined chocolate box from pan, then gently peel foil from sides and bottom. Place chocolate box on platter. Spread cream cheese filling evenly in chocolate box. Refrigerate until filling is well chilled and firm, about 2 hours.
In small bowl, with mixer at medium speed, beat remaining 1/2 cup heavy or whipping cream until stiff peaks form. Spoon into decorating bag with large rosette tip. Pipe cream in a 1-inch wide border on filling around edge of chocolate box. Cut larger strawberries in half and arrange over entire top of cream cheese filling. (Garnish with mint leaves optional).
Yield: 8 servings
Spring. Little hints appear. Sunshine or not, 44 degrees at 4 in the afternoon? I'll take it! Longer daylight hours? I'll take it! Kids outside playing spring season sports? I'll take it!
Yes! I'll take it all! Once again, I ham reminded that change is good. To everything turn, turn, turn...there is a time and a purpose untouched heaven! Amen! Woohoo! Hallelujah! Hooray! Yay! Yes!
One of my greatest pleasures has been working outside in the yard...moving rocks, raking, planting, creating. Over the years we've created some beautiful, rambling stone paths with big stones and river pebbles. Peaceful and unstructured.
Though the giant rocks are in random spots, each one has been very special to us... and the other kids on our road. Our kids may be in high school now but they still wait for the rumbling school bus on the "school bus rock!" Another rock has hidden little playmates over the grammar school years, "The Spy Rock." Major undercover work and missions have been accomplished. The largest rock of all, "The Globe Rock," was originally an overwhelming climb but with a bucket of chalk and hours of chalking had the rock evolve into The Globe Rock!
Along the "natural" path created with flat, sturdy stepping stones there are lightly colored river pebbles. Years ago I sprinkled sparkling glass stones and clear glass marbles. Just for fun. Also for fun, I told all of the kids that they were magic! It's years later with many new neighbors and smaller children. They still wander along the path gathering and collecting and spilling and counting and sharing their newly acquired sparkly magic stones! Today the first little hunter and gatherer has appeared ....it must be spring!
Fitz. Parking lot of grocery store. Quick dog walk. Fitzy found someone's "leftover" McDonald's litter. Feeding frenzy ensued. Daisy managed a few bites too. Lots of onlookers...who probably assumed I was the litterbug. Oops. At least she didn't get my lipstick.
Oops #1
Oops #2
REALLY. I took my first spin class today. I walked the dogs for a really good walk. I went to my Zumba class. Really. Really. What was I thinking?
Mine? How can I tell. Paint. Our bedroom shade. Sapphire 4. Laura Ashley. How did bedroom paint get on the sewing machine? Oh never mind. That's not important. What is important is that I got the sewing machine out. To use. Stop laughing. Really. Wait til you see what I can do. Just wait. It has to be done soon. The machine is on the coffee table in the family room. It took me one hour to make a bobbin. After trying to get the paint off the relatively new sewing machine. Oops. Big job. I threaded the needle too. Another hour. I'm hopeful. Very hopeful. I'm motivated. Very motivated. To create. A pillow. Maybe a duvet for Grace. I'll start with the pillow. Actually, I have started. I turned it on. It moved. The pedal revs the engine. Thrilling. I have needles. Pins. Ha. Pins and needles. Even a little tomato pin cushion! Extra bobbins. Extra thread. No patterns. Why would that surprise anyone? Wish me luck!
Dog walk. Kids talk. Friends. Coming. Going. Driving. Zumba. Music. Dancing. Jumping. Sweating. Breathing. Water. Lots of water. Gulping. Walking. Talking. Driving. Grocery Store. Reality. Hungry. Shopping. Quickly. Groceries. Cell phone. Phone calls. Check out. Thank you. Thank you for packing. Out to car. Start car. Need heat. Chilly. Dark. Biff calls. Drive home. Kids. Dogs. Dinner. Dogs. Kids. Strawberries. One whole package. Lots of strawberries. Delicious. Biff. TV. Computer. Cats. Biff. Hair color! Desperate. We'll see. No gray. Wait. May be dark. Box said Golden Sunshine Blonde? OK? Maybe. Outside. Lasts for 28 shampoos. No roots. No gray. No hairdresser. Compromise. Yup.
Delightful. Sunshine and high winds. Walking the dogs. On the road. In the woods. Damp under foot. Leaves. Sticks. Branches. Tree trunks. On the trails. Across the trails.
The air is brisk. A brisk walk with the dogs always puts a smile on my face. Daisy and Fitz smile too. We occasionally slow down for a fresh scent. It's all new. Everytime. Every outing. For all of us. Outside. Outdoors. We see things differently. We have a new outlook. That changes everything. Change is good. Being open to change is better.
These magazines exhaust me. The whole reason I read them is to relax. After scanning the covers, I'm exhausted. Every magazine has work for me to do...on my hair, on my thighs, my clothes, my house, my cooking, my "organization and my money.
Every magazine promises to make me better.....why can't I be happy as I am? Because they tell me I need to be happier, neater, prettier, thinner, healthier, ! It's no wonder I'm exhausted.
Cold Turkey. I stopped buying them the first of this year. I love them. I get drawn in by the covers. They all offer so many possibilities .....New. Better.Color for hair, color for big rooms, colors for small rooms, make small rooms feel spacious, make oversized rooms feel intimate, de-clutter, live clutter free, get organized....they are all the same.
I don't miss them. I save money and clutter. I read them all... in the library.
Peaceful. It's a quiet night. We all seem to be content. Even Jinx. Although, he's always rather content. Cool cat.
Finally. We figured out a way to preserve the white lights from the naked Christmas Tree. We finagled a way to get them on the chandelier. Biff wrangled and tangled the white lights. Finally, voila! The sweet white lights are back.
Here we are. Saturday night. March. Chilly. Damp. Kids home. I'm home. Biff is home. It's a low energy kind of day here. Low. It's kind of nice. I'd like to play a game or have one movie that we all might like. Not happening. No one here wants to play. Grace decided to bake a cake. Can't decide on a movie. Biff decided to try facebook. Now, he's busy "finding friends." Just one of those nights. Quiet. Mellow. We'll all come together eventually tonight. After all, Saturday Night Live is on in a couple of hours and we have teenagers.
Random mall people
At the mall. People watching at a faraway mall with 4 teenage girls. The drive here and home is why I make the trip. Malls are not my thing. So un-American of me...it seems to be the new American pastime. As though all is well at the mall. I'm not sure why. It seems to make us want more....clothes, shoes, jewery, food, coffee, gelato, Mickey Mouse....everything. Thankfully, the girls are having fun. Thankfully, I'm sitting in the mall's pre-fab living room....people watching. Young, old, strollers, crying overtired toddlers, teen girls flirting with teen boys, odd couples, grandmas and grandpas and so many more. I like the drive....listening to these cute girls and the excited 16 year old chatter about school, boys, teachers, parents, brothers, sisters and facebook...in between cranking the radio and singing at the top of their lungs, giggling and laughing hysterically. Thankfully, in the midst of this crazy changing world, some things remain the same! It's worth the trip!
Clips and ties and scrunchies...it's time to get my hair cut or colored once I've resorted to the clip. What's a girl to do? Only the clip can save me. It's a temporary fix.
