Saturday, January 30, 2010

FRIGID

One word that describes Upstate New York right now...
FRIGID!!!
Today of all days I was planning a mother and son outing to Greek Peak. The hubby is in a soccer clinic ALL weekend long so we (G and I) were going to be spending the day learning how to snowboard. I heard that it was suppose to be a little chilly today, but this is ridiculous!!! When I woke up early, I checked the outdoor temp and to my amazement it was -1 degrees. What??? Then I checked the website for the weather up north and it told me that it was -4 degrees. Double WHAT????
Needless to say, I am on my second cup of coffee, bundled up in a warm blanket...blogging. We are going to try and hit the slopes at 12 but I'm not even sure about that.
Even poor Stitchie is chilly...
he hasn't moved from his favorite spot in the kitchen which happens to be right on the heater vent...
Onto other news...this week has been a little hectic with my great aunt coming home. She ended up having a pacemaker put in a week ago last Friday and made out really well. Funny thing is, is that she was suppose to come home on Saturday and while I was at my husbands soccer game on Friday night, I got talking to the person who runs the soccer dome and he ended up being in the operating room with her. Not only does he run the dome, he also is an electrical engineer who tests out the pace makers before they insert them into the patient. Who knew???? Anywho...his brother was my aunts doctor and after me telling the engineer about my concerns with her coming home, he was nice enough to call his brother and make it so she stayed an extra 2 days in the hospital. Whew...good news!
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So she came home on Monday and I stayed with her all day on Monday and Tuesday. By Wednesday she had other help and here it is Saturday and she is doing great! I guess her heart needed that little boost to make her feel better. The thing with a pacemaker is, is that it keeps your heart beat and a normal 60 beats a minute. That was her problem all along...between the congestive heart failure and pneumonia she was not good at all.
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So the beginning of the week was all that along with work...the middle of the week...work and the end of the week, stuff around the house. I have been trying to get my pottery studio (If you want to call it that) cleaned and organized. We start classes this week and I want to be all set for work! My studio right now is in my basement...a very small space. Between all the house stuff...furnace, water heater and etc., there is my pottery wheel and several shelving units, tables and other. It is hard to work down there for a long period of time...kind of gloomy and you can't stand up straight but even though I sound like I am complaining, I really am not. I am happy to have the ability to work on my pottery at home!! My thought was to paint the walls but I really don't think that would help. If anyone has any suggestions on how to brighten it up...leave me a message!!
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What's with the buttons and stuffed thing you might ask. Well between everything
this week, I started sewing a little. I found this really cute pattern and have been trying it out. It is a little tedious but it has turned out soooo cute. Stay tuned for pics regarding this...I can't post it right now because they are still in the works and I am giving them to a couple of people and I know they read this blog....so there!!
The pancakes above were so delicious.
I made them following a recipe that was on my friend Ashley's website. You can find it here
They are wheat oatmeal pancakes and I made them on Sunday morning. It was just the boost I needed to head out on a 4.5 mile run. Normally I do not eat such a big breakfast before I go for a run but that particular morning I was waiting for the weather to warm up to a nice balmy 45 degrees. The pancakes were just what I needed to sustain myself for a run and they gave me tons of energy. I felt great on the run and was impressed because after all it had been since Christmas that I had run outside.
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Since that run, I have had a run outside again but this time it was 24 degrees and quite the difference in my running. It was a little bit of a struggle as the cold air makes my heart race even more than it does, even with a scarf around my mouth and nose. I guess maybe my running temp can't be any lower than 35 degrees. Come on spring!!! I need to start my training now!!! I signed up for a 1/2 marathon in March and the "dreadmill" is really not my friend!!
So with that I leave you with one thing...
Think Spring

Thursday, January 21, 2010

Stuff

So life and work had me upside down and backwards last week, but in a good way. I had an incredible wedding that I helped with and it turned out so seriously beautiful.
Truly a WINTER WONDERLAND.
I have some photos of the wedding and the reception, so I will make sure that I post them at a later date.
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But in the meantime I have been consumed with a very sick great aunt. She just turned 89 a week ago today and on Saturday was rushed to the er with not being able to breathe. In the several days that she has been in the hospital, she was diagnosed with congestive heart failure along with pneumonia. Today while I was at the hospital, the doctor came in and told her that she needs to have a pacemaker put in ASAP. Apparently her heart stopped two times yesterday for over 7 seconds a piece. Not good!! So hopefully, if all goes well tomorrow she will have the pacemaker put in late morning and start the road to mending. She is surprisingly a very spry lady who has 100% of her mind. It is just her body that is not cooperating!
Please have her in your thoughts for a speedy recovery.
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The top photo was taken this very chilly morning. Graydon came running downstairs to tell me that we had a bunny in the yard...a very fat bunny. After pointing him out to me, I of course, grabbed the camera and headed to the dining room to take a pic...
Fat bunny, no I think a very cold bunny!
Poor little guy...
I wish I could bring him in for some nice hot carrot soup and a warm blankey...
While writing this blog, there was a Star Wars Lego war going on in the living room, right below my feet. Two kids, one 10 year old and one wanna be 10 year old had quite the fight.
Missiles were flying, pieces were lost...
but all in all the Dad and Son had fun!!
and I enjoyed watching every minute...
especially Graydon giggling!!!

Thursday, January 14, 2010

Quiet....I think not!!!

Well even though the blog has been quiet, I have been so busy! I have a wedding coming up this Saturday (Hi Jen and Travis) and I have been prepping all week for it. I have in the past done two weddings...look here and here and it was a lot of fun. I have not officially claimed myself a wedding planner more as a wedding helper. Brides have so much to worry about I like to think that I can take some of that load of work from them.
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What's with the plates above(chargers to be exact)...the bride and I spray painted all of them from gold to silver. On top of spray painting the plates, I spray painted all of the curly willow that goes into the centerpieces. I think I may have gotten a little high from it too! :)
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Although I do have to admit...
I love to spray paint.
It's kind of cool to stand there and instantly turn something from one color to another.
Strange?? No just call it instant gratification!

So this above shot is of the centerpieces before assembling them. The frosted vases give a nice wintry look to the table. The curly willow adds a bit of outdoorsy (is that even a word?) feel and I can't wait to see the whole effect once they are on the tables!

I know you can't see what is hiding in the willow now
but take a closer look...

Crystals...how pretty!!
Especially once the lights are dim and candles are around the base.

Here they all are lined up like soldiers getting ready to go.

And on top of that...
ROSES!!
And lots of them!!!
All the bouquets, corsages and boutonnieres are with all these beauties!!
Tomorrow I will be assembling ...

and I can't wait to show you the finished product!
Stay tuned!!

Monday, January 4, 2010

Non-Creative (ish)

Although I have tons and tons of new ideas running through my head for pottery I have yet to execute any of them. I have been busy with trying to heal myself. Unfortunately New Years Eve day I spent in the er at Wilson Hospital with what they thought was my appendix. After a million tests and a clean bill of health I was released by 10:00PM, just in time to come home and watch Dick Clark count them down. But I still have the pain and no one knows why...which leads me to not being able to throw anything right now. I guess I have to be creative in a different way so cooking it is. Tonight I made a delicious recipe from a Rachel Ray magazine that I lifted from the er waiting room...the only thing positive out of that whole experience.
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So this delicious recipe was a hit with Graydon and I tonight. Todd really doesn't like soup but I think he enjoyed this bowl...the recipe follows if you would like to make this.
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Samurai Soup
1/2# Baby Bok Choy, halved lengthwise and crosswise, white and green portions separated
1/2# ground pork
1/4 cup soy sauce
1-1/2 T oyster sauce
1 T finely chopped fresh ginger
2 t honey
1 t sesame oil, plus more for drizzling
40 wonton wrappers
1-32oz container of low sodium chicken broth
1/4# snow peas trimmed and cut crosswise into 1/2" pieces
scallions - cut into small pieces for garnish
  1. In a sauce pan of boiling water, cook the white part of the bok choy portions for 1 minute: add green portions and cook until wilted. Drain, rinse with cold water and squeeze dry: finely chop and transfer to a medium bowl. Stir in pork, 1 T of soy sauce, the oyster sauce, ginger, honey and 1 t of sesame oil.
  2. Arrange 10 wonton wrappers on work surface and top each with 1 teaspoon of pork mixture. Moisten edges and fold over to form a 1/2 moon; press edges to seal. Working with 1 at a time, bring the tips together and pinch to fork 10 bundles. Repeat with remaining filling.
  3. In a medium sauce pan, bring the chicken broth, 1 cup of water and the remaining 3 tablespoons of soy sauce to a boil. Cover and remove from heat.
  4. In a large pot of boiling water, cook the dumplings, stirring occasionally until tender, about 5 minutes. Add the snow peas to the broth, cook for 1 minute then ladle over the dumplings. Top with scallions and drizzle a little of the sesame oil on top.

As Rachel Ray says...Yum-O!! For dessert I made my friend Michelle's Famous Chocolate Chip Cookies. This recipe I can not give out because it is a secret and she swore me to secrecy. But let me tell you they are delicious!!!

Saturday, January 2, 2010

New Toy

I won an auction on Ebay the other day and I was excited to see it came in today's mail. It is a Kitchen Aid pasta maker that fits in with the Kitchen Aid food grinder. Although it is not the exact Kitchen Aid Pasta Maker that I really want (note the last photo), I thought maybe this is could be 2nd best.
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The dough recipe is different from the one I typically use for the old fashioned crank machine and really, really dry. I had to add a little more water to the recipe and it still was dry. I attached all the pieces and tried to use the smaller spaghetti dye but the dough did not extrude in it. I think once the dough goes through the grinder part it gets a little more sticky so note to self, use a little less water. Once I put the larger spaghetti dye in, it really started pumping out.
And it made a ton of pasta. So guess what we are having for dinner???
I would rate this an A so far. It comes with an elbow, lasagna, thin spaghetti, larger spaghetti and linguine noodle maker. The thing that makes me a little worried is the torque it puts on the Kitchen Aid motor. The machine was quite warm after I finished. Maybe it was the stickiness of the dough but next time I use it I will keep an eye on things.


This above photo is the one I really, really want. It retails for $179.00 plus s/h and tax from William Sonoma. It is amazing. It makes fuscilli and rigatoni as well as a bunch more different pastas....
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Maybe in the "near" future I'll be able to blog about this one too...
maybe....
:)