"Virtual" Real Estate Shopping

Yep.  The blog's called Random Ramblings, so sometimes sh*t just comes outta left field.

Deal with it!

Here's a recent email:

More AZ Real Estate Adventures...

Okay, this one doesn't really rely on pictures so much.

Other than this one:

Which came with the email and, honestly, looks very appealing to me.

1 acre - horse property - $50K.  Not bad.

So I took the next logical step and pulled up the address on Google Maps and took a Virtual Drive of the neighborhood.  Plus this gives me the chance to check-out the mountain views - are they *really* that close, or did the realtor have a *really* good zoom on his camera, right?

So I checked out the 'hood.  Other than the redneck across the street who's storing his camper shell on the ground in the middle of his horse paddock, the neighborhood doesn't seem *too* bad.  I vaguely recall 'virtual-shopping' this property before, but anyway...

Then I do a Zillow search.  Odd.  It doesn't come up - even though the address pre-filled itself as I was typing (so yeah, I'd looked at this one before)...

Then I head to Trulia.  It shows that the property has been on the market for over 120 days - which seems odd because it *looks* like a nice piece of property, and $50K is a damn good deal for views like that!

Extremely strange that it hasn't been snatched up by now.  Hmmm.....

Then I scroll down and discover a feature that I didn't know Trulia had:

And now I've got "Bad Boys Bad Boys, What'cha Gun Do!" stuck in my head!

Damn!

Crafty Crap: Dollar Tree Mason-Jar Solar Lights (and Doggie-Rambling)

I can't imagine that this is a unique idea, but I figured I'd post it just the same!  Oh, and I'll probably start-out rambly - so consider yourself warned!!

See, we've got a "Special Needs Dog," Tazz-The-Spazz.  She has shattered all of my Old-Wiener-Dog Records by living well beyond the 14-1/2 year mark.  In fact, she is approaching 16 now!  She is our "Full-Throttle-Dog" who has always lived life to the fullest!  Our racing champ, and a veteran of multiple surgeries (including two neuro-surgeries for her back - which makes her OFFICIALLY more expensive than my Harley!).  

Tazz has definitely slowed WAY down in her Golden Years.  But, thus far, she still seems to be comfortable and happy - and I am committed to keeping her that way.  Her meals are all home-cooked (ground turkey and rice), she takes glucosamine daily, and when she feels creaky (i.e. rainy, cold days), we give her Rimadyl (basically doggie-aspirin).  If she ever reaches a point where we can't keep her comfortable...  Well, we'll make the appropriate "decision" for her.  But let's not go there, k?!

Seriously, she's still doing Pretty-Okay for an old girl.  She gives herself exercise by having "walkabouts" in the yard - usually 2-3 times per day - she walks the perimeter (and it's a mighty-long perimeter, especially considering that her legs are only about 3" long!).  

And she *still* gets excited when papa throws her tennis ball.  Seriously!  This dog is absolutely POSSESSED when papa throws the ball.  Now when mama throws it, "Meh!" She'll kinda half-heartedly galumph for a stride or two, then slow to a ramble.  But papa?!  Hell, she RUNS!  If she catches it on a bounce, she'll roll around on the grass in sheer delight!   She even still brings the ball back - on "good" days - but she's a far cry from the OCD Ball-Chasing Lunatic that she used to be (When it got so bad, we'd have to take her ball away.  She droves us absolutely CRAZY)

Yay!  Papa's throwing the ball!

We are making reasonable accommodations for her.  Her hearing isn't what it used to be, and her vision is definitely deteriorating.  We've had to keep the pool covered this summer (due to the drought - we want to minimize evaporation), and I am terrified of the dog falling in and slipping under the cover.  So we installed "landing lights" around the pool (solar rope lights).

Weenie-Dog Landing Lights
(view from the diving board end)

Cooler-lookin' view - including the TiKi BaR
We don't leave the pool-light on when it's covered

Just the rope lights around the perimeter

We also installed a Doggie-Door for Tazz, and she has the luxury of "freedom" to sleep wherever she chooses (the youngsters sleep in their crate).  Tazz sleeps, pretty-much, all of the time!  But she alternates between her two beds in the family room (one with a doggie-heating-pad and woobie, and a second unheated bed), and the doggie-bed/woobie combo in the kitchen.  

She seemed to be having some trouble locating the doggie-door at night, however, so I bought some cheap solar lights from the Dollar Tree (that kept falling over and rolling away!).

Okay, so THAT brings us to my Crafty Crap post! (Jeez!  FINALLY!)

Last week, this showed-up in my In-Box from Living Social:

Hey - Crappy cell-phone pic!

$14.99 for one solar mason jar light 

$39.99 for three.  Plus $3.99 shipping

Seemed like a cool idea.  But at almost $20 apiece I was *not* feelin' the love!  Hey - I've got all these tippy-over solar lights in the yard already, and Gawd-knows I've got a sh*t-ton of canning jars!  Maybe I can make some myself!  Here is what I did:

All the stuff you'll need:

(Minus the better-battery)

Start with a Dollar Tree Lamp like thus:

 It's actually a pretty cool-lookin' lamp

But unstable as hell!

Our Dollar Tree had a few of 'em left (end of summer).  They had black or white available, but I think they came in other colors as well - doesn't matter.  Also, you don't *have* to use this specific lamp - look for anything that has a top "puck" (circled below) that will fit inside the top ring of a mason  jar. 

The circled part is the only piece you'll need.

Next thing you're gonna do is take the lamp apart.  Remove the shade (which blows away when it tips over anyway!), then unscrew the top "puck" which contains the LED bulbs, a battery and the solar panel on top.  You may or may not want to use the bulb cover/diffuser (white cover directly under the "puck").

Cost, so far, $1.00

Now this next step was one I'd skipped, the first time around.  But it's a necessary step!  See, Dollar Tree lamps come with anemic AAA 100mAh Ni-Cd batteries that will not last through the night (they actually only stay lit for about an hour).  

Replace that bad-boy with something "juicier!"  I happened to have some 850mAh NiMHs laying around.  Google tells me that you can find even juicier rechargeable AAA's for appx $2.00 apiece.

This particular lamp has two teeny screws.  Unscrew 'em and open the puck to reveal the battery:

Anemic battery (yellow) - Dump it!
Better Battery on the right

Now I should note that the overall construction on my Dollar Tree lamp was...  Well, it's a Dollar-Tree Made-In-China piece of crap!  There are little clips at the top and bottom of the battery that wanted to pop-out while I was replacing the battery.  It required a little dexterity, but wasn't too difficult to complete the battery swap.  You do need the clips in place, and in contact with the battery terminals, otherwise it won't light up.  Put the thing back together and you're ALMOST done!

Cost so far:  Figure $3.00 (I'm still at $1.00 'cause I already had the batteries!)

Okay, next is fitting the "puck" into the mason jar ring.  Dollar Tree does carry mason jars, but I think the ring-opening on the top is a squee-bit bigger than the standard Ball/Kerr jar rings.  It really doesn't matter - as long as the puck is a fairly close fit.  You're gonna tweak-it larger by running electrical tape around the outside of the puck.  For mine, 4-5 layers of tape got me a good snug fit:

Dollar Tree sells electrical tape - Bada-Bing!

Next, you''re gonna want to snugly-fit the tape-wrapped puck into the top of your mason lid/ring and screw it onto the jar.  Now, depending upon whether you get rain in summer (not-so-much in parched California!), you might want to run another round of electrical tape at the point where the light-puck meets the jar-ring - to keep water from getting inside.  I don't think that water would hurt the light, but I would imagine it could get pretty "funky" in there if water got inside the jar.

Easy Peasy!

Cost so far: $4.00 (assuming you bought the jar at Dollar Tree - and I'm not counting the electrical tape in the cost)

So this is "okay" right now, but it's not gonna shine very brightly without something to help diffuse the light.  As I'd mentioned earlier, you could just use the lamp-cover/diffuser that came with the lamp.  I had originally considered buying a can of glass-frost spray at Home Depot, but my Dollar-Tree Compadre, P, came up with the brilliant idea of using glass pebbles in the jar (from Dollar Tree - Heyo!).

So, fill your jar almost-to-the-top with glass blobby-pebbles.  A pint-jar will use almost two full bags of pebbles.  And I would suggest using "mostly" clear pebbles, with maybe a few scattered colors.  You'll see, later, how the different color combos worked out, after dark.

Here is the first lamp, filled with mostly aqua-colored glass blobs:

Purdy!
(but not very bright, unfortunately)

Total Cost: About $6.00 apiece (Lamp $1 + Battery $2 + Jar $1 + Glass Blobs $2)  :-D

Okay, more pics...

Here are two jars - out in the sunshine.  The one on the left is the mostly-aqua blobs.  The one on the right is all-clear blobs in a blue jar.  The one on the right also has the "extra" electrical tape (for waterproofing), but I did a sloppy job with that (which is why I decided it wasn't necessary in parched-California!).

Even Purdier!

Oh, and they are definitely NOT 

gonna tip-over in the wind!

What was interesting:  I played around with the clear-blob lamps, after dark, and I really didn't notice a difference between clear-blobs in a blue jar vs. clear-blobs in a clear jar.  So if you want "pretty" in the daylight, and decent lighting after dark, use the blue jars with clear-blobs.  The colored-blobs really do cut-down on the amount of light, so I recommend sticking with clear-blobs, and maybe toss in a few random colored blobs for interest...

Okay, most of my "after-dark" pics were pretty crappy and, honestly, they aren't super accurate.  The camera compensated with a long-exposure so the pics appear brighter than they are in person.  Nevertheless, here are some pics:

Left: Aqua Blobs in Clear Jar

Right: Clear Blobs in Blue Jar

Left: Same as above

Right: Clear Blobs in Clear Jar

(not much difference)

Then, since I'd run out of glass blobs, I decided to make one more - using the plastic diffuser thingy from the original Dollar Tree Lamp.  Here are 3 together - next to the Doggie Door:

Left: Aqua Blobs in clear glass (least light)

Center: Clear in Clear

Right: Diffuser in Blue

So there you have it!  My (successful) attempt at making solar-powered mason-jar lamps for *well* under $20!  I like 'em and, while they aren't super-duper-bright, they do the job!  Tazz can find her way to the back door after dark!  Yayyy Me!

Recipe: Easy Peasey Cottage Cheesy!

Warning: Long and Rambly (and Cheesy!) Post ahead...

First: Whenever I think of the word "Cheese" - I hear *this* voice in my head!



Anyway, I follow all these Foodie-Bloggers, and Garden-Bloggers, and Pottery/Artsy Bloggers, and  General/Miscellaneous-Stuff-Bloggers...

And their posts frequently inspire me to try new things - which is (generally) pretty cool.  But (as evidenced by my brief forays into hooch-making) can also cause me to go off half-cocked and create little more than a BIG mess.  Yet I remain undeterred, undaunted, unfazed, whatevers.  Sometimes I conveniently "forget" what a PITA something is, and I go and do it all again (I'm thinking about jam-making here), and I end up succeeding - in spite of myself!

So what does all of this have to do with Cottage Cheese?  Yeah, yeah, keep your shirt on - I'm getting to it!

Over time, I'd read several blog-posts (and I really wish I could remember who, specifically, I can blame for this!) about cheese-making and I thought "Wow. That's pretty cool!"  So I Googled further and came to the conclusion that it shouldn't be all that difficult to do.  I also found some basic cheese-making kits that ended up on my Amazon Wish-List.  This one: Mozzarella and Ricotta, and this one: Basic Cheesemaking kit. For Valentines Day, Hubbie got both of them for me (Yay Hubbie!!!)

Coincidentally, the week before Valentines, my BFF and I got together for one of our (Legendary) IKEA Raids, and one of the topics of discussion was her interest in learning more about cheese-making.  So when I opened my Valentines Gift I thought "How fortuitous!" and immediately texted her to see if she wanted to come over and experience cheese-making, firsthand (well, not ON Valentines Day, but the Saturday after!).

So I picked up a couple of gallons of organic (but not "raw") milk in anticipation of Cheese-Fest-Weekend:  One gallon of whole milk for Mozzarella, and one gallon of 1% for Cottage Cheese (since that was another, related conversation).

I'm going to skip the whole play-by-play on our first attempt at cheese making because - while we had fun making it - well, let's just say it's not *quite* as easy as the interwebs led me to believe.  And the end result, while edible, bore very little resemblance to Mozzarella.  It was more like Queso Fresco (similar flavor, but not a stringy/stretchy texture).  It was tasty - don't get me wrong - but not what I was hoping for.  Whenever I get around to making a SUCCESSFUL batch of Mozzarella, I promise I'll share, k?!

Okay then!

After my BFF left (with 1/3 of a block of Queso Fresco!), I still had a gallon of 1% milk (that nobody here will drink!), so I decided I'd tackle a batch of Cottage Cheese.  This is (one of many) nice things about working from home - I can multi-task while earning a living!  What follows is a copy/paste of the emails I'd sent my BFF that day...

* * * * *
http://www.wikihow.com/Make-Cottage-Cheese 

I'm trying the Vinegar Method (fastest/easiest) today with Organic 1% milk + Heavy Whipping Cream at the end.  Will report back..

So far, WAAAAAAY easier than Mozzarella/Queso Fresco! (I got cottage-cheesy lumps almost immediately after adding the vinegar)

Next: I'll try the Rennet Method (with whole milk).  That one has to rest 4 hours, but I bet it won't have that "sour" taste you were talking about.  Gonna have to wait a bit (I'll need to eat the stuff I'm making today - first!  That'll take me a few days).

* * * * *

Okay...  We have results!

Yield was...  Disappointing!  One large-ish bowl (I'd say about enough to fit into one of the smaller 16oz tubs).

The leftover liquid was not whey (clear, almost greenish) - but sour milk (white).  Just for grins, I poured most of it back into the pot and dribbled 12 drops of rennet - just to see what will happen (probably nothing usable).  I'm leaving it sit, undisturbed, for an hour or so.

Texture: "Different" - almost like a cross between cottage cheese and ricotta.  The curds (after mixing with cream) seem a lot smaller.  And they seem to want to squish together and (almost) solidify when you squish 'em with a spoon (can't do that with regular cottage cheese.  The curds stay curdy).  It's actually a pretty nice texture - but not what I was expecting.

Flavor: Quite good.  I ended up adding more cream than what the recipe called for (appx 3/4 cup).  I can't tell if it tastes sour because my kitchen smells like vinegar (still got the pot of vinegar+milk+rennet on the stove).  I added salt and a teensy sprinkle of Splenda (just a pinch).  It is quite tasty.

I've put it in a plastic container in the fridge and I'll sample it again later...

Bottom Line: It was quick and easy and not too messy.  I do prefer the taste to store-bought.  It's definitely more expensive than store-bought (would be less-so, had I bought plain ol' milk - rather than Organic).

I want to try the Rennet method next. Maybe later this week...

Shoot.  Now I want my own cow!!! lol

Straining the curds

Curds, up close 'n personal

Done!

(or is it?!)

* * * * *

Kitchen Science - Part III (Alternate Title: Cheese Is Weird)

Okay, I'd plopped 12 drops of rennet into the remaining milky vinegar gooze (actually, it wasn't ALL of the leftover gooze, the first big bowlful went down the drain before I got all "Mad Scientist" with this...).  I left it alone for about 5-10 minutes then stuck a spoon in it ('cuz I just can't leave sh*t alone!).  Discovered it was starting to coagulate and separate (YAY) so I semi-sliced it with the spoon, plopped the lid back on the pot and let it set for another hour(ish).

Opened the lid and saw this:

Tasty, huh?  In a Doctor Frankenstein/Biology Class/Medical Examiner's Office sorta way...

Ehh...  WTF...

I attempted to rinse my cheesecloth (HAHAHAHAHA) to line the colander...  Poured it in and QUICKLY discovered that this shit ain't gonna drain through cheesecloth.  If I squoze it hard, well...  Flashbacks to puberty, k?  Goozy white lumps would shoot-out (with surprising velocity) in various directions.

Science is Messy!

So yeah, I quickly abandoned the whole cheesecloth idea and figured I didn't really care if I lost some of it through my mesh strainer...

This proved not to be an issue since it didn't really want to drain through THAT either!  But I did notice something:  THIS looks like cottage cheese!

Gave it a taste (yes, I AM very brave - thankyewverymuch!)...  Not bad, actually.  Yes, a bit sour - but not like "Ew Vinegar" - it was more subtle than that.  I did like the creamy texture and found myself wondering what would happen if I stirred some of it back into the first batch.

Removed the first batch from the fridge and confirmed that it seems awfully dry and - actually - almost reminded me more of cream cheese.  It really wasn't "curdy" at all.  Anyway, scooped a couple of TBS of batch #1 into a bowl, and added a couple tsp of the Rennet Gooze into that.  Stirred it up and gave it a taste...  Not bad!  Salted and Splenda'd it.  Better still.

So I mixed ALL of the Rennet Gooze back into Batch #1.  More salt and Splenda. 

Okay, NOW it's done!

Now it looks more like store-bought (but tastes better, I think).  Yes, there is a "hint" of sourness - but overall, pretty good.

I still haven't read the book, but the Acid seems to be what causes the "clotting" and the Rennet provides more of a "gelatinous" texture.  So I guess the "Art" part of this is knowing which-proportion-of-what to put together - to end up with something you like.

All told: I ended up with a FULL 16 oz. plastic container (before, it was Not-Quite-Full).

And I think, maybe, this email is gonna get re-jiggered and posted on my blog.  But I figured you'd like to know how this came out!

Not bad...  Not bad at all and I will be trying this again!

* * * * *

Final footnote:  I made "fauxtatoes" to serve with dinner tonight.  Steamed a head of cauliflower with a couple of very small red potatoes.  Mashed 'em up.  Normally, I add cream and sour cream - but tonight I added some of my cottage cheese as I squished everything up.  It really amped-up the 'taters!  Eggzellent (and relatively low-carb).

P.S. Thank you for using my Amazon Links (if you so choose!) QT's Amazon Affiliate Link. It won't alter your shopping experience, but it might net me a few pennies! ;-)

"I'm not dead!"

Warning:  No interesting "content" here - just a whole lot of rambling!  If you're looking for something useful, then "Move-along...  Nothing to see here!" Ahhh...  When all else fails, you can always fall-back on Monty Python - amiright?!
Jeez, look at this place!  A bit dusty, wouldn't you say?  I simply *must* talk to the housekeepers about that!

Yeah, sorry for the hiaitus.  It actually wasn't planned - Quite the contrary!  I was rather looking forward to having a simply STUPENDOUS summer or - at the very least - an insanely productive Garden Season.

Sadly, it just didn't work out that way.  I kind-of had a somewhat Crap-Tastic Summer.  And - like my mama always told me - "If you can't say anything nice, don't say anything at all."  I think I've mentioned this before (on the outside chance you are a regular-reader here!), I want this to be my Happy Place to yak about gardening, and cooking, and canning, and "Wild Hairs" and funky projects, and artsy-fartsy stuff, and basically anything that brings a little happiness into my world.

Sadly, Old Age - and all of it's annoying accoutrements - seems to be rearing it's ugly head (and I don't remember ANY OF THIS being mentioned in the handbook - dammit!).  Between my beloved hubs - who had knee-replacement surgery earlier this year (and is now facing complete tooth-extraction - "Hello, False-Teeth-in-a-glass on the night-stand!")...  And then me with all of this irritating (and indescribably Itchy and Painful) skin condition bullsh*t...  Well, let's just say that I might have set my expectations just a leeeetle bit too high when it came to Summer's Glory.

:::sigh:::

I don't want to whine tooooo much here, so I'll try to keep it brief (HA!).  To be honest, hubbies TKR procedure when extremely well, and he is well on his way to a full recovery.  But my skin condition (which is NOT psoriasis - and the doctors reached this conclusion because.... [drum-roll please!]...  It doesn't respond to ANY psoriasis-treatments - HAYYY!!!), well, let's just say that my skin condition continues to plague me and *still* seems to NOT respond to ANY treatments WHATSO-F**KING-EVER!

After two (count 'em: TWO!) overnight stays at two different hospitals (First was our local E/R.  The second was Stanford Medical Center - because my dermatologist didn't know what else to do with me!), well, I think we FINALLY got my doctor's attention, anyway...

I really-really-really don't want to rant about this, here (Ohhhh, it is sooooo tempting!  But what good would it do?!  Nada!).  Anyway, the bottom line is: I have been, pretty-much, a shut-in ALL SUMMER LONG.  And by shut-in, I mean - sometimes I am in such miserable shape (read: PAIN) that I haven't even been able to walk out to the patio to water my plants, let-alone make my way back to the garden.  Canning? Fugeddaboudit!

Thankfully, we have awesome neighbors and friends who were willing to pitch in, when things were at their bleakest.  So there's THAT (Bright Side!!!)

So that is my lame (but honest) excuse for disappearing (and Thank You - O' Long-Time-Blog-Follower - for "checking up" on me!  I never realized I even *had* followers!  I know I've got 'readers' - but I suspect they are mostly Hit-And-Runs looking for recipes (Ironically, my '# of visitors' reports are higher since I've stopped posting - go figure!).

Anyway, I shall make an honest effort to spend a little more time here.  I'll start posting recipes again, and maybe throw-together some kinda Summer Recap (such as is!). And, lastly:

No Whining!!

"Talk" soon!

-QT

And now for something completely different...

No reason, other than I wanted to get these pictures posted and linkable!

Highway Wiener Nationals - 2007

Click to enlarge

Tazz "The Spazz" is in the #5 position (and took a commanding lead!)

Princess Annie is #6 (and I don't think she even budged!)

Close-up!

Tazz won her heat and took fourth, overall, out of (I'm guessing) several hundred dogs!

And what did we win (besides Bragging Rights)?

Burglars Beware - or - "Watch Your Ankles!"

Awesome times!

The following year, we didn't do so well.  Tazz made it to the finish line - and beyond!!!  Either her vision was starting to go and she just-plain didn't see me (that's a distinct possibility), or she was just so excited she ran right past me and into the crowd!

Sadly, after two back surgeries, Tazz's racing days are over.  And Annie and Dynah are just too lazy slow for racing!

And in related news:  If you're even remotely into Weenie Dogs, this movie is absolutely HYSTERICAL!

Wiener Takes All

Here is a trailer:

OTOH - If you aren't into Weenie Dogs, you'll probably shake your head and wonder what the hell is wrong with people! ;-)

Enjoy!

Edit: Ooh, I Googled 2007 Wiener Nationals and - aside from getting the Wienerschnitzel Competition - I did find one more photos of my girls!

Tazz and Dynah, and an unidentified onlooker!

Image Credit: westbaybanjo on Flickr

Never eat anything you've named...(My dirty little Vo-Ag Secret!)

Okay, this post might end up being a little (okay EXTREMELY) "rambly" but Deal-With-It, k?!!

I'm gonna spare you ALL the gory details, but I ended up serving a 2-year "sentence" in God's Country: West Jordan, Utah.  This was in the mid-70's - shortly after my grandpa had died - and West Jordan was mostly comprised of Cow-Pastures, right?

Now, it's mostly cheesy 'toilet-paper-and-duct-tape' (read: Low-Rent) Insta-Housing-Developments.

So I thought I would try to embed a "Let's Go Back In Time!" kinda video from Wayne's World.  Couldn't find one, but I found this and found it utterly amusing.  Totally unrelated to my post (other than the "Doodle-Oodle-Ooh" Flashback sequence), but still funny enough to post:

So yeah, let's go back to The Seventies!  Abba, Roller Disco, Farrah Fawcett haircuts, and Bell-bottomed jeans!  "Far-out, man!"

So I had been sent to go live with my dad, on a farm we inherited from my maternal grandfather.  The house was teeny-tiny.  2BR/1BA, and the second bedroom was BARELY big enough for a twin-sized bed, but the house was situated on one acre of land, with lots of neat old barns to explore, and was surrounded by another 17-18 acres (or so) of pasture land (owned by my uncles - and leased-out to a beef farmer, so he could fatten his herd).

Initially, I was only supposed to spend the summer there.  And while it was supposed to be ("Punishment?") (a means to "get me away from the EVILS of California?") (Most likely, it was just to get me out of my mom's hair!), it turned out to be pretty good times.  I was always a "Daddy's Girl," so all that time - just Me and My Dad - was actually very cool!
The back-story behind that (Remember the Blog-Name: "QT's Random Ramblings") was that Dad decided to take early retirement from his job (27 years with United Airlines) - withOUT consulting Mom first!  Mom (who, at the time, was a total B*tch on Rollerskates) was none too pleased with Dad's decision (she was still working, and was the major breadwinner), so Dad got "exiled" first - when grandpa died and left us this property.  Then, since *I* was entering puberty and was just beginning to show signs of "rebelliousness" (I know, hard to believe - right?!), I was exiled to God's Country shortly thereafter... I actually have lots of cool "Utah Stories" - but I'll try to stay focused because there actually IS a point in here - someplace!!!
So I spent the Summer of 1977, exiled in West Jordan, Utah.  The original plan was that we would move-back to California in the fall.  But dad and I found that we really rather enjoyed the "Country Lifestyle" and we started acquiring a bit of a menagerie while we were there.  I think it started with Chiquita - a puppy we got at the local shelter.  She was supposed to be a dachshund mix, but her legs just kept growing-and-growing.  We think she was a chihuahua/min-pin mix (Goofy, nervous little dog!).  We also acquired Patches, a dachshund-dalmation mix (body, coloring, head, and stupidity of a dalmation - with squatty-little legs - more like a basset-hound in size/conformation).  But Patches was not (and could not be) housebroken, so we put a "Free Dog" sign out at the end of our driveway and someone (mercifully) took her away. Next: Since we were on a farm, we thought it would be cool to get chickens for eggs, right?  We looked thru the newspaper (this was LOOOOOONNNNG before the internet), and picked up a couple-three white leghorn hens.  We brought them home in a large box, tucked into the back of our 1974 Pinto Squire Station Wagon ("Stylin!"):

Yes, ours was like the car on the right - only a darker brown!
As we were driving home, we heard a couple-three "clucking frenzies" coming from the back of the car.  And, by the time we got home, the hens had laid THREE eggs! "SCORE!!!"
Those, by the way, were the ONLY eggs we ever ate.  See, even though we had chickens, we didn't realize that hens needed "designated nesting boxes" in which to deposit their eggs.  From that day forward, the hens would lay their eggs "wherever" and - by the time we discovered them - we had NO clue how long they'd been there -and were scared to eat them!
And, while we're on the subject of chickens, we found another chicken farm - closer to home - that specialized in all kinds of "fancy breeds" and had lots of bantams.  I, being a City Girl (and utterly clueless!), was always drawn to the "Prettier" birds and dad, equally clueless, would buy whatever I chose - right?
I'm SURE the people at that particular farm were THRILLED whenever us "Stupid Californians" would come by to purchase chickens because we, invariably, ended up taking home most of their roosters!  
I couldn't tell you what the rooster-to-hen ratio was.  Let's just say it was WAAAAY the hell out of whack (I want to say we probably had about 5 roosters to 1 hen!) (x appx 35 chickens, total), and - by the end of spring - the poor hens were literally BALD from having been gang-raped by all the roosters!
But we sure had a pretty flock!
(And mom - a born 'n bred farm-girl - would just roll her eyes at the ridiculousness of it all).
We also acquired a couple of goats, some geese, and ducks.  And ultimately I achieved my Life-Long DREAM of getting My Very Own Horse! (That's a separate story.  Not sure if I ever blogged about it - but if I didn't - I'll post it another time)...
Well, long-story-short (Too Late!), we ended up with SO many animals, moving back to California for the school-year was no longer a viable option.  We decided to STAY in Utah...
So I ended up going to West Jordan Junior High (and - by the time I graduated - WJJH developed a reputation of being THE place to go if you wanted to score, umm, "Medicinal Herbs!")  (Of course it wasn't called THAT, back then - but you get the idea!) (And I claim no personal responsibility for ANY of that, but I won't deny that I may have "participated!").  And then, the following year, I went to Bingham High School...
Now, I was an Uber-Geek in California (Long before "Geek was Cool," k?).  You know that super-ugly, fat, greasy-haired, four-eyed, "Fatso" kid that everybody picked-on?  Yeah, that was me!  
...And now that I had a "fresh start" in a new state, I wanted to shed my old persona...  While I wasn't ugly (with too-short "floods" pants) anymore, I was still a wee-bit chubby, and yes, I still had glasses.  But the braces were gone, and I wasn't quite so greasy-haired, and I was a bit more Worldly and Wise (for a 15-year old) (I was still stupid as sh*t  - in retrospect!).
In Utah, I found the schools to be unbelievably clique-ish.  And there really wasn't a specific clique that I fit-into, readily.  But that was okay, because there were enough of us "misfits" to create our OWN clique, right?!
The two groups that I aligned-with, most closely, were the "Stoners" and the "Cowboys" and, unfortunately, those two cliques appeared to be Mortal Enemies.  Well, the band of misfits ended up being sort-of a mashup of "Stoner Cowboys"  and that ended up being pretty cool.
(In fact, I learned how to roll joints in Art Class.  A fellow "Stoner-Cowboy" Misfit taught me how to roll joints - using shavings from the pencil-sharpener in Art Class, and we'd leave them strewn-about in the "Stoner Hallway!")...
But I digress...  And YES, there is a "point" coming!  I promise!!!
So, yeah, I became a "Stoner Cowboy" and - somehow - both groups (Mortal Enemies, as previously noted) came to accept our "Mash-up" clique.  Okay, they didn't "embrace" us - but they didn't kick our @$$es, either.  So I take that as "Acceptance!"
And somehow or other, I ended-up joining the Future Farmers of America - and I probably took a Vo-Ag Class or two (can't recall, offhand).  Part of that endeavor was that I decided I wanted to raise a steer to sell at the County Fair.  And that fit in, just fine, because I had befriended "Stan," the cool old geezer-guy (who leased the surrounding 18-acres from my uncles for his beef herd).  I'm pretty-sure he's the one who hooked me up with my hereford calf.  No clue (at this point) who "financed" the purchase.  I've actually got it stuck-in-my-head that FFA actually paid for it (with the understanding that I would pay it back when the steer, ultimately, got sold).  But it might've been my parents...
Anywaaaaaayyyyy...  In addition to the dogs, and chickens, and ducks, and geese, and goats, and horse, we added a hereford steer to the menagerie!  And Dad was totally cool with all of it (Dad had a KILLER Veggie Garden, as well!).  So I set-about raising "Boogie" (yes, it was the '70s - so "Boogie" was an appropriate name.  Shut UP, k?!) while training my horse, and feeding the other critters..........  It was a simply GRAND time - seriously!!!
And, even though I still had lingering "visuals" of the 4-H kids, at the San Mateo County Fair (in California), snuggling-up and crying into their critters' necks - the last night of the fair, I figured I could do the whole "Raise a Steer" thing...
   And so I persevered............
Of course, I managed to get in my own share of trouble - in the meantime (details *not* forthcoming!).  And the overall stress got to be a bit much for my Dad...
Long Story Short (Oh, we are Hell and GONE from that!), Dad ended up having a heart attack (he survived).  Mom and Sis would've had me believe it was All My Fault - but (judgement aside - "It was what it was"), we ended-up having to pack-up the Pinto and drive back to California in a damned hurry.  Friends and neighbors took care of the critters for a few weeks/months after we'd left - but ultimately, the critters had to be dealt with.
And mom flew back to Utah to handle the "dealing with" of the menagerie....
The chickens, I have no clue what happened to them, but I'm guessing they were all given away.  Ditto the goats.  The dog came back with us, in the car.  The geese and ducks had long-since died.  That left the horse (who was trailered to California - amazingly enough) (again, that's a separate story!), and Boogie, the hereford steer, who was not yet old enough/big enough for slaughter...
Mom, evidently, had tried to sell him back to the FFA (or offered to reimburse them, or whatever), but apparently that didn't fly.  We were "on the hook" for the original sales price, and FFA wouldn't take him back (and I learned all this - many-many years "after the fact").
So mom, when she returned from Utah, "coincidentally" had a couple-three suitcases full of "Fresh Beef" which was stashed in our ginormous freezer...
I wasn't stupid, though, so I took a vow of "vegetarianism" for approximately one year (until all of the "Fresh Beef" was depleted from our freezer!).
  Yeah, those steaks looked *mighty* tasty (and I have no doubt that they WERE)...  But I steadfastly REFUSED to eat anything I'd named!!!   In spite of the fact that mom vehemently DENIED that we were eating "Boogie," I knew better!!!
So yeah, I can't honestly claim that "Home-Grown Beef" is better than "Store-Bought Beef" (although I am SURE that it is!).  I just couldn't see myself eating my own "pet" - ya know?!!  That just seems too freaky, right?
Now....................  Fast-Forward to 2012.................
Me and Finny are going in halvsies on a 4H/FFA Pig.  See?  The "Never eat anything you've named" Rule does NOT apply to eating something that SOMEONE ELSE has named!
So, in a couple of weeks, I'll be going to the San Benito County Fair to purchase a "humanely raised" 4H/FFA Pig which will be butchered and cut to our specifications...  I'll post more as the "Adventure" continues - but I've learned a whole lot, so far!
Anyway, I think it's time to cut this post OFF!  I've rambled plenty, right?!!
More to follow...............................................
xoxo if you've made it this far!!!
-QT

Another Rambly Boring Post...

The Dog Days of Summer are upon us and, to be perfectly honest, the weather has been simply delightful.  Mid- to Upper-80's - every day!  Neither too hot, nor too cold, and just-plain-pleasant for afternoon Tiki-Bar Lazing...

Work's been positively freaking insane, though, so I haven't logged nearly as much Tiki-Time as I'd like - but believe me! - I spend AS MUCH TIME out here as I can!  I definitely know that my days are numbered and I don't want to waste a MINUTE!

Nighttime is starting earlier-and-earlier.  And nighttime temps have started dipping into the 40's (!!!).  So it's actually a good thing that the pool is covered because that means we CAN uncover and use it on the weekends. Well, Hubs can, anyway!

My skin is still a f**kin' mess.  Although I think I'm breaking a new record or something b/c I'm up to, like, Day 20-something of being able to walk without a cane (FREAKING YAY!!!).  I actually have a new prescription to try - Humira - which is an immune-suppressant (Yeah, like I need that!).  Doc doesn't want me to start it 'til I come-in for an appointment to "learn how to inject."  Seriously?  I am DIABETIC (insulin-dependent even!).  The Humira comes in a pre-packaged, pre-dosed "pen" (no measuring or Dial-A-Dose or nuthin'!)  I'm almost wondering if this isn't just an excuse to charge for another Office Visit (I know, that's terrible!).  Doc is out of town this week so the soonest I can get in is NEXT week.  I'm about to say "Screw it" and just start the medication!

I am SUPER anxious for some relief from this psoriasis sh*t.  The absolute BEST I can hope for, right now, is "Barely Tolerable."  It never EVER goes away completely and - most of the time - it is "Absolutely Unbearable." (Whine-Whine-Whine!)

Yeah, I think I'm gonna go ahead and start the injections tomorrow, after hubs returns from his business trip (Just in case - Gawd-Forbid - I get some kinda nasty reaction.  I figure I oughtta have someone around if I decide to lapse into a coma or something!).

Okay, enough whining about THAT!

Garden:  Is still hanging in there.  I think I'm gonna give the Gold Medal to Indigo Rose for having the most (quantity) of fruit.  The "Volunteer" Kellogg's Breakfast takes 2nd place for "weight."  Not a lot of 'maters, but they are pretty damned BIG!  3rd place goes to (:::gasp:::) the Home Depot Early Girl!  Everything else just kinda floundered :::sigh:::

Arte the Choke "done good" this year.  As did my cabbages.  I definitely got a decent harvest from both plants.

And the peaches and plums were most plentiful!  It's a damn-shame that so many ended up on the ground!  My "Volunteer" peach-tree (in the Finny Farm Bed) turned out to be inedible (well, "not very tasty").  That Volunteer grew from a stick that I'd chopped off of the yellow peach-tree several years ago.  I'd grabbed one of the branches that I'd pruned and just stuck it in the ground near the back fence.  3-4 years later, it grew into a tree.  And, this year, it actually produced fruit!  Little apricot-sized peaches that were not flavorful at all, so I'm guessing it was a sucker from the root-stock.  Boo!

So THAT tree is destined to be chopped down, but I think I'll replace it with some kinda "dwarf" tree.  Either apricot or cherry - haven't decided yet (that's an early-spring decision).

The Booby-Prize (for Gardening):  Man, this is a multi-way tie!  Pole-beans got gobbled-up by the dogs just as quick as I could plant 'em!  Zukes did exactly NADA, as did the yellow squash from Home Depot (Srsly?  Who CAN'T grow squash?!  ME - That's who!!!).  Pumpkins: I have never EVER grown a pumpkin and this year proved to be no different!  And Eggplant (never tried that before).  I think the plant grew to about 8" tall (and, in fact, it's still out there).  I get flowers, but nothing else.  Peppers: Died.

Yeah, this was definitely NOT a banner year for the garden but - oh well!!!

Nevertheless, here are some Random Pictures:

Arte's Bed
Note: the "dead-looking stuff" in the middle is the artichoke plant!

Early Girl (in Arte's Bed) gets an "A" for Effort!

The Paste-O-Rama Bed (with a suspicious LACK of tomatoes!)

Finny Farm - Looks a little droopy, but it's getting plenty of water :::sigh:::

Now I *should* be hacking-back Arte-the-Choke and thinking about planting my cool season veggies right about now.  And, in fact, I *am* at least THINKING about it!  I actually ordered some "floating row-covers"/greenhouse doohickeys that are appx the same size as my raised beds.  I can't actually put them up 'til I hack down the 'maters (too soon for that!), but I can probably assemble the framework and start seeding the beds (prob'ly oughtta amend the beds, too).  I also think I want to rig-up my hydroponic garden in the greenhouse to grow lettuce during the winter...  Grandiose Plans - let's see if I can put 'em into Action, right?!!

Actually, speaking of ACTION:  I actually DID accomplish something this past weekend!  I hired "Rent-A-Son-Services" to help clean out the backyard Storage Shed.  This truly WAS an Accomplishment!  I had gotten lazy (Really?!!) and developed a Very Bad Habit of shoving stuff just inside the doorway of the shed - which rendered it inaccessible! D'oh!!!  So R-A-S-S came over and helped me PURGE the entire shed.  We set-up a couple of tables on the back-lawn and started a couple-three piles: KEEP, DONATE/FREECYCLE, and DUMP-IT!

I am happy to report that the last two categories got HUGE piles.  And, when it was all said and done, after we re-boxed the KEEP stuff and hauled it back into the shed, there was FLOOR SPACE and even a few EMPTY SHELVES!!! (YAYYYY!!!).  So now I actually have SPACE to store some of the summer sh*t in there.

My Ultimate Goal is to go through my ($211/mo) Storage Locker and start moving sh*t from there, and into the (already paid-for) backyard shed!  I think I'm gonna set some kinda crazy goal like "Go to Public Storage and purge one box per week."  At that rate, I should probably be able to get rid of my locker by 2019!!!

Actually, between Goodwill and Freecycle, I'm sure I *can* get rid of a lot of stupid stuff.

Thoughts on Freecycle:  I *like* it for stuff that's still usable.  I especially like it when I've got, like, 1-2 items to get rid of.  Easy enough to post it, respond to an email or two, and say "It's on the front porch - come and get it!" But when you've got a vast assortment of stuff?  It's kind of a pain.  Freecycle doesn't like "multiple posts" so you have to post a list of "Miscellaneous" - then deal with 800-jillion people emailing you with "I want two of your Tiki Torches" and "Is your Boom-Box still available?" "What kinda vases do you have?" and on-and-on...  Turned out, I got ONE guy who said "I'll take everything!"

Normally I do it "First Come, First Served" but in this case it was "Glory Hallelujah!  PLEASE take it ALL!!!"

And so, it's ALL GONE - Yay! But I suspect there will be more Freecycle posts in my future as I begin to tackle my Storage Locker (Gawd help me!).

And while we're talking about Grandiose Plans:  I still want to put up another batch of Corn-Apple Relish (Turns out Giordano's will still be picking corn for a few more weeks).  I do have enough corn in the fridge for another batch so - depending upon how motivated I feel after the sun goes down - I may go ahead and make another batch!  I also want to make a batch of Cranberry-Apple Jam (or Cran-Apple Sauce - haven't decided yet!).  I still need to make some Onion Jam.  I'm still contemplating All-Natural (honey or agave-sweetened) Strawberry Jam (but, thus far, I haven't encountered any migrant farm-workers on street-corners!  OTOH - I haven't been out-and-about much either!).

Annnnnddddd...  I want to attempt Soap-Making! I have retired my old, beloved Crock-Pot.  I bought a new "oblong" 5 qt crock-pot @ Big Lots (I like oblong better because most of the roasts I buy are NOT round-or even square!). I intend to make "hot process" soap with my old crock pot.  But first I need a new immersion blender (I'll retire my old one for soap-making).  I went ahead and ordered one on Amazon today because it seems highly unlikely that I'll find time to go to Wal-Mart to buy one!

I think the first recipe I will try is Goat's Milk, Honey and Oatmeal soap using ALL NATURAL ingredients (well, except for the lye - but that's unavoidable b/c I *don't* intend to make my own lye from wood-ashes!!!).  If that is a successful endeavor, then I want to try to make a "Coffee Soap."  My company sponsors a "Holiday Bazaar" (scheduled for mid-November) and I think it would be cool to sell hand-made soap-dishes with hand-made soap!  I intend to keep the Goat's Milk, Honey, Oatmeal soap for myself, but the Coffee Soap should be pretty sell-able! (Can you imagine?  Taking your morning shower with soap that SMELLS like fresh-brewed coffee?! Yummm!)

I also want to make another batch of Hard Lotion Bars.  I've almost used-up my last batch (I really, really like it!).  The last batch was pretty greasy, though (which is good for ME - not necessarily for "regular folks"), so I think I'm gonna cut-back the Cocoa Butter by half and add-in Shea Butter in it's place (which is a tad "stickier").  I also think I'm gonna split-up the batch and make one-half with Chamomile Essential Oil (which is supposed to be very good/very soothing to skin), and the other half with Tea-Tree Oil (which has antiseptic properties).  Lots of experimentation, and I'll be posting recipes as I "figure it out!"

I'm kinda posting this stuff - almost - as a "Challenge" to myself to see if I will follow-through!  No guarantees, obviously (Hell, I *still* haven't finished the Bee Saga, right?!)  (And no, I haven't forgotten! LOL) (And no, it's not "done" yet!).  I did pose the "idea" of me KEEPING the hive to Hubs (Ooh!  Fresh honey and beeswax!) and was met with a resounding "Hell NO" from Hubs.  Hmph!

We shall see if I ever make good on my word to finish-up that SAGA (I'm sure I will - just not right away!).

Anyhoooo...  That's the latest from QT-Land.  Lots and lots of rambling (hence the blog-name!), but hopefully things will stabilize - at some point - and I can go back to focusing on bona-fide CONTENT!

xoxo

-QT

Recipe (kind-of!): Home-Made Hard Lotion Bars (Plus Psoriasis Woes)

I know I have alluded to my "Psoriatic Challenges" in previous posts, and I'm debating whether to add another category/sub-heading on my blog for "Psoriasis."

On the one hand, I really don't want this to be a place where I come to b*tch about how crappy I feel (And trust me when I say "I feel REAL crappy - almost all of the time!"), but OTOH, there seems to be a dearth of info out there in internet-land about how psoriasis-sufferers "cope."

Ehh, I guess I can add the sub-heading and see what happens.  But I DON'T want this to be an ongoing "theme." (Hell, I just want it to f**king STOP ruining my day-to-day life!!!)

Anyway...  I am trying a variety of "things" to see what might help.  I am on numerous prescription salves/ointments/creams/blah-blahs (mostly steroidal - which doesn't thrill me);  I've been thru NUMEROUS dermatologists (I'm up to Derma-Doc #5 now); and I've tried several different treatments (we're getting ready to move-up to "Biologics" aka "Immune-Suppressants") ("Yippee F**kin' Skippy!").

Pretty much, treatment of psoriasis seems to be mostly a Crap-Shoot:  "Try this for a few months..."  "Did it work?"  "No."  "Okay, try THAT for a few months..."  "Did it work?" "No."  "Okay, let's move over to THIS for a few months..." Lather (with unscented/hypo-allergenic whatevers). Rinse. Repeat.

I've ALMOST lost track of all the "Try This" medications (No, I do know what I've tried!).  The worst part is the intervening "few months" between each "experiment" - where I have been rendered a virtual invalid.  P*sses me off - more than you can imagine because I am NOT - I repeat: NOT - a "sedentary" person!

Oops.  This is bordering on "Ranting" now, isn't it?!  Okay, I'll stop :-)

So ANNNNYYYYWAAAAAAYYYYYY...  Every once in awhile, I feel like I need to "take a break" from all of the pharmaceuticals ('cuz, honestly?! All that sh*t is POISON, IMHO).  I've made several trips to our local Health Food Store (a little Mom 'n Pop shop - that I really, really like), and I've elicited gasps of (horror?) from the store owners when I remove my gloves and show them my hands... (and let's not *even* talk about my feet, which are "barely-functional" for walking appx half of the time).

I had a helluva time finding any Aloe Vera Gel products that didn't contain alcohol (Alcohol on open sores?! I think NOT!), so I bought my own Aloe Vera plants.  I have tried a few herbal/all-natural preparations and I will say that they don't AGGRAVATE the condition (and I *can't* say that for the pharmaceuticals!), but they don't do much to improve it either.

So somehow, somewhere along the line, I stumbled onto a "recipe" for all-natural, hand-made hard-lotion bars.  And I pinned it for future reference, right?

Well, last night, I decided to make-up a batch of hard-lotion.  I decided to keep it simple for the first batch and pretty-well followed the directions to-the-letter from this site, and this site.

I procured most of my ingredients from Glory Bee Foods.  Again, I get no "spliff" for posting, but I'm happy (so far) with what I got!

I did not do a pictorial step-by-step - this time around (since I didn't know what the hell I was doing and had NO clue if it would work), but I *am* including a photo of the final product, at least!

I measured-out 3 oz. each (by weight) of:

• Coconut Oil
• Cocoa Butter
• Natural Beeswax

Now my beeswax came in a BIG 1 lb "chunk" and cutting it was a challenge - to say the least!  Not sure if I'd go with "granulated" - or if I feel like investing-in (and storing) a dedicated cheese-grater for making my own granulated beeswax.  I *knew* I wanted super-pure beeswax with no funky fillers, so I went with the 1lb chunk.

Cocoa Butter, likewise, was "challenging" to handle since it was basically a solid mass in a jar.  I ended up removing the lid and plunking the jar into a pot of boiling water on the stove so I could melt and pour it out.

Coconut Oil was easy.  It's like Crisco Shortening and very easy to scoop out of the tub!

Anyway, I combined equal amounts of all three ingredients into a 1 QT Pyrex  Measuring Cup.  I set a large-ish pot of water on the stove and brought it to a boil, then placed the Pyrex Cup into the boiling water (think "Poor-Man's Double-Boiler, right?!).  Key point here:  You DON'T need a lot of boiling water in your water-pot.  I over-estimated and ended up with boiling water splooging-out all over the stove top!

Sadly, I can't give you exact measurements, but you only need an inch (or so) of water in the bigger pot because - DUH! - it will "rise" when you put the Pyrex cup in it! (Damned Physics!).

Alternatively (and this would probably be the better solution - if I decide to make this on a regular basis), I'd like to purchase a solid-glass 2 QT saucepan from the local thrift-store and just dedicate it to things like Lotion- and Soap-making (and if I ever decide to move more into home-made soap, I would also like to buy a dedicated immersion-blender for that purpose).  I went with the Pyrex measuring cup because glass SHOULD clean-up easily and the cup can still be used for cooking.  Had I opted for one of my Teflon saucepans, it probably would have been ruined...

Anyway, I started out with the large-ish pot of water.  Brought the water to a boil on "High," then stuck the Pyrex cup with oils/butters inside of the Pyrex measuring cup.  I lowered the heat to "Low" and stirred 'til everything melted.  The beeswax (which was chopped into LARGE chunks) took the longest to integrate (or dis-integrate - depending on your perspective!).  Once everything was a nice, liquid consistency, I grabbed an oven mitt to remove the Pyrex Mixing Cup and poured everything into a Silicone Mold (I think it was a Wilton Candy Mold).  9 oz. of "stuff" yielded 4 "bars" of hard lotion.

I really like the Silicone Mold because it was SUPER-easy to pop the lotions out, the next day.

Now I didn't add any scents or other "additions" this time around.  I wanted to see how a Bare-Nekkid Batch would come out.

First Impressions?  Very nice!  It's kind of like a "greasy" chap-stick (and, in fact, I really like rubbing it on my lips - to tell you the truth!).  When you rub the bar in your hands, it melts and coats your skin, quite nicely.  It *does* take a little while to soak into your skin, but - honestly - I like it!  It is VERY soothing, after it soaks in. (Until it soaks in - you might want to avoid opening the sliding GLASS door! lol) (But it beats the HELL out of some of the Rx ointments I've been using - where I feel like I'm leaving an Oil-Slick behind, EVERYWHERE I go!!!).

Anyway, I really *do* like it.  I especially like that I can - not only recount - but PRONOUNCE all of the ingredients in this lotion!  "Beeswax, Coconut Oil, and Cocoa Butter!"  (Compare that to "Tocopheryl, blada-blada" "Humunha-Humunha" and F, D &C Red #5!")

So, I'm gonna give myself a 1-week "Pharmacological Break" and just stick with this stuff.  No, I don't expect a "cure" - but I KNOW it won't make things any worse!  Then I'll go back to the NASTY-Rx Stuff and hope for the best...

Next time I make this:  I think I'll go for a 50/50 mix of Cocoa Butter and Shea Butter (Shea Butter, evidently, is more "sticky" in texture so, hopefully, slightly less "greasy?").  I may also look into adding Chamomile Essential Oil (it's supposed to be very soothing), and I might also cut the Coconut Oil with Aloe Vera Oil.  Lastly, I'll try to "squirt" part of the batch into lip-balm tubes because - honestly - this stuff is THE BOMB as far as Lip Balms go!

Sorry for the incessant rambling this last couple-three posts, but, well, that's "where I'm at" these days!!!  Hopefully things will improve at some point and I can go back to more "CONTENT!"

xoxo

-QT

A Decade of Fun, Cake Mishaps, and a Whole Lotta Rambling!

I really wanted to put up a nice gushy post on Friday...  But...  Friggin' Real Life (and work, and errand-running, and celebrating) got in the way...

So just pretend it's last Friday, k?

'Cuz 10 years prior.......

...a couple of not-so-young, but very crazy bikers got married!

Okay, everyone say "Awwwwwww!!!"

Actually, we had a surprisingly classy Garden Wedding.  It was one of those "Package Deals" which was handled by Freedom Hall.  I highly recommend them if you want to have a nice wedding, on a budget, and don't want the hassle of having to coordinate EVERYTHING yourself.

Sure, we could have done a very nice "Destination Wedding" in some Tropical Locale (we actually did consider it), but since hubs and I had been single for sooooo long (I was 39 and he was 45 - and neither of us had ever been married before!); and we had so many friends that would not have believed us! - Well, we opted for a semi-formal ceremony where everyone could attend and witness it (and/or prepare for Armageddon) themselves!

Anyway, it was a very classy ceremony - for a couple of bikers!  We even opted for live chamber music (a trio with harpsichord, violin and cello) - SUPER classy!  And a former boss of mine, who was an amazing opera singer, sang for our wedding as well. I still get a little verklempt thinking about it!

After the ceremony, we did the whole "picture thing" with the photographer.  A friend of hubs spent the night before - scrubbing and polishing his Harley (a Softail Springer) the night before so that we could use it for the photo shoot.  My mom was absolutely APPALLED that I was going anywhere *near* "that filthy bike" in my beautiful Princessy lace-and-beads-with-the-super-long-train wedding gown!

"Damn straight I am!  Oh, and don't forget my black leather jacket, k?  The one with the fringe?!"

God bless mom.  She realized that resistance was futile and - if you can't beat 'em, you might as well join 'em!  She ALSO brought along a large white bed-sheet that we could drape over the bike BEFORE I sat on it!

No, I did not get any grease spots on my dress! (Hell, the bed-sheet was still spotless afterward!)

Anyway, we had a very nice ceremony with all of our nearest and dearest friends (and voyeuristic disbelievers!) in attendance.  Followed by a VERY fun party with a live DJ and the usual stuff.  Our biker friends stayed 'til the very end (and were very proud to announce that they got "86'd from our wedding reception!") (only because Freedom Hall had another ceremony scheduled after ours - lol!)

Now, ELEVEN years prior, Hubs (then boyfriend) and I had gone out for dinner at our local Outback Restaurant.  Big huge wait for a table, so we sat out on the porch, out front, waiting for our name to be called.  Hubs (who was still a "Shy Boy" at the time) was behaving strangely nervous and fidgety.  Now we had been together since...  March?  April?  I think I semi-officially moved-in in April, so let's call it April!

August 17th 2001 is when he "popped the question" and he actually worried that I might say "No!"  How precious is that?!  Now, he was too shy to do the "bended knee" routine - especially with all those people around!  But that's okay.

Ummm...  I did say "Yes!"

Annnnnnnmyyyyhooooooo...  Ten years sure flew by quickly!  It's been a roller-coaster ride, for sure!  We've had some ups and downs (as do all couples, I'm sure!).  For as many things as we have in common, we have just as many where we have to figure out how to "Agree to Disagree!"  He is an A/R Engineer-Type, and I am a "Que Sera-Sera" Psycho-Gemini-Type.  He is über organized and, well, I'm not!  He balances his entire portfolio - to the penny - every day.  I write checks until I think "I should probably stop!" And I do *glance* at my portfolio - from time to time!

Like I say, even with the differences (which keeps things "Interesting!"), I wouldn't change 'em for the world!

Love ya, Babe!

Now...  Part of my running-around on Friday included picking up a replica of the top tier of our wedding cake - from the very same baker that made our original wedding cake (and yes, we *did* eat the original top tier on our first wedding anniversary).

I was very pleased to see that they were still in business and willing to bake us a 10th Wedding Anniversary Cake.  Unfortunately, they had lost their database with all of the details from 10 years ago, but if I sent them a photograph, and flavor selections, they would be very happy to re-create it - for a princely sum!

Ahhh...  But it's our 10-year anniversary, right?  I'll pay it!

True Confession:  I *know* I still have every contract, every note, every snippet of paper related to Wedding Planning in a box in the back of our shed - and yes, I readily acknowledge that there is absolutely NO reason to hold onto that sh*t!  Well, except for times like these, right?!!

Well, except for the fact that with temps in the mid- to upper-90's, the thought of ransacking the (NOT air-conditioned) shed was...  For lack of a better word: "Not Gonna Happen!"

Screw it!  I'll scan a photo of our wedding cake, check-out their webpage for flavor-selections and choose something tasty - "Hubs ain't gonna remember!"

Original Cake - Aug 17, 2002

I chose to have it recreated with white cake and chocolate custard filling (Can't go wrong with that, right?!).  And the gal called me to confirm my order (and obtain my credit card info).  "Yes, I'll get my own purple flowers/grapes/ivy to place on the top of it." "Yes, I still have the cake topper, should I bring it to you?"  "Hell, it'd be easier for me to transport without the cake topper, I'll just put it on myself, that's fine..." "Why yes, it IS heavy.  It's made of pewter!" 

She, evidently, made note of it in her contract because - supposedly - for *heavy* cake toppers, they have to do something different to the top of the cake so it's stiff enough to support the topper, right?

Wellllllll...  EVIDENTLY...  Somebody didn't "get the memo!"  The cake, when I first brought it home (to our HEAVILY air-conditioned house - after a brief ride in my HEAVILY air-conditioned car), looked simply gorgeous.

Well, about an hour before hubs was due home (and, appx 2 hours after I'd picked it up), I figured I'd set it up on a pretty cake-stand, in front of the GORGEOUS bouquet of roses and lilies he'd sent me.  So I got it all set-up, all pretty-like, right?  I gently set the HEAVY PEWTER cake topper on top of the cake and it immediately fell backwards, effectively f**king up the frosting!

"Sh*t!"  Oh well, I guess I'll stick some grapes there.

So then I smushed the cake topper into the top of the cake a little deeper...

Sumb*tch STILL fell backwards!

"Well f*ck!" I guess I'll add a sprig of goldenrod as well...

I smushed the friggin' cake topper down til you could only see the top half of it AND grabbed a bunch of toothpicks in an ill-fated attempt to build-up some kind of scaffolding/support around it.  "Jay-ZUS Criminy!"

I did manage to snap ONE picture in the midst of the destruction:

Re-created cake - "Before the Fall"

Now, I'm not sure if you can notice, but on the front side - kinda to the left and right-ish sides - the middle of the cake is starting to kinda "pooch out?"  They look almost like bubbles on either side of the frosting grapes...  Well, the "pooching" started even BEFORE I started the Cake-Topper-Squishing. :::sigh:::

Honestly, I was pretty upset over the whole thing at this point.  But rather than get all worked-up over it I figured "WTF - It'll still taste good" and I ended up removing the cake topper (leaving a big ol' gaping rectangular hole in the top of the cake) and piling more flotsam on top of that (Cakewrecks-style!).

Like I said, it'll still TASTE good - after we remove the bunch of grapes and wads of flowers that I crammed on top of it.  And, in fact, it DID taste good!

"But wait!  There's More!"

So hubs and I decided to celebrate our 10-year Wedding Anniversary (and 11-year Engagement Anniversary) at The Scene of the Crime: Outback Steakhouse.  We enjoyed a lovely surf 'n turf dinner and opted out of dessert because, well, there's CAKE at home!

So we each had a slice of cake and - as I'm sure I've mentioned - I don't eat much sugar as a rule.  The freaking buttercream was soooooo sweet, it made my teeth buzz! (Srsly!  And no, I do NOT blame the baker for that - I am pretty sure that is 100% normal and I am just NOT sugar-tolerant anymore) (and I have to laugh and shudder at the same time because - when I was a kid - I would look to scrape off THE biggest buttercream rose and gobble it up with glee!).  So we thoroughly enjoyed the cake (even if I had to scrape all the frosting off and throw it away!), and then we left it sitting, overnight, on the dining table (in our HEAVILY air-conditioned kitchen)...

Well, the next morning, half of the cake had, literally, COLLAPSED!  We're talking full-on Avalanche off the side of the cake platter, down onto the table, glooped over hubbies cigarettes and enveloping his cigarette lighter (rendering it inoperable)!!!

I probably should have taken pictures - just for the comedic value - but I didn't!

In retrospect, it was pretty funny.  We did end up cramming what-was-left-of the cake (which was still standing, at that point), back into the cake box and sticking it in the fridge for future enjoyment.  And - even after that - it has CONTINUED to deteriorate!  It's basically just an amorphous blob of cake and chocolate custard, glued to the sides of the cake-box with white buttercream!  Yes, it STILL tastes good (teeth-buzzing nonwithstanding), but I daresay, had we been planning a Formal 10-year Wedding Anniversary Party with friends, I would've been extremely p*ssed-off!

As it stands, it was just the two of us, and we can kind of laugh about it.  But I think I will be sending an "I was extremely disappointed" email to the baker.  Not for a refund or anything like that - but more as an "FYI" so that other couples don't have to experience this.  And yes, you may have noticed a LACK of a link to the Wedding Cake Baker's website.  Honestly, we were EXTREMELY happy with the Wedding Cake itself, but the Anniversary Cake was bad enough that I don't feel I can recommend them...

Anyhoooo...  It was a Very Nice Anniversary, and hubs and I exchanged Very Nice Gifts, and - honestly - it's been a pretty F**king Awesome 10-years!!!

"Who'da Thunk It?!!"