TO ALL WHO CELEBRATE.
Sunday, May 11, 2008
Saturday, May 10, 2008
Friday, May 9, 2008
Punk'd
My school year is finally done.
I've completed all my grade reports except two, and I'm waiting for out-standing work to complete those. My graduation cards have been bought and I'm in the process of writing them.
C is out of his crisis mode. He even has a three-day weekend this weekend and almost no homework.
My mother's visit has been postponed.
So, you would think this is the perfect time to get in lots and lots of writing and continued work on my greening projects, right?
Wrong.
What is it about having the time to actually get things done that makes it impossible to actually get those things done? Why am I so much more constructive when I have no time, than when I have plenty of time?
Why do I visit Facebook when I have a draft waiting for major revisions???
I'm not a last-minute deadline person. I've always tried to get things done in a bit-by-bit fashion, but somehow, busier seems to breed better productivity for me.
I'm feeling punk'd by my personality.
Anyone else have this problem?
I've completed all my grade reports except two, and I'm waiting for out-standing work to complete those. My graduation cards have been bought and I'm in the process of writing them.
C is out of his crisis mode. He even has a three-day weekend this weekend and almost no homework.
My mother's visit has been postponed.
So, you would think this is the perfect time to get in lots and lots of writing and continued work on my greening projects, right?
Wrong.
What is it about having the time to actually get things done that makes it impossible to actually get those things done? Why am I so much more constructive when I have no time, than when I have plenty of time?
Why do I visit Facebook when I have a draft waiting for major revisions???
I'm not a last-minute deadline person. I've always tried to get things done in a bit-by-bit fashion, but somehow, busier seems to breed better productivity for me.
I'm feeling punk'd by my personality.
Anyone else have this problem?
Wednesday, May 7, 2008
What's Cooking Wednesday: Simple Breads 3 - Whole Wheat English Muffin Bread
Please go to Shan's place for more What's Cooking Wednesday participants.
Okay, so this week the simple bread truly is simple. I've been making this bread once or twice a week since starting my new bread-making routine. It's wonderful breakfast bread. D likes to toast it, and I prefer it plain. What I do to keep this fresh, and I do this with my other homemade breads, too, is to simply wrap it in a cloth napkin after the first day. No plastic, no drying out.
English Muffin Loaves
Adapted from a recipe printed in The Ann Arbor News on April 23, 2008
Ingredients:
1 cup all-purpose flour
2 cups whole wheat flour
1 package dry yeast
1/2 TBS sugar
3/4 tsp baking soda
1 cup 2% milk
1/4 cup water
cornmeal
1. Combine dry ingredients in a mixing bowl and set aside.
2. Heat milk and water to about 120 degrees (I pop a cup in the microwave for about 45 seconds and this seems to do the trick). It should feel lukewarm to warm on your finger - NOT hot.
3. Gradually add milk mixture to dry ingredients, mixing on low speed of an electric mixer, about 2 - 3 minutes until dough is combined. It will be sticky and a bit stiff:
4. Spray or grease a loaf pan and sprinkle with cornmeal. Take dough out of mixing bowl and put in pan, shaping it into a loaf. Sprinkle cornmeal on the top. It will look something like this:
5. Cover and let rise in a warm place for about 45 minutes to 90 minutes. The original recipe says "until doubled" in bulk, but mine hasn't quite risen that far and it doesn't seem to matter.
6. Bake at 400 for 25 minutes.
Note: you can EASILY double this recipe, but I find that this is so easy, that I'd rather have one fresh loaf at a time. For those with large families, yes, do the doubled recipe.
Last note: Please excuse this poor photo, but you can see from it, that it's not a high-rise bread. The taste, however, is wonderful and it DOES make nice toast, too.
Sunday, May 4, 2008
Music Monday - "Future's So Bright" - Timbuk 3
For other tales of musical adventure, please visit Soccer Mom in Denial.
I have a bunch of amazing students graduating next week. They're not in the least bit flip like this song, but I do love the summer vibe it brings.
So grads... the piece below is for you. I'm gonna miss you more than I can possibly express here.
And I've no doubt, all your futures are "shades" bright.
Timing
To celebrate finishing my school year, I give you the following meme that I found some time ago on Carol's blog, Northwest Ladybug.
10 years ago... I was in the grips of situational depression which started the spring after my sister's death from lung cancer. Unlike losing my father six years previously to prostate cancer, I couldn't seem to grasp that my sister was gone. It was partly her age (just shy of 49); partly that she'd left behind her 14-year-old son, and I couldn't imagine that for my own son; and partly that I missed her. I spent close to 10 weeks in black, rolling, waves, until I got some help that actually worked around June. The depression lifted like fog off the San Francisco Bay. It was one of the most luxurious and wonderful feelings I've encountered.
10 months ago... It was July 4th, and we started the day at 7:00 a.m. at the Farmers Market and later had a lovely family celebration with farmed foods, games and s'mores. I think we went to the nearby lake, too.
10 weeks ago... we were on the last day of C's Winter Break. I'd still had to work that week, and so had D, but I'd only had to teach on Monday and get my other stuff done. C had his D&D group that day, so D and I probably went out for Indian food, or it may have been the day that I made D a special 40 garlic chicken which we ate as a romantic dinner at home. Inevitably, since it was a school year Sunday, I'm sure I did some corrections, as well.
10 days ago... It was the day after C's b'day. I had a very productive day that day and I got tons of work done for school, had some writing time, and worked on various house chores. C finally got enough of a break in his homework load that he went to Ring of Steel, his stage combat troop, that night.
10 hours ago... I was asleep
10 minutes ago... I was getting ready to start this blog entry.
10 minutes from now... I will be finished with this blog entry.
10 hours from now... I will probably be watching Moonlight with C., if he finishes his enormous homework load that he's already been working on since 9, after working from 10 - 3 yesterday. (Too. much. homework.)
10 days from now...I will have an interminable doctor's appt. in the morning with my wonderful doctor who always runs at least an hour behind. (He really is wonderful, but he's never, ever on time). Hopefully, that afternoon I'll be picking up my mother from the airport, but I'm not counting on that right now, as she's sick with a stubborn bacterial infection, and I'm not sure she'll actually be well enough to travel by then.
10 weeks from now... will be my birthday. It will be my 49th birthday. I plan to celebrate in some big way, because for me, this is much bigger than my 50th birthday, because it will mean that I made it to 49 when my sister didn't. I've been ridiculously superstitious about this birthday for the past 11 years. Cancer leaves an ugly shadow.
10 months from now... It will be that time in Michigan when we are all yearning and burning for spring weather. My Japanese daughter will have just turned 22, and my Danish son will be just shy of 20 and my mother will be having a significant birthday three days later. I might well be in NYC to visit her, but I'm guessing I'll leave that Tuesday, rather than Sunday, so I can teach my classes on Monday.
10 years from now... I hope to see C done with education and having at least met his life's partner. I'd love to see him finding work, or an area of work, that he enjoys and that suits him and that he's on his way to being settled in life. I hope that all those I love will be in good health. I hope to have at least one novel published. I hope to still be teaching if I'm not too much of a cranky old lady by then. I hope to be in better shape than I am now. I hope that D will be happy and healthy and winding down his career. I hope we'll have enough saved that when we DO hit retirement that we can get some travel time in. On a less, completely self-centered note, I hope that our world will be healing and that we will have struck more parity between countries and between citizens within countries and that the U.S. will have a much better, more globally-minded leader.
What do you hope for 10 years from now?
10 years ago... I was in the grips of situational depression which started the spring after my sister's death from lung cancer. Unlike losing my father six years previously to prostate cancer, I couldn't seem to grasp that my sister was gone. It was partly her age (just shy of 49); partly that she'd left behind her 14-year-old son, and I couldn't imagine that for my own son; and partly that I missed her. I spent close to 10 weeks in black, rolling, waves, until I got some help that actually worked around June. The depression lifted like fog off the San Francisco Bay. It was one of the most luxurious and wonderful feelings I've encountered.
10 months ago... It was July 4th, and we started the day at 7:00 a.m. at the Farmers Market and later had a lovely family celebration with farmed foods, games and s'mores. I think we went to the nearby lake, too.
10 weeks ago... we were on the last day of C's Winter Break. I'd still had to work that week, and so had D, but I'd only had to teach on Monday and get my other stuff done. C had his D&D group that day, so D and I probably went out for Indian food, or it may have been the day that I made D a special 40 garlic chicken which we ate as a romantic dinner at home. Inevitably, since it was a school year Sunday, I'm sure I did some corrections, as well.
10 days ago... It was the day after C's b'day. I had a very productive day that day and I got tons of work done for school, had some writing time, and worked on various house chores. C finally got enough of a break in his homework load that he went to Ring of Steel, his stage combat troop, that night.
10 hours ago... I was asleep
10 minutes ago... I was getting ready to start this blog entry.
10 minutes from now... I will be finished with this blog entry.
10 hours from now... I will probably be watching Moonlight with C., if he finishes his enormous homework load that he's already been working on since 9, after working from 10 - 3 yesterday. (Too. much. homework.)
10 days from now...I will have an interminable doctor's appt. in the morning with my wonderful doctor who always runs at least an hour behind. (He really is wonderful, but he's never, ever on time). Hopefully, that afternoon I'll be picking up my mother from the airport, but I'm not counting on that right now, as she's sick with a stubborn bacterial infection, and I'm not sure she'll actually be well enough to travel by then.
10 weeks from now... will be my birthday. It will be my 49th birthday. I plan to celebrate in some big way, because for me, this is much bigger than my 50th birthday, because it will mean that I made it to 49 when my sister didn't. I've been ridiculously superstitious about this birthday for the past 11 years. Cancer leaves an ugly shadow.
10 months from now... It will be that time in Michigan when we are all yearning and burning for spring weather. My Japanese daughter will have just turned 22, and my Danish son will be just shy of 20 and my mother will be having a significant birthday three days later. I might well be in NYC to visit her, but I'm guessing I'll leave that Tuesday, rather than Sunday, so I can teach my classes on Monday.
10 years from now... I hope to see C done with education and having at least met his life's partner. I'd love to see him finding work, or an area of work, that he enjoys and that suits him and that he's on his way to being settled in life. I hope that all those I love will be in good health. I hope to have at least one novel published. I hope to still be teaching if I'm not too much of a cranky old lady by then. I hope to be in better shape than I am now. I hope that D will be happy and healthy and winding down his career. I hope we'll have enough saved that when we DO hit retirement that we can get some travel time in. On a less, completely self-centered note, I hope that our world will be healing and that we will have struck more parity between countries and between citizens within countries and that the U.S. will have a much better, more globally-minded leader.
What do you hope for 10 years from now?
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