Blogging Blunder

Do you know what is disappointing? 

Blogging every day for a month only to find out 29 days into the month that the group you signed up with to blog every day for a month doesn't even have you on their list as one who was going to blog every day for a month so you blogged every day for a month for nothing is disappointing.

Nonetheless, I made it.  I blogged every day this month.  30 days in a row.  I didn't skip once, not even when I had nothing to blog about.

Sorry to make you suffer.

But hey, I'm proud of myself.  In fact, today I added "Blog every day for a month" to my "Life List" just so I could cross it off. 

I feel so accomplished.

I "Mango" Crazy

Get it?  "Mango" instead of "may go"?  But really saying that I am crazy for mangoes?  While not completely ruling out the possibility that I may actually be going crazy?

...Anyway...

Today has been a bleh sort of day.  

• I changed my shirt 3 times because I just didn't like anything I put on
• I was 4 minutes late to work, thanks to my compulsive wardrobe issues
• I pulled off a band-aid and literally pulled off skin with it (my leg is raw where the sticky part was)
• I got into my school account, but now it won't let me change my password
• I'm wearing footie socks and my right one keeps falling off
• I've had nothing but busy work to do today
• I keep thinking it is Thursday and then have to face the harsh reality that it is only Wednesday; and
• Someone threw away my horseradish sauce.

That last one really got my goat.  I mean, what is a turkey sandwich without horseradish sauce?

I think I need some chips and salsa when I get home.  Maybe a pina colada, too.

Mango Salsa

1 mango, diced

2 tomatoes, diced

1/8 red onion, finely diced,

1 serrano pepper, finely diced, mostly seeded

lime juice, about 1 lime's worth

sugar, about 1 tablespoon

salt, to taste, about 1/4 teaspoon

Mix all ingredients together.  For best flavor let sit in fridge for a while.  Eat with chips.  Or a spoon. 

It's also a chutney for chicken.  Or a slather for salmon.  Get creative.

Enjoy!

The Tuesday Drudge. Part XII

Q:  Do you know what is worse than having to sit through 5 hours of class?

A:  Not being able to log in to your student account in order to participate in the 5 hours of class.

At least it was a good hair day.

Austenian Irony

Keith and I had yet another discussion about Jane Austen last night.  It seems that anytime the conversation leans toward reading and literature, he always has to mention Jane Austen, as he thinks that I am a little Jane Austen obsessed.

So last night I told him that I had began reading (or, should I say, re-reading) Mansfield Park, and he scoffed.  He then said something about how none of her books are written from the view point of a man and how you never know how the MAN is feeling as the pages are dominated by women.

At that remark, I promptly got up, went to my book shelf, and pulled down Persuasion.   I flipped to the back, skimmed a couple of pages, and then read Keith Captain Wentworth's letter to Anne--the letter in which he pours his heart out and asks for a chance.  How's that for MANLY feeling?

When I checked my email this morning, I found that I had won a giveaway on BlogHer. And what did I win? A copy each of The Complete Works of Jane Austen and A Jane Austen Education, which is written by and tells of the experience and feelings of a Jane Austen-reading MAN.

I love when irony works in my favor.

P.S.  With two new books to add to my collection, I think my obsession just got worse.

What to do with a Bunch of Onions

Today I baked blueberry muffins for breakfast.

For lunch I made scallion pancakes.

And then I whipped up some mango salsa for dinner.

I also killed a fly with a kitchen towel.

I have skills.

*****

Scallion Pancakes with Dipping Sauce

www.bigboldbeautifulfood.blogspot.com

Pancakes:
2 cups flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 to 1 cup hot water
sesame oil, divided
scallions, finely chopped (a lot of scallions, approximately a bunch)

Dipping Sauce:
2 parts soy sauce
1 part rice vinegar
1/2 part sesame oil
1 part sugar

To make pancakes, combine flour and salt in bowl.  Add water (with 1 teaspoon oil) to flour and stir/fluff with fork. Turn dough out on floured board and knead, adding flour until no longer sticky.  With rolling pin, roll dough thin and spread with scallions.  Roll dough up like a jelly roll, coil it around itself, smash it, roll it out again, and then jelly roll it.  Cut into 6-10 pieces.  Flatten and stretch dough out thin.  Pour some oil in frying pan. Pan-fry (not deep-fry) each disc of dough.  Cut into triangles and eat with dipping sauce.

For sauce, mix all ingredients together.  Add your own favorites: chili sauce, green onions, ginger, garlic, etc.  Can use sauce on anything: shui jiao, gyoza, egg rolls, etc.

Doublemint

Today was hot. 
I had lots to do.
I didn't feel well. 
I was tired.
I had a headache.

I was having a hard day.

And then I stepped in gum.

Because

Because this week has been super long.

Because I spent my Friday night cleaning the bathroom.

Because I am incredibly tired with nothing to blog about.

And because sometimes you just need a little Disney pick-me-up.

Isn't Meg/Hercules/this song the greatest?

Yes.
And that's the gospel truth.

A Limerick

There once was a girl named Jill

Whose life had nothing of thrill,

So she hasn't a say

About what happened today,

Nor a post her blog to fill.

Boy Band Confessions

This morning as I was driving into work, I was flipping through radio stations, as it seemed that all of my regular stations were on commercial.  I finally landed on one that was actually playing music.  I scoffed when I recognized the artist, saying to myself, "Backstreet Boys?  Really?"  But I left the radio dialed in as I made a left hand turn, and before I knew it, I was instantly transported back to junior high and singing along. 

It was then that I realized I knew almost every single word to the entire song.

I don't really know how I knew the words...they just sort of came out of me.  At first it it seemed like I just knew a phrase here and a phrase there, but then the phrases kept coming.  Once I remembered one line, the next line came pouring out.  It was as if this dormant part of my inner adolescent come bursting forth and no matter how I tried, I couldn't keep it back. 

Lest you think that I was a teenybopper during the boy band craze, know that I actually got the name of the band wrong.  It was N'Sync, not Backstreet Boys, that was playing.  And I really only knew the words to the chorus, as I stumbled over the verses.  But then, the late 90's were a few years ago. 

Do you want to hear something even more embarrassing that knowing all of the words to the song?  Back in the day, we used to make up our own dance moves.  Yep, that's right.  My friends and I would stomp our feet and wave our hands and generally get down and jiggy in unison to the latest boy band hit.

I remember one in particular, another N'Sync song, in which we practiced in Ashley's basement and then displayed our impressive rhythm at the Regional Dance.  It was one of those moments where everyone else stopped dancing and turned to look at you, secretly wishing they were as cool as you were.  I mean, people were inspired, joining in and trying to imitate our finesse.  If only they could...  Of course we had other moves for other songs--mostly just miming out the words--but they were moves, nonetheless.  And don't think we only limited our repertoire to boy bands: there was a Britney Spears' song or two in there as well.

We were awesome.

What are your boy band confessions?  N'Sync, Backstreet Boys, 98 Degrees, Hanson, Five--who was your favorite?

The Tuesday Drudge, Part XI

Do you remember how I got mono just over a year ago?  How I just wasn't feeling well, my tonsils swelled up, became spotty, and gross?  And then afterwards how it seemed that anytime I didn't sleep well or was stressed out it would flare up again?  Remember that?

Yeah, so I haven't been sleeping so well the last week.  And I've had lots of homework to do.  And lots of late nights.  This afternoon it felt like I had a hair in the back of my throat.  I opened my mouth wide and checked out my tonsils.  Yep.  Even a year later, they were slightly puffy and hashed.  My uvula (the hangy thing) was a bit saggy (hence the irritation I felt) and slimy looking.  And there, tucked in one of the folds of my lumpy tonsils, was a single white spot.

So, I ask you, my friends: How long did it take for your mono to go away?

Buona Notte

I like this song.

 A lot.

I also like goodnight kisses.

Too bad my kisser's in Canada.

Spiders on a Sunday

Our garage is pretty dirty.  Leaves and dirt blow in, dust settles, and bugs make their homes.  I assume it is pretty much like other people's garages; they are hard to keep clean.

It was raining pretty hard outside as I was leaving for church this afternoon.  I stopped to admire the rain out of the open garage door for a second (I love me a good rainstorm), and then walked around my car to get in the driver's side door.  As I park in Garage Spot #2, the drivers side is near the outside wall of the garage, and as we always have a lot of junk in our garage, I normally have to step over something that has been placed between the wall and my car to get to my door.  So, today, just like any day, I stepped over the mess in my high heels, opened my door, tucked my skirt beneath me, and climbed inside my car. 

I went to insert my key into the ignition, when something caught my eye.  I looked down at my skirt and just about freaked out.  There, right above my knee and brightly juxtaposed against my black skirt, was a lovely white wad of spider web, and a lovely dead spider to go with it.

Yuck!

I jumped out of my car, used a closed umbrella to swat at the dead spider and to GET IT OFF!, and then ran back inside to clean myself up.  A little spider and web shouldn't bother me, but it was gross.  And I was in a dress.  And there was a spider.  On me. 

I'm not quite sure how my dead 8-legged friend got stuck on my skirt.  My guess is that I brushed up against something (the wall?) as I was getting to my car. Maybe it was hanging off my car door?  Perhaps I snagged it as I was climbing over junk?  I just don't know.

One thing, though, is for certain:  It is time to clean the garage.

Still on Track

During the summer of 2009, I started writing in my journal every day.  My goal was to keep the habit up for a year and some how I made it.  Some days I would write long entries, sometimes very short entries.  Some days I had multiple pages; others, just a line or two, and occasionally, just a couple of words.  Yet, regardless of length, I picked up my pen, opened my journal, and wrote every single day. 

My goal for June was to blog every day for the month, and so far, I have made it.  Some days the posts are short.  Some days they are long.  Sometimes I tell you a story, sometimes I don't. However, unlike my journal entries, there is a point where too few words just doesn't cut it.  It seems wrong to only write what I would often write in my journal on late nights.  I mean, it just doesn't seem right or sufficient to simply write

"Am tired; will blog tomorrow."

But that's what you're getting.

A Hunk or Two of Burning Love

Tonight's Phone Conversation

Me:  "If we were in the same country and could have gone on a date tonight, what would we have done?"

Keith:  "Gone to see Green Lantern."

Me:  "I wouldn't mind seeing that.  Well, actually, I wouldn't mind seeing Ryan Reynolds."

Keith:  "You like us Canadian hunks, eh?"

Oh, yeah!

Four Little Lists

Things I need to do this weekend:

1. Grant homework
2. Paper homework
3. Final homework

Things I should do this weekend:

1. Clean my bedroom
2. Clean the bathroom
3. Clean everthing else

Things I want to do this weekend:

1. Visit my boyfriend
2. See my boyfriend
3. Kiss my boyfriend

Things I will do this weekend:

1. Stress about all I need to do
2. Disregard all I should do
3. Miss out on all I want to do

I Have Blogger's Block

I also have really cute twinner nephews.

Yeah, one pretty much looks like the other--even from the back.

The (not so) Tuesday Drudge, Part X

Today the Prophet returned to the School of Prophets.

Not only did he get thronged by a bunch of pre-teens,

he also sang us a song.

I tell you, there is nothing like a Man of God gustily singing

"A Utah Man am I"!

Got to love President Monson!

Ki-yi!!!

Homework and Hockey

I was going to blog--really blog--but I had to do my homework and I ran out of time.

However, I did talk to my boyfriend and I did watch Game 6 of the Stanley Cup (as I studied, of course).

And even though Vancouver lost, I decided that I like really like Canadians...

...and that I really dislike homework...

...and that I really like one particular Canadian in particular...

But then, you already knew that.  :)

Go Canucks!!!

Postponed

I had all these thoughts about what to blog tonight.  I thought about how today is the 4th anniversary of me coming home from my mission.  How the poppies outside are popping and bright and beautiful.  How we had a great birthday party for Clive and Colette with family and food.  How I slide down our giant slide in a skirt and then literally skied across the grass on my bare feet because I was going so fast.  And I thought about how life takes some unexpected turns and things happen and we never know where the road is going to leave us.

Yet, despite the multitude of thoughts, I find that I can't seem to write about any of them tonight.  They are too many and varied and I can't seem to sort through or organize them enough to write them down.

And so, they will have to wait.  Until I can figure it out or have a moment or find some time or think some more.

They will wait...at least until tomorrow.

Saturday

Today I:

• Made breakfast
• Pulled weeds
• Planted flowers
• Mowed the lawn
• Showered
• Took a nap
• Thought about doing homework
• Went shopping
• Bought ice cream
• Played Uno
• Made dinner
• Watered the garden
• Watched a movie, and
• Talked to my boyfriend.

Time for bed.

My Friday Night

I am finally watching Harry Potter 7.1.  Go me!

Someone

I wasn't so sure about Adele at first. 

I mean, she definitely had a voice, but I wasn't sure if I was digging it. 

But then I heard this song, and WOW!!!   

Amazing.

Three Things for a Busy Day:

1.  My mom is feeding 80 senior citizens tomorrow.  I've been chopping and blending and preparing all evening.

2.  Did you all notice that my blog name finals ended in a TIE???  What is that?  Do you think you are funny or something?  I was a little worried about it, but then I had an excellent idea: make my brother in Brazil choose.  He has and I agree with his choice. The new name will be revealed soon (as in tomorrow...maybe).  I like it when other people make decisions for me.

3.  I stopped to get gas on my way home from work today.  I pulled up to the pump, grabbed my credit card, and jumped out of my car.  It was only then that I realized I had pulled up on the wrong side.  Yeah, I felt cool.

The Tuesday Drudge, Part IX

Have I told you that this summer is my last semester of classes?  Yep.  Come August, I will only have my year-long internship to complete and then I am finished and my Tuesday nights will once again be free. It seems so close...and yet so far away.  And I have a severe case of graduate-itis.  I have one of my hardest classes this semester and I just don't seem to care.

This morning I went to a "Dress Rehearsal" for college orientation.  They gave us fake biographies so we could pretend to be incoming Freshman.  It was eye-rolling to hear many 40-something year-old women giddily pronounce that they were now 18.  Giggly giddy, and completely silly.

I forgot to mention that while in Canada I had my first taste of Ketchup potato chips.  I have to admit that I really rather enjoyed them.  Keith's mom sent us out to get chips for dinner and I was adamant that we get the ketchup flavored ones.  Keith balked, but guess which chips were devoured first?  That's right: Ketchup.  I liked them--and apparently, so did everyone else.  They are surprisingly tomato-y.

Don't forget to vote for the new blog name finals.  Hurry!  You only have 17 hours left.

I don't really like Tuesdays...but I do like odd flavored slices of fried potatoes.  They have some awesome flavors in Taiwan...

Happy Tuesday!

A Recipe Revelation

Yesterday I had a vision.  Seriously.  I was sitting in Sunday School and suddenly, I could see it all there before me.  My guess was that I was either hungry or bored or both.  But it doesn't really matter because what I saw was beautiful and glorious.

I think it all stemmed from a snack I was eating as I was fixing dinner on Saturday.  We had this lonely block of provolone cheese that no one was eating, and while it is not my favorite of the cheeses, I decided a little appetizer of crackers and cheese would go nicely with the salad I was making.  So I was nibbling my snack as I compiled my salad toppings when I randomly happened to toss a few bacon bits in my mouth at the same time as a little slice of provolone.

It was magic.

The combined flavors of provolone cheese and bacon danced along my palate.  They held hands and sang an operatic love ballad while skipping on my tongue.  And then they made a perfectly synchronized swan-dive down my esophagus and into my stomach with hardly a splash.  It was fantastic. 

Come Sunday School, I must have subconsciously still been thinking about my great discovery.  Bacon and provolone.  Who knew, right?  Anyway, it must of still been on my brain (and on my taste buds) because suddenly, somewhere between Bible references, I had an idea. 

A bacon-y, provolonian cheese dip.  With red onions and balsamic vinegar.  Yum.

Call it divine intervention, call it empty stomach gases causing hallucinations due to fasting, call it whatever you want.  My vision was about to become a prophecy fulfilled.  I raced home (after Relief Society, of course) and started pulling things out of cupboards and the fridge.  In no time, I had myself a masterpiece.

Bacon and Provolone Cheese Dip

1/2 T butter
1/2 red onion, finely sliced
1/2 red bell pepper, finely chopped
5 dashes balsamic vinegar
2 dashes red wine vinegar
2 T bacon bits
1 8-oz package cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup sour cream
1 cup finely grated provolone cheese
black pepper to taste

Saute red onion and red pepper in small pan with butter.  Season with vinegars (more or less can be used according to taste).  Add bacon bits at the end of sauteing to soften.  Turn off heat and let cool.  Cream together cream cheese and sour cream.  Add sauteed onion mixture, provolone cheese, and black pepper.  Mix well and evenly.  Place in oven-safe serving dish.  Heat in 350 degree oven until bubbly, or warmed through and melty.  Eat on wheat thins.

Amazing.  The bacon and sauteed veggies take on an unexpected smoky quality and the cheese is ooey gooey.  And really, balsamic vinegar is delicious anytime.  It was the perfect appetizer to our Sunday meal. 

Isn't it fun to make up your own recipes?  And double the fun when they actually taste good?!?

I Flew with the Flu

Note: I promise this is the last Canada post.  I joined this thing where I have to blog every day for a month, so I've been dragging it out as long as possible.

We had a nasty stomach bug being passed around while I was up north.  It started off with Keith's little brother and then quickly made it's way through the family: Mom, the bride, the groom, the other little brother, the cousin's girlfriend, etc.  Keith ended up being sick on Sunday, and I succumbed to it Tuesday, the day I was to go home.  There is nothing worse than having to travel when you are not feeling well.  And there is nothing like throwing up in the car in front of your boyfriend to end a vacation.  Yuck. 

The amazing part of the whole sick story, was that I somehow, despite it being the end of a heavy travel weekend, did not have to sit next to anyone on the airplane--for either flight.  From both BLI to SEA and then from SEA to SLC, I had no seat mate.  I could stretch out, lean against the window, sleep, and not have to worry about breathing on anyone other than me.  It was a miracle.  Truly, a tender mercy.

Sometimes I forget how in-tune Heavenly Father is with our lives and what is happening day to day.  It is nice to have little reminders that His hand is in everything and that His love is always manifest.

P.S.:  Unfortunately, due to being sick, Keith would not give me a proper good-bye.  I guess it just means I need to go and visit again soon. :)

For the Love of Family

I had a blast hanging out with all of Keith's extended family this past weekend.  I have met all of them before, (except for Grandma and Grandpa, who I met for the first time after they drove all the way out from Saskatchewan for the wedding), but I had never been with both sides of the family at once.  I had a great time and they are all such great people.  They are friendly and nice, and they just make me laugh.

However, I think what I like best about being with Keith's family is that they all seem to help boost my self esteem.

You see, every time we get together, they give me hugs and tell me how much they like me.  And then they go on to say that if Keith screws it up, they are going to disown him and adopt me.

They make me feel so loved.

But then, they do like to make fun of me.  For example, Keith's aunt was mocking me for using my fork to cut a crepe...  Apparently, cutting food with a fork is an "American" thing to do. 

What Looks Like a Wedding...

Keith's sister was married on Saturday.

I am so glad that I was able to attend, despite the hassle it took to get there.

The wedding took place in the orchard overlooking the lake.

It was a gorgeous day, and the view was amazing!

Dawn looked beautiful and Matt looked dashing.

And both looked incredibly happy to finally be married.

The rest of the McLeans just looked tall (well, most of them...)

Which left me looking short, despite my high heels.

It was a good day, especially when the groom was later pushed into the swimming pool...

Congratulations Dawn and Matt!!!

P.S. Dawn forgot to throw her bouquet, so I didn't even get to try to catch it. 

I guess that means no wedding for me...yet... :)

The Airport Hustle Shuffle

Have you ever had a chaotic day at the airport?  In all my travels, I have never had any problems.  Never a delayed flight, never a lost bag, never a worry. 

But last Thursday, all that changed....

Flight Plan #1: SLC to BOI to SEA to BLI

I had never flown the Boise before, but as I was a little late in booking my ticket, it was the cheapest option. Plus, I’m always up for an adventure and Boise seemed like a fun place to go.

As it is, I still have never flown into Boise as my flight was delayed enough that had I waited I would have missed my connection to SEA. Seeing that I wasn’t going to make it, I called the customer service line to make new arrangements.

And, as it was Memorial Day weekend, the best they could do for me was a flight for the next day. Incredibly discouraged, I left terminal and went to find my bag.

Flight Plan #2: SLC to SEA to BLI for the next day

At the baggage claim office, I was met with an extremely grumpy old man.

“Your bag is already on the plane. I can’t help you.”

“But the plane is still here. Can’t you get it off?”

“Nope. It’s on the plane. It’s going to Bellingham. You’ll have to make a claim there.”

I left his office and called my boyfriend, who seemed even more upset than I was at the delay and baggage situation. We discussed possibilities (and people to pick up my bag) and then I headed to the ticket desk.

The ticket agent was awesome. Tossing around a bunch of different scenarios (“Anything to Vancouver? How about Kelowna?”) we finally found something that might work.

Flight Plans #3 and #4: Standby SLC to SEA to YVR; or SLC to YVR for the next day

It was decided: Vancouver was my new final destination. If I made that afternoon’s standby flight to Seattle, then I would make it to Vancouver by 7:30 that night. If I didn’t make the standby, I was scheduled for a direct flight the next day. Now, what about the bag?

Back at the baggage office, I was relieved to find a different person behind the desk. And this guy was cool. Not only could he retrieve my bag (because the Boise plane was still there), I had it back in my hands within 10 minutes.

I ran my bag back to be sent off to Vancouver, took 30 minutes to get through security for the second time that day, and ran to my terminal in the furthest reaches of the airport. Once at the gate I checked in and waited.

Unfortunately, two unlucky souls missed their flight to Seattle. Fortunately, I was one of the lucky souls to take their seat on the flight to Seattle. It was amazing! I was so excited to make the flight that I completely forgot that no one had given me a boarding pass for my flight to Vancouver…

In Seattle, I asked my arrival gate agent about my Vancouver flight. He told me the gate and flight number, and sent me to talk to Horizon. At the Horizon desk, I told them I was supposed to go to Vancouver but didn’t have a boarding pass. Their response?

“You aren’t going to Vancouver.”

Flight Plan #5: SEA to BLI

These people have got to be kidding me!  No ticket to Vancouver?  Keith is supposed to pick me up in Vancouver.  I swear there must have been a conspiracy between all airlines to make my day as long and frustrating as possible.

“What?” I exclaimed in surprise. “I was told that I was going to Vancouver.”

“No, you are not going to Vancouver. You are going to Bellingham,” they said.

“But my bag is checked to Vancouver.”

With a phone call and the click of a few keystrokes, my bag and I were placed on a flight to Bellingham. And miraculously, an hour and a half later we both turned up at the same airport at the same time. In fact, I arrived at my original destination at the original time and on the original flight I was were originally scheduled on. 

How's that for craziness?

In the end, the day's weariness waned as soon as I got a kiss from my boyfriend.  Keith picked me up in Bellingham, we drove across the border, and had a wonderful evening together eating Japanese take out and coconut cookie dough ice cream while watching half a movie.

Stay tuned--more Canadian adventures to come!

Mama Hawk Eyes

My parents picked me up curbside at the airport yesterday. 

The first thing my dad said to me as I climbed in the car was, "How was your flight?"

The first thing my mom said to me was, "Nice hickey."

It's amazing how sharp my mother's eyes can be at times.