Unexpected joys of packing

Moving is generally only fun for about a week. After that, trying to find out how to pack box fans, table leaves, potting soil and winter coats gets old. But, every once in awhile, you stumble across some oddities that make you smile. Hello world, remember this one?







Thank you, college. I'm glad I now know how to create a wooden dress. If I'm ever stranded in the middle of woods with a drill and a few spools of fishing line, I know I'll be okay. There might even be more fringe!

Goodbye Toshi

Two days ago my dear Toshi died.



He was about four and a half. He died shortly after his belligerent nephew, Hiro. He survived three different homes, an engagement, a marriage, and just missed the two year anniversary. He was a shy, calm, almost indifferent character.

The result of dropping a very heavy object

Spring is on it's way

More car problems

My little bug got egged.



It was great fun to find at 6am while on my way to work. We really need to move out of the ghetto.

Paint Job

Check out the fancy paint job my dollar store desk got.

My Asian Knight with a Side Kick

I tried to go shoe shopping the other day. I got to the store just as it was starting to get dark outside. When I got out of the car I heard this loud hissing sound. It sounded like the car next to me had a radiator that was getting ready to explode. In actuality, the sound was coming from my tire. More specificity, the hole in my tire. I quickly called my sweet husband as my tire deflated before my eyes like it would in a Wil E. Cyote cartoon.



This is my tire after about 60 seconds.



This is my car after back up arrived. I'm sure I could have changed it on my own, but it's so much nicer to have a big strong men take care of things occasionally.



Look, it's Geoffrey changing a tire! You go man!

The best candy bar

This might be random

I have an orchid obsession problem, my mom has a trapeze bar in her bedroom, and I installed a new shower head all by myself. There's an update on the last two days.




Isn't this one a beauty? And it'll be gorgeous next to my 1st orchid when it blooms purple.


Say hello to the trapeze bar. It's the most fabulous thing in the entire world. Everyone should have a swing in their bedroom. Or at least somewhere in their house.




It's entirely too much fun.


And lastly, this is the shower head that I installed all on my own. Sure, it only required screwing it in place, but there were some initial leaks and I did get to crack open the tool box at one point. It is marvelous and the best part will be taking it off when we get to move out of the apartment. Moving out of this apartment in general will be the best part of things in general.

The Dress- part 2

This time in black.

Our Valentines Day

Celebrated on Friday the 13th.



We went out to the restaurant where we had our first date then to the park.










I kicked some rocks at Geoff and he fell in the mud.


It would have been a bad wife thing to do but he started it.

Yummy mini gooey

I've had the last three days off of work to make up for last week when my boss was sick and I covered all of her hours. Two days off is hard work. Three is about to kill me. I have done an absurd amount of cooking to keep me busy lately. The ham and potato soup was good-- there was lots of chopping involved so it took up a bit of time. Then there were stuffed shells, steaks, brownies, made-from-scratch bread, dinner rolls, and now cinnamon rolls. I shudder to think of all of the butter I've gone through.

While this could potentially be a made from scratch type of recipe, I don't have a bread maker and, thanks to my last few cooking adventures, have learned to hate kneading. And then lastly, mom recently showed me how to make a long list of yummy pastries with crescent rolls.






Cinnamon/sugar mix. For the first batch I made WAY too much.










I couldn't help myself.


I didn't even make it to a table. Just stood there and ate it over the oven.


Yum.


Cinnamon rolls- revised from a recipe from allrecipes.com


Ingredients:
1 package of ready made crescent rolls

1 1/4 tablespoons ground cinnamon
2 1/2 tablespoons melted butter

3 tablespoons cream cheese (1/2 3oz package)
2 tablespoons softened butter
3/4 cup confectioners sugar
1/4 teaspoon vanilla
a pinch of salt


Directions:
-Pre-heat oven to 350.
-Unroll the package of crescent rolls flat and pinch the seams together to make one large rectangular sheet of dough that is wider than it is long.
-In a small bowl mix white sugar and cinnamon.
-Spread 2 1/2 tablespoons (approx) of melted butter over the dough and sprinkle evenly with cinnamon/sugar mixture. Roll dough towards yourself and cut into approximately 12 rolls. Place rolls into a lightly greased muffin pan.
-Bake rolls until golden brown according to package directions- generally about 15 minutes.
-While rolls are baking beat together cream cheese, 2 tablespoons butter, confectioners sugar, vanilla extract and salt. Spread frosting on warm rolls before serving.

Potato and Ham Soup

(Revised from all recipies)

Ingredients:
3 1/2 cups peeled and diced potatoes
1/3 cup finely chopped onion
3/4 cup diced cooked ham
3 cups water
2 tablespoons chicken bouillon granules
1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste
2 teaspoon ground white or black pepper, or to taste
5 tablespoons butter
5 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 cups milk (I use 1 cup cream 1 cup skim milk)
1/2 cup of shredded cheese

1. Combine the potatoes, celery, onion, ham, bouillon, salt, pepper and water in a stockpot. Bring to a boil, then cook over medium heat until potatoes are tender, about 10 to 15 minutes.
   
2. In a separate saucepan, melt butter over medium-low heat. Whisk in flour with a fork, and cook, stirring constantly until thick, about 1 minute. Slowly stir in milk as not to allow lumps to form until all of the milk has been added. Continue stirring over medium-low heat until thick, 4 to 5 minutes.
3. Stir the milk mixture into the stockpot, and cook soup until heated through. Add cheese and mix into soup or sprinkle over the top. Serve immediately.

Next time I make this I want to add broccoli, cheddar cheese, or maybe even diced carrots. Yum.

Mothers Day Moth Orchid

This little orchid that was left behind at my hotel almost 10 months ago is preparing to bloom again. I guess all of my fears about killing it were a little premature.











It doesn't make sense how a pretty little topical plant can survive in an apartment in Ohio when my hardy succulents can't.

(The same orchid last year).