Hellooooooo.
Did y’all have a nice Easter? We didn’t do much, had roast pork, deviled eggs, green beans, and I made Jordan Rolls. Dinner was kind of screwy, because the roast was done long before I expected, so it had to sit under a foil hat while I put the rolls together. I’ll admit, I was a little leery of the rolls because the dough seemed a bit soft to me when I broke the dough up into rolls, but they baked up nicely (though I think they could have used just a couple more minutes in the oven to brown up completely; I was afraid of overcooking them) and were very tasty. I’ll definitely make them again, though I might make them a tad smaller next time. Or actually, I think I’ll try Method #2 next time.
We’ll be eating roast and deviled eggs and rolls for at least another couple of meals. The good thing about only two people to cook for: leftovers. These days, it seems I’m only having to cook a couple of times a week.
I’m glad the rolls turned out, because I was starting to wonder if I’d lost my baking skillz. Nance posted the other day about all the damn fine food she’d made the day before, and I thought “Oooh, soft pretzel bites! Those look GOOD.” So on Friday I made a batch of soft pretzel bites, and I can tell you right now that they were NOT worth the effort. It must have taken me three hours to get the goddamn things made, because I made half of them with sea salt and the other half with cinnamon sugar, and the making of the dough and the boiling of the dough and UGH. There was a window of time about two hours long when they had cooled and were pretty good, but after that they just got tough.
AND I HAD FORGOTTEN THAT I DON’T REALLY MUCH CARE FOR PRETZELS ANYWAY. Duh.
Then on Saturday I made a Lemon Truffle Cake. Fred and I both love lemon-flavored stuff, so when I saw the recipe I knew I had to make it. The fucking cake took forever to make, and it was okay, but it was another instance where it just was not worth the damn effort. (Which didn’t stop us from eating half of it between Saturday and Sunday, before we gave the rest to the chickens.) (Also, I learned a new skill – I’d never tempered an egg before, and I did it successfully, so score one for new skillz!)
Sunday morning, I made muffins – Paula Deen’s Surprise Muffins – and I forgot the damn baking soda, so they were hockey pucks (which were also fed to the chickens).
But the rolls turned out, so hopefully my Baking Streak of Suckiness is at an end!
Tell me this, fellow reality TV viewers – did or did not a season of Survivor take place in the Seychelles? Because when the teams on The Amazing Race were there, I knew how to pronounce it correctly, and there’s no WAY I would have figured that out on my own. I’ve Googled around, but can’t find a damn thing.
Anyone?
The weather has been so lovely over the past week, with just half a day of rain, that it looks like we may actually be able to plant the damn garden before July. Fred went and got seeds this morning. Over the weekend, he mowed the lawn (mostly – the side lawn in front of the garage is still far too wet for mowing), the daffodils have all bloomed, the trees are starting to leaf out.
By god, I think spring might actually be here!
I wasn’t going to write about this, but honestly I see no reason not to – it’s the ONLY DAMN THING going on around here right now.
Fred’s company and their largest customer have parted ways – and as a result, Fred is looking for a job. Anyone in the Huntsville/ North Alabama area looking for a Software Engineer strong in C and C++?
Yes, Fred has been all over Monster, Dice, and Craigslist, he’s applied for one million positions in the last few days. At this point, we’re sitting and waiting for the phone to ring and it’s driving us (me) nuts. He’s literally been looking for five days (including the weekend), so I know the hunt is just beginning. But still – COME ON, PHONE. RING.
Where’s the employment love, Huntsville? Dayum.
“I do not appreciate this. At ALL. This is completely undignified. STOP IT.”
(No babies yet!)
Those Bookworms sure do love their food.
“Hi. Hi! Hi. Just hangin’ out. Snugglin’ in the lady’s lap. I think if I charm her enough, she’ll give me some more of that canned food. Hasn’t worked yet, but I think it will. Seriously, have you ever seen anything cuter than ME?”
“Um. Is that POOP on her leg? Ugh, humans are SO gross!” Yeah, and I wonder where that poop CAME from, brat!
Spanky! In! A box!
“Hey, Spanky.”
“Hey, Sugs.”
“How’s the box going?”
“Working well for me, thanks.”
Previously
2009: No entry.
2008: No entry.
2007: (Nevermind that Mister Boogers’ way of protecting me would be to go hide in the closet.)
2006: “Hard liquor is the first stop on the train to Gaysville.”
2005: I had no idea that leaving the top of the washstand bare meant that you didn’t appreciate the washstand.
2004: (Yeah, yeah, cry you a river. I know. Bite me.)
2003: No entry.
2002: Apparently Fancypants’ evil twin (except that I’m sure Fancypants is actually the evil one) now lives in our neighborhood.
2001: No entry.
2000: I guess there’ll be no physical fisticuffs for me to go break up.
Now THAT’s a baby belly! Sorry to hear about Fred’s job situation. I’ve said some prayers for you.
Thanks, Donna! 🙂
I sure hope by this afternoon Fred has a million job offers to consider. Those babies sure are CUTE!
Sorry about Fred’s job, but I think he’ll find something fast, due to his skills and more possibilities in that field in the Huntsville area.
My nephew graduated recently, was at the top of his class in architecture. He searched high and low, but never could find a position to finish his internship — very frustrating. He went to other cities for interviews, etc. but the problem is that construction is just not doing well, ergo, neither are architecture firms. He has taken a job in retail till he can decide what to do — possibly graduate school. There’s a lot of college grads finding themselves in his position and it makes you wonder how much it will alter their viewpoint about the future.
Good luck to Fred!
Yikes. Good luck Fred. The IT field is not a good field be looking for a job in at the moment. At least there are some programming positions around. Nothing open in my area in my town (and I’m not looking to move, yet). PS: Glad you mentioned it. You need to network anyway you can these days. Plus – I was wondering what the heck Fred was doing home on a Monday morning.
Thanks for the pregnant kitty belly. Those sides are a sticking out.
Well, I’m off to school to become more competition for Fred. He won’t have to worry – I don’t graduate until spring 2011.
Val
I don’t know about Survivor, but I think one of the Real Housewives of somewhere vacationed in the Seychelles a couple seasons ago. Maybe that’s what you’re thinking of 🙂
I bet you’re right! 🙂
O!!Man, that is a bit of bad news, about Fred losing his job. I sure hate that. But Fred is smart he will find something.There is always a demand for computers geeks if nothing else. Love the kitty stories.
Robyn I thought of you when we started watching the robins’ nest out front. “How long till they hatch huh huh huh?” 12-14 days for robins’ eggs. I have no clue if there even are any up there but they’re acting broody so we shall see. You DEFINITELY have a pregnant cat! It can’t be much longer…can it?
I feel your bread pain. See my flickr photos for the Hot Cross Buns that weren’t so hot. They looked great, and were consummable directly from the oven and for about 20 minutes thereafter, but now? Big box o pucks. I knew they’d be fubar because the dough didn’t rise, but I couldn’t just toss all that work into the trash so I baked it up. Now all my bready friends are trying to give me yeast and recipes and The Zen of Yeast and I’m all pfffffffft. It’s the wrong time of the year to start learning how to bake!
Sounds like Easter was lovely at Crooked Acres. We are all enjoying the aigs around here – I made a dozen deviled for a neighbor’s birthday party last weekend, and they were devoured in a half hour. And there were only five people eating them! I only have a dozen left at this point, but Southside Birmingham has really enjoyed the egg bounty!
I have gotten so slack in my journal, I may copy/paste this and call it an entry!
I have a question for you. How tiny are newborn kittens supposed to be? I saw some this weekend and and they were was absolutely shockingly small. They honestly looked like mice – about 3, maybe 4 inches long. Their legs were hairless. I just don’t remember the babies you have posted pictures of being so small. Two of them died and it really made me wonder if they were premature or something. Thanks!
Christine, that actually sounds about right to me. I’ve only had the one batch of newborns (Kara’s babies), but I remember being shocked at how tiny they were.
Is Fred’s company totally dissolved; or looking for other clients to fill the void?
My software engineer husband has C and C++ experience; and B.S. and two M.S. degrees. We understand the anxiety. Job search is brutal in IT/software engineering arena. Sending positive vibes that Fred lands something soon.
As I recall, RSA and NASA were/are Huntsville’s biggest software engineering employers, either direct hire or via government sub-contractors. I’m sure Fred is aware of that tidbit. 🙂
I too, am sad to hear about Fred’s job situation. However, I hope that Fred finds he doesn’t NEED a job and that his book gets sold off to a really high bidder and he nails his bottom to the chair to write MORE. Which he will promptly share with us, his/your most loyal and trusted subjects.
Oh, we would also like the advanced printed copies of the book, please. I would pay. Especially if it came with a side of aigs.
Good luck!
I made this lemon pie for Easter: http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Lemon-Supreme-Pie/Detail.aspx and it turned out soooooooooooo yummy! I used Meyer lemons, though, which I had never heard of… and they are officially my new favorite fruit.
Very sorry to hear of Fred’s job situation. Hope he finds something soon-I will cross my fingers and say a prayer. Everyone is nervous about employment now-cut backs all over. It’s the slow time of year at my husband’s job-no raises for 3 years due to the economy and very little OT. I haven’t even looked in forever and things are very tight for us. A neighbor lost thier house. Knowing so many others are in the same situation makes it easier to take I guess. I’m grateful for the small things these days-I learned not to shop as recreation so I guess I got something out of the economic downturn.
Wow, so sorry to hear about Fred’s situation. As others have said, something will turn up. Their is always someone looking for an IT void to be filled.
Love the kitty belly. Any estimates on timeline now that she looks preggers?
Ok, I love the Bookworms but Maura really has a place in my heart now! She is so pretty!!
Keeping Fred in my prayers.
Robyn, I’m keeping my fingers, toes and eyes crossed for some good luck to head Fred’s way. You both have a ton of karma points added up, so he should find something soon! 😀
So sorry to hear about Fred’s job. I was laid off myself recently so familiar with the feeling. The worst part is waiting around for the calls and interiews. Keep busy and hang in there something will come up. Sending you good thoughts from Nebraska.
What does your shirt say? LOL.
Nina, you goof, that’s not MY shirt (you really think my arms are that hairy??), it’s Fred’s. And it says “Don’t piss me off, I’m running out of places to hide the bodies.” 🙂
Hi Robyn,
Longtime reader, but don’t comment much. Fred may know this already, but please tell him to go to http://www.usajobs.com and look for government jobs in the Huntsville area. A large Army organization is moving to Huntsville from DC and a lot of folks are not going with them, so there are/will be a lot of job openings. I’d be happy to go into more detail if you want to email me.
Love your blog,
Kathy
Kathy, he was actually on USAJOBS.com earlier this evening. Great minds think alike, obviously. 🙂
Robyn, y’all should just double the size of the garden and the chicken population. In no time, Crooked Acres will be THE place to go for organic chicken, eggs and produce. Fred can be a gentleman farmer in the spring and summer, and write in the fall and winter!
I’ll be sending positive thoughts your way!
My mom has a set of foster kittens (and their mama) and she needs to name them. There are 6 of them and all but one are stripey (like the Bookworms). How on earth do you tell your kittens apart? I tried looking for some distinctive mark (on their head, on their tummies, on their back) but they all look too similar!
Survivor’s never been in the Seychelles.
Please to have Fred apply at Sprint so that you can move here thxkaybye.