Monthly Archives: January 2009

It’s Sunday; eat some chocolate

For Christmas I got a Hershey’s recipe box so now I can have one recipe box for savory and one for sweet. I was browsing through some of the recipe cards that came with the box, and this one for marbled cherry brownies looked, um, GOOD, and I had all the ingredients on hand. If you like cherries and chocolate, you will like this.

Marbled Cherry Brownies
adapted from Hershey’s

Ingredients:
Cherry Cream Filling (below)
1 cup (2 sticks) butter or margarine, melted
2/3 cup cocoa
4 eggs
2 cups sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt

Directions:
1. Prepare Cherry Cream Filling; set aside. Heat oven to 350°F. Grease 9×13 baking pan. Stir butter and cocoa in small bowl until well blended; cool slightly.

2. Beat eggs in medium bowl until foamy. Gradually add sugar and vanilla, beating until well blended. Stir together flour, baking powder and salt; add to egg mixture. Add cocoa mixture; stir until well blended.

3. Spread half of chocolate batter into prepared pan; cover with Cherry Cream Filling. Drop spoonfuls of remaining chocolate batter over filling. With knife or spatula, gently swirl chocolate batter into filling for marbled effect.

4. Bake 40-45 minutes or until brownies begin to pull away from sides of pan. Cool; cut into squares. Cover. About 32 brownies.

CHERRY CREAM FILLING
1 package (8 oz.) cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
1 cup chopped maraschino cherries, well drained

Beat cream cheese and sugar in small bowl on medium speed of mixer until blended. Add egg, vanilla and almond extract; beat well. (Mixture will be thin.) Stir in cherries.

Will blog for beach house

What’s that you say? It’s Friday and where the heck have I been all week? FREEZING MY ASS OFF, that’s where. Jesus tap-dancing Christ, it’s been cold this week. Like, cold enough to kill you in a matter of minutes. Or, if you’re me, cold enough to make you want to kill someone. Every year there are one or two weeks like this in winter, weeks where it’s so cold you start to think longingly of those days when it was a balmy 25 degrees. I *always* hate these weeks, but this year my hatred is particularly deep and abiding. Maybe it’s the pregnancy, maybe it’s trying to get not only myself but also my cold-hating toddler sufficiently bundled up before walking the fifty feet to the car (and let me just be up front: when it’s -20 degrees outside, NO amount of bundling is sufficient), maybe it’s the anticipatory dread of having to do this next winter with TWO kids … I don’t know exactly, but I am just DONE with this cold crap. Human beings are not meant to live in this climate! I think this must be added to my REJECT list for the year. Cold: I reject it.

In other news, drink some coffee, already.

Not as rejuvenating as I would have thought

I had a lovely weekend with my chicas, doing nothing but listening to music, playing board games, eating, reading and sleeping. (Also engaging with the red squirrel who had taken up residence at the cabin and was damned if he’d leave his warm winter home just because *we* were there, but that’s another story.) I enjoyed every minute of it, especially the sleeping in part, but am feeling surprisingly un-rested now that I’m back. As in, not so much rested at all. Which is weird. And also kind of sucks a little, because tomorrow I have to start the day off with a bang getting a biophysical profile at the hospital at 7:30 am (GAH) and then jaunt off to an all-day “faculty development” seminar. This means I have to take a shower tonight and look kind of presentable tomorrow. I kind of feel like lying down and dying just thinking about all the energy the above items will take. THERE IS NOT ENOUGH COFFEE IN THE WORLD, Y’ALL.

Oh, and? It’s the coldest week of the year. With a vengeance. Have I mentioned how much I hate this stupid state in the winter?

P.S. The Hatchling remains resolutely un-potty-trained. Do they make diapers big enough for college students, do you think?

Heading Out

I’m leaving at noon today for my annual Estrogen-Weekend up north. (Mmmmm … estrogen.) We’ll have pillow fights in our skimpy baby-doll pajamas, paint each other’s nails, and engage in group massages. At least that’s what Mr. Squab would like to think. Send supportive thoughts to Mr. Squab, who has indicated that he is going to attempt to potty-train the (completely uninterested) Hatchling while I’m gone. Please, Lord, let it be so.

Have a happy weekend!

Reticence is not her problem

Yesterday the Hatchling and I went to tour a possible preschool for her for fall (because, yes, you have to start at LEAST this far in advance if you want to get your choice, which is kind of giving me hives. Not to mention figuring out how we’ll pay for it, which is also giving me hives.) It was a great place, very welcoming and kid-friendly, a really nice director, great activities, etc. – I hope we can swing it, because the Hatchling would just thrive on it and it might keep me from losing my mind. Anyhoo. We we touring with another mom and little girl and let me tell you, they were a study in contrasts. The other girl, Grace, was very nice and friendly, but she also was perfectly happy to stay close to her mommy for the duration of the tour, a concept which the Hatchling completely fails to grasp. From the Hatchling’s perspective, this was clearly a place designed with her in mind, so why would she have any qualms about, you know, just joining in? She wouldn’t! We visited one classroom where they were having story time, and I whispered to the Hatchling that she had to be very quiet in this room, because other kids were listening to the story. Riiiiiiiight. She marched right up to the back of the group, sat down on the mat next to the nearest kid, and in her usual enthusiastic voice, said, “Hi, kids! What’s goin’ on?” I went over to try and shush her, and the little kid sitting next to her asked the teacher “Why are there some kids in here who don’t belong?”

I got her out of there without too much further disruption, and in the next room we visited, they were having open playtime, with lots of different stations for the kids to choose from. It was nicely chaotic and I imagine most normal children would have opted for Grace’s strategy of watching the action safely by her mother’s side. I, however, do not have a normal kid. The Hatchling zipped right into the middle of the room where a teacher was preparing some craft supplies, took the cup of glue and paintbrush out of the teacher’s hands, and started making her own collage. She was perfectly polite about it, she just wasn’t at all shy. The teacher looked up at me and said “she seems to be right at home!” and indeed, she did. It didn’t make for the most, uh, relaxing tour of the facilities, and I think Grace was appalled, but I guess it was good to see that the Hatchling would fit right in. I’m glad that she’s so outgoing – makes it easier to make friends – but I don’t know whether to be hopeful or fearful of the inevitable time(s) her friendly overtures are rejected. I don’t want her to steamroller over the other kids, but I know her little heart will be broken if someone doesn’t want to make friends with her. Sigh.

Question

Why is it that they can make perfectly acceptable artificial cherry, grape, orange, lemon, strawberry, lime, etc. beverages, but artificial apple beverages universally taste like ASS?

Enquiring minds want to know.

New Year’s Rejections

So, while I get the principle of New Year’s resolutions, they mostly make me feel like a failure at some point during the year, and lord knows I don’t need any help with THAT. I’m having a bit of a downer of a week anyway, partly trying not to get freaked out about the second kid, partly money worries (join the club!) partly that I’ve been on a Nick Hornby streak lately, and while the dude can definitely write and is often funnier than hell, he’s not always exactly uplifting. Also: this FUCKING MINNESOTA WEATHER. Christ, I hate the cold and the snow. And I hate it even worse when I’m responsible not only for moving my own fat pregnant ass around but also a squirming, slightly rambunctious toddler, size XL.

But I digress. The point is, I decided it would make me feel better to list the things I plan on rejecting in 2009. So here’s a list of things that will be getting a big ole middle finger accompanied by several rude noises in the coming 12 months:

1. Dieting. Rejected totally, comprehensively, and absolutely. ‘Cos it doesn’t work, one, and it’s bollocks science, two, and it sucks, three.

2. People dying. Yeah, I know it will still happen, but I REJECT IT.

3. Feeling like a failure either professionally, maternally, socially, or otherwise. I will do the best I can on all fronts, and people will just have to DEAL.

4. Bigotry. One of these days I’m going to be behind a car with a “Yes on Prop 8” or those stupid mudflap girls or, hell, even “Bush/Cheney ’04” and I am just going to REAR END IT. Consider yourselves warned, people who almost certainly do not read this blog.

5. Shitty TV/Movies/Music. Unless it’s the good kind of shitty. Because life is just too short.

Whew, that feels better. Join me in some negativity, won’t you? What do you reject this year?

Gestational Update

Well, it’s officially ten weeks from today that the newest member of the Squab family will make herself known. Somehow ten weeks sounds like an awfully short amount of time. Shorter even than 2 1/2 months, which also sounds really short. There is a slight undercurrent of panic running through the household – I mean, not that we didn’t know this day was coming and all, but FUCK! TWO KIDS!

On the other hand, if there were an option to have someone else handle the last ten weeks of gestation, I would so be at the front of the line to sign up for THAT. This whole peeing-every-half-hour, can’t-get-comfortable, no-sleeping, still-nauseated, back-aching, ligament-pulling CRAP was getting old like a month ago, and I will not miss it ONE. BIT.

I also had an unpleasant reminder that I’m in the high-risk category of expecting mothers at my OB check-up today. Nothing scary or dangerous, but starting this week they want me to come in twice a week for a fetal non-stress test (where they count the baby’s kicks and monitor its heart rate) and an ultrasound (where they check the baby’s movements and measure the amount of fluid in the uterus). Twice a week. And these aren’t little five-minute things, either – we’re talking a good 30-45 minutes per procedure, not including the time it takes to get to and from the hospital and wait in the waiting room. Oh, and plus I still have my regular OB visits to add in there. Gah. I had to do the same thing last time, but only once a week. When I asked if there was any especial cause for concern or reason why they wanted to see me so often this time, my doc said not really, they’re just being extra cautious because of the hyptertension and the gestational diabetes and the insulin dependency and and and and … The last time around this freaked me out, all this talk of increased risk of stillbirth and labor complications and such, and I guess maybe it should be freaking me out this time, except, you know, last time everything turned out just fine and I really feel like it will this time, too. Not that I wouldn’t rather NOT have all the complications, but it seems like this is just how my body does the gestation thing, and as long as I’m doing my part to miminize the complications, things will be OK. Which is great as a positive mental attitude, but doesn’t do squat for finding me childcare or helping me juggle my schedule to accomodate these appointments. Sigh. It will all work out – Mr. Squab will adjust his schedule some, and some friends have said they’ll watch the Hatchling whenever needed, and somehow it will get done, but – have I mentioned how this pregnancy has only confirmed our decision to quit after two kids? Yeah, you can add this whole post to the growing list of reasons why two will be PLENTY.

This just in: The birds at our birdfeeder are retarded.

We don’t get the pretty, showy birds at our feeder; it’s more of a proletariat smorgasbord of miscellaneous sparrows and chickadees. Which, no biggie, they gotta eat, too, but sweet fancy MOSES, are they stupid. Here’s the pattern:

1. Assemble in branches of fir tree adjacent to feeder.
2. Swoop down en masse and lustily attack the feeder and often each other for about 5 seconds.
3. Get startled by the, um, NOTHING that is walking by, and feverishly flock back to the safety of the fir branches. For another 5 seconds.
4. Remember, hey! There’s food down there! For free! We should look into that!
5. Repeat steps 2-4 ad infinitum.

It is seriously giving the cat whiplash. Not being much of a bird person, I’m sure there could be some rational explanation for this, you’ll excuse the pun, flighty behavior, but for the life of me I can’t figure out what it would be.

Good Riddance, 2008!

Looking back, I have to say that 2008 was not exactly a banner year. We had a break in and robbery, both cars broke down and had to be replaced, lots of pregnancy-related ill health, grandma going crazy and then dying – not to mention the economy going to hell and all kinds of political craziness. There were good things, of course – getting back in touch with old friends, my sister having her first baby, the Hatchling getting more and more interesting and fun(ny), satisfying projects around the house, etc. But overall, I’m not really sad to see the year go, you know?

Lately I try not to make uber-specific New Year’s resolutions on the principle that they just make me feel like a wanker when I don’t achieve them, but here are my sort of generalized ones:

1. Write more. In any area (blogging, academic, personal, etc.)
2. Keep working on being a more chill, zen-type person instead of the anxiety-ridden freakazoid that my genetic background wants me to be.
3. Find ways to enjoy being healthier.
4. Learn to say no without feeling guilty.
5. Breathe deeper and enjoy the ride.

Frankly, I’ll be happy if I can achieve (1) at any level. The rest is just gravy. How about you?

Oh, and a little post-Christmas cheer: here’s the Hatchling opening presents on Christmas Eve.

Opening Presents – Yo Gabba Gabba (Xmas 2008) from Squab on Vimeo.