Sunday, September 23, 2007

Apple Pie


Q: How many family members does it take to make an apple pie?

A: Five. Cole to add the cinnamon, Hannah to help roll the dough, me to slice apples and put it all together, Brent to clean up the dinner to make room for pie making, and Molly to make the pie dough (as Molly quoted today: Friends are the family you choose). Thanks for the delicious pie dough Molly!

Friday, September 21, 2007

Sunday, September 16, 2007

Lost In the Supermarket


I love the Gruyere cheese, the nutty, tanginess of it.

I really love it mixed with other favorite ingredients to make scalloped potatos. While the Yukon gold potatos are sliced thinnly, I don't really arrange them in a way that makes the edges scalloped,-who really does? Half and half, garlic, thinly sliced onions, and a few other important ingredients layer to make pure-addicting-Fall-comfort-food-yumminess.

Tonight, while shopping for Gruyere, I met my potential future husband, Al, in the grocery store. He was cute, and blocking traffic with his shopping cart. He laughed that he was lost in the supermarket (nod to the Clash) and that he didn't know how the ladies did it. He chuckled some more and patted my arm, saying it was his turn now. I helped him find a few items in the produce section, every time I turned around Al was eagerly behind me asking another question in his sparkling voice. Al looked to be around 70 - 75 years old and said that he was now having to take care of the shopping, the cooking, and the cleaning all by himself, and it would be ideal if he could find a wife to take care of the rest.

"Oh, a sugar momma," I said to Al.

"Yes," he nodded, "it's about time I got myself a sugar momma."

He asked me to keep a look out for a sugar momma for him, but what he didn't know was that I, for a split second, entertained the ideal of taking the post myself (a little less on the sugar and more on the momma) and having Al help around the house. Although, I reasoned, Al's pace and the pace at which I would need things done would not be the same and then we would have to end things on bad terms. And there you go, a whole possiblity of beginning, middle, and end played itself to closure right in front of me.

I scurried out of the produce section promissing Al that if I ever met someone who could be his match, I would swiftly send her his direction. I was out of there, I just came along to shop happily (more nod to the Clash), I was going home to make comfort food and settle in for the evening. Al, I hope your dreams come true!

D-Mo's B-Day

Photos by M. Dunham and T. Backer (I played hostess and photo editor).


















Monday, September 10, 2007

Saturday, September 08, 2007

And. . . More Photos


By Cole (The headlights of the car were shining on this insect on the side of the house. Cole snapped this overexposed photo that came out looking pretty cool).

Tuesday, September 04, 2007

My So-Called Office


I have been incredibly busy with work lately. With my family and my job competing for attention, it is the family that always wins out. This, however, leaves me feeling drawn and quartered sometimes. This is my converted closet made home office. Sometimes it gets cramped, but it forces me to stay on top of things. Since finding office space in my house was a challenge, I got the general ideal for the "closet turned office" from ReadyMade Magazine (only my second project out of a two year subscription). There were also directions for a "closet turned bar," but I have much less use for that.

I have a four outlet power box, a power strip, a phone line (for the fax machine), and internet connection all fed from various other parts of the house, all running up through a small hole in the floor (thanks for your help Dad!). I found that I could easily find space in other parts of the house for what used to be in the closet. Presto!

My daughter marveled one day: When the door is closed, it's hard to imagine there is a whole other world on the other side. . . It seems like an innocuous closet, until occasionally the fax machine grinds into life when the door is shut and surprises us all.

Just in case I get confused while in the closet and wonder where the coats are at.

I Got All My Sisters and Me


This photo was taken last summer of myself, my three sisters and my second cousin (she is wearing the glasses and I am standing behind her). This is the first time I've seen this photo, so I thought it was worth a posting. . . We always have so much fun when we are together.