Baking fun - Birthday cake for my favorite Geek!

... by favorite geek, I mean Js - not you, Nick. His birthday was back in September so forgive me once again if it's a bit outdated!

Geeky Goodness - Vanilla, Raspberry and Skor pieces

So the icing wasn't quite as I wanted it to be but I had about 2 hours to come up with something that would be easy to execute, would look good on a 9in round cake and didn't require too many colors. Behold, the Green Lantern birthday cake!

I used my grand-pa's plain white cake recipe as a base and threw in about half a bag of frozen raspberries. Mixed those in and poured the batter in two 9in round cake pans. When stacking time came around, I leveled the bottom cake and covered it with raspberry jam *mmm* and then covered that with Skor pieces. The plain white cake worked out very well with the uber-sweet filling and the raspberries added a bit of extra delicious. Then I slapped the second layer on top and went on with the icing.

I didn't have a pattern, mold or anything like that so I just had to wing it. I started by covering the entire thing with white icing then colored everything I had left in green. I used the handle of a long wooden spoon to press a straight line into the white icing along 2 of the sides where I wanted the 2 bars to be. Then I found a bowl that would fit well between the 2 lines and pressed that to the white icing lightly to create a round mark. I used those lines to follow along and create the Green Lantern logo - who needs a mold!!

I piped and piped away at trying to make a perfect circle and eventually had to give up as guests were arriving and I had to put things away. Js was very happy with the end result so it was all well worth it! :)

Baking Fun - Hallowe'en Cake

I said I'd back track and blog about my past-cake'strordinaire baking, here's my first attempt at it so sorry if it's a bit outdated! :)

Chocolate and Pumpkin Hallowe'en Cake

I made this cake using this recipe and it was to die for! The pumpkin kept the cake super moist and really brought out the chocolate flavor.

The icing wasn't as wonderful as I had hoped but it still tasted great! It took me an INSANE amount of food coloring to get it this light orange color so I think the picture on the website is a lie. It did get a bit darker when it set but not by much. Also, the icing was very soft and wouldn't be good for decorations or any other form of fancyness. Worked wonderfully as a base though and the taste was very well balanced with the cake filling. I wouldn't ice this cake with butter cream icing unless I wanted to go into a sugar coma.

The glaze totally bombed but I was able to make it look droopy with some careful pouring and a lot of patience. I used little decorative skulls, gummy worms and some red gel for some festive decor. I shaved some chocolate and sprinkled that around the cake and topped it all with a real mini-pumpkin.

Wasn't the easiest cake I've ever baked but most definitely one of the tastiest!!

The tax man cometh... and we payeth.

Well, I'm actually getting a refund but after all's said and done and we put both our tax reports together, we only get about half of what we were expecting so it kinda sucks but it's better than a kick in the head, I say.

It's the first time we've ever filed our taxes together since last year, we weren't Common Law for the entire year and we decided to file them separately instead. My income was significantly higher last year too so it would have taken us in another tax bracket or something like that and it we would have had to pay more. I'm not quite sure and put all my trust in the hands of professionals just because I can't be bothered to remember this stuff from year to year.

I nearly died when I saw my net income from last year. Like I said, I took a massive income drop last year after leaving my job at TBS, being unemployed for 3 months and then making a lot less at my new job out here in Saskatchewan. I know it's all part of the deal and it kinda comes with the lifestyle - I have no job security but he's got the ultimate job security so it sorta compensates.

It's just a slight punch in the sides to see how little I've been able to contribute to our financial situation. I have to suck it up, get used to it and I promise I'll get over it but for now, I'll keep playing my teeny violin.

Nick made a funny, toot!

Another of Nick's famous :

What do you call a gassy gay?

Tooty-fruity!




Bahaha! :)

Unfortunate Shitty Day

No, not me. My friend Janny had a shitty day and posted so as her Facebook status. Read something like this :

Janny A Shit ass day on so many levels :(

To which I replied :

Marie L At first glace I read : Shit my ass today. ...I'm glad to see I was wrong. Sorry your day sucked so much but at least you didn't really do as above. :)

My reply seemed to have gotten a couple chuckles so I decided to share in case anyone else shat their ass today... I mean... ;)

I hate Mondays!

... and I'm slowly building a solid foundation of hate towards Sundays. I used to LOVE Sundays because I'd usually have the day off, I'd go shopping with Jf or just sloth around the apartment doing absolutely nothing at all.

This past Sunday, I spent the entire day in a sort of trans repeating to myself "Gotta go back to work tomorrow..." and wanting to hurl projectile vomit across the living room. Pretty picture, ain't it?

My hate for Mondays has bled into Sundays and it's only a matter of days until it reaches to Saturday and all hell breaks loose.

I'm seriously considering new career venues but I'm quite limited out here so I'm facing some difficulties - to say the least. I have to make a decision and I have to think about the different outcomes and possible solutions.

More on that later, my lunch break is almost over. Ugh.

200 posts! Woot!

I can't believe I'm at 200 blog posts already! Oh my!

I have severe commitment issues and I think this blog has thought me a thing or two about life so it's quite exciting (for me, anyways!) to reach this little milestone.

These last 200 posts have given me an opportunity to speak my mind, share stories, ideas and accomplishments and allowed me to see things with a bit more distance. Thanks for putting up with my nonsense! :)

From Bitch Mag - Reproductive Writes: Love Your Vagina Dot Com | Bitch Magazine

I came across this article that combines two of my favorite things... Advertising and Bitch Magazine.

To Kotex, I'd like to say :

We don't take it out for a walk.
It doesn't get curlers.
It doesn't have nails. *shivers*
We don't display it on a beach towel for boys to gawk at. *coughskankcough*
And when we give it a tampon, we do not do it on the table over lunch.

Most importantly, it's not a creepy puppet we carry around.

...now watch the video.

Reproductive Writes: Love Your Vagina Dot Com | Bitch Magazine

Baking excitement!!

Oh my! I have gotten a request to make a birthday cake for a friend and I am beyond excited to give it a shot! :) Yes, I know, it's very lame and house-wife like... but hell, it's something to do!

Not to toot my own horn but my cakes have become quite famous around here for their deliciousness AND their awesomeness! (Cupcakes too!) (PS: Wow! I looked everywhere to find previous posts about those cakes and I was shocked to discover that I have never blogged about them. I promise to blog more about my cake-making-fun!)

I have never done a cake pan cake before so I will have to make a practice cake sometime next week. I won't do all the black outline on it because I just don't feel like it, they'll most likely be white.

I promise to post pics, tips and such nonsense!

How's this for girly sized rage?

I was overcome with glee when I saw the horrible-horrible-customer-service taco place near walmart was closed. (Klassy, I know!)

Actually we only went there once and even though the tacos were absolutely delicious, the dude behind the counter was less than enjoyable.

Picture this tall lanky guy who's never really worked anywhere else but the Taco Place and who's never really set foot outside his mama's basement. The kind that thinks he knows it all because he's seen it all. Yeah. Lick me.

Me : Hi! What's the difference between this *points* taco and *points* this?
Him : Well this one is called the Supreme Taco and this one is called the Ultimate Taco.

Thanks, brain surgeon, I must have left my ability to read in the car. It was like pulling teeth to get the information and he looked at me like I must be some kind of hermit for never have ordered a taco from a fast-food-taco place.

Him : Do you want the standard size or the small?
Me : What's the difference? *gestures with hands to ask circumference of said taco*
Him : *sigh - rolls eyes* Normal size or girly size?
Me : *fumes* ... ... *tugs at Js' sleeve* ... ... *mumbles french swears indicating Js should order for me if he doesn't want blood to spatter on his burrito*

Are you fucking kidding me?! Seriously!? I was so full of rage I wanted to cry... but no, that would have been too girly of me. Taco man, you and girly sized pants can go fuck right off.

Why should the small one the "girly" size? Is it because women shouldn't eat too much, in case they get fat and society said that's wrong? Or perhaps because when all the men are done eating the food, we can only pick up the scraps and eat what's left? (Underlying family issue with this... but that's for another post.)

The only sad thing about that place being closed is that I will never be able to go back and serve this guy a piece of girly sized ass kicking. I did smile way too much for a sane person when I tried to imagine his narrow little mind trying to learn how to flip a burger or something. "Where are the girly sized buns?"

I wrote this post months and months ago and it just lingered on as a draft because I felt it was a bit ranty and didn't bring anything forward. Then I came across a great link about men and food (thanks Bitch Facebook Page) and I remembered this little piece of rage I wrote and it prompted me to read it again. It fills me with rage to this day so I decided it was worth sharing - if not for the link, for a quick laugh. :)

Bloggers Ripple Effect

I likes it.

This morning, I’m catching up on the blogosphere thanks to my wonderful RSS feeds on Google Reader. I have ranted and raved about the wonders of Google Reader before and don’t intend to stop any time soon.

I see that Nick has posted a great blog entry and when I go to re-read it, I get a little notification saying : 1 person using Google Reader likes this. Click to see who out of pure curiosity because I’ve never noticed this happy-doo-dad of a feature before and much to my surprise, Chantal D ‘s name comes up.

My surprise wasn’t so much that Chantal liked it, but that the only thing (as far as I know) linking Chantal to Nick is... little moi. *squee* I have helped Chantal discover Nick’s blog therefore providing her with post upon post of entertainment and I’ve helped my friend Nick share his Blog with the world. Everybody wins!

Now, I don’t mean to take the credit if it’s not mine to have so please speak up if you two have this secret bond I’m unaware of.

As much as the interweb sucks sometimes when we think about identity theft, security issues or crime – I think it’s wonderful when it helps to bring people together.

The Revenge of the Banana Rack

Flashback to a bit over a year ago, I was trying getting rid of junk and clutter before we move half way across the country. My cousin was organizing a fund raising garage sale for the kids she works with so she drove up to the house one day with a mini-van and we loaded it, twice. I said I'd give Js a call, see if there was any of his things (most of which was still in boxes since we had doubles of EVERYTHING when he moved in) that he'd want to get rid of and my cousin would be able to come back the next day to pick up more crap.

The conversation went something like this :

Me : So there is nothing you want to get rid of, at all?
Him : Nope.
Me : So all those things we've had sitting around the apartment for over a year and we have never used... you want to keep them?
Him : Yep.
Me : We have SO many useless things... we have like, 2 kitchens worth of stuff. That banana rack that doesn't fit anywhere and we never use. There was another box of your stuff I almost gave her but I forgot and she was already gone... you know, that box of old pots and pans and that banana rack thing?
Him : *gasp* Don't give away my banana rack!
Me : *pause* You're kidding right? ...Right!?

So the conversation went on about the set of coffee tables he'd insisted on keeping but lost all the screws and couldn't find replacements a year later and how I gave them away and he couldn't do a thing about it because he was 3000kms away.

He then starts to rant about how his cellphone doesn't have the T9 option. Yeah right! So we made a bet, if I was able to find the T9 option on the phone, the banana rack had to go. If I was wrong, he'd get to keep it and I'd have to find a place for it in my heart.

So the joke went on for a couple of weeks until he came home for the move. Of course, I was able to find the T9 option in his phone. His heart was so crushed that I couldn't bare get rid of the damn banana rack. I get attached to stupid thing for stupid reasons. We still have a huge fake tree in our living room for that same reason but that's for another post.

Me : It's useless.
Him : It's awesome.
Me : What use is it when you have only one banana left?
Him : It's awesome.
Me : It's an odd shape and doesn't fit anywhere.
Him : It's awesome.

I caved and we ended up keeping the blessed thing. Every time I use it (because we actually do) it reminds me of our bet and why it is exactly that I agreed to move half way across the country to be with him. I'm pretty sure he only buys bananas now to make a point.

Anyways, so last week Js had already gone to work when I finally dragged my groggy ass downstairs. There it was, mocking me.

A bientot, dear friend!

My friend is gone. Her husband is posted to Ontario and she's leaving in a mini-van this morning with her kids and most likely a pounding headache.

A bunch of us went for dinner last night and it was great to see everyone having a good time. People who'd been here for years and new commers came out to wish her luck on her journey. We were the loud, singing, all over the place gang that waiting staff hate - en francais!

I really do wish her al the best, whatever it is that her heart desires. I truly hope we get posted somewhere near again and we keep contact. I'll be visiting her when I go to Ontario to see my family but time is always so limited.

I feel like military spouses should have a Harry Potter clock. To show us where we all are at all times. It's hard to keep track!

Undiscussable Weird Dreams

Maybe I'll make a small exception here.

You know the kind of dream that shows you how different your life could have been had you, say 10 years ago, made a life altering decision?
The kind of dream that brings back very vivid memories, clear voices and touch. The little things you didn't notice the first time around because you were trying to figure out your future and you had no idea how the present was important. When you can feel the touch of a hand in yours again.

It's the dream that makes you feel horrible about it when you wake up. The dream that lingers for a couple hours after you've woken up and throws off your entire day because it's just so out of the blue.

The deam that doesn't push the limits of reality enough to make you realize that it was all a dream. It makes you wonder : Was it a distance memory I've successfully forgotten over the years? There are lines that cannot be crossed, not anymore anyways and there are rules that are not meant to be broken, even in the most innocent dream...

That may or may not have been the kind of dream I won't talk about.

Living on Base in the Springtime

Today, I was reminded how I enjoy living on Base.

It's not always sunshine and roses because it's kind of like a small town, but there are good days that make up for it. Much unlike small town life - from my experience anyways.

I came home from lunch today and my neighbor from across the street offered to walk with me back to work because she needed to stop at the Canex on the way. Yay for short walks with friends on a sunny Spring day! During our walk, she informed me that Js had invited them for dinner - we're making BBQ steak it seems. Right on!

Cut to 4pm. I'm walking home from work today, snapping pictures at the Snowbirds flying over my head (from outside the restricted area, of course) and I see my friend sitting on someone's little front porch thing, sipping a glass of wine. She invites me over and we start talking. She introduces me to her friend who's front porch we're sitting on and tells me it's her birthday. Next thing I know, I have a wine glass in hand - delicious rosé - and we're chit-chatting about this, that and the other thing.

Another friend of ours drives by, pulls up in the driveway and yells out to reminds/invites us of/to a dinner on Thursday night.

Welcome to Bushell Park, Spring!

Hi! I'm lame.

I don't really like the Old Navy commercials and I really don't like their jeans but I'm a sucker for a "design your own" thingy-ma-bob ... here's mine. :) *loser smile*

I have to admit, I was quite impressed because they did allow you to pick out your size between Small, Medium and Large. Also, it offered 3 different body types and there was an ACTUAL difference between the three.

Way to go, Old Navy. Now, try to make pants that actually fit those sizes and you'll get my vote.

I *may* have to pay them a visit and check out that scarf.

Sunday morning aka eye of the storm

The last couple of days have been a bit chaotic and the next couple of days are going to be quite busy too. This morning, I woke up early to let the dog out *miracle* and decided to kick back on the couch with coffee instead of going back to bed as I normally would. I'm a sucker for snuggles.

I'm enjoying the quiet. Nova is outside, rolling around in mud and what's left of the snow - yes, it's almost all gone! Jack is curled up next to me, snoozing like the good kitty he is. Js is upstairs, sleeping in and it's well deserved.

This hour of peace and quiet is very welcome.

TFGIFF

I'll let you figure that one out on your own.

Crazy week ahead... and it's already Tuesday.

It's like someone hit my upside the head with a calendar today. Things kept popping up that made me go "Oh yeah... I have this thing to attend on Saturday!" or whatever.

Yesterday it was hormotional breakdown of the century.
Today well, Lost was on. Expect more on that later - cheering and hooting included.
Wednesday I'm facilitating a conversation group at the MFRC. It's the first one since last November so it totally slipped my mind until about 10am this morning.
Thursday, a friend of mine is visiting from Shilo for some catching-up and perhaps a dip at the mineral spa. *Note to self : Find bathing suit.
Friday, I think that's the only day I get to breathe.
Saturday, I'm volunteering at the MFRC all day. There's a training for Board members and I have to attend. An email reminded me of that one around 1 o'clock this afternoon. Lovely! I'd already booked a massage at the Spa that I had to cancel. It broke my heart.

PLUS, we're nearing our 1 year anniversary on CMS so I have to get my butt in gear for that too.

So yeah, fun!

Oh, good news! I got an email today from Jf saying he may be able to visit this summer!
*squee that only dogs can hear*

My posts may be brief for the next few days but fear not, I'll be back to my regular ramblings in no time.

Nick made a funny, yo!

Why does Snoop Dogg carry an umbrella?

Fo' drizzle.

***

Totally stolen from Nick.

I told him to blog it earlier today but he's glued to his PS3 - FFXIII came out today. I'm not sure how I feel about how alike him and Js are... but that's for an entirely different post.

Edit : Js was upset that I used *Nick's* picture in the link above instead of *his*... so there!

Hi! I'm dehydrated, nice to meet you!

I'm a dry prune. The Prairies have done wonders to my skin but I can't sit here and blame the geographical area. I've had pretty much every skin conidition you can think of except acne (Thank the teeny baby Jesus!) and I'm pretty sure I'll have the next one they discover. My skin is dry and messed up, it's hereditary. My grand-ma has had horribly reactive skin her entire life and I remember being 8 years old and her telling me that I was going to be cursed too. Welcome hormones, too much sun and voila! I flake, I itch, I blemish, I have spots I can't explain. Lovely isn't it?!

Working in cosmetics has bee a savior! I'm very well aware of what my skin needs and it allowed me to load it with the right products at a discounted price. Since I've left retail *quivering chin* I have tried to find cheaper alternatives to no avail. I've gone back to my fail-proof favorites but the damage seems to be irrepairable. I blame cheap pharmacy brands. Death to them all!!

Enough excuses... I know the main problem(s) with my skin is(are) caused by my intense dehydration. (PS: Funny story. I spent 2 YEARS of my life saying "Dehydratation" much to the amusement of my staff and coworkers due to a typo on some signage. Great.)

The best way to address this is to obviously drink more water. Easier said than done!! I've been trying to drink more water but have not been very sucessful, *itch-itch* so now, I committ to you, dearest reader (yes, singular!) that :

1. I will make arrangements to have the water-cooler at work fixed and replenished.
2. I will bring a large water bottle at work and will do my best to refil it at least twice a day.
3. I will drink more water at home by carrying a refillable water bottle with me.
4. I will eat more fresh fruit and veggies daily.

Everytime I scratch at my skin, I will remind myself that :

1. Drinking more water leads to more peeing. More peeing leads to less work.
2. If I drank more water, I wouldn't be as hungry all the time. More water, less calories.
3. I get on Js' case when he bites his nails - he's allowed to get on my case about the itching.
4. The more I itch, the more I'll scar.
5. The more lotion I put on my skin, the more I can buy!! :)
6. I would rather be a blushing bride than a blotchy bride.

So, there. I'll do my best!

Tattoo Take Two

I've been giving more and more thought to getting a second tattoo lately. I don't know exactly what I want and where I want it but it's kinda itching at my creative self slowly.

My only criteria for tattoos is I have to draw/design/develop the idea of it. I don't want something copied from a book or something that anyone could have for any reason. I want each to be unique, to tell a story and I want the placement of it to mean something too, if at all possible.

I got my first tattoo almost 2 years ago. It's a black rose that I'd designed many years prior when Jf said he wanted to get a black rose tattoo. I came up with this design and although it was too feminine for him (*shock*) he really liked it. I was so hooked on it that I couldn't draw anything else for him so we kinda but that initiative on the back burner. When I decided I wanted a tattoo I just couldn't shake that rose out of my head. It took me about 4 months to find a parlor and an artist that I was comfortable with and right away, booked an appointment and made a deposit. The decision was made, no backing down now - just what I needed.

I went by myself. I'd asked Maggie if she could come with but she couldn't get out of work but I was cool with that. Turned out I was glad I went on my own. When the tattoo artist said he'd rarely seen people come in for their first tattoo on their own, I explained Js was away on course and the only other 2 people I'd bring with me couldn't make it... I realized, I may have to give birth on my own one day. (I am not, by any means, comparing a getting a tattoo to giving birth to a child.)

The rose came at a good time in my life, a time of change. It represents many many things to me, most of those things I'm not really able to talk about even to this day. It represents the good in my life, the progress and the special kind of understanding and trust I have with those I've kept close all my life.

The design is somewhat abstract and most people say "Do you mind if I ask you what your tattoo is?!" and I really don't. It's meant to confuse. It's on my back, shoulder blade height but closer to my right arm so it's not very visible. Sorta between my arm pit and my bra strap, to make it sound classy.

So what is my second tattoo going to be? Why do I want one now?
As I approach another time of change in my life, I feel the need to immortalize and honor my maiden name. I am going to be taking Js' last name and although I'm very happy about my decision, I can't help but feel a teeny twinge of nostalgia and ... sadness?

My definition of "family" is going to change, a lot. Over the last year I've learned to live away from my family, far far away. I've learned to be a part of the family unit in different ways and I've learned exactly how important family is to be.

As Js and I get married, my definition of family will never ever be the same again.

Until then, it's back to the drawing board for me...

Pup-Pride - Nova teaches a lesson to young girls everywhere

This photo is to demonstrate Nova's skills and how obedience classes pay off on so many levels.

The cutie you see there in Amanda's backyard is Diesel, Nova's crush. She used to be all up on him like a ShackRat at Mess on a Friday evening but now, she is (mostly) cool and collected as she sit-stays on the other side of the street. Good girl. :)

The picture doesn't quite illustrate the degree of dog-owner-pride (and creepy-middle-of-the-street-picture-taker) I experienced during our short but fun walk today. As the weather becomes more and more ... survivable on the Prairies, I'm looking forward to walking her more regularly. Does both of us good and allows me to show off my well-behaved puppers.

Lost Comment - The Substitute Episode

One of my Facebook friends, Alex G posted the following comment as his status and I thought it was quite hilarious. Here's hoping you, faithful reader and Lost addict, will enjoy as much as I did.

I pieced together long ago that they're all there for some specific reason or another, the Cave added nothing. Showing me [the Losties'] names does not answer any questions except "What kind of stationery is available to Jacob?"

It made me smile. Contrary to Alex, I was very much entertained by the names on the walls and spent countless hours online piecing together who's name was on there and who's was crossed out. Sure, I still want to know more and I had figured out they were all there for a reason... I was just very intrigued by how they were listed and where. I also enjoyed the scale and I was very pleased when it brought back questions about the black and white rocks found on Adam and Eve in "White Rabbit".



As Season 6 evolves, the deeper and deeper I sink... *sigh*

**Note : The Substitute aired on February 16th as the 4th episode to the final and 6th season. I know this post comes a bit late... I'm catching up tonight. :)

Lost myself...

I feel dizzy just thinking about it... I won't be able to watch Lost tonight. Our friends got married this evening (quick J.O.P. thing) and we're joining them and their families for dinner.

How sad is it that it really makes me think twice about going?

Meesh, I feel your pain and share your confusion!

That being said... NO SPOILERS until I can finally watch it online. Which I intend to do tomorrow as soon as I get back from work.