F Is For Freak-Out

Or, at least, that is what I'd been planning for today.  And forgetting to set my alarm and waking up two hours late would usually send me right into freak-out mode, but not today.

The last couple of weeks I've been obsessed with one thing.  I've often thought of having a booth at an antique mall, but never did more than think of it.  Then weeks ago, I saw that a new shop was coming to town, looking for vendors.  I emailed to ask what that meant, and the next thing I knew, I was taking a box of  "inventory" down to met the owner.  

I was clear, the items in my box were not inventory.  They were my personal collection, but it represented my style.  She liked it, I liked it, and I became the proud renter of a 6x6 spot.  I'd already bought shelves for it and had been storing them in my parent's garage, now they would actually get some use!

I've spent the last few weeks shopping thrift stores and estate and garage sales, hunting vintage treasures.  The house has fallen apart: I haven't mopped in two weeks, dusting is a forgotten thing (except the one time I picked up a dog toy and wiped off the TV for better viewing), the clutter from my project is everywhere and the only thing I've halfway kept up on is laundry.  I like clean socks and underwear, what can I say?

But tomorrow, Saturday, is the opening day.

I thought today, Friday, would be a complete freak-out day for me.

But I woke up, two hours late and all, calm and happy.  It helps that when I left the shop last night, my space looked like this:  

I have a few things left, but if the shop opened right this minute, I'm ready.  And so very excited!  I now have a place to put all the cool things I always want to buy, but used to be stopped by my daughter being the voice of reason, asking me where I would put that item in our house......

E Is For Erik

E is for Erik
My one true love
He's cute and sweet and funny
And romantic all the time
He makes me laugh
He makes me mad
He makes me want to hold his hand
All the days of life.
He's smart and clever and kind
A fix-it kind of guy
He makes me smile
He makes me try
He  makes me glad I said 'oh, yes'
And call myself his wife.
He's a worker and a greaser
And a hooligan to the core
He makes me love
He makes me dream
He's my darling, sweetheart guy.

D Is For D'oh!

Running late, almost out the door, when I hurriedly slipped my rings on my fingers and left.  Took me half the day to realize the reason things felt wrong (literally) was because I was wearing my wedding ring on my right hand and my anniversary band on my left. 

D'oh!

Realized before lunch, I had a new run in my tights, tights I'd already mended and turned.  Realized after lunch I had a hole in the toe on the other foot, and all afternoon I could feel the hole getting bigger and bigger and if I had shaved my legs anytime in the last week or so, I'd have shed those things and pretended spring in the PNW is actually warm.

D'oh!

Thought I might be either getting a massive, blinding headache due to a brain tumor or I was going insane, because after lunch I felt like someone had changed my computer monitor while I was out.  It was the same color, same taped quotes on the bottom, same sign here stickies at the top, same everything except the font just didn't look right.  I spent all afternoon half freaking out and almost got into a cranky pants fight with our IT guy when he told me it was the same as always, when Jr IT guy stopped by and said he could shed some light on what was different.

He'd changed my monitor.

D'oh!

Now if only I'd had some Doughnuts, my Homer day would have been complete!

C Is For Convertible

C is for the Convertible
The one I used to own
One dark commute
One load unsecured and lost
Then found in a crunch and crumble
Bumper, skid pan, radiator
Only injured party is my car.

Who knew a bicycle
Could total a vehicle?

C is for the Convertible
The one I'm going to buy
Soft top, priced right
Ready for the first warm day
Sun filled adventure
Project cars need not apply.

B Is For Boys

My boys, of which only one is actually mine, went off on a camping adventure on Friday after school, the moment spring break officially began.  They said they'd be home on Sunday, but on Sunday as I was driving into the church parking lot, my cell phone rang.

It was my son and of course, my first thought was, "This can't be good," because I'm a firm believer in not calling just to check in.  Oh, you can text me to let me know you got somewhere safe, but a phone call is entirely different. Only call if you need something.

He did need something.

Permission to spend one more night out in the cold, wet, mountains.

Really?  You guys are having that much fun?

Yes.

All righty then.  He did come home briefly, because one friend had to catch a train to spend the rest of break in Montana and our son is the driver, so since he was in the area, he stopped by the house to get the camera and to tell us a Sheriff deputy had been up to see them, patted them down, took their names, then offered them firewood if they needed more and they'd only been lost slightly once or twice on their explorations and Spam is actually quite tasty.

My husband agrees, it does sound like fun.  I feel slightly opposite, but the grin on our son's face confirmed that letting the boys go off on a camping trip was just exactly the right thing to do!

My Perfect Chocolate Cake

This is for Judy!  It's not a top secret family recipe, all though I did get it from my mother in law.....I hope it wasn't their family secret and now I just give it out willy nilly!

Preheat oven to 350. 

Mix 2 3/4 cups flour, 2 tsp baking soda, 1 tsp salt, 6 Tbls baking cocoa powder, and 2 cups sugar.

Add 2 cups water, 10 Tbls oil (corn or veggie), and 2 Tbls white vinegar. Mix until combined.

Bake about 35 minutes in 2 greased round pans.

My only advice is do not taste the batter.  It is not an indication of how yummy the cake will be!

A Chocolate Birthday

I make a darn good chocolate cake.  It's a simple recipe, that comes together quickly and bakes up in about 35 minutes, and it's pretty popular with family members, but maybe none more than my nephews!

I made a cake for today's celebration of 7 years, and next Sunday, I will make another cake for a celebration of 5 years.  While I was cutting slices of cake today, and I had a line of nephews holding paper plates, waiting (not quite patiently, but it is chocolate cake...who wants to be patient when cake is at hand?), the youngest little guy is making plans for his Oh-Cho chocolate cake birthday....in June.

That's how good it is!  He's got some now, but he's already looking forward to more!