Hi all,
So...last night Flo rings me up and asks if I want to go to the sauna with him. Now, I'm a pretty low-heat tolerant person, so I expressed some hesitancy to the suggestion. He assured me he'd only done it once or twice before and it wouldn't get too hot. Plus, he'd invited Bean and another co-worker. He also suggested I could ask Sam. This was shot down, however, as there were several flaws with it. 1. You never just get one German, they travel in a pack. 2. They, like the rest of the world outside of America (yes, it exists...), don't see the point of covering up in a mixed-sex sauna. 3. Recovering from my allergic reaction rash still, and so even in a swimsuit (not my favorite!) I'm going to feel awkward. So, no.
Flo arrived at 9 and we made the long trek to the sauna. Apparently it takes about 1/2 an hour to warm up (but I'm not into the heat thing, so was totally fine with it), but we found it already warm when we showed up. There's even a calendar inside for marking down use, although no one was marked. So, we decided - should there be a German invasion, we'd make like the French and flee. However, the only one to eventually turn up was Bean. We were having a great time talking, and it stayed toasty, but never anywhere near the hot hot hot saunas that my uncle likes to run. So I was pretty comfortable, Flo wasn't. Even though he's from the South (Tex-arcana), he said that the whole "sweating just to sweat thing" wasn't his idea of fun. I readily agreed and Bean burst out laughing at our ridiculousness: "Then why on earth would you decide to go and use the sauna?!"
It's all in the novelty of the experience?
Sometimes, there just aren't any good answers. However, we had a lot of fun laughing and with conversational tangents and we didn't get out of there for a couple of hours. Not sure if we'd do it again, but makes for a nice memory...
Today was pretty good - we had muesli for breakfast and Sam did a decent job - although I could've lived without the sunflower seeds, to be honest. At least he didn't put the pumpkin seeds in. The funny part is that he refuses to put nuts in it...not sure why. "Muesli" here, is not what it is in Germany - where it's mainly like granola. Here you soak oats (a year-round affair...) overnight, drain them, add yogurt and your choice of other things (raisins, apple, nuts, coconut, and sunflower and pumpkin seeds...apparently) and then eat the sludgy mass. So far, despite my texture hang-ups, I've been able to manage to eat it.
During morning work (since we're out to lunch for cafe...), I made yogurt, granola (hopefully without a cumin aftertaste this time...) and a fantastic chocolate cake. I will take a picture tomorrow. I'm calling it my "Death by Chocolate" cake and it's for celebrating with Flo tonight for the birthday he missed here. It has a "Hershey's chocolate cake" with a chocolate mocha frosting, dark chocolate ganache (liqueur-free, unfortunately), and drizzled with white chocolate. I hope it tastes as amazing as it looks!
I had cafe lunch (which was edible today), and finally didn't have any drama at my table. So that was a nice change. Afterward, I spent most of my rest hour laughing and saying "Awwww" at the pictures my mom scanned in of my youngest brother online. It also made me feel old.
So I was in a sentimental feeling as I went to work in the co-op. We managed putting away the order in good time and it was an all-round good afternoon.
Hope all is well,
Steph
Showing posts with label Making Yogurt. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Making Yogurt. Show all posts
Tuesday, May 11, 2010
Wednesday, April 14, 2010
Why Do Cows Have Gutters?
Hi all,
Living with Maria never has a dull moment. She followed up this gem with: "Do cows have seizures?". True, cows were the hot topic of the day, as they moved some into the field by our neighborhood - but I'm not exactly sure where the seizure question came from.
Maria has some unique qualities, her sense of ever-present wonder is one of them. And vastly unappreciated before and during breakfast, unfortunately. The most common phrases are:
"WHAT'S THAT?!?"
"What's it's name?"
"What does it sound like?"
"Is it ----- or is it -------?" (insert any word, and then repeat...she likes to give you the semblance of a choice, kind of...)
Eventually, I've realized that certain topics must just not be mentioned until the last minute, such as: doctor's appointments, visitors, phone calls, mail, and any special events. Because she can fixate like no other. Fortunately, I can tell her that we're going to drop a conversation, and that works for a few good hours, usually. That, and avoiding eye contact at the table, because then the stream never stops...
Today was a good day.
Aren't you glad?
This morning was pretty low key, and after my surprise success with the yogurt last night (it turned out beautifully after a spell on the warm dryer), I was emboldened to attempt hummus. I'm not sure how great it was in comparison to other types of hummus, but I liked it...
I made Mexican Millet for lunch, with nachos with cheese and beans. The millet turned out the best yet. Not only did I not burn it to the pan, I had some red pepper and it really helped it to taste great. It was hard to believe it was millet!
We had a neighborhood co-worker meeting (boo for lack of nap...) where I did get some chain work in during the mostly extraneous-to-Steph (and the house for another month or two...they're planners here...) information. Apparently I will be getting a crash course on doing the finances for the villager's personal accounts (how we give them their money to pay for things and how to account for it) - which pretty much boils down to: Math.
And we all know how much Steph loves math.
Work was interesting the co-op. I learned how to do invoices and deposits through the computer system and helped with some normal food stuff. I ran the shift mostly by myself, but it was a pretty uneventful day.
Oh. I did forget: I got the news at the meeting - I'm Going to the stainglass workshop tomorrow morning!!!
Not that I'm at all excited about it. Well, maybe you can't tell because FB doesn't show the bolding. But the exclamation points should help...
Hope all is well,
Steph
Living with Maria never has a dull moment. She followed up this gem with: "Do cows have seizures?". True, cows were the hot topic of the day, as they moved some into the field by our neighborhood - but I'm not exactly sure where the seizure question came from.
Maria has some unique qualities, her sense of ever-present wonder is one of them. And vastly unappreciated before and during breakfast, unfortunately. The most common phrases are:
"WHAT'S THAT?!?"
"What's it's name?"
"What does it sound like?"
"Is it ----- or is it -------?" (insert any word, and then repeat...she likes to give you the semblance of a choice, kind of...)
Eventually, I've realized that certain topics must just not be mentioned until the last minute, such as: doctor's appointments, visitors, phone calls, mail, and any special events. Because she can fixate like no other. Fortunately, I can tell her that we're going to drop a conversation, and that works for a few good hours, usually. That, and avoiding eye contact at the table, because then the stream never stops...
Today was a good day.
Aren't you glad?
This morning was pretty low key, and after my surprise success with the yogurt last night (it turned out beautifully after a spell on the warm dryer), I was emboldened to attempt hummus. I'm not sure how great it was in comparison to other types of hummus, but I liked it...
I made Mexican Millet for lunch, with nachos with cheese and beans. The millet turned out the best yet. Not only did I not burn it to the pan, I had some red pepper and it really helped it to taste great. It was hard to believe it was millet!
We had a neighborhood co-worker meeting (boo for lack of nap...) where I did get some chain work in during the mostly extraneous-to-Steph (and the house for another month or two...they're planners here...) information. Apparently I will be getting a crash course on doing the finances for the villager's personal accounts (how we give them their money to pay for things and how to account for it) - which pretty much boils down to: Math.
And we all know how much Steph loves math.
Work was interesting the co-op. I learned how to do invoices and deposits through the computer system and helped with some normal food stuff. I ran the shift mostly by myself, but it was a pretty uneventful day.
Oh. I did forget: I got the news at the meeting - I'm Going to the stainglass workshop tomorrow morning!!!
Not that I'm at all excited about it. Well, maybe you can't tell because FB doesn't show the bolding. But the exclamation points should help...
Hope all is well,
Steph
Tuesday, April 13, 2010
Average
Hi all,
I have to admit, that today lacked any of the drama of yesterday. This for me, of course, is a good thing. Although I am pretty sure that my first attempt at doing yogurt from start to finish ended up being a spectacular failure. I'll have to go check after I post. However, 5 hours after I put it on the dryer to set, it was still all watery. So, probably not a good thing.
Tuesday is Garden Market, and I was relieved to find carrots and onions. We go through an average of 2-4 onions a day, and carrots can be good fillers. It's harder to fill the mornings when I don't have to cook, but by doing this and that I managed and kept the work crew pretty busy.
Lunch was pretty terrible. After one bite of the amorphous (but similar to creamed mashed potatoes) entree, I resigned myself to eating the 6 bites of salad and choking down the grainy tapioca. Honestly, I would have been pissed to pay $8 for something that tasted like that. That's a decent budget (especially considering the dessert is usually pudding of one sort or another...), and you could make some really good stuff. But I don't think the person who runs it is overly fond of her job, because the meals are usually rather lackluster. Thankfully, there were leftovers to heat up when I got home.
Rest hour sucked because the children were running around and screaming like hellions. Since housedad is back, I think both parents are trying to foist them off on eachother. NOT happy to be surrounded by their shrieks. It also bugs the villagers who also like to nap during this time. I don't think I'm being too unreasonable here, either.
Today we got our big weekly shipment in, so the co-op was busy putting things away. We also got the 100 dozen eggs that will get delivered by the bakery tomorrow. I'm still not sure why they come to us first, but there's probably some reason. Perhaps not a good one, but one somewhere...
After dinner (Maria and Connie were out with their workplace for a dinner...nice!), I did a run to the barn on the house bike. It was interesting as the brakes are practically non-existent. I almost didn't make a turn. Additionally, while housemom said the milk can fits in the basket, I wasn't sure how much of it should be slopping out. Not much did, but it was hardly reassuring.
I'm looking forward to going out for Stitch 'n Bitch tonight. We've been rotating houses, which is kind of fun. I really haven't been in the one we're going to be at tonight, and it's always interesting to see other peoples' house. I just had a thought though, it's too bad that I'm the only one doing chain maille - or we could call it "Maille and Rail". Catchy, no?
Hope all is well,
Steph
I have to admit, that today lacked any of the drama of yesterday. This for me, of course, is a good thing. Although I am pretty sure that my first attempt at doing yogurt from start to finish ended up being a spectacular failure. I'll have to go check after I post. However, 5 hours after I put it on the dryer to set, it was still all watery. So, probably not a good thing.
Tuesday is Garden Market, and I was relieved to find carrots and onions. We go through an average of 2-4 onions a day, and carrots can be good fillers. It's harder to fill the mornings when I don't have to cook, but by doing this and that I managed and kept the work crew pretty busy.
Lunch was pretty terrible. After one bite of the amorphous (but similar to creamed mashed potatoes) entree, I resigned myself to eating the 6 bites of salad and choking down the grainy tapioca. Honestly, I would have been pissed to pay $8 for something that tasted like that. That's a decent budget (especially considering the dessert is usually pudding of one sort or another...), and you could make some really good stuff. But I don't think the person who runs it is overly fond of her job, because the meals are usually rather lackluster. Thankfully, there were leftovers to heat up when I got home.
Rest hour sucked because the children were running around and screaming like hellions. Since housedad is back, I think both parents are trying to foist them off on eachother. NOT happy to be surrounded by their shrieks. It also bugs the villagers who also like to nap during this time. I don't think I'm being too unreasonable here, either.
Today we got our big weekly shipment in, so the co-op was busy putting things away. We also got the 100 dozen eggs that will get delivered by the bakery tomorrow. I'm still not sure why they come to us first, but there's probably some reason. Perhaps not a good one, but one somewhere...
After dinner (Maria and Connie were out with their workplace for a dinner...nice!), I did a run to the barn on the house bike. It was interesting as the brakes are practically non-existent. I almost didn't make a turn. Additionally, while housemom said the milk can fits in the basket, I wasn't sure how much of it should be slopping out. Not much did, but it was hardly reassuring.
I'm looking forward to going out for Stitch 'n Bitch tonight. We've been rotating houses, which is kind of fun. I really haven't been in the one we're going to be at tonight, and it's always interesting to see other peoples' house. I just had a thought though, it's too bad that I'm the only one doing chain maille - or we could call it "Maille and Rail". Catchy, no?
Hope all is well,
Steph
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