So J and I decided we needed some cake.  We haven’t enjoyed something sweet and yummy together for a long time.  I, being used to traditional cakes, decided I needed to find something that was more within the types of foods that J might eat.  Basically this means a cake not requiring shortening and a cake which I could use organic sugar and whole wheat flour in.

I found Lemon Olive Oil cake.  It wasn’t too hard to make.  I threw in some almonds for good measure, thinking they might give it some additional flavor.  The recipe calls for adding sugar to the top, but I did not do so.  Some of the reviews mention that it is not a very sweet cake.  We found it to be flavorful and sweet enough.  We may even cut out some sugar next time.  The flavor of the lemon really carries it.  I think that this would taste lovely with a fresh blueberry sauce.  Also, some real whipped cream would be lovely.  It holds up well all on its own too!

I gave my last speech yesterday, and I think I did well.  What was even more fun was that I had taken my audience analysis surveys which I filled out for the other speech givers very seriously.  I wrote at length why I thought gas prices would continue to climb.  I asked the speech giver questions about his subject even beyond the answers I gave.  I really wanted him to think and delve deep into his speech, and he did!  He incorporated all that I had written on his survey.  There was another guy in class who modified his speech for me, adding something in that I knew was specifically directed at me since I had made my beliefs clear in a previous speech that I gave.  I caught up with him and asked him after class if he had added that statement for me, and he said that he did, though he believed similarly himself.

I also learned a little about net neutrality, which I had never really heard of before.  And to be honest I was quite alarmed!  I went home and asked J about it, he seemed to know what was going on.  If you want to know more, and this really is concerning, go here. If the ISP’s get their way, this blog will no longer exist.  And for me that would be a terrible thing.

So two more class periods to go and I am done with this class.  I am thinking about contacting the teacher and asking if she would consider teaching argumentation and debate next semester, in which case I would gladly take her class.

Let’s talk knitting for a moment.  I got reinspired about my Kauni and was rocking away on it, when I noticed the yarn snagging on the knitpicks needle.  I pulled the needle out and took a look, noticing that the wood was splintering.  I thought perhaps I could file it down a bit with a nail file while I waited for knitpicks to send a replacement.  After all, I really wanted to work on my Kauni.  I filed it down a bit yesterday, but each time I filed it down it would start to catch again on another piece of wood.  So I decided I would just deal with it.  Last evening as I sat down to knit after class, the needle completely snapped in two at the place where it had been splintering.  Now, I love my knitpicks needles, I really do!  But I really am tired of them breaking for no apparent reason, or finding flaws in the needles as they are sent.  I have always said that their price was right so as long as they get the new needle out to me right away, I will continue to use their needles.  Unfortunately, even that isn’t happening, as there is now a high volume of customer service issues, so it takes them 2-5 days to get back to you to begin with.  Once they do, they send a new needle, no questions asked, but I am wishing to work on my Kauni now!  Ah well, I worked 2 rows on mystic waters and will have the final clue of mystic light coming out today, so I will be well occupied in the upcoming week.

I know there was more I wanted to write about, specifically some Bug story, but for the life of me I cannot remember, I am afraid you will have to wait until my memory serves me better.

A new person was hired recently. In my department, but in another building. When the notice was sent out, I thought I had seen or heard her name before. But I could not place it. Today there was a retirement party which caused us to have to go to that very same building, and I finally met this gal face to face for the first time.

And it dawned on me where I had seen her before.

More than 2 yrs ago, back when I was both working and selling jewelry, I did a jewelry show for a coworker. On of the guests there was a modestly overweight woman with a fantastic haircut. She seemed very nice, but it quickly became apparent she wanted to be the center of attention. She informed us that she had lost over 100 pounds, to which I, also modestly overweight, quickly congratulated her. At that time I had long brown hair, no bangs. Nothing special, but certainly not ugly! My hair is straight and shiny and I don’t think there is a particular issue with it. I commented that she had a lovely face framing haircut, I really liked it. She kindly encouraged me to get a similar style. I informed her that I had no intention of doing so at this time as I was busy growing out my hair for locks of love. She said in a very condescending voice “Well you should really think about doing it quick, because that hair style isn’t doing ANYTHING for you.” I about fell off my seat! My boss (who was there) and I talked about it for weeks!

Yeah, lucky me, she now works in my department. I am willing to bet she doesn’t recognize me, since I have very short hair now, and have lost a considerable amount of weight. But I sure recognized her!

Bug’s school is doing a theme week.  Yesterday was Crazy Hair Day.  I was all excited, planning on putting a ton of pony tails all over her head.  I thought it would be fun!

I went to go get her up from bed and reminded her it was crazy hair day.

Bug:  “I don’t want to do crazy hair day.”

Me:  “But its crazy hair day!  It will be fun!  All the kids will have crazy hair!”

Bug: “Mom, you don’t HAVE to do crazy  hair if you don’t WANT to.”

Me:  “OK ok, I’ll bring some pony tails along in case you change your mind once we get there.”

Bug:  “I don’t want crazy hair!”

So, I decide that I can at least not comb her hair, that will be crazy enough.  I go out to the kitchen to get something, come back, and Bug is combing her own hair!

I picked Bug up from school yesterday, she informed me that they had a “science” day.  I was rather interested to hear what consisted of a “science” day.  I asked her, and she informed me that the wind could come and break windows, though not today.  So they were going to go to the library when that happened.  I said “Oh, you had a tornado drill!”  She informed me that it was a “science day” not a tornado drill.  OK thats fine.  So we discussed how probably the wind would never come and break windows, but the teachers knew how to keep all the kids safe and so they take them to the library just in case.  She was ok with this for awhile.

Nightime came, and I let her play a bit with her light on.  I went to turn her light off and I hear “Mommy, I am scared!”  I go up and see what is wrong.  I ask her what she is afraid of.  “Mommy, I am scared of the science!”  Awww!  Poor kid!  I again explained that nothing would happen, and if she was in any danger at all, Mommy would come get her and keep her safe.  This could be a long tornado season.  Maybe she will help me have a healthier respect for them myself!

I will have to perform major reconstructive surgery in the middle cable braid of my mystic light shawl.  I am just trying to gather the courage to do so.  Maybe this weekend.  I messed one of them up during clue 2.  I thought I could live with one messed up.  Then I messed up 2 more during clue 3.  Well thats about enough of that!  I can’t keep going the way it is, I now officially need to fix it.  Let the fun begin!

Bug has taken to picking on me when she is in a particularly good mood.  And reasoning with her doesn’t work, she has an answer for every argument.  Which is probably ultimately a good thing, she really thinks everything through, but I know it will be cause for trouble for me eventually.

Her “time out” chair is a plush low to the ground chair that she has had forever.  It is child sized.  Recent conversation went like this:

Bug:  Mommy, you need a time out, go to my time out chair.

Me:  Bug, I am not going to your time out chair.

Bug:  Mommy, your bottom will fit in my time out chair, go now.

Me:  (hoping I have caught a break) Bug, my bottom will NOT fit in your time out chair, I assure you.  But thanks for the compliment.

Bug:  Let’s try it an see!

Me:  But I will probably break it, I am way too big for your time out chair.

Bug:  No, its very soft, it won’t break!

She is entirely right.  It won’t fit me, but it won’t break either.  And she had the answer to every argument I made.

Well I am hoping by now I got it back, but, you may be amused by my latest story.

Yesterday I was to take a tour of a lab which required that I have a copy of my work ID.  I knew the day before that I would need this, so I stored away my ID somewhere special, in order that I could take it with me the next morning and make a copy.  I could have sworn that special place was in my bookbag.

Next morning rolls around, and I cannot find my ID, it isn’t in my bookbag and it isn’t in any of my drawers at work.  I begin to get a bit panicked because I have noticed a few things that I put in the exact same spot every day have gone missing.  So I begin to panic and think that possibly the ID has been stolen. Though I am pretty sure this isn’t the case, it doesn’t help my panic mode one bit.

I go on the tour anyhow, they were kind enough to let me give them a copy of the ID when I found it.

Get back from the tour, sit down at the desk, and someone needs a key to a room which I keep.  Open up the drawer for the key…..and find my ID.

Mystery solved, I start to laugh.

I figure I’d best make a quick scan of it and send it down to the woman who needs the copy.  Open my scanner to find my drivers license.   Well would you look at that!  I didn’t even know I had lost it!