Another meme, and the Case of the Vanishing Cupcakes
Another random-questions meme, courtesy of hamsterwoman:
what was the last thing you ate? A gluten-free vanilla cupcake Two made over the weekend.
do you have a cat? Technically, I don't have any cats - they officially belong to my BIL/SIL. But since we all live together now, I unofficially have seven cats, with one of them - Gem - being more drawn to us than to my BIL/SIL.
what's the last book you checked out from the library? I think it was the most recent Monica Ferris mystery, Knit Your Own Murder.
got any fun plans for the weekend?
Depends on whether we're crazy enough to try to see Black Panther on opening weekend. But on Monday (19th), there's no school, so Will and I are taking her to see the Terra Cotta Warrior display at Philly's science museum. (Two declined to come along.)
do you have a twitter?
Kind of? I follow some celebrities but rarely bother to actually check my feed, and have no interest in posting.
if so, what was the last thing you tweeted? N/A
who was the last person you talked to on the phone?
My mom, yesterday evening.
has it snowed recently where you live?
We had a dusting a few weeks ago, but that's about it.
what gift would you love to receive?
A covered front porch.
who are your top 3 actresses?
For acting? For looks?
how do you feel about elephants?
They're pretty cool looking, and seem to create some neat elephant social structures.
what's the last thing you cooked on the stove?
Spaghetti and meat sauce.
have you ever been to Australia?
No, but I would really like to go!
what color is the cover of the last notebook you used?
Blue.
last time you saw your best friend, what did you do?
Sat on his sofa and chatted for an hour.
who was the last person you know to have a birthday?
hamsterwoman's husband.
what's a musical instrument you think sounds really beautiful? Cello.
do you play that instrument?
No, but I think it would be interesting to learn.
do you have a favorite type of pasta? (like a shape of noodles, not dish)
Maybe linguine or fettucine? I don't feel super strongly about it.
do you consider yourself religious?
Somewhat, but not in a rigid way.
how many times a day do you brush your teeth?
I confess that I usually only manage once: before I go to bed at night.
do you always use proper grammar?
I do my best to, yes. I have been known to self-correct myself. :P
what's the last play/musical you saw?
Seussical, last Fri night.
who sent the last e-mail you got?
Something advertising-related, Current catalog, IIRC.
where did you get the shirt you're wearing right now?
Lands End or LL Bean, I'm not sure which because I cannot see the tag.
should you be doing something else right now?
Probably. I have three sewing projects, a knitting project, email to answer, fic I'd like to be writing, etc. And now my son wants his nightly story, so now I need to take a break and do that.
do you know any sign language?
Yes. I once tried to list all the signs I knew, and it was actually a surprising number - but I still wouldn't be able to hold anything other than the most basic conversation.
what song is currently stuck in your head?
Some Capitol Steps parodies.
do you have a favorite shape?
Should I?
what's the last song you bought/downloaded?
I bought the Pitch Perfect III CD for Two's Christmas gift.
what color are the sheets on your bed?
Light blue flannel.
do you have a string of lights in your room?
No, but MiniPlu does.
what shoes did you wear today?
To the library: cream cords, a purple tshirt with a purple marled sweater over it. When I came home, I swapped the cords for jeans.
how do you feel about bookstores?
Best type of store in the world.
when was the last time you saw a squirrel?
I … don't know? I was much more conscious of squirrels in PA but I assume they exist here in NJ, too.
did you do anything to observe groundhog day?
I checked to see whether Punxatawney Phil saw his shadow or not (he did).
what time do you usually go to bed?
11:30-midnight. Way too late for someone who gets up around 6am.
do you ever use coloring books?
I've occasionally done one of those zendala designs, but not very often.
how do you feel about instrumental music?
I like classical music, but not that interested in jazz.
are you wearing a necklace?
I always wear a necklace, except for TKD and surgery.
if so, describe it:
Silver chain with an old, beat-up thin cross, two Chinese symbols (sheep and horse - Two is sheep; MiniPlu and Will are horse), a wee silver plumeria, and this … small (<1cm) circle with rainbow tissue paper in it; saw it in a frou-frou sort of shop and thought it was pretty. I should also have the Chinese character for love on there, but the loop needs fixing so it won't fall off.
does it annoy you when you have a song stuck in your head... Only if I'm trying to sleep.
... but you don't remember the words?
Yeah, that's annoying.
when was the last time you got a haircut?
Hah! It was exactly one week ago! It had been probably a good six months since my previous haircut. I got maybe 2"/5cm lopped off, and generally tidied.
are you planning on watching the olympics?
I would like to, but without cable, I have to make a special effort to stream it on the laptop, which then means I can't use the laptop for other things. I have, sadly, seen very little.
do you pronounce the word often with or without a t in the middle?
Without.
what's the last thing you received in the mail?
A photo taken of the relatives who attended the re-dedication of my great-grandma's house after it was renovated; my cousin Alice sent it to me.
have you ever been on a trapeze?
Uh, no? I've been on a three-story ropes course, though.
what's the coolest natural event you've ever witnessed?
Double rainbow all the way across the sky. Whoa.
But, more seriously - I can't really think of anything? Rainbows are super-cool, and a lot of other natural events are scary, like - major earthquakes, a black wall of stormclouds bearing down on you as you drive into them, things like that.
do you know how to use chopsticks?
Yes, although I don't consider myself an expert.
what's your opinion on the oxford comma?
I prefer not to use it.
do you buy chocolate after valentine's day when it goes on sale? Sometimes. I'm more likely to buy Easter candy after that holiday passes - it's more interesting candy.
what's a song you like that starts with the first letter of your name?
Dancing Queen
speaking of that, what is your name?
Debbie
have you ever locked your keys in the car?
Yes, but thankfully not since remotes became common.
do you know anyone who celebrates Hanukkah?
Most of my mom's side of the family, plus several flisters.
who is someone you aspire to be like?
There are a few people I admire for different qualities.
do you think bunnies are cute?
Definitely. But I still don't want one as a pet, much to MiniPlu's dismay.
do you have a preferred brand of toothpaste?
I was fine with a few different brands (except Crest), but now I'm limited to varieties that don't have sodium laurel sulfate because a couple of years ago, I developed an allergy to it - it gives me a rash around my mouth and nose. Incidentally, the stuff is in nearly EVERY major brand of toothpaste. Currently we use Pronamel.
do you enjoy popping bubble wrap?
Eh, not anymore. I'd rather save the bubbles intact for future packaging material.
are there any waterfalls near where you live?
Possibly? I really don't know much about NJ yet. There aren't a lot of hills in my immediate area, but if "near" includes a radius of a couple hours' drive, then the chances go up.
do you own a denim jacket?
I have two - traditional denim and white denim. My regular one got so covered in buttons/badges I needed the white one as a place to continue the collection. :D
when was the last time you went to the beach?
MiniPlu's 15th birthday - it was her wish for the day, to spend it at the beach with two of her good friends.
do you like seafood?
I like crab legs, shrimp, and most fish.
have you ever had to wear a uniform for anything?
When I worked at Baskin Robbins (ice cream) we had to wear khaki pants, a uniform polo shirt and a uniform baseball hat/visor. In TKD, we all wear a dobok - white v-neck long-sleeve top and white pants - with the appropriate belt.
how do you feel about birds?
If you have one tame enough to touch, they're very soft. In general, I'm fine admiring birds in the wild but don't really have any special fondness for them, like a dedicated birder might.
do you personally know anyone who is an author?
Yes, pegkerr. Also - although I'm not close friends with them, I have met and interacted with Cassie Claire and Sarah Reese Brennan. Oh, and my friend Steve self-published a book a number of years ago.
Of course, if by "author" you include people who write fanfic, then I know a LOT of those!
do you own a polaroid camera?
No. MiniPlu does - Two got her one second-hand at a yard sale but it has started acting up.
do you enjoy baking?
Heck. Yeah.
what's your favorite type of flower?
I'm pretty sure I answered this on the 100-question meme I answered the other day. To sum up: roses, lily of the valley, tulips and plumeria. *points to icon*
do you know anyone who is left-handed?
My uncle and my BIL Paul, plus a bunch of kids I sub for - I tend to notice that kind of thing a lot when I'm watching people write.
what is something you think is underrated?
The Phantom Tollbooth by Norton Juster. It remains one of my favourite books of all time, but hardly anyone has heard of it. If you like wordplay, this book is for you.
Now, let me tell you the tale of how 6 cupcakes went missing - and we still don't know what happened.
Last Thurs, Two wanted to make vanilla cupcakes, so we did that together after dinner. We just made a half batch, since most of the people in this house prefer chocolate. I also made them GF, because I've been eating entirely too much wheat lately. So, anyway, we ended up with 10 cupcakes, with vanilla icing. MiniPlu, Two and I each had one, so that left seven. I put them on a plate, and then under our cake-holder thingie to keep them fresh and out of the dog's reach, and left them on the dining room table.
Friday morning, around 7am, Two took one cupcake out and put it in his lunchbox. That left six. At 10:45a, I went to make my lunch for the half-day of school I was subbing for. I walked into the dining room and ... the cake holder lid was off; all the cupcakes were missing along with the plate. I remembered seeing an empty plate placed incongruously on top of the toaster oven earlier that day, and figured that must have been the missing cupcake plate. But ... where were the cupcakes? If Two had not fastened the cake holder lid properly, and Jade had eaten the treats, there would have been wrappers around, and she probably would have been sick. And the plate would still be there! But no human has admitted to taking any of the remaining six cupcakes. Two was distraught he'd only gotten two, I was distraught I'd only gotten one, and none of the adults had wanted any, since they weren't chocolate. MiniPlu had already left for school at the point that Two was getting his cupcake, so it wasn't her, either. We are baffled.
The only thing we can think of was that it was a conspiracy between Jade and Dessa, our kleptomaniac cat. Jade ate the cupcakes, and Dessa took the empty plate and put it up on the toaster oven. (The cat can drag one of my giant bath towels - like, the large bath-sheet size - down the hall to her mama's room without breaking a sweat. I wouldn't put it past her to suddenly learn how to balance a dinner plate on her tail!)
Either that, or burglars broke into the house, took only the cupcakes, thoughtfully put the empty plate in the kitchen, and left again.
But seriously. Where did they go?
Happy Valentine's Day tomorrow, if you celebrate! I like to express my affection for anyone in my life, even if it's not a romantic relationship, so big hugs to all of you. ♥ ♥ ♥
what was the last thing you ate? A gluten-free vanilla cupcake Two made over the weekend.
do you have a cat? Technically, I don't have any cats - they officially belong to my BIL/SIL. But since we all live together now, I unofficially have seven cats, with one of them - Gem - being more drawn to us than to my BIL/SIL.
what's the last book you checked out from the library? I think it was the most recent Monica Ferris mystery, Knit Your Own Murder.
got any fun plans for the weekend?
Depends on whether we're crazy enough to try to see Black Panther on opening weekend. But on Monday (19th), there's no school, so Will and I are taking her to see the Terra Cotta Warrior display at Philly's science museum. (Two declined to come along.)
do you have a twitter?
Kind of? I follow some celebrities but rarely bother to actually check my feed, and have no interest in posting.
if so, what was the last thing you tweeted? N/A
who was the last person you talked to on the phone?
My mom, yesterday evening.
has it snowed recently where you live?
We had a dusting a few weeks ago, but that's about it.
what gift would you love to receive?
A covered front porch.
who are your top 3 actresses?
For acting? For looks?
how do you feel about elephants?
They're pretty cool looking, and seem to create some neat elephant social structures.
what's the last thing you cooked on the stove?
Spaghetti and meat sauce.
have you ever been to Australia?
No, but I would really like to go!
what color is the cover of the last notebook you used?
Blue.
last time you saw your best friend, what did you do?
Sat on his sofa and chatted for an hour.
who was the last person you know to have a birthday?
hamsterwoman's husband.
what's a musical instrument you think sounds really beautiful? Cello.
do you play that instrument?
No, but I think it would be interesting to learn.
do you have a favorite type of pasta? (like a shape of noodles, not dish)
Maybe linguine or fettucine? I don't feel super strongly about it.
do you consider yourself religious?
Somewhat, but not in a rigid way.
how many times a day do you brush your teeth?
I confess that I usually only manage once: before I go to bed at night.
do you always use proper grammar?
I do my best to, yes. I have been known to self-correct myself. :P
what's the last play/musical you saw?
Seussical, last Fri night.
who sent the last e-mail you got?
Something advertising-related, Current catalog, IIRC.
where did you get the shirt you're wearing right now?
Lands End or LL Bean, I'm not sure which because I cannot see the tag.
should you be doing something else right now?
Probably. I have three sewing projects, a knitting project, email to answer, fic I'd like to be writing, etc. And now my son wants his nightly story, so now I need to take a break and do that.
do you know any sign language?
Yes. I once tried to list all the signs I knew, and it was actually a surprising number - but I still wouldn't be able to hold anything other than the most basic conversation.
what song is currently stuck in your head?
Some Capitol Steps parodies.
do you have a favorite shape?
Should I?
what's the last song you bought/downloaded?
I bought the Pitch Perfect III CD for Two's Christmas gift.
what color are the sheets on your bed?
Light blue flannel.
do you have a string of lights in your room?
No, but MiniPlu does.
what shoes did you wear today?
To the library: cream cords, a purple tshirt with a purple marled sweater over it. When I came home, I swapped the cords for jeans.
how do you feel about bookstores?
Best type of store in the world.
when was the last time you saw a squirrel?
I … don't know? I was much more conscious of squirrels in PA but I assume they exist here in NJ, too.
did you do anything to observe groundhog day?
I checked to see whether Punxatawney Phil saw his shadow or not (he did).
what time do you usually go to bed?
11:30-midnight. Way too late for someone who gets up around 6am.
do you ever use coloring books?
I've occasionally done one of those zendala designs, but not very often.
how do you feel about instrumental music?
I like classical music, but not that interested in jazz.
are you wearing a necklace?
I always wear a necklace, except for TKD and surgery.
if so, describe it:
Silver chain with an old, beat-up thin cross, two Chinese symbols (sheep and horse - Two is sheep; MiniPlu and Will are horse), a wee silver plumeria, and this … small (<1cm) circle with rainbow tissue paper in it; saw it in a frou-frou sort of shop and thought it was pretty. I should also have the Chinese character for love on there, but the loop needs fixing so it won't fall off.
does it annoy you when you have a song stuck in your head... Only if I'm trying to sleep.
... but you don't remember the words?
Yeah, that's annoying.
when was the last time you got a haircut?
Hah! It was exactly one week ago! It had been probably a good six months since my previous haircut. I got maybe 2"/5cm lopped off, and generally tidied.
are you planning on watching the olympics?
I would like to, but without cable, I have to make a special effort to stream it on the laptop, which then means I can't use the laptop for other things. I have, sadly, seen very little.
do you pronounce the word often with or without a t in the middle?
Without.
what's the last thing you received in the mail?
A photo taken of the relatives who attended the re-dedication of my great-grandma's house after it was renovated; my cousin Alice sent it to me.
have you ever been on a trapeze?
Uh, no? I've been on a three-story ropes course, though.
what's the coolest natural event you've ever witnessed?
Double rainbow all the way across the sky. Whoa.
But, more seriously - I can't really think of anything? Rainbows are super-cool, and a lot of other natural events are scary, like - major earthquakes, a black wall of stormclouds bearing down on you as you drive into them, things like that.
do you know how to use chopsticks?
Yes, although I don't consider myself an expert.
what's your opinion on the oxford comma?
I prefer not to use it.
do you buy chocolate after valentine's day when it goes on sale? Sometimes. I'm more likely to buy Easter candy after that holiday passes - it's more interesting candy.
what's a song you like that starts with the first letter of your name?
Dancing Queen
speaking of that, what is your name?
Debbie
have you ever locked your keys in the car?
Yes, but thankfully not since remotes became common.
do you know anyone who celebrates Hanukkah?
Most of my mom's side of the family, plus several flisters.
who is someone you aspire to be like?
There are a few people I admire for different qualities.
do you think bunnies are cute?
Definitely. But I still don't want one as a pet, much to MiniPlu's dismay.
do you have a preferred brand of toothpaste?
I was fine with a few different brands (except Crest), but now I'm limited to varieties that don't have sodium laurel sulfate because a couple of years ago, I developed an allergy to it - it gives me a rash around my mouth and nose. Incidentally, the stuff is in nearly EVERY major brand of toothpaste. Currently we use Pronamel.
do you enjoy popping bubble wrap?
Eh, not anymore. I'd rather save the bubbles intact for future packaging material.
are there any waterfalls near where you live?
Possibly? I really don't know much about NJ yet. There aren't a lot of hills in my immediate area, but if "near" includes a radius of a couple hours' drive, then the chances go up.
do you own a denim jacket?
I have two - traditional denim and white denim. My regular one got so covered in buttons/badges I needed the white one as a place to continue the collection. :D
when was the last time you went to the beach?
MiniPlu's 15th birthday - it was her wish for the day, to spend it at the beach with two of her good friends.
do you like seafood?
I like crab legs, shrimp, and most fish.
have you ever had to wear a uniform for anything?
When I worked at Baskin Robbins (ice cream) we had to wear khaki pants, a uniform polo shirt and a uniform baseball hat/visor. In TKD, we all wear a dobok - white v-neck long-sleeve top and white pants - with the appropriate belt.
how do you feel about birds?
If you have one tame enough to touch, they're very soft. In general, I'm fine admiring birds in the wild but don't really have any special fondness for them, like a dedicated birder might.
do you personally know anyone who is an author?
Yes, pegkerr. Also - although I'm not close friends with them, I have met and interacted with Cassie Claire and Sarah Reese Brennan. Oh, and my friend Steve self-published a book a number of years ago.
Of course, if by "author" you include people who write fanfic, then I know a LOT of those!
do you own a polaroid camera?
No. MiniPlu does - Two got her one second-hand at a yard sale but it has started acting up.
do you enjoy baking?
Heck. Yeah.
what's your favorite type of flower?
I'm pretty sure I answered this on the 100-question meme I answered the other day. To sum up: roses, lily of the valley, tulips and plumeria. *points to icon*
do you know anyone who is left-handed?
My uncle and my BIL Paul, plus a bunch of kids I sub for - I tend to notice that kind of thing a lot when I'm watching people write.
what is something you think is underrated?
The Phantom Tollbooth by Norton Juster. It remains one of my favourite books of all time, but hardly anyone has heard of it. If you like wordplay, this book is for you.
Now, let me tell you the tale of how 6 cupcakes went missing - and we still don't know what happened.
Last Thurs, Two wanted to make vanilla cupcakes, so we did that together after dinner. We just made a half batch, since most of the people in this house prefer chocolate. I also made them GF, because I've been eating entirely too much wheat lately. So, anyway, we ended up with 10 cupcakes, with vanilla icing. MiniPlu, Two and I each had one, so that left seven. I put them on a plate, and then under our cake-holder thingie to keep them fresh and out of the dog's reach, and left them on the dining room table.
Friday morning, around 7am, Two took one cupcake out and put it in his lunchbox. That left six. At 10:45a, I went to make my lunch for the half-day of school I was subbing for. I walked into the dining room and ... the cake holder lid was off; all the cupcakes were missing along with the plate. I remembered seeing an empty plate placed incongruously on top of the toaster oven earlier that day, and figured that must have been the missing cupcake plate. But ... where were the cupcakes? If Two had not fastened the cake holder lid properly, and Jade had eaten the treats, there would have been wrappers around, and she probably would have been sick. And the plate would still be there! But no human has admitted to taking any of the remaining six cupcakes. Two was distraught he'd only gotten two, I was distraught I'd only gotten one, and none of the adults had wanted any, since they weren't chocolate. MiniPlu had already left for school at the point that Two was getting his cupcake, so it wasn't her, either. We are baffled.
The only thing we can think of was that it was a conspiracy between Jade and Dessa, our kleptomaniac cat. Jade ate the cupcakes, and Dessa took the empty plate and put it up on the toaster oven. (The cat can drag one of my giant bath towels - like, the large bath-sheet size - down the hall to her mama's room without breaking a sweat. I wouldn't put it past her to suddenly learn how to balance a dinner plate on her tail!)
Either that, or burglars broke into the house, took only the cupcakes, thoughtfully put the empty plate in the kitchen, and left again.
But seriously. Where did they go?
Happy Valentine's Day tomorrow, if you celebrate! I like to express my affection for anyone in my life, even if it's not a romantic relationship, so big hugs to all of you. ♥ ♥ ♥