I think I can, I think I can, I think I can...
Another exhibit from the "Bluey is a Dork" case file: I was humming a tune to myself all through my usual methodical morning routine without much paying attention to what it was. It wasn't until I sat down to eat my breakfast that I realized that what I was humming was the theme music from Dexter, at which point I cracked myself up. :D (People familiar with the show will, I trust, get what's so amusing about that, but in case you've never seen the opening credit sequence, take a look under the cut.)
See why I was so amused? Dorkitude, thy name is Bluestocking.
In other sectors, the weekend was a mixed bag.
The highlight was Friday night, when I went with my mother to a dinner with some of her coworkers. (Evidently, having consumed so many of my baked goods, they were rather eager to meet me. What an odd and novel experience!) Anyway, it was at Wawel, a traditional Polish restaurant in the area, and the food was so good that I strongly suspect their kitchen staff of consisting entirely of little old busias in their babushkas. I feasted on dill pickle soup, pierogi, nalesniki (Polish blintzes stuffed with sweetened farmer's cheese, placki kartoflane (the Polish take on potato pancakes) and gołąbki (cabbage rolls). Twas delicious, my mother's coworkers are nice and friendly people, and they paid me the immense compliment of thinking I was much younger than I actually am. One of them made a comment to the effect that she hoped I wouldn't be bored by hanging out with the "old ladies" all night long. I laughed and told them that I was thirty and perfectly entertained already. Bless them for looking so shocked. :D (They thought I was twenty?!? Perhaps new glasses are in order for them, because when I related the story to my brother, his response was, "It must have been really dim in there. Didn't they notice your white hair?" Pfffft. Brothers. :-P)
The rest of the weekend was taken up with plotting re: Thanksgiving, a task I typically approach with the zeal and discipline of a general drawing up plans of attack. I had a tentative menu, which of course the guests have slowly eroded through the numerous special requests, so that I am now really only making a few of the dishes I actually wanted and intended to make. ~sigh~ At least the desserts are still my domain. I also started on the tidying and spiffing up, because I have guests coming in on Wednesday and I knew damn well that I would not have the time to clean things up during the week. (Sure enough, I haven't. Good thing I got it done on Saturday.) I watched the first half of the MSU game and got my hopes up. Then I watched the second half and had my soul crushed. Again. (Why do I bother to hope, seriously? I should know better by now.)
Sunday was for breakfast out with Cousin M and her husband and the godkids, which was very nice except for the upsetting news that a mutual acquaintance of ours is now in the intensive care unit at the hospital, because of H1N1 complications. We're all rather worried about her, as the news from her sister is that she is on a respirator and a feeding tube. This is, to put it mildly, not an encouraging development. She has three young daughters at home and was working on finishing her bachelor's degree. Her husband is, understandably, an emotional wreck, though he's holding it together for the girls' sake. I'm really praying that she'll see some improvement soon and pull through, but I worry.
The remainder of Sunday was eaten up with the sinus headache from hell and an accompanying asthma attack inspired by the mold count. Blerg. The headache cleared up by the evening, but the asthma is persisting into this week, assisted by the unseasonably warm temperatures. Double blerg. At least the weekend was very productive before that point.
As for this week, I am BUSY preparing and getting ready for guests and trying to prep for the dinner on Thursday. I did the Costco trip last night and just squeezed in a trip to the fresh market to pick up the turkey and the fresh ingredients--twas chaotic in both stores, but I managed to make it out without running over time or getting clipped by any of the marauding cars in the overstuffed parking lots. By Wednesday night, I must do the following:
1. Run out to Meijer for the remainder of ingredients not previously obtained. DONE
2. Roast, peel and chop chestnuts for dressing.
3. Make Caramel Apple Cheesecake
4. Bake, assemble and frost Pumpkin-Cream Cheese layer cake, leaving decorative flourishes for Thursday morning
5. Clean and begin brining turkey
6. Make Cranberry Apple Chutney and let stand for flavors to meld
7. Whir up Roasted Red Pepper Hummus and let stand, etc.
8. Cook and assemble Sweet Potato Casserole and let stand, etc.
9. Refrain from killing people who declare that they're suddenly vegetarians two freaking days before a Thanksgiving dinner they're attending at somebody else's house.
10. Vacuum again before guests arrive.
11. Remember to eat something, maybe.
Yup, that's about it. I can do it. I can. I switch to a different to do list after that, but I can't think that far ahead yet.
Who needs sleep, anyway? I can always catch up on that while the Lions are receiving their annual holiday humiliation and I've guilted everybody else into doing the dishes for me. ;-)
Click to viewSee why I was so amused? Dorkitude, thy name is Bluestocking.
In other sectors, the weekend was a mixed bag.
The highlight was Friday night, when I went with my mother to a dinner with some of her coworkers. (Evidently, having consumed so many of my baked goods, they were rather eager to meet me. What an odd and novel experience!) Anyway, it was at Wawel, a traditional Polish restaurant in the area, and the food was so good that I strongly suspect their kitchen staff of consisting entirely of little old busias in their babushkas. I feasted on dill pickle soup, pierogi, nalesniki (Polish blintzes stuffed with sweetened farmer's cheese, placki kartoflane (the Polish take on potato pancakes) and gołąbki (cabbage rolls). Twas delicious, my mother's coworkers are nice and friendly people, and they paid me the immense compliment of thinking I was much younger than I actually am. One of them made a comment to the effect that she hoped I wouldn't be bored by hanging out with the "old ladies" all night long. I laughed and told them that I was thirty and perfectly entertained already. Bless them for looking so shocked. :D (They thought I was twenty?!? Perhaps new glasses are in order for them, because when I related the story to my brother, his response was, "It must have been really dim in there. Didn't they notice your white hair?" Pfffft. Brothers. :-P)
The rest of the weekend was taken up with plotting re: Thanksgiving, a task I typically approach with the zeal and discipline of a general drawing up plans of attack. I had a tentative menu, which of course the guests have slowly eroded through the numerous special requests, so that I am now really only making a few of the dishes I actually wanted and intended to make. ~sigh~ At least the desserts are still my domain. I also started on the tidying and spiffing up, because I have guests coming in on Wednesday and I knew damn well that I would not have the time to clean things up during the week. (Sure enough, I haven't. Good thing I got it done on Saturday.) I watched the first half of the MSU game and got my hopes up. Then I watched the second half and had my soul crushed. Again. (Why do I bother to hope, seriously? I should know better by now.)
Sunday was for breakfast out with Cousin M and her husband and the godkids, which was very nice except for the upsetting news that a mutual acquaintance of ours is now in the intensive care unit at the hospital, because of H1N1 complications. We're all rather worried about her, as the news from her sister is that she is on a respirator and a feeding tube. This is, to put it mildly, not an encouraging development. She has three young daughters at home and was working on finishing her bachelor's degree. Her husband is, understandably, an emotional wreck, though he's holding it together for the girls' sake. I'm really praying that she'll see some improvement soon and pull through, but I worry.
The remainder of Sunday was eaten up with the sinus headache from hell and an accompanying asthma attack inspired by the mold count. Blerg. The headache cleared up by the evening, but the asthma is persisting into this week, assisted by the unseasonably warm temperatures. Double blerg. At least the weekend was very productive before that point.
As for this week, I am BUSY preparing and getting ready for guests and trying to prep for the dinner on Thursday. I did the Costco trip last night and just squeezed in a trip to the fresh market to pick up the turkey and the fresh ingredients--twas chaotic in both stores, but I managed to make it out without running over time or getting clipped by any of the marauding cars in the overstuffed parking lots. By Wednesday night, I must do the following:
1. Run out to Meijer for the remainder of ingredients not previously obtained. DONE
2. Roast, peel and chop chestnuts for dressing.
3. Make Caramel Apple Cheesecake
4. Bake, assemble and frost Pumpkin-Cream Cheese layer cake, leaving decorative flourishes for Thursday morning
5. Clean and begin brining turkey
6. Make Cranberry Apple Chutney and let stand for flavors to meld
7. Whir up Roasted Red Pepper Hummus and let stand, etc.
8. Cook and assemble Sweet Potato Casserole and let stand, etc.
9. Refrain from killing people who declare that they're suddenly vegetarians two freaking days before a Thanksgiving dinner they're attending at somebody else's house.
10. Vacuum again before guests arrive.
11. Remember to eat something, maybe.
Yup, that's about it. I can do it. I can. I switch to a different to do list after that, but I can't think that far ahead yet.
Who needs sleep, anyway? I can always catch up on that while the Lions are receiving their annual holiday humiliation and I've guilted everybody else into doing the dishes for me. ;-)