Fire, baking, donations, and ponderings
When someone asked me on Sunday how my week was, I said it was normal - nothing really good or really bad happened. I quickly amended my statement, however, as I remembered the small kitchen fire I set on Tuesday.
Everyone is okay, and the only lasting effects are the loss of the souvenir potpourri pot-holder which had been on the back burner (which I accidentally turned on instead of the front burner, where the kettle lives), a residue of said potholder on that back burner (It is a glass top, I'm going to have to go at it again with a razor blade) and a lingering smell of incense. I guess if you are going to have a lasting smoke smell, we could do worse than having burned a potpourri based item.
Toby and I stayed home to air out the house / ensure there weren't any stray embers that were going to burn the place down once we left. Still shaken, I called my parents, and learned that my sister-in-law and two nephews were in a car accident on Monday. They are all okay, but the car is totaled. Marina wants to get another Forester to replace it, given how safe the occupants were even given the crash. I promised my mom that I'd keep an eye on my younger sister, figuring if anything was going to happen to round out the traditional "three", pattern was for her on Wednesday. Luckily she's avoided any danger.
Thursday we were able to meet again and bake - vegan scones and vegan Devonshire cream. I'll post a separate entry about that experience. (In fact, I'm even considering a separate blog just for thoughts on our vegan cafe ventures / experiments in recipes.
Friday was the library staff picnic - catered for the first time (in the past library personnel have manned the grills, cooking up burgers, hot dogs and veggie burgers). The only reason we can guess that the event had to be catered is that in case someone gets ill, the library / UF can't be held liable. I found out, when I received confirmation of my submission form, that the same is going to apply for the Edible Book Contest that Lila, Alison and I are entering. For the first time, we "get" to take our entries home, rather than allowing the general public (whom are being asked to vote for the different categories) to then consume the entries. I am saddened by this turn of events - it means that the efforts to make a vegan entry, so anyone could partake (minus certain food allergies), is thwarted.
Saturday I rallied the troupes (sister and Alison) and we headed to Mastercuts at the mall, where I informed them that I wanted to donate my pony-tail and get a chin-length 'do. I was distressed at how much hair I still had on my head once the stylist clipped off my ponytail. I truly hope that the ponytail was at least 10 inches (the minimum to donate to Locks of Love). I was disheartened, and didn't measure it before sending, as my hair hung still below my shoulder length once she made the cut. I asked for a cut which was higher in the back, and angled to come down to chin-length in the front. First attempt, reached by the magic of clippers, different clippers and a razor, was totally not what I asked for. It barely had any angle, and wasn't as short in the back. It had this fringe thing going that I didn't understand or want. But I was still frazzled from the thought that the ponytail was butchered and not long enough, so I waved over my support group, and between the 3 of us explained again what I wanted. Second time was much closer, though she did trim the front a bit more than I expected, and thus, still not as sharp of an angle. She didn't pull out the scissors until she was trimming away the stray long hairs after the main cut was done. She had me stand for this, during which time the stylist next to her observed how tall I was (perhaps she would have been better to use the chair to raise me up?)
When all is said and done, I donated the hair without measuring it, and still desperately hoping it is long enough. I did not take the offer to insure the package which contained it for up to $100. It hasn't taken me as long as I thought it would to be used to short hair again, and it has been interesting to see which people comment, and what they say.
Sunday I helped my Asian neighbors catch a pet rabbit that had gotten loose from it's cage. Toby went out to help first, scooping up a rake to help herd it, along with the neighbor's efforts with a net. In the end, I think they wore it out, running back and forth across two yards (thankfully not darting under the fence at the just-sold house across the cul-de-sac from us), and it stopped under a bush, where I was able to inch closer and scoop it up. I finally met one of the neighbors, introductions and all, her name is Li (and I'm assuming at the spelling here) the rabbit is her granddaughter's, and was frightened by the dog which they are watching while the family is on spring break.
And finally, on the writing front, I have downloaded the 30 day trial of Scrivener, and think I'll end up buying the software, because it is SO what I needed to help me organize my notes and story. Plus, I got the cross-grade to MacSpeech Dictate, and oh-my-god it works so much better than the last 3 speech recognition software programs I've had. I have a little trouble with it selecting the word I want for correction (sometimes it goes back one character too far, but I just adjust it with my mouse), but other than that and still needing to learn how to train words (like Theon and Grennel - names that I've made up for my story), it works amazingly well. I am very pleased with it. :-) All I need now is an ergonomic split keyboard that doesn't have a built in wrist-rest so that I can use it with my roller mouse set up. Less urgent now that I have the speech rec. software that works, though.
I guess that about sums up the past week. I'll try to post a picture or two of my haircut once I figure out how to upload the pics from my new camera to the computer.
Everyone is okay, and the only lasting effects are the loss of the souvenir potpourri pot-holder which had been on the back burner (which I accidentally turned on instead of the front burner, where the kettle lives), a residue of said potholder on that back burner (It is a glass top, I'm going to have to go at it again with a razor blade) and a lingering smell of incense. I guess if you are going to have a lasting smoke smell, we could do worse than having burned a potpourri based item.
Toby and I stayed home to air out the house / ensure there weren't any stray embers that were going to burn the place down once we left. Still shaken, I called my parents, and learned that my sister-in-law and two nephews were in a car accident on Monday. They are all okay, but the car is totaled. Marina wants to get another Forester to replace it, given how safe the occupants were even given the crash. I promised my mom that I'd keep an eye on my younger sister, figuring if anything was going to happen to round out the traditional "three", pattern was for her on Wednesday. Luckily she's avoided any danger.
Thursday we were able to meet again and bake - vegan scones and vegan Devonshire cream. I'll post a separate entry about that experience. (In fact, I'm even considering a separate blog just for thoughts on our vegan cafe ventures / experiments in recipes.
Friday was the library staff picnic - catered for the first time (in the past library personnel have manned the grills, cooking up burgers, hot dogs and veggie burgers). The only reason we can guess that the event had to be catered is that in case someone gets ill, the library / UF can't be held liable. I found out, when I received confirmation of my submission form, that the same is going to apply for the Edible Book Contest that Lila, Alison and I are entering. For the first time, we "get" to take our entries home, rather than allowing the general public (whom are being asked to vote for the different categories) to then consume the entries. I am saddened by this turn of events - it means that the efforts to make a vegan entry, so anyone could partake (minus certain food allergies), is thwarted.
Saturday I rallied the troupes (sister and Alison) and we headed to Mastercuts at the mall, where I informed them that I wanted to donate my pony-tail and get a chin-length 'do. I was distressed at how much hair I still had on my head once the stylist clipped off my ponytail. I truly hope that the ponytail was at least 10 inches (the minimum to donate to Locks of Love). I was disheartened, and didn't measure it before sending, as my hair hung still below my shoulder length once she made the cut. I asked for a cut which was higher in the back, and angled to come down to chin-length in the front. First attempt, reached by the magic of clippers, different clippers and a razor, was totally not what I asked for. It barely had any angle, and wasn't as short in the back. It had this fringe thing going that I didn't understand or want. But I was still frazzled from the thought that the ponytail was butchered and not long enough, so I waved over my support group, and between the 3 of us explained again what I wanted. Second time was much closer, though she did trim the front a bit more than I expected, and thus, still not as sharp of an angle. She didn't pull out the scissors until she was trimming away the stray long hairs after the main cut was done. She had me stand for this, during which time the stylist next to her observed how tall I was (perhaps she would have been better to use the chair to raise me up?)
When all is said and done, I donated the hair without measuring it, and still desperately hoping it is long enough. I did not take the offer to insure the package which contained it for up to $100. It hasn't taken me as long as I thought it would to be used to short hair again, and it has been interesting to see which people comment, and what they say.
Sunday I helped my Asian neighbors catch a pet rabbit that had gotten loose from it's cage. Toby went out to help first, scooping up a rake to help herd it, along with the neighbor's efforts with a net. In the end, I think they wore it out, running back and forth across two yards (thankfully not darting under the fence at the just-sold house across the cul-de-sac from us), and it stopped under a bush, where I was able to inch closer and scoop it up. I finally met one of the neighbors, introductions and all, her name is Li (and I'm assuming at the spelling here) the rabbit is her granddaughter's, and was frightened by the dog which they are watching while the family is on spring break.
And finally, on the writing front, I have downloaded the 30 day trial of Scrivener, and think I'll end up buying the software, because it is SO what I needed to help me organize my notes and story. Plus, I got the cross-grade to MacSpeech Dictate, and oh-my-god it works so much better than the last 3 speech recognition software programs I've had. I have a little trouble with it selecting the word I want for correction (sometimes it goes back one character too far, but I just adjust it with my mouse), but other than that and still needing to learn how to train words (like Theon and Grennel - names that I've made up for my story), it works amazingly well. I am very pleased with it. :-) All I need now is an ergonomic split keyboard that doesn't have a built in wrist-rest so that I can use it with my roller mouse set up. Less urgent now that I have the speech rec. software that works, though.
I guess that about sums up the past week. I'll try to post a picture or two of my haircut once I figure out how to upload the pics from my new camera to the computer.