Guys are so Simple

My husband Mike and I are like night and day. I am a total idealist, pie in the sky type of gal. Most of my waking hours are spent day dreaming. Not healthy, I know, must be a defense mechanism. Mike on the other hand (although he doesn't use it much in his line of work) is an engineer. He thinks like one and functions like one. In other words he is a total geek. Everything must be thought out and logical. If it doesn't make complete sense to him, then of course, it is stupid. He is fashion impaired as well. He wears his work uniform all of the time, even on Saturdays, because "it's comfortable" and he doesn't have to wash them (or rather I don't have to wash them, like he's doing ME a favor!) If you know him and he ever looks halfway descent, it's because I bought whatever he's wearing of course. Otherwise, if he's not wearing his uniform, he has his $10 Walmart jeans on, because paying more than 10 dollars for a pair of jeans is preposterous! Isaac (my 12 year old) and I are the only cool people around here. Mike and "mini Mike" (my 10 year old) are total geeks, they talk about math, geometry, algebra and physics at the dinner table, just for the fun of it! I leave with my mind twirling trying to think of Katniss and Peeta (from the Hunger Games) or Harry Potter and Ginny. Or any of my dear fantasy friends that I may be reading about at the present. Or perhaps about the 5000 square foot home that I would love to live in, you know, the one that comes with the maid, and chef! Otherwise 2500 sq. ft. will do.

Anyway, I sometimes have felt kind of silly with this whole "blog" thing. It doesn't quite fit with his line of thinking and I fear that he may think it a waste of time. I don't actually believe this, he has never indicated that to me or criticized me doing this. It is just so not him.

WELL, let me tell you. Did you know that there is such a thing called a "pocket dump". Evidently it is a place (or places) where geeks guys take pictures of what they have in their pockets and post these pictures.
My Mike spends hours (not at one time) browsing these pictures, fascinated! I must tell you I find it a most curious phenomenon. While us women spend countless hours browsing around looking at each others houses and much of what our life is about, guys are out there too, in typical simplistic guy fashion, looking at each others pocket contents. It takes a whole house for a woman to call her castle, to express herself, and in some way or another it defines who we are,or at least reflects much about ourselves, our world. But guys are so simple, all they need is a pocket.

I love that I have boys. I just love my guys. For the most part my boys are very low maintenance. But I guess part of being cool, or at least trying to be so requires a little more that the geeks. (but please don't tell him that)
I don't know about you, but, I think that in general, men are so easy. Really all they need is a wife that takes good care of them. As long as I let Mike know that he is "THE MAN", stroke his ego, fix is ice tea, make diner once in a while and keep his clothes clean, and of course have sex to keep him from exploding, or because it is fun and wonderful, yes as long as I do those things, then he is pretty much content and in good spirits.
He is just simple. I think most guys are. All they need, as far as blogging goes, is a pocket full of cool stuff that they can show off. On the other hand all we need is a house full of stuff that we can show off.

Please come back tomorrow, I will have a second part to this post. I'm hoping it will be fun. Please indulge me.

P.S. Today Mike posted a picture of his "pocket dump". We went out to run some errands and when we got back he went to see that he had had more than 50 views. He was so happy!!! Made me smile real deep. inside.


Susan

Feast of Breads, part two

Snow, snow and more snow! I hate snow. I want sun, HOT sun, and if sand is included, even better.

The town where I live stops when it snows, and on any other given time I may love having a day off of work, but, I'm OVER it. I'm almost finishing reading a book that I don't even like but I want to finish (a murder mystery). I will soon. Today, I'm sure. So, what do you do when you are depressed and you don't want to do anything else? And plus, the garage is too cold to clear all of that out so I can actually park in there... Well, I don't know what you do, but I make more bread.

Day before yesterday I made the pizza. It was to die for, but I forgot to take pictures. It had caramelized onions and manchego cheese. Sounds sophisticated! It was. Delicious sophistication.
Today I began by taking yesterday's leftover artisan bread and making french toast. HUGE success, of course!



Then I took the dough that was left from the pizza and made some focaccia. I can't even begin to describe to you how incredible this stuff is. Next time I have folks over, Italian is definitely on the menu!!!


Shape, cook onions in olive oil, place on dough, add salt, pepper, rosemary and more olive oil. Rest. Cook 25 min.





Last time I made cinnamon rolls I didn't put any nuts in it. I love nuts so I told my boys that this time they would simply have to pick them out!


Sticky Pecan Caramel Rolls





HELP!! Get me out of here!!! I need to go to the GYM!!!!

Feast of Breads

My poor husband is clueless. Bless his heart. We have been married almost 20 years, and yes, he does have a fault. He is a terrible gift giver. I am seriously considering getting a standing gift registry at several different stores in the area. So, once again, for the Christmas season he comes to me in desperation wanting ideas for gifts. No matter how hard I try, he just can't do it. So, I usually end up getting myself several "gifts" and let him know what he has gotten me.
When he told me about a week before Christmas, yet again, that he was clueless about what to get me I said "you know I have some things in my Amazon cart that I would love to have". Before I could finish my sentence he begged me to get them, you know, from him.
I had gotten this book from the library a few week ago and decided that I just had to have one myself.



Edie had introduced this book to me and her readers a while back but I had never taken the time to try it. Had I only known what I was missing out on!

I bought the book and the pizza peel that of course I could not live without, and why not get the container for the dough, because the huge bowl I was using was taking up way to much space in my fridge. Plus Amazon insists that you must have these products to compliment your book. Worth EVERY penny!

So with all of this free time I have had on my hands lately with snow days and Christmas break, I have gone nuts making bread.

I grew up eating bread as a staple in my diet. In Chile, where I grew up, they eat bread at EVERY meal. (kinda like in Mexico and other Central American countries they have tortillas at all times and at every meal)
"Pancito" (a diminutive for bread) for breakfast, a "pancito" with lunch, definitely a "pancito" for afternoon tea, this tea time is called "once" (which means eleven, so I have no idea why it is called that, "once" is usually at about 4:00 - 5:00 in the afternoon). And of course you would have some "pancito" with your evening meal. The bread in Chile is quite different to American bread. It is much like European bread, not so white, or soft. It is denser, chewy, and has a hard crust.
The bread is actually called "pan batido" (which literally means "beaten bread)or "marraqueta". This is what it looks like:






Yumm, just looking at it makes me home sick.
Usually you just eat it alone or with real butter. For "once" it is wonderful with fresh cheese, smashed avocado (no, not guacamole, just avocado smashed with olive oil and salt), or jelly. The most popular, at least with me, were peach or quince jelly. This is what quince jelly looks like:



This is what a quince actually looks like. It is very sour. The only way I would eat it is with salt like a granny smith apple, or am I the only weirdo that likes granny smiths with salt? A quince is even more bitter than that and it has a very weird consistancy, kind of like a pear(grainy), and an apple (hardish). They make this very interesting, grainy, yet yummy tasting jelly.



Anyway, enough of that rabbit. I will have to feature some of my favorite chilean foods on here some other time.

Back to the bread.

So here is what I have made so far.




It is TO DIE FOR!!!










All of those were made with the same "basic" dough recipe. They have others for pizza crust and sweet breads. Pizza crust and focaccia are my next project. I tried one of the sweet ones. This is called "brioche"




It's just a little sweet and buttery, kind of reminded me of Mexican sweet bread, only better and not so dry.

With that same dough I made these "beignets" (a french fritter or doughnut). They disapeared within 5 minutes!



Want to come on over? Any time. I love experimenting with bread.
Not quite my "pan batido", but it will do. I believe I will have to go find and order me some "dulce de membrillo" (the quince jelly), smear it on my fresh artisan bread, fix me up a cup of "te con leche" (hot hea with milk), close my eyes, say something in spnish, laugh, and imagine if only for a moment to be at my friend Marcela's house, enjoying her sweet company and talking about boys!



*Note: "once" is pronounced on-say, sort of, you know, the gringo way.

He has Called you by Name

This post is for my friend Edie. Two weeks ago today she lost her house and EVERYTHING in it to a fire.
Today is Edie's Birthday.



After the initial shock and disbelief of the news that you had lost your home the only thing I felt like I could do is pray. And although I prayed for comfort and healing, there was a part of me that just groaned. I groaned as I hung on to the promise that the Holy Spirit would intercede for me because there is something you need and I don't know what it is, I can't give it to you. But HE does, and he can, so there I have laid it at his feet.

As the days went by there seemed to be a constant theme running through my mind. I couldn't help but wonder. How was it that God had prepared you for this? I knew that somewhere, somehow you would be able to look back and see the gentile loving hand of God preparing your heart and soul for something to come. Along with this constant thought came a verse that I just couldn't get out of my mind. I had read it somewhere a long time ago and had no idea where it was.

¹⁸ “Forget the former things;

   do not dwell on the past.

¹⁹ See, I am doing a new thing!
   Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness
   and streams in the wasteland.

²⁰ The wild animals honor me,

   the jackals and the owls,

because I provide water in the wilderness

   and streams in the wasteland,

to give drink to my people, my chosen,

 ²¹ the people I formed for myself

   that they may proclaim my praise.

When I read your post I couldn't help but rejoice. He was there, he was, I knew it! He always is.

I went to my handy dandy Bible gateway to find my verse (the bold part was all I could remember).

I decided of course to read a little more in context, to see what the whole chapter was about. I encourage you and anyone reading this post to go read:

Isaiah 43

My heart leped when I began to read the first verse:

But now, this is what the LORD says—

   he who created you, Jacob,

   he who formed you, Israel:

“Do not fear, for I have redeemed you;
   I have summoned you by name; you are mine.

 

Who knew when we made these necklaces and we searched for the right words to write on them, that yours, the one I would see around your neck for the following weeks, would be the blessing and an encouragement to me in this great time of your loss. He is always there! I hope it blesses you and encourages you as it has me.

I haven't had a chance to see you yet. But I have always wondered if you slept with all of those necklaces on. I have NEVER, ever seen you without them on. If your necklace is gone,  rest assured that it will be replaced!

The chapter reads on:

² When you pass through the waters,
   I will be with you;
and when you pass through the rivers,
   they will not sweep over you.
When you walk through the fire,
   you will not be burned;
   the flames will not set you ablaze.
³ For I am the LORD your God,
   the Holy One of Israel, your Savior;

 I give thanks today for the one who knit you in your mothers womb, and created you so fearfully and wonderfully. I thank the one who has chosen you and called you by name.

Thank you Edie for being a friend, for inspiring us all to seek and show God's beauty and creativity. Thank you for inspiring us to know him and love him better.

Thank you for smiling at me every time I walk in the door. Thank you for talking to me like I am the most important person to you at that moment. Thank you for sharing your precious daughters with me. Thank you for believing in me.

Happy Birthday!

Chasing Rabbits

I am a rabbit chaser. I'm thinking that this is one of the main reasons that I am so bad about posting. I actually love to write, well, actually I love to vent and writing is a great way to vent. When I speak with people I actually try real hard to not chase rabbits because I know it can be annoying. Men aren't rabbit chasers,  I'm married to a rabbit hunter. I always have this little Mike in the back of my head that says "get to the point!" I hate it because it is in our nature to do so. Just listen and pay attention the next time you talk to a woman.

I once went to this unbelievably GREAT marriage seminar called "Love and Respect". It is a MUST for any marriage, or better yet, any human being that relates in any way for any amount of time with anyone of the opposite sex. And for men (although I'm pretty sure that no man will ever read this post) it actually is a great seminar too. Have you ever noticed how men in general HATE going to marriage seminars? I have been married 19 years and have NEVER been to one. The only reason Mike and I got to see this one (we didn't even get to "go" to the seminar, we just saw them on DVD) is because he is an elder at our church and the church was buying the DVD set. We were the guinea pigs. He loved it! It is the kind of seminar that doesn't require you to become a woman to be a good husband. Men receive a lot of confirmation in what and who they are and does a wonderful job at pointing out our differences and that it is totally OK to be that way. Oh, I can't chase that rabbit because I can't do the guy justice. You must either buy his book or go running to the pastor of your church and beg him to get this DVD set for your church. He is really funny and is so much more effective in communicating this stuff than just through a book.

It looks like I chased a rabbit, but really I didn't. Mr. Eggerichs talks about the phenomenon that women have of talking in a circle. We begin a conversation and one thing we say reminds us of something else and we talk about it until it reminds us of something else, and on and on we go until we get back to the place where we began, we always do. We talk in a circle and the conversation will end as we close our circle. Or else we are bothered by it. It happened to me the other day. Someone was telling me about something in their life and it reminded me of something else, which in turn took us somewhere else. We were far, far away from where we began. Normally we would go back, we always do. But time ran out and we both forgot. Until, about an hour later I was thinking about this person and I felt so bad because I realized that she never finished her story! On the same token, it bugs me when I'm talking about something and get off track and I never have a chance to go back and finish my train of thought, or story. I feel cheated. It was incomplete. We love to be complete. We love it when we go full circle, we must. It even happens in reconciliation. Did you know that men and women have totally different styles of reconciliation? I won't get into it, buy  the book and learn about it, it's such important information.

Anyway, because I am not a "writer" and because I can't spent hours and hours writing drafts and correcting and editing I will have to be true to who I am from now on. I will have to feel the freedom to chase the rabbits, you will have to indulge me and enjoy it as you would in a conversation and that way I may be able to actually post a little more often.

I actually think about stuff all of the time and I lay in bed wanting to write it all out, but I chicken out. Maybe when my boys are grown and I don't have to work, or feel the need to overachieve in other areas of my life, then I could learn how to write well and let everybody know what I really think in a grown up and orderly manner.

Come along for the ride and see how many rabbits I can find in one swoop.
Or maybe not. Maybe it's just another excuse because the truth is, I am just too scared

My Sweater Purse

I have been wanting to make myself a purse for months! I either chicken out because I can't make up my mind on what fabric to use or what size and pattern to use. It drives me crazy! So, I one day was looking through my blog subscriptions and stumbled upon this simple beauty! I needed a simple start so I took off with it. Finally!

Hobby lobby was closed today, and Walmart didn't have the magnetic thingies, so I modified the closure. It works, and I like it, but I didn't get to use the cute flower I made for it because I don't like how it looks with the button.

I began making the purse several days ago but since the lining fabric hadn't arrived at the time I had no idea when I'd get to finish it. Even when the fabric arrived life had taken over and my cut up sweater got shoved to the corner. Today, however, it has began to snow. When it snows life just slows down, and since I'm fairly confident that there will be no school tomorrow there is no since of urgency, laundry can wait, kitchen can wait, I suddenly have all of the time in the world. So here you go. My lovely wintery RED purse. Does it look familiar Mrs. Bray!?

Wheat Grass Tutorial

This is so easy!

I bought this glass container at Hobby Lobby in the candle making section, but obviously you can use any container you like.

On day one I took a handfull of wheat berries and just to see how much I would need I spread them in a single layer in the container I was using.

You can purchace wheat berries at any health food store. Any kind will be fine (hard, soft, spring...). If you live in my area just beg me for some and I will just give some to you. I make my own bread from freshly ground whole wheat and I buy the stuff in bulk, so I have plenty to go around.

Then take the berries and soak them in water. I soaked mine for 48 hours. I think they do better when left that long.

After 48 hours they will look nice and plump, and your water will be cloudy.

Now drain the water out, put dirt in your container and lay the berries right on top of the dirt.

Loosely cover with plastic wrap, this gives it a "green house" effect.

About 3 days later you will need to take the plastic off and let the green grow.

I can't remember when I took this picture, but it was one or two days after I took the plastic wrap off.

 This is day 11!

Isn't it great? I love my wheat grass. It does have a short life, but it is so worth it because it is so simple.

I hear also that wheat grass is super good for you! A friend of mine wants to grow it so she can juice it!!

HAPPY PLANTING!