January 19, 2009

THE MISSING HALF

Aaron has been out of town for the past week, which means not only am I at liberty to have pancakes for dinner every night, but I'm also the sole care-taker of the dogs.

I'm okay with this arrangement, on a temporary basis because I miss Aaron. However it is apparently not okay with the dogs. They told me.


On the first night sans Aaron, Scoop did not sleep a wink. She paced around the house looking for Aaron, whined at his side of the bed, pawed at the back door and eventually drug the mat from in front of his bathroom sink and curled up with it.

Sadie left her usual spot and made her bed in Aaron's closet.

Aaron is the one who usually feeds the dogs in the evening. So when dinner time rolled around and I filled their bowls, Scoop looked at me and said, "That's not how Aaron does it."

One morning I got a little bit upset with them for running off into the neighborhood and not coming when I called them. I told them I was worried about them, and I was going to be late for work and couldn't wait around while they took their sweet time exploring and chasing squirrels as they made their way home. Sadie looked at me and said, "Aaron lets us."

Yesterday we went on a walk and came upon a dog I've never seen before. In our neighborhood most families allow their dogs to run freely, so it's not uncommon to be greeted by furry friends, and we get to know them. But this was a new dog, a stranger dog. He was rather big and I couldn't immediately tell whether or not he was friendly. Sadie and Scoop went trotting towards him. I got nervous and called to them to stop. Scoop turned around, looked at me and said, "It's okay, Aaron knows him."

The new dog turned out to be very friendly, once my dogs told him, "It's okay, Aaron knows her."

January 18, 2009

January 16, 2009

NONSENSE OF LATE

I have been eating a lot of Peanut M&Ms, currently the Valentine's Day colors. Sometime in December I became slightly addicted to them. Something about being able to buy candy that changes to coordinate with the seasonal celebration. And when I buy a bag of the classic colors I suddenly become very obsessive compulsive making sure I eat an equal number of each color: red, yellow, orange, blue and green. Which means I always eat at least five at a time, but usually ten. Or fifty.

I have fallen in love with the Ugg boots Aaron's mom gave me for Christmas. I wear them from the moment I get home from work until I get into bed, and then when I get out of bed in the morning until I put on my shoes for work. I wear them all weekend and I would sleep with them on, except Aaron made a "no shoes in the bed" rule. He assured me that if I ever need to jump out of bed and flee the house due to fire or intruder, I would have time slip on my Uggs first.

For about two weeks I've been cleaning out every closet, drawer and cabinet in the house. I probably do this once a year, maybe twice. But this time I am digging deep. I even cleaned out my sock drawer, which is something I haven't done in a very very long time. I just never think about it. Seriously, when was the last time you thought about the contents of your sock drawer? You might be surprised what you find you've been holding on to. For instance, I don't think I really need sixteen pairs of black socks. And when was the last time I wore this red pair with a puff-painted cat wearing a Santa hat? Ummmmm, I'm in to seasonal candy these days. Not socks. Although, really, I do love holiday socks, just not this pair from 1992. Even though I'm quite sure they were a thoughtful gift from my mom because the cat resembles my old cat, Missy. But sometimes you just got to let go, you know, purrrrrge. Sorry bad joke. Couldn't help it.

In keeping with this year's theme, I have had pancakes three times this week. Wait! Before you judge, just wait. I found. Possibly. the most wonderful. most ingenious. most life-changing product. Ever. Pancake batter. IN A CAN. Like Cool Whip. Or Cheez Whiz. Wait! Before you judge, just wait. You should know that I was very skeptical. I was all like: what the heck, you can't squirt pancake batter from a can, that's disrespectful and surely disgusting.

Internet, I was wrong.

Batter Blaster makes delicious, light, fluffy pancakes and it's organic. I can have one at a time, or eight. And there's virtually no mess to clean up! Dear Batter Blaster, thank you for putting pancakes literally at my fingertips and with easy clean up to boot. If you need a spokesperson, someone to shamelessly market your product, hang out in grocery stores over a hot griddle squirting out fresh pancake samples for the shoppers, stand on street corners in a pancake costume passing out free cans, go on Oprah and tell how your product helps me live my best life, I'm your girl. And I will do it all for a lifetime supply of Batter Blaster. Because I believe in you Batter Blaster. I believe in your potential to make breakfast a blast. You rock my world.

Oh my! I think I may have just had my most brilliant idea ever. A Pancake Stand! Like a hot dog stand, only pancakes, with any topping you can imagine! and bacon. Watch out vacant lot on South Congress - here I come!

January 02, 2009

2009: Year of the Pancake

I present you with my Flapjack Resolutions:

1. Pour on the sweetness.
2. Fill up on blueberries.
3. Get ready early.
4. Be Golden.
5. Share your stack.
6. Have patience, wait for the bubbles before you flip.
7. Eat in moderation.
8. Make people smile.
9. Don't throw out the ones that aren't round.
10. Put away laundry (sorry wrong list)
11. Be fluffy on the inside.
12. Always be available.
13. Have some coffee with that.
14. Try new things, but keep the same basic ingredients.