This one was taken awhile ago, but I’m wearing my brown sweatshirt today as well, so just suspend your disbelief. Doesn’t the cat look a little like a cartoon kitty? Maybe it’s his eyes.
Categories
Categories
Awesome, thanks
Boy, ask and ye shall receive. Thanks to everyone who commented and emailed with book suggestions. I have decided on:
If I’m bored to tears with these, I will ridicule your choices on this public forum. Wait, that’s probably not a good way to make people feel comfortable providing feedback in the future. I will only send you private messages of disgust.
Snow is coming tomorrow. The baby is coming who knows when. Soon! I hope. Come on out little baby nephew. The champagne ain’t gettin’ any colder.
Here are the two types of phone calls I generally receive from my friends on the West Coast:
a) “Hi, are you near the internet?” this one starts out. Then the person needs me to look up directions or some other internety thing. Generally I am near the internet so I guess this is why these calls are made.
b) “Hi, I’m in a book store, what should I get?” the second one goes. Then I am expected to name the title of an amazing book in under sixty seconds, which I am generally able to do because I am near the internet and can look in my LibraryThing account or old book database for something to recommend.
Now you people know who you are and I am not saying I don’t enjoy these phone calls. I wouldn’t deliver such services if I wasn’t interested in repeat business.
That said, I need a little something in return. Since I am obviously already quite near the internet right now, what I need is a book recommendation. I don’t like taking library books on an airplane so I am going to purchase something to read, preferably a paperback, to take home for the holidays. What is that something going to be? (hint: use the above links to confirm what I have/have not read).
Go.
Categories
Comment, please
And that means me. I have realized that many kindly souls have left remarks on my site and I haven’t responded or commented at all.
I enjoy reading comments and I intend to start leaving my own mark on the comments sections. So look out, ’cause I’m liable to retort back to your retorts.
Also, this High Maintenance Machine makes me chortle every time I think of it.
To continue this bits and pieces post, the poll on frequency of updates is at a close 8 to 6 in favor of twice a week. So I guess I’ll go with a two times and occasional three times weekly schedule.
Categories
I’m ba-aaaaack
Allow me to introduce you to a secret breadmaking method. It turns out delicious loaves and is absolutely easy. No yeast. No rising. Certainly no kneading.
Beer Bread
- 3 cups flour
- 3 tablespoons sugar
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 12oz bottle of beer, room temp
- 1-2 tablespoons melted butter
Preaheat the oven to 375 degrees. Mix all the dry ingredients together. Pour the beer in all at once and stir until everything’s moistened. Drop this mixture into a loaf pan and brush with melted butter (or just pour the melted butter over it if you’re that lazy). Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean.
I generally use a regular beer that’s on the light side, like a Sam Adams. The beer you choose will change the flavor of the bread.
Don’t worry, it’s just the end of my NaBloPoMo experiment. Apparently you all want me to keep it up. As of this writing, 60% want updates more than twice a week and 40% want updates twice weekly. Go vote if you haven’t already.
I am prepared for Baby Cain’s arrival. I have my ‘It’s a Boy!’ banner and bottle of champagne at the ready if he arrives while I am on this coast. My co-workers are on alert to celebrate if I am in the library when the call comes in (right?). I have advice from my friends and loved ones. I have directives from his parents.
Some of you have expressed surprise/amusement at how seriously I am taking my aunthood. I will respond by saying this is one of those things that trumps other things in life. There’s going to be a human that I have above normal access to and influence on and I plan to make the most of it.
If he ever gets to see some of this project in the future, I want him to know how excited I was for his arrival and I want him to feel special. He’s going to have the greatest parents on earth (next to mine) and be a very lucky little guy.
So stay tuned for pictures and stories. Also stay tuned for 2 to 3 posts a week (hopefully?) on this site.
I already love you nephew and I can only grow to love you more.
Categories
Almost over
Tomorrow is the last day of my November blog month experiment. It was much easier than writing a novel in 30 days, but not as satisfying.
I would like to give more attention to easysticks once it’s over, but I’m not quite sure how much. So help me out, wouldja?
{democracy:4}
I think the mother of the nephew deserves to be my final guest speaker. So here it is.
Here are a few thoughts on my upcoming Momness.
It’s a mysterious thing, having a baby in your belly. He is with me
all day and night, wiggling around and hiccuping, but I don’t get to
know what his little feet and hands look like or if he’s a serious
bean of more of a joker. So needless to say, I’m dying to get my hands
on the little guy. I think he’s going to look exactly like his dad,
and act like him, too.I don’t have experience as an aunt, but I have had some long-distance
aunts in my life, and I can’ stress enough the importance of gifts. I
know that Annie Jo is a champion gift giver, so no worries in that
department. Since the peanut won’t be old enough to really appreciate
presents for a couple of years, though, we hope for lots of visits.
Also: Webcams! And on a less material note, irreverence. Sneak him
treats, keep him up past his bedtime, let him wear his PJs all day.
I must say I’m relieved. I was hoping to be a rule breaking candy feeding bad girl aunt and now I’ve got written permission. Also I think gift giving might be my Language of Love.
Regarding the nephew acting just like my brother, I will say that I hope the Marika genes interfere on some of the more unpleasant actions as I already lived with a young Ben and I was glad to say goodbye to that when he moved away for college.
Categories
The other side of Christmas
Gift giving. I am making good progress and I just thought I’d highlight some of my strategies. While yesterday was officially Cyber Monday, the deals online continue and you can’t beat the crowd levels. Here’s a couple deals I’ve seen:
- L.L. Bean free shipping until Christmas (important to those of us who get snow)
- PayPal is giving 20% cash back at some stores if you use a PayPal account
If you are shopping online, be sure to check out RetailMeNot before submitting your order. There have certainly been coupon sites before, but this one is easier to use and you can read success (or failure) stories from others attempts to use a coupon code. I’ve gotten free shipping and money hacked off my order.
Happy shopping and may the order confirmations and shipping notices pour in.
Categories
Humbug no more
Christmas was so awesome when I was little. The cookies, the lights, the presents of course. The spirit has kind of slowly slipped away in the past few years, but I’ve realized that I don’t wanna be a scroogy aunt.
So my iPod is loaded with holiday tunes and my Santa socks are on my feet this very day. I even cut out some of those paper snowflakes. I remember the ones I did as a kid being way better looking so I might need to practice a little, but you get the idea.
If you’re looking for some enjoyable, affordable and positive-impact seasonal music, check out the $7 Peace on Earth charity album. Proceeds go to Toys for Tots and there are some real gems on there.