spinning-jennie: archives « October 2004 | Main | December 2004 »

November 30, 2004

That Holiday Spirit
This is a recycled forum post. Because I'm lazy. And harried. And I kind of liked it, if I do say so myself.

Dashing through the stores, 
Kid strapped to my chest, 
Big long list in hand, 
Tar-zhay is the best! 

But 'round ev'ry darned turn, 
Some moron lies in wait, 
To block the aisle or cut me off, 
Or butt-bumping tailgate! 

Retail hell, where dumbells dwell, 
to which I am resigned, 
But what fun it is to ram my cart up 
your behind! 

My cart - up - your - bee-hind!

11/30/04 06:17 PM |  Comments


November 27, 2004

All Over But the Crying
We drove to the coast while my mom and sister were here last week. Daniel doesn't like roadtrips, and, while he was surprisingly good on the way out - even in really bad traffic - by the time we headed back from Stinson Beach and were stuck in a Vallejo outskirts jam, he'd had MORE THAN ENOUGH.

Yessiree. Lesson learned: when mother's instinct tells you something is a bad idea above and beyond any you've had yet... you'd best damn well listen.

But we did get a few pics at the north head of the Golden Gate:

Daniel, me, Mom, and Becky
"Yes, I'm cute in the hat, I know."
"Yes, I'm CUTE in the HAT, I KNOW!"
"I am now going to eat San Francisco."

11/27/04 03:51 PM |  Comments


November 25, 2004

Happy Thanksgluttony
Oh, so crammed with foody goodness. Turkey fillets on a big ol' bed of stuffing that I totally just improvised and was frankly delicious (raisins, onions, Apple Hill apple, mushrooms, sourdough cubes, cream, egg, butter, herbs), orange cranberry sauce, pumpkin mousse, steamed new potatoes, croissants, white corn, and amaretto cake (thank you Trader Joe's!).

So full, and yet I'm still thinking about that leftover stuffing, all lonely in the fridge, without my fork in it. Cripes.

11/25/04 08:38 PM |  Comments


November 22, 2004

Little Boy Blue
Dear Ellen,

Thanks again for the lovely warm hat! I enjoy it so much I could eat my mittens!

Hugs and drool,
Daniel

P.S. Still growing into the booties!

11/22/04 12:26 PM |  Comments


November 20, 2004

Oh No You Di'nt.
Normally, I can almost take it, the always running on not quite enough. But in the past twenty-four hours, I've had even less sleep than usual, getting up for the airport at five yesterday, and today The Bean being up intermittently since two for a wailing crescendo at five the breaking (bawling) straw. I'm just so f*cking exhausted. And of course the past week has been such a cake walk (uh-huh), and not more than seven real hours of sleep in over three months, generally less.

But the worst nightmare of all - SEVERELY LIMITED CAFFEINE.

So I'm not taking complaints today from those who get to sleep in and drink all the cola bevvies they want. Since I can't guarantee your safety.

11/20/04 06:26 AM |  Comments


November 16, 2004

And Now, Your Moment of Zen
Our camera, as many now do, takes low-quality short movies. I really should've been using the feature since the Bean came along, but. Anyhoo. Here's a smidge of slurpy gumminess as an appetizer.

11/16/04 07:06 PM |  Comments


November 15, 2004

Duchess of Suck
Jennie, don't take it personally. Don't take it personally.

Really. It's not you.

11/15/04 09:00 PM |  Comments


Jump Around
My mom and sister arrived from Michigan on Saturday, so things'll probably be even sparser than usual around here this week. Yesterday Danny got a new toy, so I'll leave you with this.

11/15/04 07:51 AM |  Comments


November 12, 2004

Bad Jack.
Fast food cravings? Sure, yes, fine. But obsession? I just can't stop thinking about the spicy creamy frosty yum yum. It tastes like fall. And I only have to walk five blocks to get it. Yay! Dammit.

11/12/04 03:08 PM |  Comments


November 11, 2004

My Filmlust Will Stop for Nothing
So now Wednesdays are my designated sanity evenings, when I leave the Ds with bottles of pumped milk, and I go on my own merry-tinged-slightly-with-melancholy way. I'll definitely be using some of these to see movies that D. has no interest in. Wednesdays are a good day for this; the theatres seem to be about as quiet as I could hope for.

This decision, mind you, was only after a good bit of courage screwing and self-chastisement. Solo theatergoing isn't something I've really, well, relished. And it's not as if I'm chummy with tons of non-parent people. In the end it was either see movies alone, or give up one of my very favoritest things for the sake of, what exactly? - pride? embarassment? - which would be just plain stupid.

Last night I saw Birth, and since I'm not motivated enough (or wanting to give up that much time), go read Ebert's assessment, with which I am more than willing to quite lazily agree.

Saw a trailer for new silly Wes Anderson out at Christmastime, and what a nice little present. I heart Wes. So does D, so that one'll wait for Netflix.

11/11/04 07:31 PM |  Comments


November 10, 2004

Do We Have to Go For a Walk?
Really?

Oh-kay.

11/10/04 10:28 AM |  Comments


November 07, 2004

We're Number 10!
Sacramento - where it's probably not the intersection's fault.

11/07/04 03:50 PM |  Comments


November 06, 2004

Man, That Was Some Serious Hair
My four-year blogiversary was just recently, but I've been doing regular features for over five now. Wow.

Go back and party like it's 1999. D. and I drove from Detroit to Delaware, and back through Canada. But forgive the crappy design, please - I knew about five HTML tags at the time.

11/06/04 08:11 PM |  Comments


If Only it Didn't Come With the CD
Hey, new reuse project! It's as if the dead has risen. Sort of.

One of my boards talked about a handmade card exchange (not that it ever happened... but I digress). I had a handful of these chipboard Popular Internet Provider CD mailers just waiting to be liberated from their pathetic and embarassing lives. I carefully peeled off the laminated paper covering, and lightly sanded down all the sides and sharp edges and corners. The nice craft-glued stripes are courtesy a Target tissue box, and the George Eliot autumn poem and color pic are printed on glossy photo paper and 3-D Zotted inside.

Still trying to figure out how to hinge the lid to the box (the paper covering had been holding them together before). Possibly gluing a couple of pieces of reused ribbon at the top may work.

11/06/04 07:30 AM |  Comments


November 02, 2004

Found Objects, Cont'd
Interesting to browse - collected found grocery lists. Via Tim.

My lists are so mundane, they'd probably bore you to tears. Though I do tend to list things in the exact order I tour the store, so there is that Virgoan nutjob flavor.

Yes, I'm pointedly ignoring what day it is. Since the way I figure, we're pretty much screwed either way.

11/02/04 05:59 PM |  Comments


November 01, 2004

And the Froggies Jumped for Joy
"Look what I can do!"

11/01/04 09:15 PM |  Comments


When Your Food Stares Back at You
For the party on Saturday, I wanted to scare up (HAHA! ha.) an easy batch of something kid-friendly, that adults might like, too, and little D. would give me (hopefully) enough time to make. So I modified a super-easy everyday recipe that my mom used to make for us as kids. I wish I hadn't been so hot and frazzled that I'd forgotten to snap a pic, they looked pretty scary.

Update: I drew a sketch. Don't dis my mad drawing skillz - I did it mostly while walking around the kitchen with Daniel. They were scarier, really. Even in the best of circumstances, I'm not talented enough to capture the character of what is, essentially, a meat cupcake with cheese frosting and an hors d'oeuvre face.

Terrifying Turkey Taco Tarts

1 lb. ground turkey
4 pkg. (40) refrigerated buttermilk biscuits 
1 pkg. taco seasoning mix
2 c. shredded Mexican cheese mix

For decoration:

Stuffed green olives
Bell peppers
Cocktail onions
Small baby carrots
Grape tomatoes

Preheat oven to 400° Prepare taco meat as 
directed on seasoning packet. Line muffin tin 
with biscuits evenly, two per cup. Spoon meat 
into cups and sprinkle tops with cheese. Bake 
for 15-20 minutes or until golden. 

Cut bell peppers into mouth shapes, press into 
cheese. Cocktail onions and olives make googly 
eyes; use carrots and tomatoes for noses!

11/01/04 09:00 AM |  Comments