a-muse-ing
insightful (sometimes) commentary by rjlightHomemade Ice Cream
I have been wanting to get an ice cream maker for years now. I don’t know why it has taken me so long. I guess I thought I would eat more ice cream if I had one. Who was I kidding? I still eat ice cream without one. At least if I had one I could control what ingredients I would put in the ice cream — could even make it healthier? What a concept.
So I was walking around a large store looking for some more items for my daughter’s birthday party when my eye caught sight of an ice cream maker. It was a “gel” ice cream maker and looked quite efficient. I figured since the only ice cream maker I was familiar with was my dad’s old noisy one that this one would be much quieter and faster. I read over the box and noticed that this ice maker didn’t need rock salt–a nice perk. I mean, who wants to keep a supply of rock salt on hand? I looked over it and put it in my cart and started rolling down the aisle.
As I turned around the corner I noticed a whole stand of ice cream makers. These were the old-fashioned ones that used rock salt and made that churning sound. My mind immediately went back to when I was a little girl waiting for my dad’s ice cream to be ready. I can still hear the sound of the rock salt being poured into the machine, and taste that incredible smooth, cold ice cream going down my throat. I looked at the price and read the box. Then I put the gel one back on the shelf and put the old-fashioned ice cream maker in my cart and grabbed some bags of rock salt. How could I make “real” homemade ice cream without those familiar noises? I realized I needed an ice cream maker more like my dad’s. I couldn’t watch my dad make his ice cream anymore, but at least with this one I could remember those times I did have with him.
Isn’t oxygen necessary?
Okay, so the black widow is still alive. It is in a sealed jar–there are no air holes. Can someone tell me how it is still alive? It is really creepy. Yesterday I screamed because I saw a black spider. It didn’t have the red pattern on it so it wasn’t a black widow. It scares me a bit to think of how many of those creatures are around my home. The daddy long legs are everywhere, but they are harmless and I kind of like them. But any creature that is small and can kill you with one deadly bite…
Dog Poop
The other day my husband found a black widow in our backyard. He put it in a jar and showed the kids — they thought it was pretty cool. I, however, thought about what would have happened if one of the kids found it or my husband wasn’t looking and the spider leaped in the air and attacked his neck depositing deadly poison into his veins. But none of that happened and in the end the kids had a cool thing to look at. I suggested they take it to school and told them about the time I took a turantula that my dad found to school. The kids nodded and smiled which meant they probably wouldn’t do it.
When we were in Spain at Retiro Park (Madrid’s “central park”) there were some protesters handing out fake dog poop. Yes, they were protesting against dog owners who don’t faithfully bag up their dogs waste and leave it in the beautiful park for all to smell and walk in. Anyway, the protestors were dressed like elves dwarfs and handed my kids the fake poop. Of course my kids got a kick out of that and it was the joke for a few weeks.
The spider died in the jar. No one ever took it to school. My son however, snuck the fake poop into his backpack and took it to school. So there you have it. I suggest taking a rare (sorta) black widow to school for all the kids to see and the teacher to tie into a nature lesson, but my son chooses to take fake plastic dog poop. Great nature lesson that must have been.
I know, I know
So it is the joke that I don’t really write in my blog, I just change my theme on my blog. I know I am changing it for yet the 500+ time. I can’t seem to find the right feel. How can a theme really express who I am? I work hard at writing scintillating commentary on my life, and yet the themes don’t seem to support such brilliance. I am also too cheap to spend money to get a nice theme–and wordpress freebies are good but a bit limited. Okay, I just like to change things around. It is fun to see how the feel of the blog changes so dramatically through design and color. So you will just never know what my blog might bring you each day.
I am still bruised from my surgery. I look like someone gave me a right hook or would it be a right undercut? My boxing terminology is weak I admit. Anyway, I look like someone punched me. Although it isn’t as noticeable now so no one is leering at my husband anymore.
We are hoping to make some progress on our backyard. I briefly had another blog where I was going to show the progress. I actually had the blog for 2 years and posted probably 30 times. That was the blog I paid for. What was I thinking? Anyway, it is canceled and we are still working on our backyard. We have made some progress, we have a vegetable garden now and the trees have gotten bigger. We have gotten 4 heads of lettuce out of it so far and much more is growing. If I could find a great recipe for weeds we would be getting all our produce from the garden!
The weather is supposed to be cooler — yay, spring is back again. I also will be at a wine shop selling my jewelry this weekend. So busy weekend. I think my brain needs some physical labor to get my mind working again. Although I didn’t take tons of pain-killers I feel as though my brain is mush…
Back from Spain, Back in the Computer Chair
So we got to go to Spain to visit our old friends. Well our friends aren’t old just have been our friends for awhile. We had a great time eating and laughing and talking. Our spanish was quite rough at times (hence, the laughing), but we managed. The kids did great and loved seeing their former elementary school. They were so excited when their friends remembered them.
It still amazes me how you can get on a plane and be transferred to such different places in a matter of hours. The whole trip was quick and it still seems like it was a bit of a dream. We are so grateful for the friends that hosted our family of five–thank you, Andersons! And for other friends that took us in for a night–Thank you Cady’s! We are also grateful for so many wonderful meals given by so many friends! I hope next time we don’t have to wait 3 years to get to go back.
The weekend after we got back we went to Carmel to celebrate my mom’s 80th birthday. It was great to have that time with her. All of my 7 siblings were there too! My mom was in shock for most of the day–she had friends from High School there. I can’t imagine having friends from High School at my 80th bday. Shoot, I didn’t even see them for my 30th birthday a few (?) years ago.
One of the other special treats after coming back from my trip was having another mouth operation. It ended up being more extensive than we originally planned so I am glad to finally be feeling better. It is nice to not be in constant pain!
Now it is time to work, work , work. A trip to Spain for a family of five is SO expensive. I got another rejection letter upon my return too. My writing dreams seem to be getting dusty….
