Happy Homemaker Monday

The weather.....  is dreadful, if you will pardon my negativity.  This Summer has been the soggiest and rainiest Summer I've ever had in my entire life. Unfortunately I have not, not even once, danced in the rain.

Right now I am....  I don't think I shall ever be able to read this prompt and not think "writing a blog post" but I shall try to be creative. I'm making a tortilla pizza for my little brother who wasn't very hungry at lunch time but is now experiencing hunger pangs.

Thinking.... That my dear librarian shouldn't have told me that I can access the entire library on their website if only I type in my card number and password. I've requested far too many books as it is. I had to walk away from the computer or I'd have wanted to check out entirely too many.

On my reading pile.... I'm not sure what I was thinking, but I was in the mood for a bit of classic fiction so I walked out of my library with "The Three Musketeers" (the unabridged version too. The very word unabridged sends a shiver of fear and excitement down my back). I've been working on that book for close to two weeks now (I'm regrettably not very dedicated) and I must say I'm enjoying it a lot more than when I first tried to read it two years ago. The humor in the book is such that only the classics contain and for that reason alone I would recommend the book to everyone.

On my TV..... I was extremely delighted when I found my favorite girly movie of all time, Cinderella! I believe I've already said it once before, but I simply can't keep myself from saying it again...I love Lily James and love everything about the movie.

Listening to..... The odd noise that is created when one peels a sticker off of a sticker sheet and the sound of pens being clicked. My sister is in the midst of filling in her planner for this week and I must say it makes me want to fill mine out all over again.

Something fun to share.... Why is it that I can only think of things that aren't fun to share? I can name a few, for example: chocolate (everyone knows chocolate is to be horded, sharing is unheard of); craft supplies (the only reason that craft supplies should ever be shared is if a fellow crafter is in dire need of one of your supplies and then it's your crafter's duty to be helpful); and lastly, books (far too many bad things happen when you share, or loan, a book to someone).


Some interesting bit of news that I have is that I found out that it's ever so much more fun to pass people on a trail when you're riding on a bike than when you're walking. I think it may be because the greeting is fleeting (no rhyming was intended).

Blog hopping (newly discovered blog).... This isn't a newly discovered blog, but I shall share it anyway since I see no reason not to.


On the menu for this week.... I'm not very sure what we'll be having for the other days but I do know that tonight we shall be having a Mexican themed dinner. As for the rest of the week, I'm assuming we'll be eating food.

On my to do list.... To-do lists are rather depressing. I have a small and quite compact one for each day (it wouldn't be so small but the spots in my planner won't allow for more which I'm fine with) and today's list included doing work, cleaning, school, making a blog-post, and going berry-picking. The blackberries are in full swing so I'm very busy as of late.

In the craft basket.... My craft basket is so overwhelmingly "overflowing" that I'm not sure where to begin. I have some crochet projects, some mending that needs to be done, and a whole lot of journaling supplies I have to sort through.

Looking forward to this week.... This Thursday my brother's fiance is coming over and I'm excited. I do get to see her often but I'm still excited because she's my childhood best friend and before too terribly long I'll be able to call her my sister!


I'm also looking forward to the youth gathering I will be going to, and another trip to the library, and most of all, going to fair which will be starting this Saturday.

Looking around the house.... I see a heap of craft supplies on the school table (happy sighs) and moderately tidy rest of the home. The bouquet of flowers I was gifted after taking part in my cousins wedding is still sitting on our desk. It's remarkable how pretty the flowers are staying considering the fact that I received them over a month ago and that they're real. Perhaps they just dried with their colors still intact. 

Bible reading....I've been reading and journaling my way through my Bible for quite some time now and last night I read the first chapter of Revelations. It's very thrilling for whatever reason to be so close to having read the Bible from cover to cover.

Of Books and Bathrooms

    I'm all for adventures and I believe that all awkward moments are adventures, just not the fun kind. It was precisely that sort of adventure I had recently.  
    This tale starts off as all tales ought to. It was a lovely, sunny day in summer. I drove to the library in the morning and was still feeling victorious as I walked into the library because I had actually managed to park our vehicle perfectly inside the marked lines of the parking lot. I knew exactly what books I wanted so I marched off toward the shelves with the vigor and assurance that comes with having a plan. Within a short amount of time I had the books in hand and went to check out. The librarian was a cheerful, talkative curly-headed woman, her curls alone have secured a bond of friendship between us. After my books were checked out I took them out to the vehicle and then went back inside to see if the rest of my family had decided on what they wanted, in other words, I went inside to wait on them. Mum informed me that a friend of hers is going to meet us so we would wait yet for a bit. With that in mind I realized that I needed to use the restroom (a.k.a bathroom, a.k.a powder room, etc.). Having never used them at the library before, I was slightly unsure how to actually get to them.
     I marched off and found the restrooms. I felt very accomplished at that time. Not only did I manage to have decent parking that day, but I had also just found the bathroom unassisted. The whole "I'll be a grownup in a few years" thing wasn't looking so hard after all.
    The bathroom was a small room with two stalls and two rather old-looking sinks. When it came time to wash my hands I noted that the rather old-looking sinks had knobs that you were supposed to push. Now I can see that the fact that you have to push the knobs meant the sinks weren't so very old or outdated, but at the time I was focused on my task and thought nothing of it. It was admittedly fun getting to push the knobs down to turn the water on. I bopped both the hot water knob and the cold water knob and the faucet merrily spewed a stream of water over my hands. As I washed I noticed that the hot water knob was loose so I bopped it politely to fix it and then decided it was time to dry my hands. I bopped both the hot water knob and the cold water one, neither stopped gushing. I stared at them trying to figure out how to turn them off. I pushed them both down, I twisted one towards the right, then towards the left, I smashed and bashed, pushed and bopped but still the faucet spewed water. I was starting to feel upset at the faucet, I glared at it as if my stare would scare it into obedience. I bopped them both several more times and then turned to dry my hands while hoping that somehow the faucet would stop spewing water in the meantime. Even once my back was turned to the sinks I heard the steady gushing of water. I stared at the wall for a bit longer but the water continued pouring.
    At that point I was a little miffed. That incorrigible faucet was mocking me. It was depositing gallons of water into the sink just to taunt me and I just couldn't allow it to do so. I bopped both knobs once more and when the faucet failed to feel the wrath of my gaze I spun on my heel and marched out the bathroom door, the sound of water splashing into the sink followed me.
    I realized that the faucet had won and that now I had to go tell someone about it. I walked slowly, ever so slowly, over to the librarian and waited patiently for her to finish talking on the phone, instead she told the person to hold on and then asked what the matter was. After telling her, she burst out laughing and told me that the faucets are automatic and they turn off after a minute or so. I managed to laugh as well though I felt it was an act of surrender to the dreadful faucet.
    I walked out of the library that day with far less energy than when I entered, and more than a little thankful that I still have time before I'm actually an adult.

Wednesday Hodgepodge

1. On this first official day of spring tell us something (besides the weather) you're looking forward to in this season of the year.

  In a little less than a month one of my cousins is coming to visit us, and it's not just an afternoon pop-in, it's a little more than a week that he'll be here. In this massive and unpredictable world it's nice to have family.

2. When it comes to spring cleaning would you rather wash windows or wash baseboards? Clean out closets or clean out the garage? Dust ceiling fans or dust bookcases? Wipe down the patio furniture outside or wipe down the light fixtures inside? Any of these tasks recently completed?

  Just the very words "spring cleaning" make me sigh. I don't enjoy extreme cleaning unless it's a craft drawer or something, because then I discover all sorts of forgotten treasures. I would rather wash baseboards than windows, clean closets than garage, dust bookcases rather than ceiling fans, and I'd rather clean light fixtures on the inside than the patio furniture outside.

  Recently my mum, sister, and I started cleaning out our storage room. Because of that I've found myself cleaning baseboards, dusting bookcases, etc. 

3. Your favorite thing to make/eat that calls for cream cheese? Sour cream? Whipped cream?

  My favorite thing to eat that calls for cream cheese is cheesecake. We have a good friend who makes some of the best cheesecake I've ever eaten, she's the one who really got me into making cheesecake more than once a year. My favorite thing with sour cream? That's a hard question, I love to use it as a condiment for most things. And lastly, I prefer whipped cream on top of strawberry shortcake.

4. I read here a list of commonly mispronounced words. What is a word that gives you trouble when it comes to pronunciation?

  When I look at the pronunciations of words I take note of them but then still pronounce it how I please. When surrounded by non-family members I make sure to pronounce words to the best of my ability but otherwise I have fun...take chihuahua for example, that word is tons of fun to mispronounce.

  A word that gives me trouble when it comes to pronunciation is butylethylmethylamine. When studying my science recently I spent several minutes just trying to pronounce the word when I came across it.

5. What's a song you love with the word 'rain' in the title or lyrics?

   Several years ago I came across Mat Kearney's "Air I Breathe" song on Air1, I liked it quite a bit and even though it isn't really my favorite song anymore I'll still listen to it now and then, (I also like "Love Like Rain").

6.  Insert your own random thought here. 

  I love birds! My dad has always wanted to hang a bird feeder but with so many cats around we thought it was a dream that would never come true...until yesterday. I had a cereal around for awhile, it was a muesli, and being such it was full of oats and seeds and dried fruit. I liked it pretty well but it didn't make me feel the best. Yesterday after spotting a few birds in the back yard scratching around the snow, my dad and I both flung out a handful of cereal. I always feel so bad for the birds around here, they come back late February or early March expecting spring but all they find is snow, snow, and more snow. It brought joy to everyone in my family watching the birds eagerly eat the cereal, and because of all that, and the fact that the cats didn't really bother them, my dad hung a bird feeder and now we have whole passels (I'm aware that passel is not a very good word to use when describing a bunch of birds but I was in the mood to write it and so I did) of birds in the back yard.

Wednesday Hodgepodge

1. Best place you've been lately? 

  The local gym. Every Sunday night the youth from our community go to the local high school gym to enjoy an evening of fun and games. I may not be the best at any sort of ball game, but that doesn't mean I can't nor don't enjoy my mediocrity, for I certainly do.


2. What's something you should say yes to today? Or this week? Or even this year?

  I should say yes to practicing for the Easter choir at church. I have never been part of the choir before but this is a year of firsts for me. I love to sing, but so far it has been in the privacy of our home.

3. Do you celebrate St. Patrick's Day in any way, shape, or form? If so tell us how. In Western cultures the color green is typically associated with jealousy, nature, good luck, and growth. What's the first thing that comes to mind when you hear the word 'green'?

  No I don't celebrate St. Patrick's Day in any way, shape, or form. I never have. Last year we went somewhere on St. Patrick's Day and people were being chased all over the place trying to avoid being pinched because they weren't wearing green. I think it's the oddest thing ever to see a bunch of who I thought were self-respecting humans, running about the place, being chased and threatened with slight pain simply because they weren't wearing green, if it were up to me, I'd have it the other way around.

  When I hear the word green I have to think of the Summer, it is so wet and snowy, and persistently cold here, the very thought of Summer seems profound and almost impossible.


4. What's a product or service you love so much you'd happily be their spokesperson? Tell us what makes you such a fan.

  I love my shower soap (I never liked calling it body wash, it always disturbed me a tiny bit), it's  scented "cooling white strawberry and mint" by Olay. I love how it smells!!! The first time I used it I walked everywhere like the White Queen from Alice in Wonderland just because I loved how the wondrous smell of strawberries and mint followed me.

 
5. March 14th is Pi Day. How are your math skills? What's the last thing you did that required math of any kind? And most importantly do you like pie? What's your favorite kind? With ice cream, whipped cream, or please hold the cream?

  My math skills are mediocre to say the least, I just barely tolerate the subject as it is.

  The last thing I did that required math skills of any kind was doing my Algebra. My teacher seems to get a kick out of teaching me for around twenty minutes on how to do something and then says there's an easy way that takes around five minutes. Perhaps most Algebra teachers are so desperate for amusement they resort to torturing the students.


6.  Insert your own random thought here.

  When it comes to watching television shows, I'm rather picky, I'll watch cooking shows and house hunting shows, and occasionally ones about weddings, but I am not the kind of person that can willingly sit down and subject myself to watching baseball, or football, or golf, or hockey, or basketball, or soccer, but the one sport I will watch (aside from tennis) is bull riding. I'm not certain why I like it so well, perhaps it's the way the announcers talk, or the names of the dear fellows riding the bulls (after all, it's not like Ryan Dirteater is exactly the most popular name on the face of the earth) and I could go on giving various theories on why I like bull riding, but the one my Mum finds most amusing is the way I crave Cookies and Cream ice cream when ever I see certain speckled bulls.

Currently...

Reading...   "The Borrowers" .  It is a very interesting book so far. It's certainly a little quaint, but sometimes I like and need a refreshingly odd book, and it's perfect in that case.

Writing... A blog post, a handwritten collection of my life (a.k.a my diaries), and random half finished stories.

Listening...  To my little brother read what I am writing.  He's at that lovely age where sounding out words is great fun. To me trying to figure out how to pronounce a new word isn't the most fun, which is probably why I don't like Jane Austen's books as well as I could.

Thinking...  That winter is downright ornery. It was a lovely, though rather brisk day, yesterday, and then I woke up today to see snow, snow, and more snow. Dad says that by next week spring ought to be tough enough to not get bullied anymore....okay, so those weren't his exact words, but you get the idea.

Smelling... I smell like a man. To explain, the hand soap we currently have positioned in the bathroom does not smell like the ocean at all (the label lies) unless the ocean smells of men's cologne, which I never thought it did.

Wishing... That food would pop out of the computer screen for me (for free) simply because I wanted it too. 

Hoping... That the puzzle the ladies from my youth group and I are working on can be mostly finished by the end of tonight. As a random thought, ever since reading Anne of Green Gables when I was twelve, I wanted to go to ladies' meetings, and youth gatherings, etc. Now that I can I think it's every bit as fun as I dreamed it would be.

Wearing... A dark purple shirt and a dusty blue, or cloudy blue skirt. 

Loving... My library card. I wonder what it would be like if you had to stay at the library to read the books you wanted...actually, it wouldn't be bad at all after the doorman delivers my fourteen and a half trunks of belongings.

Wanting... I don't know that I want anything at the moment, at least not something that I don't have already. Right now I'm enjoying a feeling of contentedness.

Needing... I'm not sure what I need. Though I would like to think I need a cottage, preferably in the countryside of France. Yes, as an aspiring aspire-er I absolutely need a cottage in the countryside of France!

Feeling... Ah dear, I sort of spoiled this one two answers ago. I was feeling content then, and aside from me wanting a cottage now, I think I'm still feeling content.

Wednesday Hodgepodge

1. Are you currently operating at 100% capacity? If not, what % are you? What's keeping you there?

  I wouldn't say I'm operating at a 100% capacity, more like a 94%. I think what's keeping me there is quite frankly my preference for books over productivity.

  Keeping my answer in mind, I think it's fair to assume that I would be much closer to, if not at, 100% if I didn't read quite as much.


2.  Have you done your taxes? Planned/booked a summer holiday? Thought about or started your 'spring cleaning'? Besides what's listed here, tell us one task that needs doing before spring rolls around.

  I'm at that lovely age in life where I don't have to deal with taxes, and on a moderately related note, I am also at that age where I'm not old enough to plan Summer vacations.

  Spring cleaning has been started and it's certainly not anywhere near as romantic as it seems in all of the old-fashioned books.

  One task that needs to be done when Spring rolls around? I usually start organizing  my plan of attack for the rest of year, in other words, I break in my New Year's resolutions.


3. What's a favorite food from your part of the country?

  Maple syrup and mushrooms are quite popular round this neck of the woods, but I don't like either. I will count chocolate as a favorite food from this part of the country.

4. This isn't a leap year, but let's run with it anyway...look before you leap, a leap of faith, grow by leaps and bounds, leap to conclusions, leap at the opportunity...which phrase might best be applied to your life currently (or recently)? Explain.

  Leap at the opportunity. I'm not extroverted by any means, but an unconscious resolution of mine for this year turned out to be leaping at new opportunities and so on.

  Speaking of which, I may or may not become part of the local teen's book club. I've always thought it sounded like splendid fun and therefore I'm rather excited about the idea.


5. As the month draws to a close list five fun and/or fabulous things (large or small) you noticed or experienced in February.

1.   A few genuinely sunny and warm days
2. Playing human Dutch Blitz (the cards are the size of a regular piece of paper, the teams each have a table to hold their cards, and then "run the cards" out to the middle of the room. Other than that, the game is exactly the same as when it has the decency to be small.
3. Going to the library
4. Finding out that I have a "twin". I got home from our homeschool group one day and found a letter addressed to me from someone I didn't even know existed. (She's Amish) To Amish girls, having a twin (merely a person born on the same day/year as you) is exciting. She wanted to become penpals and since I enjoy writing letters I have another pen pal.
5. I noticed that out daffodils are growing and now I'm delighted since that means spring can't be too far around the corner.

6. Insert your own random thought here.

  I love Hallmark movies, there's something so cheesy and predictable about them that makes me love them so much. It's true that not all the actors are splendid at their jobs and it's also true that the scripts tend to follow the same pattern over and over and over again, but that simply adds to their charm. Every time I'm out and about for any period of time, I look forward to being home, and when I think of home I think of books, of family dinners, games, laughter, fun, baking, cooking, conversations, and Hallmark movies. Home is a wonderful thing, and so are all the things we associate with home, therefore I deem Hallmark movies wonderful.

Currently...

Reading... I just finished reading "Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm" it was such a good book! I loved almost every character in the book, and especially loved the way it was written. Nothing beats a good old fashioned book. Right now I am reading the first book of the Elsie Dinsmore series.
 
Writing... A very odd little story about how furniture polish came to be. 

Listening...  To birds. Can you believe it?! Right now it's sunny and the windows are open and we're enjoying the stunning 70 degree weather.

Thinking... That being a good driver is going to take a ton of practice.

Smelling... The outdoors, I smell sunshine and the dirt of the ground, the fresh scent of spring which I am wholly inadequate to express.

Wishing... That I already had my driver's license, the training part isn't the greatest.

Hoping... That I'll never drive my dear Mum into a ditch.

Wearing... A solid purple t-shirt (my favorite color) and a pale-blue "tiered" denim skirt. 

Loving... The beautiful weather, and the fact that my Mum doesn't panic like (or at least not as much as) all the mums do on TV when they're teaching their daughters to drive.

Wanting... A slice of cheesecake and a cup of tea.

Needing... A break. I may have only driven for an hour today but it felt like a year.

Feeling... Tired and tiny bit hungry. That could quickly be remedied with a slice of cheesecake and a nap.

Catching Up....

     A few things have been happening in my busy little corner over here, and I've been doing a terrible job of keeping you updated. Apparently it's never a good idea to decide to read "one chapter" of a good book before sitting down to write a blog post, because, the post never gets made.
     Now it is time for me to regale all of the the little things that have been going on around here.

        Little Things That Have Been Going On Around Here (don't you just love my creative title?)

1. Even though I somehow forgot to tell you about it, around two weeks ago I had a birthday. It was  a lovely day too and though I know it's not important, I did get some really lovely gifts. I believe one of my very favorite ones was this little gem. 
2. A few of my family members were suffering from the flu last week and because of it various fun events were canceled on our agenda. Thankfully we're all better now and I'm glad that my sickness of the year is now past.
3. The Olympics have begun and I'm so excited about them, the Winter Olympics are far more enjoyable to watch than the Summer Olympics, at least in my book they are (let's all ignore the irony of watching anything in anyone's book) 
4. I have finally gotten around to writing letters again. I always end up having much more fun writing letters than I imagine I will beforehand. Speaking of which, I have officially four letters to write this week. Possibly more. 
5. Last night my brother went to gym night, and I would have gone along but I had just been sick on Saturday and it didn't seem decent to endanger a bunch of other people's good health, so I stayed back as a responsible citizen simply doing what was best for her fellowman.
6. I have been inventing a heap of different quinoa recipes out of my desperation to use up the huge batch of quinoa I had made a little while ago. It seems I'll be having quinoa fritters, cakes, wraps, meat balls, stir-fries, and stews for quite a few meals yet. It ought to be nicknamed the never-ending grain.
7. Our kitchen's thermometer has been misbehaving for quite some time now, it is blatantly ignoring the snow spotted ground and declaring it to be ninety degrees outdoors.
8. Despite my best efforts to love my enemies, I can't muster even the tiniest bit of affection for my Algebra studies. I thought that advanced Algebra has to be a piece of cake compared to the Geometry struggles I endured, but if it is cake, I shudder to ask what the ingredients are. 
9. And something that hasn't happened yet, but I'm looking forward to, this Friday I believe, we will be going to the library again. Some people are ecstatic about traveling to Spain, Italy, Greenland, France, and the like (which I don't blame them) but I'm ecstatic about visiting the library, I have big plans, big plans indeed.

Wednesday Hodgepodge

1. February can be a little bit tricky given the weather and the winter and the whatnot. I read a list (here) of things you can do to make your February brighter which included-start planning your next trip, take more baths, make your own chocolate covered strawberries, and exercise in preparation for swimsuit season. Anything on the list you might try? Which suggestion on the list appeals to you most? Tell us something not on the list that helps make your February brighter. 

  Ah, chocolate covered strawberries sound incredible and would definitely make my February brighter.

  Something that isn't on the list, yet makes my February brighter, is reading books and crafting things, I've been really enjoying making envelopes and journaling. 

2. Tell us about something you've seen or done recently that you'd say was 'super'?

  Last Friday at TOL (my home school group) my friend and I won the game of Human Dutch Blitz. It was such a super feeling.

3. Best thing you ate in a 'bowl' last week?

   It was mashed potatoes. When I was much younger I thought mashed potatoes were one of the most boring things you could eat, but I absolutely love them now.

4. Something you're 'cheering' for right now?

  For Spring. I go to bed every night cheering it on. Perhaps my whole neighbourhood should join in with cheering Spring on because I don't think it can hear me, or if it can, it's certainly not motivated.

5. The Winter Olympics begin Friday, February 9th in Pyeong Chang, South Korea. On a scale of 1-10 (with 10 being all in and 1 being no interest whatsoever) how interested are you in the games? Which event do you most want to see (you'll find a list here).

  I would say I'm excited at around a 6, I'm certainly not fangirling all over the event, but I am looking forward to figure skating.

6. Insert your own random thought here.

  Right now the entire house is filled with the wonderful scent of my Mum's freshly baked bread that is cooling on the kitchen counter. I love the smell of bread, it's such a warm and home-y scent that I wish someone would bottle and sell. I'd never have to feel homesick throughout my life, I'd just pull out the jar and take a whiff.

Sugar-free isn't Sweet...

     Nutrition books and I are very good friends, I could spend hours in the library simply choosing which nutrition books to read next, I take my time when I pick them because it's always disappointing when I'm ready to read them and then I find out they aren't at all what I expected.
     A few weeks ago I picked up a new and intriguing nutrition book called Sugar Smart Express. I've read in other books that cutting sugar out of your diet will clear up your acne (sadly I'm a teen that's afflicted with acne) and now I've finally found a book that actually tells you how to do it, in my excitement I read the book in a few hours.
     It shared a plan on how to "detox" from sugar and I had big hopes of clear skin (and in all honesty I still do), but in order to do the whole plan you have to eat the meals and things that they give the recipes for. To me it seemed like no big deal. My Mum, sister, and I went shopping a few days ago and I picked up all the things that I need for my mission which has been lovingly dubbed. Adventures in Food: Episode Clear Skin.
    Today was day one of phase one. I cooked up my breakfast this morning, a pretty plate of savory pancakes topped with tomatoes.

      With my jar of lemon water beside me, I dug into the pancakes. Words can't describe the shock and confusion I experienced upon that first bite. Each pancake was like a sheet of gritty, slimy, and curdle-y mush. The taste? Unspeakably nasty. With my trusty diary beside me I documented the experience, "I wonder if stomachs can gag, I bet it was hurrying the full signal to my brain..."
  My expression was horrified and disgusted, you don't have to simply take my word for it, apparently my dear Mum sneaked an unsuspecting picture of me as I was trying to summon the courage to take another bite.
 

     It was such a horrible meal that I ended up throwing half of it into the bin (a.k.a trash...garbage...rubbish, whatever you wish to call it)
     I have decided (out of the goodness of my heart) that I shall share the recipe with you. I know the picture doesn't capture the terrible taste, in fact the breakfast looks almost good.

 Basil-Mozzarella Pancakes

1/3 cup rolled oats
1 egg
3 tbsp milk
4 tbsp shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese
1/3 cup chopped tomatoes
1 tbsp + 1 tsp chopped fresh basil ( I didn't use basil, I don't like it)

 Blend the oats in a blender until you have fine crumbs (also known as oat flour), add the egg and milk, blend till smooth, stir in half of the cheese and basil, plus a pinch of salt and pepper. Cook as 2-3 pancakes. Top with the remaining basil and the tomatoes.

If you do try them, I would love to hear what you thought about them, though if you don't try them I won't blame you, in fact I'll call you wise.

Wednesday Hodgepodge

1. Speaking of endings....at your wit's end, at loose ends, a dead end, burn the candle at both ends, all's well that end's well, or no end in sight...which 'end' phrase might best be applied to your life lately? Explain.

  No end in sight, it seems the book I am writing (it's a hobby of sorts) will never end. Inspiration is pretty much nonexistent, and I don't know how to find it.  Most of the time when inspiration finds me, it's in a random song, a quote, a walk, a happening in my life, and lately I'm completely uninspired. Perhaps it's not so much that inspiration isn't there, but rather that I am not looking for it, my eyes aren't open.

2. What was a must have accessory when you were growing up? Did you own one? If so tell us what you remember about it.

  I did not have a must have accessory, I grew up with my only fashion essential being a dress.

3. Something that made you smile yesterday?

  My sister, being the dear that she is, made waffles and berries for my breakfast, my little brother Sean saw the whipped cream and I let him spray it, his squeals of delight as he created mountains on my breakfast brought  a smile to my face.

4. January 30th is National Croissant Day. Do you like croissants? Sweet or savory? We're having chicken salad for lunch...would you rather have yours served on a croissant, a wrap, a bagel, bread, or a roll of some sort?

  As completely absurd as it sounds (especially coming from a Francophile)  I have never had a croissant, so I have no favorites. As for chicken salad, I'd prefer it on bread, though it's delicious on lettuce too, making it a salad on a salad.

5. Sum up your January in fifteen words or less.

  A beautiful start to the New Year, filled with many adventures, and promises of more.

  I feel quite pleased, that was exactly fifteen words!


6.  Insert your own random thought here.

   I'm sure all of you loyal followers remember random tidbits of me talking about the home school group I go to, well, after a lovely Winter break, I am ready to go back, in two days to be exact. There are many things I am looking forward to, but getting to see some good friends again is the best.

Life as a Mechanic's Daughter

     Somehow, probably thanks in part to movies they stereotype a mechanic's daughter, the tendency is to picture a girl wearing grease smudged overalls, clunky brown shoes, and a red and white bandana in her hair. She knows the names of hundreds of tools, and has an obsession with a welder.      
     I'm a mechanic's daughter, and I certainly do not have an obsession with a welder, not even with a lowly wrench. I know hardly a single thing about trucks, or tools for that matter, it's not a fact I'm proud of, but I feel I must spread awareness that not all mechanics' daughters are like the picture I just painted.
  Yet, being the daughter of a mechanic, and a sister to a brother who is also a mechanic, does mean, sadly enough, that I get called out to help with all sorts of odd mechanic-related situations every once in a while.
   I had a very long day yesterday, I went to the library, dropped off an invoice for a client Dad did some mechanic work for, went to the bank, and to Goodwill. By the time my Mum and I got home, I was exhausted and extremely ready to read the books I had checked out.
    As I walked up the sidewalk towards our porch steps I recoiled in disgust when a horrid stench filled my nose, I'm not the most observant when I'm tired, so it took me a little time to realize that Eldon (my eldest brother) was spraying primer onto a fuel tank that he's working on for the truck he just bought (this is a ton of information, so just bear with me here) for those of you who do not know how primer smells, you'll have to believe me when I say that it's stinky.
    My brother spotted me almost immediately and gestured me over. My Dad wasn't at home at the moment so my brother was short a helper, here's when I come in.
  I know hardly a thing about how mechanics, and people who paint trucks, and truck parts (namely fuel tanks) dry their projects properly, however they do it, I'm almost certain it is not how my brother does it. He had our tractor's bucket raised, then he hung the fuel tank from a very strong wire that he had attached to the bucket, his primer-ing and painting took place in such a position. It's quite ingenious in my opinion. But I was needed to hold the tank carefully as he repositioned the tractor. It was difficult, at least to me, and a mini adventure, and in the end I smelled of primer, but it was rather nice to feel useful even when I have no idea what I'm doing.
  Another time, I was needed to spray starting fluid while my brother tried to start a rather dreadful lump of a tractor. I won't go into detail. but in the end I reeked of starting fluid. Why is it, that everything mechanics use reek?

  This was quite possibly the strangest post I have ever made, and I'm not certain if I understand it all either, but now you know that even though I prefer beautiful things, and sweet things, and rather romantic hobbies and such, I do occasionally help with projects that stink.
   Enjoy your week everyone, and I hope for your sake that all of your projects will be stench-free. 

Wednesday Hodgepodge

1. January 24th is National Compliment Day. Is it easy or not so easy for you to accept a compliment? Share a recent compliment you've given or received.

  I think I always appreciate a compliment, but some compliments do make me blush, or fidget, I'm not certain why, I suppose I'm rather ridiculous at times.

  A recent compliment I've received was by one of my friends at Sunday school who said I have beautiful writing, and a recent compliment I've given would have been last night, when I complimented my six year old brother's salad that he mostly made by himself.


2. Ten little things you are loving right now.

  I love it when I'm asked what little things I love, I do believe that you can tell more about a  person when they tell you the little things that they love (like snuggling with their cat, and late night's spent reading) than when they say they love something like sports or art.

  The ten little things that I am loving right now, are as follows:

1. Listening to the clock's ticking when everything is quiet
2. The coffee and chocolate granola that I'm eating for breakfast
3. The scent of my shower wash (a.k.a, soap)
4. The pen I use to write in my journal
5. The clicky noise the keyboard makes as I type
6. My little brother's smile
7. Cheery light in the room despite the dreariness outside
8. The bright red poinsettia beside me
9. The pasta maker my Mum just got
10. The smell of soup in the kitchen

3. Would people describe you as a positive person? Do you see yourself that way? I read here  a list/description of eight things positive people do differently-

Positive people find something to look forward to every day, they celebrate the small stuff, they're kind, they stay busy, accept responsibility for their actions, forgive themselves, know when to move on, and resist comparisons

Which action on the list would you say you do regularly? Which action could you add to your life to give you a more positive outlook? If you're a positive person, what's something you do regularly that's not on the list?

  Even though I have times when I can be less than ecstatic and bubbling with enthusiasm, I think that most of the time people do see me as a positive person. I am certain that for at least the most of the day, I'm cheerful.

  I believe it's obvious from the previous question, that I daily appreciate little things, I also keep a daily diary (aren't diaries journals that are updated daily?) which always puts me in a more positive mood.

4. Homemade chicken soup, beef stew, or a bowl of chili...what's your pleasure on a cold winter's day?

  My favorite kind of soup on a cold winter's day is my Mum's homemade chicken and dumpling soup.

5. The best part of my day is....

  I'm not sure this counts, since it's not really part of the "day" so much as it is the evening/night, but my favorite part is after dinner when I get to settle down and read, or journal, and pursue various hobbies. 

6.  Insert your own random thought here. 

  Yesterday was a beautifully sunny day and smelled delicious just as Spring does, and I was already hoping that it was indeed an early Spring, unfortunately, I woke up this morning to a light new coating of snow on the ground. I would be disappointed, but I suppose our cozy winter days will just have to be enjoyed a bit longer.

Daybook

 Today..... Saturday, January 20, 2018

Looking out my window..... I see a bunch of brown grass showing in the field across the road, and quite a few cows standing around and chewing their cud.

I am thinking.....  That Saturdays are the perfect days to spend journaling.

I am thankful.....  For catalogs with hand-drawn pictures like this one.

One of my favorite things..... Is the paper trimmer my Mum bought last year during the back to school sale. I use it so often, no more crooked lines for me!

I am wearing.....  A sea-foam-green shirt, and cream colored skirt with mauve flowers.

I am creating.....  A new junk journal. I'm still using my old one, but it's rapidly being filled and it's about time I make a new one.

I am reading..... Like usual, a nutrition book. As of today, I am reading "The Happiness Diet", it's a very good book and I love all the history they give on various "foods", take Crisco for example.

I am hoping.....  That my family will still be in good health for tomorrow so that we can go to church. Sicknesses in the Winter are so unpredictable that I'm never certain that our plans shall go unaffected.

I am learning.....  How to make a journal cover that isn't warped, or weak, or lopsided. I believe the journal I'm working on now is my eighth (?).

In the kitchen.....  A pan of blueberry lemon cupcakes are cooling before I can go frost them.

Picture thought..... Just looking at my journaling supplies makes me happy.

Adventures at the Dentist

  Yesterday I went to the dentist again, a new dentist this time so I assumed beforehand that I would have at least some sort of adventure, and I was right, it seems adventure abounds if your eyes are wide open.
  It was an absolutely freezing cold day and we had to park a little bit away from the actual building. I opened my door and stepped right into a snow drift, so I was chilled in a relatively short amount of time. My Mum, Diane, Sean, and I all rushed into the building while trying not to slip on the slush and ice and various other cold things associated with winter.
  We waited for quite some time. Of course we had things to keep us entertained, for example we had a wonderful time watching water drip from our shoes, and an even more splendid time listening to some of the oddest country music ever.
  Finally I was called back. I'm sure you are all aware of how dentist's chairs work, they can go up, go down, and the back can be lowered and raised to take you from a sitting position to a laying down position...well, the chair I got to sit on was rather feisty.
  The dental technician was a very friendly, cheerful woman who answered all my questions (I'm good at being curious, and it's rewarding at times, you see, apparently most of the instruments that she used on me were throw-aways and back in the 1900's dentists didn't wear gloves [she shuddered at this point]). Anyways, I've gotten sidetracked, so I shall get to important information. She warned me that her chair is faulty, they are getting a new one, but until then, all of us patients have to be on our toes, or rather, be good at doing sit ups.
  When she went to lower the chair's back, parallel to the floor, the chair's back lowered, but the problem was, it didn't stop. Laying on the chair while she worked to get it to behave was like trying to lie down on a see saw, I went up and down, and up and down, and up and down. I had no idea that anyone could get seasick in a chair, but rest assured my friends, it's very possible.
  She unplugged the chair when it was in the position that she wanted, and from then on it behaved since it couldn't do anything.
  My teeth cleaning went very well, my teeth are all in dandy condition, and I was told that my wisdom teeth will most likely begin to show during this next year. What fun. (Not) All of that aside, my visit to the dentist was almost very enjoyable.

Of Books and Random Musings...

  Yesterday was a particularly rainy and dreary day, and it brought back memories of the times when I would stay inside and play with my doll or do a hundred piece puzzle while my Mum worked on crafts or played a game with us. Rainy days are cozy days, and even though I do prefer sunny and warm days, winter and early spring holds a special part in my heart and I love it oddly enough, rain, mud, cold and all.
   Now that I'm just a smidgen older, I still like doing puzzles (especially Ravensburger), but nothing beats reading books. With that in mind, yesterday Mum, Diane, and I all went to the library. I love going to the library so much that it's hard not to squeal with delight as I peruse the book-ladened shelves.
  I've always been a slowpoke by nature, and even more so when I'm doing something, or am somewhere that I really like, because of that, I could easily spend several hours in the library and it's sort of a test of my own strength to leave the library within a reasonable amount of time.
  I've never understood why libraries don't have shopping carts, it would be so much easier to transport my books while browsing if I had a cart to put my chosen ones in. Sadly I don't suspect that libraries shall take up my suggestion any time soon.
   If you're wondering when I'm about to get to the point, I'm afraid you shall be disappointed, for the point of this whole post to randomly babble, which I'm very good at.
   Some people (not me, of course) think that libraries are boring, which I can't kind comprehend, even though I try to, and I suppose the reason why I think libraries are interesting is because of all the different characters you can meet there (and I'm not just talking about book characters). For example, last year, which is a statement I'm still trying to get used to when referring to 2017, my Mum, Diane, and I watched as two Mennonite girls walked into the library, that's not exciting, I know, and we thought nothing of it either. But when I was on my way out a few minutes later I walked past the girls and heard them excitedly chatting as they hunched over a computer, "He's cute" the one girl gushed. Now, obviously I was intrigued, who did these two girls think was cute. Naturally I did the only thing a girl could do, I circled around the shelves again and walked past them, moderately close, mind you, and I took a quick peek at the computer screen. If I would have been prone to dramatics (*cough*) I would have slapped my hand on my forehead and swooned. Not because the dear fellow was dashing, but because he was rather, well, un-dashing, and the shock over their preference would have been too great for me and caused me to faint. The chap in question was a middle-aged man with sort of matted, or dare I say lumpy, hair, a rather large nose, though I should call it aristocratic, and he was smiling in that sort of self-assured business man way, you know the pose, the classic,"prop-the-chin-on-the-hand-smolder." I left the library with a shudder, but also amused.
   On that cheerful note, I will leave and go read a book. Enjoy your weekend everyone!
  

The Simple Woman's Daybook

 Today..... Wednesday, January 10,  2018

Looking out my window..... I see the field across the road covered with a thin layer of snow, and a bunch of  various stubborn plants peeking up through the cold weather, determined to stay seen.

I am thinking.....  That gravy on waffles isn't as odd as it sounds.

I am thankful.....  For pens and for people.

One of my favorite things..... Is knowing the answers to all the driving-related questions my brother asks me randomly.

I am wearing.....  A floral patterned skirt and a pale purple t-shirt.

I am creating.....  Aside from the obvious, I'm creating a cook book of healthy recipes, I love inventing recipes, especially challenging ones. My sister is my taste-tester and because of that she has grown to be suspicious of anything that looks too good to be true, like the time I made a gluten-free and sugar free cheesecake with strawberry sauce, she has still not forgotten the taste.

I am reading..... Well, as of today I haven't read anything, but yesterday I read "Kidnapped" by Robert Louis Stevenson, and "The Prince and the Pauper" by Mark Twain. Both were surprisingly good books.

I am hoping.....  That I will survive the winter without any sicknesses. I've made it this far, only a a few months to go yet.

I am learning.....  How to paper quill. It's a very fascinating process and I'm enjoying it immensely.

In the kitchen.....  Is our fridge and our oven, plus a sink and a table. The whole room is perfectly adapted to cooking and baking and eating, the kitchen is a wondrous invention.

Picture thought.....  Sean and I had a great time yesterday experimenting with his fizz and bubbles science kit. I'm almost certain his favorite part was when the mixtures bubbled over like volcanoes.

Currently...

Reading... Wind in the Willows by Kenneth Grahame. I think that it's refreshing to read a good children's book once in a while. This is the first time I have ever read it, and I know that my eight year old self would have loved all of the animals.

Writing... I've not been writing much lately besides my Diary and my journals. I really should work on all of the hundreds of story ideas I have.

Listening... To "Who Says?" by Joshua Micah. I just very recently discovered this singer and I really like his songs for the most part, they are definitely a little different but I like that they as Christian songs would appeal to those who are more into the contemporary and modern kinds of music.

Thinking... That I really should do my Algebra. It's best to get it over quickly, the pain isn't that intense then. Similar to ripping off a band-aid.

Smelling... Even though it's several rooms away, I smell the caramel pecan candle that's burning merrily. It's such a warm and delicious smell.

Wishing... That the days wouldn't fly by so quickly.

Hoping... That I will have an easy lesson of Algebra.

Wearing... A black and white striped, soft t-shirt, and a dusty blue, ankle-length skirt.

Loving... The month of January. I love how winter naturally makes room for more crafting and baking time. I have been busy with all of my journals and inventing new recipes.

Wanting... My driver's license. I do not appreciate all of the studying. I cannot wait until I can look back on the day that I took my test, because right now I'm a nervous wreck and I know that wrecks aren't good, especially concerning driving.

Needing... A big, strong cup of tea.

Feeling...Cheerful for the most part, only a tiny bit depressed about the cloud of Algebra hanging over my head.

New Year's Goals

  The year of 2017 was one of the best years of my life, not necessarily because of any one event, but because of the hundreds of small but beautiful moments I got to live through. And now that I do look back I see that I had many adventures, so many in fact that even Bilbo would be satisfied.
  I joined a speech class, which was one of the best and worst ideas I've ever had.  I'm not overly fond of attention and sadly, making a speech catches everyone's attention. I had many awkward, choking, forget what I'm supposed to say moments, and blushed a bunch, but in the end I was able to give a speech without so much as a tremble.
  I joined/started going to Sunday school, it's so much different than just attending the church service and I love it. I met a bunch of wonderful new people and am enjoying the lessons very much, probably because our teacher is so passionate about what she does.
   I sewed a bit, and wrote a bunch, and really fell in-love with junk journaling and keeping a smash book. That's certainly not all that happened this year, I met a ton of interesting and amazing people and stepped out of my comfort zone so many times, with that all in mind I think it's perfectly accurate to say that yes, 2017 has been my best year ever.
   Now let's see how many of my last year's goals and resolutions I completed.

• learn to temper chocolate ... This one was a bunch of trial and error, but I finally learned how!
• have a proper high tea party ... I had a wonderful tea party early in January and now my sister and I want to plan another one.
• complete my crochet afghan ... Sadly I did not get my afghan finished. I did work on it, but so many other hobbies kept me busy.
• start my own kitchen notebook (like Rachel Khoo) ... I did start my own kitchen notebook and I love it. I document all of my own recipes, the fails and the successes, I feel like the best part of the notebook is the fact that I can sketch a bunch into it.
• blog much more frequently ... I think that we all know I failed this one.
• have excessive berry-ings ... As soon as Summer rolled around Diane and I attacked the berry bushes. I think we got more scratches than berries, but this goal is complete.
• read 52 books ... This was by far the easiest goal I had made, on December the 31st I had well over 70 books read. (I think it was eighty some.)
• finish writing my book ... Sighs, this didn't happen, I now wish that I had spent more time writing, but at least my book is about half way done.
• make a proper pâte à choux ... I love French foods and pastries and making pâte à choux was a must for me. I made several things with it actually, including Gougere and the classic éclairs.
• make a proper pastry cream ... I think that considering what I had just said, this one is obvious.
• broaden my french baking knowledge in general ... Well, my knowledge is broadened, not vastly, but a bit.
• break my bad habits (wouldn't you just love to know what they are) ... Hmm, I do wish I had written down what my bad habits were because I have no idea now if I accomplished this or not.
• have a real picnic ... A real picnic had been planned for Diane's birthday, but due to the frigid temperatures we had it inside.
• become fluent in French ... Groans, not quite there yet, I think I'm like 62% fluent now. (Don't you love how precise that is?)

  And now onto this year's goals.

• Blog at least twice a week
• Finish a diary every two months
• Make macarons
• Make churros
• Finish sewing my 50 states lap quilt
• Do NaNoWriMo
• Finish writing my book
• Get my driver's license
• Write a letter every week
• Take a picture every day
• Do a daily Bible study that isn't just reading my Bible

   It seems that I have much less on my goals list this year than I did last year, but at least I am being more specific this time around. And now I shall wish all of you a very wonderful year filled with many adventures (the good kind.)