Pull-Ups

A Klay Quote:

Setting: H. and Klay coming home for the weekend. H. called me to ask a question, but got a voice mail recording.

“How did she do the voice mail message if she couldn’t get to her phone?”

Today’s Exploit:

I can do pull-ups now, and I am very proud of myself.

I still struggle to do them with out a little momentum, but I’m getting there.

I do a “kipping” pull-up. Which means that I do a little swing and kick to get my chin over the bar, but I can do them. I am up to 6 in a row, mostly limited by he fact that the bar HURTS my hands. Right now my record is 50 in about 5 minutes. I had a partner, and together we had to do 100.

After doing those 50, the coach decided that I need to do “gymnastics homework” to do a new kind of pull-up. It’s called a butterfly, and it is slightly scary and magical and weird. You can find an example of the butterfly pull-ups here.

I Have Doggies!

I need to make some more marshmallows. And chocolate mousse. And probably some salad.

Today’s Exploit:

I have adopted. (Really it should say "we" but I'm selfish today, and home alone.)

Twice.

First we got a boy.

He is energetic and lovey and pretty.

He is mostly a lab.

Klay named him Chuk.

Chuk has never ending energy.

Then we got a girl.

She is timid and affectionate and slightly irritated with Chuk, although who can blame her?

Klay also named her, he just doesn’t know it yet.

Her name is Stella.

Stella is a German Shepard and Hound mix.  

Chuk and Stella, the two crazies.

Here’s a picture of them fighting over my lap:

 

Stella likes to stay close. 

Chuk is too busy killing all the toys to take pictures.

It's Almost Thanksmas!

Happy Thanksgiving. I will be jealous of everyone who gets to see their families. Thanksgiving is all about extended family and a big reunion.

Today’s Exploit:

Thanksmas is my version of Thanksgiving and Christmas, since my job doesn’t allow me to take holidays off.

My parents and my sister and her significant other will be coming to my house.

Cupcake is the only one who has seen it in person, and she was just there late at night and early in the morning.

And that was before we had any furniture. 

Plus she was more interested in her wedding dress.

Duh.

But now they are going to be crashing my house for a week, and I haven’t even had a chance to put the curtains up.

They may have to do chores before we can do an official house tour.

I Won, With Help

This week’s recommended reading:

Reading it right now, Cover image found here.

Today’s Exploit:

I had my race this weekend.

At the start everyone is happy and excited.
And magically lined up in order of our race bib numbers (unintended).
And I stole these pictures from Catherine.

I did a half marathon in the mountains in Washington’s wine country. (Not that it makes much difference to me. I like the orchards, but my Mom would love it here.)

It took me years to finish because I was babying my legs to make sure I didn’t get cramps. Last time I ran here I got really bad cramps in my legs about half way through the race and had to hobble the second half of the race and hop across the finish line.

This time I walked up most of the hills and ran the level areas and declines. It was much nicer.

I had amazing views and many nice people and great volunteers at the aid stations and road crossings. 

And when I came to the end, I was getting some cramps and trying to keep my calves loose so they wouldn’t seize up.

Then Eli and Cavan ran up to meet me and told me I was being slow and to pick up the pace.

Eli ran with me for a second, but Cavan ran with me the last few turns into the finish. 

At the very end, with about 30 feet left he told me he was going to race me to the finish. And I tried, I really did, but my legs didn’t want to work for a sprint. 

At the end is more relief than excitement,
but having a finishing buddy helped.

I ended up getting 68/78 overall, and 1/3 in my age division. So that was pretty exciting.

It Wasn’t Lifeproof

I have a house! I get in trouble for calling it mine, but I do it anyway. 

Really it’s ours, but MINE is more fun. I sound like a Finding Nemo seagull.

Today’s Exploit:

I dropped my phone yesterday. I had just been thinking how amazing it was that I still had my original screen protector on it. And I had been taking it out of my case more because my charger won’t fit with it on. 

But yesterday, it was in the case, and I just got back from my run. 

I had my phone in my hand, I was walking. And then it bumped against my leg and then was on the ground. 

The lifeproof case isn’t so lifeproof here.

My screen is shattered, and the screen protector is what’s holding it all together. 

And naturally, being at work, I have no place nearby to go to get it fixed, replaced or find a kit to do it myself.

Excited for a House

Working nights when I have a qualified person working days is SOOOO nice, and I don’t have to worry about paperwork!

Today’s Exploit:

So far, so good on the house. 

We had an inspection, and it went much, much better than the last one. The house had normal maintenance issues for a 15 year old house, instead of neglect problems from a 115 year old house after being ignored for 20 years.

We still have a couple of weeks before we close, but everything is looking promising and I am getting pretty excited. 

The house has 4 bedrooms and a media room, which looks like a bedroom. All of the bedrooms are big and bright, although one of them is hot pink. And, to my mother’s dismay, the second bathroom is blue. I am looking forward to so much space for storage, after packing everything for 3 people into a single bedroom apartment. Also, since we will have so many rooms, Cupcake says we have to have Christmas at our house now. 

The kitchen is nice and open, and has an island, and window that looks out on the back porch/yard/property.  It has so much counter space that even I won’t be able to fill it with all my kitchen stuff. Also, it has a gas stove, and I am ridiculously excited about that. I have big plans for taking the cupboards out to replace with shelves, and changing the countertops from it’s current green rock to butcher-block. 

The back porch is truly amazing, and gigantic, and will be perfect with some strings of party lights and an outdoor kitchen area. There’s even a fire pit already in place and an amazing view up into the little hills behind the house. I have plenty of space for gardens and maybe some fruit trees, and H. has space for a shop and is excited about getting to buy a tractor to mow the grass. We just need some marshmallow roasting sticks and some fresh marshmallows (This time I’ll make them thicker!). 

Trying Again

This week’s recommended reading:

Found here

Today’s Exploit:

So the first house didn’t workout, but that doesn’t mean we’re giving up.

Yesterday H. and I went and looked at some more houses. We found some good things and some bad. 

I touched a cat and it yelled at us when we locked it back in its room. We encountered an over-filled victorian with 5 doll houses. And some great views of the lake, as well as some fans that wouldn’t turn off. 

We found one that is just right and makes everyone happy. So we put in an offer. Please cross your fingers for us. Hopefully no one else will out bit us and we can finally move out of our cramped apartment. 

It’s Mine, All Mine!

This week’s recommended reading: 

Today’s Exploit:

I get my house! They said yes!

I am so excited I can’t even put it into words. 

I have so many plans.

First I’ll take out the carpet and some tile.

Then we’ll work on the master bathroom, while I decide what in the world to do with the weirdo downstairs bathroom and laundry area.

Then I’ll deal with the extra tall counter/sink in the kitchen and get a beautiful gas cooktop, and take out the cabinets to put shelves on the wall. 

All the little cubbies need cleaned out and re-finished. As does the mini cellar-thing.

And I get to bring my piano down without forcing myself out of the house to provide space!

At some point we’ll deal with the not so fun tasks, like getting the bee nest out of a wall, and making sure the house is level and not rotting away. And waterproof in the rain. 

I can’t wait to finish the paperwork stuff so the fun part can start!

I’M BUYING A HOUSE!

Have you ever had chocolate cherry frozen greek yogurt?  

It is amazing. I have been slightly obsessed lately.

Today’s Exploit:

I am buying a house.

Finally.

I have been looking for one for 8.4 months now. It took so long partly because I am NEVER home, even less at the same time as H. And I am slightly picky. I want space, and a KITCHEN and nice rooms and WINDOWS and all the things. 

I have looked at a gazillion houses online and about 50.2 houses around San Marcos and New Braunfels. But nothing was right, or if it was right it was sold by the time I got a chance to ask about it. 

After a slightly disappointing bout of home viewings with one feasible option I decided I wanted to build a house so it had what I want and H wen t back to searching the internet. 

And he found it.

The one.

The coolest house in the history of our house searching.

It is a monstrous Victorian with a HUGE kitchen, a bazillion windows and a very large yard.

I WANT IT SO MUCH!

So we put in an offer and started a contract and loan proceedings. And now we wait. 

Please cross your fingers that they accept the offer and things go smoothly. Because I think I might have to fall apart if they say no. 

It will require a lot of work to fix it up, but it will be the most perfect house ever when it is done. And I think part of the appeal is that I don’t have to live with the “new granite countertops and tile floors”. It will be the way I want and I won’t have to feel bad about ditching something that has just been modified.

This will be my new kitchen. 

12' ceilings. I didn't even dare to dream that it could be possible.

That window? It is so deep I need a step stool to reach the back.
Perfect for an herb garden.

It is so big, and bright. And it has 12’ ceilings. I jumped up and down like an excited 2 year old when I walked into that room. It is incredibly dated, and might need leveled, needs new countertops and requires some tile removal, but it is the right size and shape and has so many counters. Oh the excitement!

I’m hoping I’ll be home in time for the inspection so that I can take more pictures. 

I have so many plans and hopes and SO MUCH EXCITEMENT!

Wish me luck.

SO EXCITED!

I have a new helper:

Klay is wearing his PPE for cooking bacon, and ready to demolish some waffles

Today’s Exploit:

I got a package in the mail the other day. It came from my second mom, Tammy. I was really excited because packages are fun, but I made myself wait until I finished my errands to open it. 

When I finally got home I dropped everything by the door and got my scissors out. She sent me so many fun things. 

So many new toys!

I got pieces for another quilt, Grandma Catherine’s cake pans and so, so many icing tips and toys for making cakes pretty. I immediately threw them in some soapy wanter and cleaned a few years of sticky coatings from them. I had to scrub a few of the better used ones a lot and use baking soda to cut through the grease. But now they are all shiny and clean and ready to decorate some cakes. Now I just need to decide on an occasion.  

Some baking soda and water, after scrubbing a bazillion icing tips.

All shiny and clean and drying in the sink.

The cake pans were still in the original box, one that has definitely seen its share of use.
However, the instructions for making a party cake are still in good shape.

Cookies For Sale

I finished Accounting. I think it was the first really useful class I took. Some others have given me new points of view, but the majority of the information has been worthless. Yay for hard Accounting.

Today’s Exploit:

I sold some cookies today. 

I have been spending my free few days between turning in my final project for Human Resource Management and the start of my next classes reading and making cookies. Also I have been avoiding cleaning, but that is not important. 

I sent some cookies with H. one day. And one day I took some to his rig myself. While I was there H’s friend Slick ate six cookies. I heard a rumor that he at most of the rest of them later that evening. 

Then H. came home and said his driller had requested some White Chocolate Macadamia cookies. I assumed that they were the new favorites since I hadn’t made any oatmeal ones in a while. 

But no. 

He wanted some to take home to his family and wanted to pay for them. 

So I did my first ever calculation for how much to charge for cookies, which took longer than the making of the cookies. I might have to add a few cents for calculation costs. 

Then I made a bazillion cookies, because the recipe made a lot. 

And I sent them to the rig.

I feel silly having sent them in a ziplock bag instead of a real cookie bag, the way we used to get them from the Donut Ranch Bakery. Also, I need to design some stickers for the cookie bags! 

Agh!

So much to do. 

And I already had 731405 things on my list.

Of Snails and Pokeys and Bluebonnets

I am learning Accounting! Finally. Something I can use! And it’s really hard. Credit only sometimes means positive and debit only sometimes means negative. I thought math was supposed to be easier than this. Calculus is easier.

Today’s Exploit:

I have been longing for a garden for years. I have big plans for when I own a house, for a billion flowers in the front yard, and raised vegetable gardens and fruit trees in the back yard. I want so many kinds of trees I’ll probably end up with an orchard. And I want a swing set.

And LOTS of party lights and wind chimes and lightening bugs. 

*Side note: lightening bugs are pretty awesome, I see them sometimes if I go running in the late evening at the right trail down by the river.

This year H. decided to fix his yard, because he now lives alone and is in charge of all of this stuff and actually has a yard. So I gave orders on how to do it and played in the dirt and discovered that Texas has some super large snail shells, and lots of them still have snails in them.

I got to plant flowers along the walk way, and told H. to pull all the scary bull nettle super-duper-quadruple-stickery-and-poky giants that lived in the back yard (that are actually called Prickly Poppies). They were probably 4.527 feet tall. And leather gloves don’t do much to dissuade the stickers from sticking you. (I meant to help, but then I had to do homework and it took lots longer than expected.)

Then he added grass seed to the big gap where the monster pokeys were, and a timed sprinkler system to the back yard and drip hose to the walkway. So the flowers are getting lots and lots of water and not interested in flowering anymore, but H. won’t listen to me and they are still getting lots of water. 

Lastly I planted some bulb plants that I can’t remember the name of, but have big pretty orange and red flowers and a transplanted bluebonnet that I rescued from the middle of the yard. They are along the back fence where they get plenty of scorching light and the sprinkler still hits them. Who knows if we made it before the end of bulb-season, but maybe next year, and maybe they will put up leaves. Maybe. 

I Feel Like This Makes Me a Big Kid

I had a long list of posts to write about last night. 

Naturally they are all gone because I didn’t have a piece of paper within arm’s reach at the time.

Today’s Exploit:

I was very brave today.

I did something that I have never done alone before.

It was a big step for me in my kitchen experimentationalism, or something.

Anyway.

The thing I did.

I did it by myself.

For the first time ever.

I canned!

They sealed and everything, on the first try!

That was somewhat less exciting than I had hoped.

But the canning was not.

Yesterday I stopped at a truck on the side of the road with H. to buy some strawberries.  I don’t know if I have mentioned it before, but I live rather near the strawberry capital of Texas, and they make sure you know it.  They have a water tower painted like a strawberry, a huge sign saying “Home of the Strawberry Festival” and everything is painted green and red.  Everything.

So I got a flat of Poteet strawberries.  That’s a lot of strawberries.

I helped Tammy make some jam once, and I helped my dad make some syrup a few times, but I never did it by myself, and I was never in charge. 

So I looked up a recipe for Strawberry Preserves, disregarded it, and looked up instructions on what to do with the jars to make them seal.  

Then I gave up on recipes and tried to remember what we did to make syrup.

I didn’t have any dish washing gloves, that was a major setback. But I got some cool silicone tongs to make up for it.

I hulled 4 pints of the strawberries with my spring-loaded-super-duper-strawberry-huller from Aunt Sarah, and then I sliced them with my extra-sharp-and-kinda-scary-strawberry-chopper/slicer from Cupcake.

It took me about 20.462 minutes to do a million strawberries.

Then I added some sugar and left it to sit overnight in the fridge. 

Today I got out my steamer to my BIG pot, that I magically saved, and put my jars in it, and put my strawberries in my other pot to simmer.

When the jars were hot and the strawberry juice was no longer opaque I used my antique ladle, because it’s the only one I have, to add the preserves to the jars.  I sealed them and turned them upside down on a white towel, because that’s what Tammy did, and because I only have white towels. 

I waited and waited for them to pop to mean that they were sealed, but they never did.  So I checked and they were sealed, they just didn’t do the fun part. 

And now I have 6 jars of home-grown strawberry preserves, that may turn out to be strawberry syrup, but that’s ok because I made it.

By myself.

Aren't they pretty strawberries? They were the small ones, and therefore less expensive, but it also meant I got more of them. Yay

A Ski Trip for Texans

On my way home I stopped at the office to talk to Joanne, the HR person. She wanted to make sure I wasn’t too traumatized by my experiences in Canada. She asked me a few times if I was ok and then we talked about other things for a few hours. 

Her daughter wants to be an engineer and a baker, too. I like her already and we’ve never met. I hope she grows up to be everything she dreams of.

Today’s Exploit:

I went home for a visit. I took H. and Klay with me. I wanted to make them ski. I knew it would be great entertainment. I imagined graphic scenes of a snowball with skis and poles rolling down the hill and yelling. And naturally I’d be skiing gracefully behind it laughing and helping it up at the bottom. As for Klay, I figured he’d pick it up in no time at all.

And it was great entertainment while my dad was teaching Klay. I saw a few good crashes, and the skis came off a few times while flailing and trying to fall sideways. But then Dad had to go back to work and the teaching was left entirely to me. 

That was scary. 

I’m not that great a skier, how am I supposed to teach a four year old?

So we did a few more runs before he decided it was too hard and started telling me he was scared. Then I got irritated and hungry and decided we should stop before I left him in the middle of a windy hill. 

So we had lunch and I switched to a snowboard, which is not the best of ideas in my opinion, I’m just getting somewhat comfortable at the skiing thing. 

I went with H. up the kiddy hill and I made us wreck when getting off the lift. Off to a good start. 

But then H. took a wrong turn and I had to climb back up the hill to follow him, since he was going too fast and ignored me when I asked if he really wanted to go that way.  That way took a long time because the road sloped sideways, and it’s hard to get up and get some momentum when you have to go into the trees to do it. At any rate, I got a good ab workout leapfrogging up to the top side of the road and slipping slowly to the bottom side, just to repeat it all again.

When we got to the bottom, after a very strenuous time for both of us, is when I got to break the news about taking another ride on the chairlift. See, the way we went took us to the back side and we were stuck FAR away from the lodge, and the only way back is to take another run. 

On that one I finally was able to turn a little, which is amazing considering that the other two times I tried to snowboard I was way to scared of catching my back edge and landing on my head. 

I still landed on my bum once or twice or 37.682 times, but didn’t make it so far as my head. 

Needless to say we were done with snowboarding after that, but I did hear a whisper saying that we can go skiing again next time.  

Yay!