A is for application.

Building, loan, FEMA, etc.

B is for bids, which come in today. The anticipation is like Christmas. The dollar amounts are like my own equivalent of the budget deficit.

C is for cabinets. Which I ordered yesterday. And paid for in ADVANCE, which is a huge construction no no. They were 1/5 the cost of the bid from my kitchen designer. I love my online shopping guru husband.

D is for despair. Which is a regular companion to the home building process.

E is for euphoria. Ditto above.

F is framing. Ours is apparently particularly complicated. Like me.

G is for good weather. Which we have had for 2 days running. It makes everything in life better!

H is for home sweet home. Which will be 3 bedrooms and a bathroom for the next few months if everything goes according to plan. Like camping inside. Which is my favorite kind of camping.

I is for income property. Which we do not have. Ours is an outgo property.

J is for justification. Which is sometimes useful in budgeting for fixtures and finishes.

K is for kidding around. Which is a useful way to pass the time while waiting for bids to come in.

L is for looking. For bargains. On everything we need to build a house.

M is for money. We keep spending it. And, we haven't really started yet.

N is for now. Which is when I would like my new house to be done.

O is for organization. I'll get right on that.

P is for piles. Of information important to the building process.

Q is for quickly. Which is how I need to get get things done once I finally realize they need to be done.

R is for running. In circles most of the time.

S is for sinks. I like really special sinks. See justification.

T is for today. Which is a sunny, warm day. Hooray!

U is for unless. The word that comes before a long list of undesirable possibilities.

V is for vacation. Which we just had, but seems like a long time ago.

W is for work. Which I need to do more of.

X is for x-ray. And xylophone. Which are not really applicable to this conversation.

Y is for yay! Which is what I say every time we move forward on our project.

Z is for zippadeedoodah! which is what I will sing the day they start excavation.

You get the idea. I think we are really, really close to starting construction. Keep your fingers crossed!




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Location:Hull, MA

Once upon a time

Once upon a time I promised a friend I would post my Coconut, Oatmeal, Raisin Cookie recipe.

I did not post it.

Now, I am posting it.

The End

The Most Amazingly Delicious Oatmeal Raisin Cookie ever! (according to me)

Ingredients:

2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
2 cubes (1/2 pound) butter, softened
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup brown sugar
3 large eggs
2 cups rolled oats
2 cups sweetened, shredded coconut
1 cup raisins

1. Whisk flour, baking powder, and salt together in a bowl.
2. Beat softened butter (remember that soft butter is veeeeeery important) with the granulated and brown sugar until light and fluffy. About 5 minutes in a kitchenaid type mixer. 8 or 10 if you are using a handheld mixer.

**mixer saving note: use the paddle on your mixer for almost everything. The wire whisk, although much more fun to look at, tends to break if you use it on anything thicker than cake batter.

3. Beat eggs into butter mixture until well combined.
4. Stir flour mixture into butter mixture on stir speed. This is the point at which more is not better in the mixing department.
5. Stir in the coconut, oatmeal, and raisins until just incorporated. (FYI, I use rolled oats, but quick cooking will also work.

Bake at 300 F for about 20 minutes, or until they just start to look golden brown around the edges.

I will now give you some cookie tips. Are you excited?

First, for a consistent cookie outcome, cookies that retain their shape and volume, and don't spread too much during baking, I recommend shaping and freezing your cookies before baking. This also allows you to have fresh baked cookies whenever you want, which is a definite benefit. You will need to add a little extra time to the baking time. I do realize that sometimes you need cookies really fast, so any chilling possible is good.

Second, if at all possible, use parchment paper when you bake your cookies. It helps to keep the bottoms of the cookies from browning too quickly.

Third, I am always aiming to have a soft and chewy cookie that is just barely done. If your ideal cookie is different from mine, feel free to disregard "first", and "second".

Happy cookie baking!





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Location:Hull, Ma

If you're lucky enough to live at the beach . . .

. . . you're lucky enough.

I was walking Milo this afternoon and saw this quote on a neighbors house. Again. It speaks to me every time I see it, and yet I forget within a day or two how meaningful it is.

When people ask what our child rearing technique is, Dave and I always say the same thing. We have high expectations of our children. For the most part they meet and exceed those expectations.

Perhaps I have let that idea get away from me. I have high expectations of life. I must have what I want when I want it or things are not right! That might not be the most appropriate way to live life.

I've come up with a few variations of this quote that would serve me well to keep in mind:

If you are lucky enough to have a home to live in, and food to eat, you are lucky enough.

If you are lucky enough to have a loving family, you are lucky enough.

Most importantly,

If you are lucky enough to have the restored gospel of Jesus Christ, you are lucky enough!


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Location:Hull, Mass.

Is there a doctor in the club?

My new physician search experience. For your enjoyment.

Ring, ring (the telephone at the doctors office)

Receptionist: Hello, ________ Family Practice, can I help you?

Me: Yes, we recently moved to the area and I am looking for a new physician. I was wondering if you are accepting new patients.

Receptionist: No, our practice is currently closed.

Me: Okay. Well, thanks.

Receptionist: Well, we do have two female doctors. They have openings.

My head: what?!?!?

Me: So, you are accepting new patients?

Receptionist: Yes, if you want to see one of them.

My head: Yes, since I'm not a sexist maniac, I would love to.

Me: That would be great.

Time passes and I go to the doctor, and I take Tagg to the doctor. Each time she is wearing a legging/sweater combo that shows a lot of leg. Strange I think. Casual Wednesday? But, she seems quite doctorly, and knows how to fix what ails us, so that's good.

I go to the doctor for a follow up. She is wearing a purple mini dress that zips up the front, sheer tights and chunky green platforms.

The end.

Epilogue
It is two days later and I am still confused. Liked to go clubbing in college and is paying off student loans? Likes being a W O M A N? Doesn't want her practice to become clogged with fussy old people who think doctors should dress a certain way? Missed the class on physician protocol? Still don't know. I might just have to ask her.





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Location:Hull, Mass.

Monday, Monday: A cautionary tale . . .

in which the injured puppy is tired of being cooped up in the house,

the injured puppy tries to jump on the treadmill with Carol because it looks fun,

the injured puppy quivers with anticipation when offered a ride in the car (the alternative to a walk which is to be avoided due to injury),

the injured puppy winds around her feet while Carol gathers necessary supplies for leaving the house, excluding the key which she forgets,

Carol discovers she did not forget to lock the door,

Carol takes the injured puppy to the back deck in hopes the back door is unlocked,

Carol discovers the back door is locked, which she knew because she locked it herself in an effort to keep the 'ocean breeze' from bringing all the sand of the Atlantic ocean, and all the sub zero temperatures of the 'Spring' weather into the 50 degree 'sun room',

the injured puppy stays within 1/2 inch of Carol's feet in an effort to ensure promised ride in the car takes place,

Carol goes to the shed to find a ladder while injured puppy cries in desperation at being left in pooping place while Carol appears to be leaving on promised ride without him,

Carol fights to keep 12 foot ladder from being ripped from her hands while fighting the 'ocean breeze',

Carol places the ladder in position and climbs onto second floor deck to enter her son's room which is left unlocked for just such emergencies,

the ladder is immediately blown over by 'ocean breeze' leaving Carol extremely grateful second floor door was unlocked,

Carol lets extremely grateful injured puppy into the house,

Carol gets the key and loads injured puppy into the car for the promised ride,

Carol discovers it is just 8:15 am,

and Carol daydreams about going back to Florida.














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Location:Hull, MA

. . . it isn't an Oreo

But, it's an even more delicious alternative!

And you could certainly make it say O R E O if you were so inclined.


Sometimes, flour girls like to try new recipes.

Actually, flour girls like to try 
new recipes all the time.

This is how it happens.

I look through a number of my cookbooks.  I have several.  Dozen.  Several dozen cookbooks.  I find it difficult to pass up a pretty cookbook with lots of pictures.

Anyway, it usually happens that I find a delicious sounding recipe, look up a dozen similar recipes on line.  And make a version based on available ingredients and time.

This is the Oreo knock off I tried this weekend.

Ingredients:

Cookie:
1 cup butter, melted and slightly cooled
3/4 cup (150 grams)
granulated sugar
1 cup semi sweet chocolate chips, melted and slightly cooled
1 egg
1 1/2 cup (210 grams) all purpose flour

3/4 cup (90 grams) Dutch processed cocoa powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda

Cream Filling:
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 2/3 cups (230 grams) powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon milk
1/8 teaspoon salt

This is a nice dark chocolate cookie.  It is intended to be crunchy, and under cooking will not make it chewy.  Just in case you are tempted:)

Another warning.  This is definitely a regular Oreo amount of filling.  If you are a double stuff person, or have a taste tester, or are a taste tester, make double filling!

Because of the melted butter, you can mix the cookie dough by hand, which means you don't have to wash the mixing bowl before making the filling.  Hooray!

Whisk the butter and sugar together until well combined.

Whisk in the vanilla and melted chocolate.

Whisk in the egg.  Be sure everything is well combined.

Whisk the flour, cocoa powder, salt and baking soda together in a separate bowl.

FYI:  many bakers are passionate about Dutch cocoa powder.  It is very dark and rich.  But, if you have Hershey's, use it!  It works fine in my opinion.

Mix dry ingredients into wet.  It will be quite stiff.  Use a wooden spoon or spatula.  Switch to your hands if you want to.

Put mixture on parchment or waxed paper, and roll into a 10 inch long log.

Refrigerate for a couple hours, or freeze for 15 minutes and call it good because you are in a hurry;)

You may want to reshape since it tends to flatten.

Heat oven to 325 F.

Slice into 1/4 inch rounds and bake on parchment luned cookie sheet for about 12 to 15 minutes, or until the cookie us firm.

While cookies cool, mix the filling.

Wonderfully easy.

Put all the ingredients in mixing bowl and mix until smooth.  Be sure your butter is soft.  It will be quite thick.  Like cream filling should be!

Put a tablespoon of filling on the bottom of a cookie.  Put another cookie on top.  Bottoms in, of course.


I got about 14 cookies.

Yum!






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Location:Hull, Mass.

Reality vs. Vacation

I want vacation to win. Reality is a bad sport.

I left Orlando at 7:15 a.m. Tuesday morning. It was 70 degrees, on it's way to 82.

I arrived in Boston at 11:30 a.m. It was 38 degrees. On it's way to snowing on Thursday.

I got up at 5:20 on Wednesday to fix Tagg's breakfast and pack his lunch.

I sighed, thinking of vacation where you sleep until 8:00, and someone else fixes all the food.

I took Milo to the dog park to work on his off leash training. He had a short relapse. Which ended in a romp in the harbor. Which ended in a giant gash on his paw. Which ended in an alarmingly expensive trip to the vet. Which ended in Milo chewing his bandage off while we all slept. Which ended in me watching him ALL DAY LONG.

He is very sad about bandages and cones and pain and pretty much everything.

I am very sad that I came home from vacation. He was much safer boarding at his doggie day care. I was much safer reading by the pool.

Vacation: 3 ; Reality: 0

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Location:Hull, Mass.