Lis and I have a day out!

A couple of weeks ago, my friend Lis and I went on an Owl Homes tour.

Since we were broke and trying to kill a lot of time, we toured each home extensively.

We even took pictures to see which homes we looked best in.

These are those pictures.

All of the Owl Homes master bathrooms can accommodate two people at a time.

Three, if two people get in the shower together.

As an added bonus, there are seats in the showers.

Lis really, really had to go to the bathroom in this house.

I decided to take a bath while she was doing her business.

Lis was really tired, touring all those homes, so she decided to take a nap.

After a while, all the houses began to look the same to me.

It also could have been because I was a little tipsy.

Makin' sure those damned kids stay the fuck off my lawn.

Another house, another bathroom.

This bathroom, however, had a fireplace AND wine in it.

We decided this was the house for us.

So, I kicked off my shoes and sat down to read a book.

Lis, on the other hand, took a nap in the chair.

Then, after we decided we couldn't afford our new dream home, we went clothes shopping.

Lis found her perfect dream dress in a second hand store.

We ended the night at Sprague's, where Lis celebrated her birthday.

Too bad Lis's birthday isn't until June.

Giving up.

So, this little 60 in 60 thing isn't going to be finished. I haven't baked since the 19th of October, and that's fine by me. Life has been a little more than baking recently. So: I'm giving up on 60 in 60. Which is fine. I don't feel I've left myself down and I don't feel that I'm any less of a person because I didn't complete this. I had some fun, and I made a ton of great cookies. I also helped Bona Responds raise almost $250.

What have I been doing recently then, if not baking?

My brother turned 30 on the 20th. There was a party. I made cupcakes and a cake. Both were delicious. Then I got sick. Deathly ill, waking the boyfriend sick. The next day I did some theatre work at St. Bonaventure University. I ended up turning the houselights up and down for Michael Cooper. I also spent 20 minutes of each show being creeped out by a giant baby head. I did that for two days, then on Friday I spent the day with my friend, Lis. Since we're both ultra-broke, unemployed, former SAC employees, we spent the day walking around various shops, turning in out pop cans (nickels, FTW!), and looking at Owl Homes.

Owl Homes, for those not in the know, are pre-manufactured homes. Apparently, you choose one by going on a lot and looking through all the model homes and then deciding which one you like best. Some are even decorated so you can see their potential. Most of them have awesome kitchen islands installed. All of them have enough shower space for two people. One of them has a fireplace in the bathroom.

In the bathroom!

Since then I've watched a lot of television, and sat around on the couch a lot.

Sunday, on the other hand, is going to start a whole new challenge. (Well, I've done part of it before.) Sunday, I officially begin my 6th year of NaNoWriMo. It'll also be my first NaNoWriMo as Municipal Liaison (ML). If you don't know, being a ML is a big, huge, awesome responsibility. I'm, officially, in charge of herding cats, basically. All the other NaNoWriMo writers that go to write-ins and post questions on the forums and need pep talks. I'm in charge of them. Making sure they play nice, making sure they have all the answers they need to write, and making sure that they have all the pep they can handle - plus some!

Oh, and I also have to write 50,000 words in 30 days.

Well, it's 6am, that last paragraph didn't make sense, and my cats (the fur kind) need petting. Also, this post should have pictures, lots and lots of pictures. At least two of them should have bathrooms involved and at least one of them should have a bathroom fire place. There was even going to be a picture of me wearing a very large headset. But, alas, the laptop won't reconize the memory card from the camera.

Here, have a picture of puppies instead:

60 in 60: Day 21- Pink Lemonade Cookies

I have come up with a semi-solution to the problem with my over-flowing freezer: The local college community out reach/volunteer program is having a bake sale to help with LiveStrong Days the first weekend in October. I'm going to donate some cookies to them, so if you'd like to taste some of my cookies and help a good cause at the same time, come out to the bake sale that weekend. I'll post more details as I know them.

Today's cookie recipe can be found at mom-mom.com.

Pink Lemonade Cookies

Ingredients:

Cookies:

1/2 c butter

1/2 c sugar

1/2 t baking powder

1/4 t baking soda

1 egg

1/3 c pink lemonade concentrate- thawed

1 3/4 flour

Frosting:

2 t butter

2 c powdered sugar

2 t pink lemonade

5 t water

Cookies:

Beat the sugar, butter, powder, and soda together.

Add the egg and lemonade.

Add flour (my mixer did all this for me, no need to break out the wooden spoon).

Put the cookies in the oven for 10-12 minutes at 350 degrees.

Frosting:

Add all the frosting ingredients together and beat. You may need to add more water to get the right consistency of frosting.

Let the cookies cool and then frost.

With your leftover lemonade concentrate, make a quart or so of pink lemonade to go along with your cookies. Enjoy!

These cookies were really good, but the frosting was too sweet for my taste.

Yield: 27 tiny cookies

The best and worst 2 months, ever. (Part 3)

((This is the last bit of this saga. After this my blog will be filled with delicious cookies for a few months.))

A few days in to August (I'm not sure, exactly, the date) I got a phone call from my old boss at St Bonaventure. I worked there as a theatre tech helper while I was laid off and had loads of fun. I was sad to leave. He asked if I'd like to help out on some shows this season. I said yes, of course, and asked when I should go in to see the schedules in the like. He said the next day would be fine. I was super excited, I had a job again! I got up early the next morning and biked the mile to the college only to find out that he really didn't need me until October, he was just making sure I'd be available.

On my birthday, the 20th, I got a text from my landlord. He asked if it was acceptable to not pay rent or if I had moved out. I responded asking if it was acceptable to let me live in the shit hole that I live in. He didn't have much to say to that other than it's hard to pay for plumbers if I don't pay him rent. I didn't respond. It was my birthday and I was in no way going to let him get me in to a pissy mood before my party.

I had stayed at my boyfriend's apartment the night before, like I sometimes do, and had to make a stop at my house for one thing or another before going out that night. Luckily, he waited in the driveway for me to get whatever it was that I needed (my belt, I think, or something equally needed, but trivial). When I got to the top of my stairs, I found a note stuck in the window of the door from the power company. Oh joy of joys, my power had been disconnected on my birthday. Would the day ever get any better? I went in, got what I needed, apologized to the cats for not having the fan running, and left. I didn't take the note with me, but I did tell the boyfriend what happened. I allowed five minutes to talk about it and feel pity for myself before I demanded not to hear about it again on my birthday.

My birthday was almost awesome, by the way. With the exception of my best friend turning in to an angry drunk and the boyfriend being just a bit too possessive for my taste. (While I appreciate the sentiment, I can take care of myself, and I know when to say no.)

My old boss from the SAC now works at St. Bonaventure and he's looking for someone part time. I got his cell number last Monday and asked if he was still hiring. He told me it was only ten to fifteen hours a week, but if I still wanted the job, he'd contact me later.

I've yet to hear from him, but I have my hopes up. What's the worst if I don't get it? It'll just turn in to the best and worst three months. And that, I just might be able to live with. After all, I do have work lined up for three days in October.

((Also, as I mentioned in the comments of part 1, but neglected to state in any entries. I did finally suck it up and apply to everywhere within biking/walking distance. No one seems to want me, I guess.))

Dance to the music

I went to see Almost Abba at Olean's Festival Italia this weekend and during the band's break I realised something:

I just love to watch people dance.

When you dance, you're in your own little world.

Sometimes, your friends come for a visit,

And it doesn't matter if everyone is doing the same choreography,

Or if it looks like they're dancing to different music,

As long as you just dance.

I think I may love watching people dance just as much as I love to dance.