Cupcakes

Awww... aren't they adorable? (The "sprinkles" are candy-coated chocolate that I had bought previously to decorate a gingerbread house. They still tasted fine, so I figured I'd use them up.)

Odd... I thought mom's tupperware cake container was rather larger... oh well, the last seven *just* fit in a single layer in a Rubbermaid (shoe style) storage container, although it's rather taller than it needs to be. I guess it's okay that five cupcakes weren't "presentable". (I ate two this morning, and took the other three over to share for family dinner... and since mom can't have wheat, three was the right number for dessert.) I'm impressed that mom hasn't lost the handle for the cake container, given that it's from the 1970s.

All ready for work tomorrow:


I hope my coworkers like chocolate cupcakes with orange frosting!

"Smooth Move, Exlax"

That's what we'd say to each other in grade school when we screwed up. Yesterday I was batting 1000, it seemed.

1. Even after the neighbour recommended it before I started, I forgot to run the shelf boards through the joiner before cutting the biscuit slots. (Recutting the biscuit slots afterward, several slots ended up wider due to not being lined up the same.)

1b. (I forgot to include this the first time.) Also, for some reason, the joiner wasn't cutting right up against the guide. Instead of figuring out why, I decided to just hold the board upright away from the guide. Apparently I didn't hold it quite correctly, because there's a bit of a gap on one side of the shelf. (Oh well... it's my first biscuit-joining effort, and it'll be hidden in a closet. It's functional.)

2. I put on the glue, got the boards together, *then* went to look for the clamps... and found that only one was wide enough. (At a bare *minimum*, I needed at least two.) Luckily a neighbour came to the rescue. (I just got an e-mail from my uncle... there should have been 2-4 pipe clamps, but I guess I wasn't looking in the right places. That's what happens when you've already spread the glue on a hot day, and are paranoid it'll dry before you get things clamped.)

3. I'm sure I saw painter's pyramids at Home Depot the other weekend when I was there, but I didn't buy any because I assumed my uncle's workshop would have them. When I went to buy them last night, I couldn't find them, and the store employee didn't know about them. *sigh* (To make it worse, my mom was *at* Lee Valley on Friday, and asked me beforehand if there was anything I wanted! Lee Valley is closed on Sundays.)

4. I baked cupcakes last night. As I was assembling the ingredients (*after* going grocery shopping), it occurred to me to check the expiry date on the baking powder: two years out of date. I decided to continue anyway (the stores were closed, and I had already started)... thankfully they turned out fine anyway.

5. After the batter was ready, I went to get the cupcake tins out... and realized I hadn't checked for the cupcake liners before grocery shopping. Thankfully I *found* them... sadly I was five short. (Out of two dozen needed.) I took a gamble and put the batter directly in the non-stick tin for those five. So far, my two attempts at getting them out have resulted in the top coming off separately, and the bottom coming out in crumbs. (Yum... being forced to eat "damaged" cupcakes!) Thankfully 19 is still plenty to bring in to work on Monday. (There will be enough for everyone to have at least one.)

6. After putting the batter directly in the tin, it occurred to me I could have cut circles out of wax paper to put in the bottom.

7. When I woke up this morning, I realized I could have *made* liners by squishing circles of parchment paper into the tin.

I will console myself on my stupidity by eating three more crumbled cupcakes. (At least there's an upside to my stupidity, this time.)

A Tale Of Two Calendars

Just over two weeks ago, I got a phone call. It was a courier, explaining he couldn't get in my building to deliver a package. A package? I didn't order anything... who sent me something to my old address?

I let him know my new address, and how much longer I'd be home.

Package received, I opened it up. It was a Crochet-A-Day calendar. Odd... I didn't remember submitting any crochet patterns. From the invoice, it didn't look like something a friend had sent me. I went through the whole calendar, but couldn't find a pattern by me. Then I had a vague recollection of submitting a knitting pattern. Sure enough, when I looked up the accepted patterns on the knitting calendar, I found mine.

I e-mailed the publisher to tell them they sent the wrong calendar, and that I had moved. They said to keep the crochet calendar as a gift, and that they'd get a knitting one out to me.

A surprisingly brief period of time later, I came home to a message on my answering machine: DHL wasn't able to deliver a package, and could I call to make alternate arrangements. Hmmm... I hadn't seen any "missed delivery" slips...

I call. They had my old address. I give them my new address, and put a note on the door that they are authorized to leave the package.

Next day: nothing.

Day after: nothing. I call again, checking the address. "It can take 24 hours." "It's been 48!" "Uh... 24 to 48. It should come tomorrow!"

Day after that: phone call, they can't get in my building. "I already called to say I had moved, and gave the new address!!!" "Sorry, that wasn't written on the package." (Uh, maybe you should check the computer? They probably couldn't write it on the package because you hadn't brought it back in!) *sigh*

Get home tonight: package! Come inside: phone message: "could you leave a signed note so we can deliver your package" ?!?!?!!!

Since I have my package, I decided not to return the call.

My pattern is May 27 - 30. Enjoy! :)

Sock Monkey

I knit one of these several years ago for a friend. I meant to knit a second one for myself, but didn't get around to it until now.

I was knitting on him this morning on the bus, when two ladies got on and admired him. Then the inevitable: "You could totally sell those!"
Me: "I'd have to charge a lot to make it worth my while."
Them: "No, you can actually charge quite a high price!"
etc.
Finally, I do a bit of mental math, based on how long I think I've already spent, how much is left, and at what hourly wage it *might* be worth my while to knit them for profit.
Me: "I'd probably have to charge something like $80 for it to be worth my time."
Them: "Oh. Um. ...but I guess you're using really nice yarn..."
I didn't tell them that I hadn't bothered to factor in the yarn, since it doesn't use much. Or the fact that the pattern might not allow sales for profit. They did stop with the "you could sell those" conversation, though.

(Next time someone suggests I sell the socks I make, I'll let them know they'd be $350. To those I give socks to: "You're welcome. *You* are worth my time.")

Fridge-Be-Gone

The fridge is gone! Yay! Both it's contents and it left on Tuesday. :) (Dad took the contents to the dump, and he sold the fridge.) When he e-mailed me earlier in the day about someone coming to buy the fridge, I suggested he might want to clean it, so the buyer didn't run away screaming.

While dad was cleaning the fridge, I had an mischievous thought. I sent the following e-mail to my dad's wife:

Dear ###,

I thought you might be interested in this: evidence that my father is capable of cleaning! In the last photo you can clearly make out that there is less dust on the top of the fridge. In the first two photos you can clearly see his face.

Yours,
###

My dad responded back:

Smarty pants!!

Stinky

Dad had a fridge in the basement. Said fridge had food in the freezer portion. I have no idea how old that food was, but I'm sure it was ancient even before he moved out a year ago. (Ancient as in "carbon dating might be useful".)

Dad tried to clean the fridge out a while ago, and then e-mailed that it had turned out to be "a bigger job than he was expecting." After that comment, I took a peek inside, and saw this:


Last Friday, movers came to move some of dad's larger items. No, not everything of his has left, but they took the couch, two filing cabinets, a safe... and moved the fridge from the basement to the back yard.

Sunday dad asked me to check to see how the thawing was going. The insulation must be pretty good, because it's been hot here, and, besides a few things poking out the front, it was still pretty much a big block of ice.

I suggested I could prop the doors open, and then it would melt faster. He said he couldn't be here until this afternoon or evening, and not to prop things open until this morning. I have trouble making the bus as it is, but I said I would do what I could.

This morning I propped the fridge door open, plus the freezer door (old school: it only opens when the fridge is open). It was a hot day again today.

When I got home there were flies, etc, buzzing around the freezer contents, which were still in the freezer. I sent dad a reminder e-mail. (Trash day is tomorrow. I don't want it rotting all week in the trash cans until the next pick-up!)

Late tonight he sent his excuses. He said he'll take the stuff out to the dump. I sure hope so! And I hope he comes soon... otherwise I'll have to avoid the back yard because of the smell! (Although it looked like there might still be some ice at the back, the meat at the front has thawed and is... "fragrant".)

*sigh*

(I sure hope those raccoons don't come back and drag everything around the yard!)

Random Photos & House Update

These trash cans have the words "Take Pride Winnipeg" on the sides, to encourage us not to litter. Dear city of Winnipeg: It would be easier to "take pride" and not litter if you emptied these a bit more often, so that they weren't filled to overflowing! Sheesh.


My dad had some movers helping him with larger items on Friday. I wasn't home, so he borrowed my car keys and moved my car forward a bit, to make room for the movers. Saturday I went to go grocery shopping. Looks like the spot my dad moved my car to is under a favourite perch of a rather large bird. My car was *well* decorated with bird droppings. (Oh well... it was needing washing anyway, and $2 at the coin operated car wash got most of it off.)


There appears to be little muddy paw prints on my back gate. My guess is raccoon.

Yesterday the only thing I accomplished around the house was washing the tub and bathroom sink with Tilex Soap Scum Remover. (I had noticed the shower squeegee was picking up some scum when I used it.) The rest of the day was taken up by going to my first Fringe show ever (I saw "More Power To Your Knitting, Nell"), and grocery shopping.

Today I had a lazy morning, and then spent several hours outside in the hot sun (whoops, I meant to get out in the morning... but I really needed the morning for "mental recuperation") weeding. Signs it's time to finally get outside (despite everything else needing doing, and despite the heat) and weed:
1. Your neighbour offers to point out the weeds in your yard, thinking you've mistaken them for flowers.
2. While weeding, when you notice it's getting time to go inside and clean up for dinner, you think "I'll just pull a few more of these ones that I don't need to bend over to pull".
I weeded the side garden, front gardens, the shady "secret hideout", some of my neighbour's garden that is adjacent to my yard (the seeds were ready to blow off, and they're a type easy to pull... I was right there, I might as well), plus the little patch I have stuff planted in out back. Of course, the rest of the back yard and parking area still needs to be done... but I am only one person, and can only do so much. I *did* get stuff done this weekend, and that's what counts. Also, I filled *two* trash cans with weeds! (Since they were going to seed, I didn't want to compost them.) I need one left for house trash, right? ;)

I managed to get a wasp sting right at the start of the job! (My apologies to any neighbourhood children who heard me when I got stung... wasp stings hurt like the dickens!) Stupid thing fell into my glove when I was pulling a weed with flowers, and then stung when the glove squished it against my hand. I really can't blame it... if I were a wasp, I'd have done the same thing. I went in and ran it under cold water. It didn't swell any more than a mosquito bite, and didn't hurt for as long as the previous time I was stung. (Well, the initial pain didn't last too long... I've now got a secondary pain like bruising at the site, or arthritis in my wrist. The sting was right on the wrist.) This is my second wasp sting now, so I guess that means I'm not allergic to them. Of course, this one wasn't the same variety, it was by a little guy... does that have an effect on your reaction to the stings?

Well, I'm bushed. I guess I'll pack it in early tonight, with the hope that I don't hit the snooze button as much in the morning. ;) (Flex time... I've mostly been coming in at 9:15, but if I get moving a few minutes earlier I'd catch the bus that gets me there at 9 with less walking, and ideally I'd like to arrive at 8:30, so that I can leave a bit earlier.)

Anatomy of a Bathtub Tap

*Yawn*! I *need* to get to bed! However, I got the tap disassembled (farther than before, although perhaps still not far enough), photographed, and reassembled. I tightened everything *snug*, and I think the drip might even be less, although I didn't watch it very long. I've plugged the tub again, so I'll check in the morning again. (Although this time it won't be 12 hours... more like 7.) Hopefully it'll either hold now, or the store people will be able to recognize what we need from the photos.

If you are curious, here's the anatomy of my bathtub tap, behind, front, and dissected:


(Sadly that tag didn't contain any maker information, just a warning about excessive heat voiding the warranty.)


(This is the part that looks crumbly... looking at it again, I think if it goes, I just won't be able to turn the faucet on and off, but the water won't come blasting out.)












(I had trouble getting all the bits back in... I was worried I'd have to use the scary shower tomorrow morning! Thankfully it *did* go back in after a few tries.)

Office View

I noticed some interesting clouds the other day, so I got up from my desk and took some photos of the view from my office.


(Not great photos, but cool that I have an office with a view!)

When the current co-ops leave, I'll have the option to switch to one of the two offices they're in... apparently the office I'm in can get rather hot in the summer sun, although I haven't had a problem so far.

I noticed a screw in the brick wall behind and above my monitor, and thought that a painting of mine would look nice there. Do you think I can *find* that painting?!? (There's another one the same size that I also can't find... what on earth did I do with them? I really need to work on unpacking...)

Unpacking Update

Does it count as "putting things away" if boxes labelled "china cabinet" get put in the china cabinet?

(I don't want to unpack the boxes yet, because the china cabinet won't be staying there.)