Questions from S.R. Braddy who tagged me in a meme, answers my own.*
*I feel like half the things on the interwebs these days are sponsored, you can hardly talk about a mascara or lipgloss you like without someone assuming Mascara, Inc. and Lipgloss, LLC are bribing you to say nice things about them.
- What’s the first thing you remember, after all the things you’ve forgotten? Ummmm…usually it’s a vocabulary word that I was searching for to properly complete a sentence. The latest of these terms is apathetic.
- What’s the worst book you’ve ever read? Ever? Goodness, that’s a lot of books to sort through. How about since 2007 when I started keeping track of books I’d read and assigning a ranking. That would leave as 1-star books A Passage to India, by E. M. Forester, Eat, Pray, Love, by Elizabeth Gilbert, and Shakespeare: The World As Stage, by Bill Bryson.
- What fictional character would you most want to spend a day with? Fictional? Hmmm…Maybe John Galt? But only if he promises to keep his speeches to 3 minutes or less because, for the love, I could not listen to him for 50 pages at a time. Or Sheldon Cooper, for the hilarity that would obviously be involved.
- What’s the one place in the world you’d love to go to, but you’ve never been? One!? Only one!? How about my top three, that hardly seems fair. In alphabetical order: China, Iceland, Peru.
- Ever tried to like something a friend recommended, but just couldn’t? What was it? Several books, thankfully my 1-star reads were not recommended by friends prior to my reading them (since then, several times…and I try to politely change the topic). Jillian Michaels’ workouts, my body is just too broken to do that kind of cardio and jumping around without taking the time to make sure my spine and hips are properly in line. I have never been so sore as after one of her 30-minute butt busters.
- What’s your favorite way to spend a day off from work? Putzing. I am a world class putzer which involves things like sleeping in, making a favorite breakfast, doing a project or two, going on a little adventure or two, wandering here or there and generally not having any real solid plan. It’s heaven.
- If you had to pick a particular era from history, and you could only wear the clothes from that time period for the rest of your life, which would it be? Probably the late 1950′s or early 1960′s, but without the girdle/corset and pointy-boob bras. Or the hoisery. But the full, belted skirt and cardigan? I can totally get behind that look.
- What movie soundtrack could you dance to all night? Uh, can we still be friends if I can’t answer this question? A) I don’t dance, and I certainly don’t dance all night. B) I don’t pay enough attention to most music to be able to tell you anything about it other than there was some sound.
- What completely impractical feature would you include in your dream house? Two-story library with a spiral staircase and a secret passage to my adjacent bedroom. Secret, like pull out The Adventures of Huckelberry Finn and push in My Antonia and the bookcase magically opens to a little hallway lit with sconces recessed into niches that leads into my ENORMOUS shoe closet. I like to keep all the things I love connected, you know.
- Favorite cooking technique: bake, grill, or microwave? I actually most often cook in a large skillet, but my next most used technique is baking. I rarely use the microwave, and more often than not it’s to heat up 2 cups of water or something like that. I usually reheat leftovers on the stove or in the oven if I can help it.
- How ARE you? Really? Really? I’m okay. Ish. I’m probably on the poor side of “okay-ish” leaning towards “losing my shit,” most of the time, but it’s not really polite to respond to simple questions like this with that type of profanity, even if it’s true.
Filed under: The Penthouse
I love making lists.
I make lists of places I’d like to visit, books I’d like to read, people or topics I’d like to research, grocery lists, to-do lists, color combination lists, master’s degree lists, lists of people to call, work tasks to complete, projects to map out, all sorts of lists.
Sometimes I make lists JUST TO CROSS THINGS OFF!
(What? You know I’m not the only one. In fact, you probably have your own superfluous lists lurking in a drawer somewhere or at the back of a notebook. Put those judgey eyebrows back down where they belong.)
Lately I’ve been on a spring cleaning kick and have been trying to capture all the projects at home that I would like to tackle over the next few months on a single several pages of notebook paper. In the last few days I have completed a couple of those projects, some so easy I cannot imagine why it has taken me over SIX YEARS to get on the ball. (Also? I’ve lived in my apartment for 6.5 years now…which baffles me in almost every possible way.)
Over the weekend (and last night, because I like to stretch my weekends to Monday as often as possible, with or without a holiday) I bought and planted two tomato plants and three hot pink geraniums. We’ll see if I can keep them alive, I would love some home-grown tomatoes this summer…and I’m crossing my fingers that the sunny spot in the kitchen will be enough to encourage those plants to put out. (Hi, apartment living with no balcony or deck means I will attempt to grow a tomato plant in a large pot in my kitchen..any tips?)
I dug out a plant stand from a hidden corner of my apartment, and thrifted another one that just needs a coat of paint. Hopefully keeping some plants at eye level will help me remember to water them. (I killed a cactus because I forgot to water it…me and live plants are not usually the best of buddies…hoping I can turn over a new leaf in that department.) (Pun not intended but I also am not changing it to another phrase because, hello, funny.) (To be clear, I’m not going to turn over a new cactus leaf for obvious reasons. Ouchie!) (I’m sorry! I pinky promise I’m done now.)
I also found a new set of dining room chairs at a local thrift store. I am now the proud owner of the most beautiful chairs upholstered in a muted mustard yellow velvet. They make me swoon every time I look at them. Pictures will be posted in a few weeks when I’ve got the other projects in the dining room done-ish. I bought 7 chairs instead of 6 because I am going to try my hand at reupholstering the spare to see how hard it is. I love the mustard velvet, but it is a bit worn in some places and at some point will probably need to be replaced.
I ordered a rug for the dining room, or the living room, or both. (Okay, I ordered two rugs because I just couldn’t decide! Shhh! They were 80% off with free shipping and they have a 20-day return policy!) I think hypothetically I am supposed to return the second one, the one that doesn’t make the cut in the dining room…but if we’re being completely honest that probably won’t happen. The price was just so great that I feel completely justified in holding onto the spare one to switch up the room when it strikes my fancy to do so.
After an eternity without a bed skirt I finally ordered one from Amazon for less than $20.00. I have never had a bed skirt, I’ve always just hoped my comforter or quilt was long enough not to notice the storage boxes (or enormous dust bunnies) lurking beneath the mattress. No more! In a few days I will have a proper bed skirt AND proper under-the-bed storage boxes and I will only really have to worry about the Jurassic-sized dust bunnies.
I finished arranging a gallery wall in my living room and have ordered almost all of the artwork to fit into the frames. There are a few I’m still looking for, but for the most part within a week or two I’ll have several art prints delivered to fill the blank spaces on the wall. I can’t wait! It will be a mix of painting (prints), an oil painting I’m working on, a few photographs and a few graphic prints.
Several years ago (maybe five?) I inherited a set of white stoneware dishes from my aunt. A few of the plates and bowls were broken, but that set of “would have been” 8 has served me well for years. Until I dropped another bowl. And plate. I don’t have a dishwasher and doing dishes every time I use five bowls just seems like a lot of extra work. I’ve been saving a little here and there to get a set of white dishes for 12 and finally bought them this month. Except I didn’t buy mugs. I very rarely use mugs and I certainly would never use 12 mugs. I also added a few things to my Fiestaware collection and I can’t wait to mix the white and colored pieces up a little…all of which makes me want to plan a little dinner party!
Most of my projects are halfway done, so I’m not going to share pictures of anything until it looks a little more finished, but I am loving the few changes that I’ve made so far. Things as simple as ORDERING A $20 DOLLAR BED SKIRT! will make quite the difference to me. I doubt anyone else would notice my bed was skirt-less unless I pointed it out, and I can guarantee J-Mo has no really strong opinions on bed skirts, if he didn’t read this post I doubt he’d notice the addition because NO ONE BUT ME notices stuff like that….and also keeps it on the “someday” list for a decade. Ahem.
I still have quite a few cleaning and organizing projects, but I like crossing off a few things that are easy to get out of the way to help bolster the completed percentage of my list and inspire me to continue.
What about you? Do you make list? Do you write down things just so you can immediately cross them off? Do you have some spring projects to tackle? What are they?
My monthly(ish) reporting of the delicious or not so delicious things I made in March. If the recipe is mine, meaning I made it up, I will link to my cooking blog, heidikins cooks. If the recipe is the brainchild of someone else, I’ll link there instead. See previous posts on my culinarious adventures here.
Appetizers
Deviled Eggs with Avocado. I wish I’d cooked a little bacon to sprinkle on these as well, but even without they were devoured. I cannot figure out how I always forget how much I love Deviled Eggs.
Spinach Dip. Again, some more. This version I accidentally bought bamboo shoots instead of water chestnuts (the can is exactly the same and they are approximately 3 inches apart at my grocery store, it was an honest mistake). Instead of make a return trip for water chestnuts I just chopped up the bamboo shoots and tossed them in with the rest of the ingredients. The flavor was a little different, but this dip still disappeared quickly.
Cupcakes
Lemon Cupcakes and Lemon Butter Cream. These are the lightest, fluffiest cupcakes I think I’ve ever made, which I think is due to whipping egg whites with buttermilk before folding it into the batter. I wish I’d had some fresh raspberries to top them off, but the lemon butter cream was quite delicious (although I’d cut the frosting recipe in half, it made a TON of frosting).
Dinner
Cauliflower-rice Artichoke Curry. I made this at least three times this month, I just can’t get over how delicious it is! I also don’t miss the basmati rice one little bit.
Italian Wedding Soup. One of my all-time favorite cold-weather foods.
Italian Chili. Apparently I am all about the Italian soups this month. Ahem.
“Emily’s Meatloaf” from the cookbook Dinner: A Love Story. The flavor on this was pretty good with all the veggies and herbs mixed in, but a full cup of tomato sauce means the finished, fully-cooked product is still quite pink, which was disconcerting. (J-Mo checked it with a thermometer, it wasn’t just raw all the way through). Also due, I think, to all that liquid the end result is quite wet, instead of slices we had pink blobs. Summing up: Taste 4 of 5; Presentation 2 of 5. I may try this again with considerably less tomato sauce and see if it holds up better.
Side Dishes
Acorn Squash Soup from Georgia O’Keeffe’s cookbook A Painter’s Kitchen. Roasted acorn squash and cauliflower, onion, garlic, celery, a little bit of cream and spice. Puree it all together and top with a little cheese and some crumbled bacon. This was hearty and squashy (glad I added the cauliflower), but I don’t know how much I love squashy soup. Or perhaps I needed some more spice? Or more bacon? Definitely more bacon.
Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Bacon and Cauliflower. (Same idea as the link below, but I added 3 pieces of diced bacon (raw) and a half head of cauliflower to the sprouts after they’d been roasted about 20 minutes. Roast for another 50-60 minutes.)
Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Slivered Almonds. Roasting sprouts brings out a sweetness you don’t get in boiling, and a splash of vinegar gives them a delicious zing. Yum!
Savory Cauliflower Rice. Simmering this “rice” in broth for 10 or 15 minutes makes the cauliflower incredibly fluffy and full of flavor.
A breakdown of books I read this month. Read previous reviews here or check out the complete list of books I’ve read here.
5-Star Reads
Seabiscuit, by Laura Hillenbrand. I really don’t know how I missed this book when it came out 11 years ago (!!) because I have always been a Horse Girl. Now, I’ve never had a horse, but I have loved them for always. When I was in elementary school I actually knew the stats on the best racehorses every year, I’d scour the newspaper sports section for the tidbits on horse racing and pay attention to who won the biggest races of the year. Seabiscuit describes not only the racehorse himself, but Hillenbrand goes into depth on the lives and attitudes and frustrations of the horse’s owner, Charles Howard, his trainer, Tom Smith, and the two jockeys, Red Pollard and George Woolfe, who rode him to fame. Seabiscuit is one of the most incredible animals routinely shattering records while hauling excessive weight to help “level the field” while he was racing younger (slower) horses. Most racehorses retire when they are 4 years old, Seabiscuit went on to win his “Ishmael” race when he was 7 years old, carrying a staggering amount of required weight, trouncing the younger horses he was racing against, and shattering world records right and left. I am not ashamed to admit that in more than one section where Hillenbrand describes a race, or the grace and athleticism of a Thoroughbred, I teared up and several times was outright bawling. Sigh. I want one. For now I may just have to settle with taking some riding lessons on a loaner pony (yes, I’ve looked into it).
Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can’t Stop Talking, by Susan Cain. You have probably heard about this book already, I’m a little late to the Quiet party, but I’m still going to rave about it for a minute! I have always known that I was perhaps a little introverted, but Cain explains a lot more about why I am introverted and that it is completely okay that I need some downtime to be at my most healthy. I also have some extroverted tendencies, I am not 100% either way, I would say, based on my own super-scientific research, I’m probably 60% introverted and 40% extroverted. I wish I had kept a highlighter or pencil with me while I devoured this book, I will probably have to read it again to mark up my favorite parts. Cain talks about introverts and extroverts in the work place and some issues that are both obstacles and strengths for each type. She explains how an open office plan usually makes introverts less productive because they need some peace and quiet to get their best work done. Cain talks about Wall Street and the economy and how the personality type of those at the top can have serious influence on the state of the stock market and the economy. It was so fascinating! Cain talks about the strengths of introverts, those who are more prone to deep thinking, weighing all options before acting, and who need time alone to recharge. She talks about some of the obstacles for couples or friendships where one party is an introvert and the other is an extrovert. She talks about how to interact with kids who are either the same level of intro/extroverted as you are, or who are completely different. If you haven’t read this, you should. Whether you think you are an introvert or an extrovert, you should read this. Cain states that one-third to one-half of the population is introverted, you will work and live and maybe even fall in love with an introvert, why not try and better understand them? Recommended.
4-Star Reads
Some Memories of Drawings, by Georgia O’Keeffe. Last summer I fell head over heels for Georgia O’Keeffe, her art, her feminist ideals, her whole self, and have been reading as many books about her as I can get my hands on. This is a short but beautiful book with gorgeous prints of some of her early work (no poppies, a lot of abstracts) with her own reflections on the piece. On some pieces she goes on for pages, on others it is a half-sentence. It is interesting to note how O’Keeffe’s opinions of her own art changed from the time it was originally produced to the time, decades later, when this book was created. I love some of O’Keeffe’s earliest watercolors, probably much more than her vibrant red and orange poppies that adorn the walls of dorm rooms and breakfast nooks around the world. Her abstract art is, by far, my favorite. This book details those pieces much more than her later, more famous works. I love it!
Trail of Tears: The Rise and Fall of the Cherokee Nation, by John Ehle. I read this book as part of a summer reading program prior to entering 10th grade, but I didn’t really remember much about it except that it was incredibly sad. In re-reading I find my memory was correct, although I experienced tangible feelings of sadness and rage towards the “Indian Problem” of the mid-1800′s. This book is dynamic in it’s terribly sad, historical facts. Ehle has put snippets of letters, telegrams, speeches, treaties and petitions to Congress. However, there is very little narrative. The first 300 pages are ragey and a bit dry. It wasn’t until the last 100 pages when the Cherokee Nation is being forcibly removed from the Southeast that I began reading on the proverbial edge of my seat. You need the first three quarters of the book to set up the last section, but it is a history text in my ways, and not a novel. Either way, I think everyone should have a working knowledge about this tragic part of our country’s history. We must know history in order to prevent it from repeating itself.
3-Star Reads
Mind Games, by Kiersten White. This is Kiersten’s 4th book and is not part of a trilogy or series, which I already loved. (I hate waiting to finish a story, okay?) I have known Kiersten for twenty years now (!?!) and I love hearing her actual voice come through in her writing. I also think I prefer my YA books to not be about mystical, mythical creatures (vampires, werewolves, witches, ghosts, etc.); I find I relate more to stories where the evil comes from humans and so does the salvation. Especially when those YA novels have a main character who is still in her teens. This story is about two sisters who have their own particular brand of psychic abilities and it tells the story of who is trying to use those abilities, who is trying to manipulate them, and who is trying to control them. Each sister has limited choices and both feel compelled to protect the other, even if that choice comes at incredible personal loss. I think this is Kiersten’s best book, at least it is the one I liked the best.
Old Bones the Wonder Horse, by Mildred Mastin Pace. I read this book as a kid and love love loved it. It’s basically the 100-page version of Seabiscuit, but about the racehorse Exterminator who raced in the 19-teens. It’s a really quick read, and after I read Seabiscuit I decided to pull this out and see how much of the story I remembered correctly. It’s charming, and definitely for a young reader (elementary school probably), but I loved it anyway.
2-Star Reads
How to be a Woman, by Caitlin Moran. I wanted to love this book, I really did. I loved the introduction and preface, but the rest of the pages never quite lived up to her grand opening. Plus in her writing Moran is more crass than anyone I’ve ever actually had a conversation with, construction workers and night shift newspaper people included. I can excuse her frequent use of the F bomb because she is British and somehow it doesn’t count if it comes with a British accent, but everything else? Um, it was a LOT of crass. I feel like being a feminist doesn’t have to come with angel wings and a crown of glory, but it doesn’t mean you have to use every dirty word you can cram into a paragraph. Anyway, it was pretty “meh” on both ideology and writing style. Not recommended.
Previous Reviews
The One Side:
We used to be friends. We used to talk about everything, made plans to explore our city, went out to dinner, spent weekends and empty weeknights together. We chatted through the day, had similar taste in style and books and travel dreams. Not too long ago, we were practically inseparable. Then there was this really unforgivable thing, things were said that hurt my feelings and I felt they were completely on purpose. I cancelled plans because I didn’t want to be hurt again and at the back of my mind I knew that hanging out again would definitely result in my being hurt. I kept myself busy with a couple of big projects, and any time I got stuck in that awkward “what happened to us!?” conversation I blamed my business for my distance. When I starting receiving emails asking the same thing, I continued to blame my schedule and lack of time or energy. I don’t know how long it will take before the hint is FINALLY taken! I don’t want a friendship. I don’t want to talk about it. I just want you to go away!
Only, you don’t go away. I still see you all the time and now it is starting to really bother me. I think if I just ignore you it will be better.
After months of clipped conversations, a lack of even elementary friendliness, and my leaving you off invitation lists you still don’t seem to get it. You are just so annoyingly persistent in this whole “why can’t we be friends” thing. Get it through your head: I. Don’t. Want. To. Be. Friends. Ugh. Seriously.
And Then The Other Side:
We used to be friends. We used to talk about everything, made plans to explore our city, went out to dinner, spent weekends and empty weeknights together. We chatted through the day, had similar taste in style and books and travel dreams. Not too long ago, we were practically inseparable. Then I must have done or said something that left feelings terribly hurt and irreparably bruised, and suddenly all that changed. Instead of a friendly attitude, I was met with dismissal and indifference. Instead of making plans I was left out and ignored. I initiated several conversations and sent several emails asking if there was something I had done to cause the change, to see if there was any way I could apologize and make amends. This relationship was a very important one and I hoped that something as silly as an off-handed comment or cranky week was not going to reduce it to nothing. While I was reassured that it was “nothing” and “it’s not you, it’s me”, months went by and things only got worse, more distant, more gossiping behind my back, blatant ignoring and even a bit of what I felt to be pointed, public bullying.
At first I was heartbroken, then I was upset, now I am indifferent. Closure takes a lot longer when, well, when you don’t have any real closure.
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The One Side:
In most blog circles where I hang out–the type of circles that spill over into Real Life and now my blogger friends are some of my best friends and cohorts–I am known for This One Thing. I do The Thing all the time, it’s talked about, laughed about, photographed, shared, etc. I could easily introduce myself as “Hi, I’m Blogger, I do The Thing.” A few weeks ago another blogger shared a post that mocked The Thing. I was pretty offended, I thought she was being passive-aggressive and deliberately sharing this post to hurt my feelings. But, instead of letting it fester, I emailed her and asked her what had possessed her to share this particular post and how I felt it was a direct attack.
Her response surprised me a little, apparently I had thought that everyone knew about me and The Thing. Turns out, she had no idea. She apologized profusely, told me she had no intention of hurting my feelings and really had never connected me or my use of The Thing to this shared post that openly and blatantly mocked it.
And Then The Other Side:
A few weeks ago a snarky and sarcastic friend of mine posted about how much he hated The Thing. He went to great length to detail the history of The Thing, which he made up in hilarious fashion. I couldn’t stop laughing. I immediately shared the post (before Google Reader became Google Plus and sharing things became a hassle) and went on with my day. Later that evening I received an email from one of the most lovely bloggers I know, she was hurt and sounded offended that I had so passive-aggressively attacked her and her ubiquitous use of The Thing. I was shocked. I had never associated her with The Thing. I stay out of most of the big blogger circles, I don’t go to conferences or participate in monthly blogosphere challenges and projects, I just read blogs and try to improve my own storytelling when I write. I was shocked that my sharing of what I thought was a harmless–if a bit snarky–post would incite a few giggles and nothing more. If I had ever associated this blogger with The Thing that was being mocked I would never ever have shared it. I immediately responded with an apology, I assured this blogger that I had no intention of mocking her, that I, in fact, had no idea she and The Thing were linked in bloggerdom. I appreciated her telling me where I had tromped on her toes and giving me the chance to apologize for it and make it right.
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This post was written more than 18 months ago and was languishing in my Drafts folder, I still think it’s a valid example of my original point. I am one half of both of those stories, and not necessarily always the better half. In writing out these two, different stories I have realized some things about myself and will be making steps to correct a few behavior issues on my part. I’m not talking about “bad behavior” like throwing spit wads on the ceiling or spreading rumors or never tipping my waitress. I’m talking about perpetrating the exact passive-aggressive behavior that drives me batty. If I feel like I can complain about passive-aggressive behavior and festering of emotions, then I need to make damn sure that I am not also acting passive-aggressively on festering emotions. Touche, self, touche.
One of my goals this year was to run the Salt Lake Half Marathon, which is scheduled for April. Five years ago I signed up for the race and trained hard to get ready. It was a week or so before the race and I was exactly where I wanted to be. I had run 12 miles in about 2.5 hours, which was a good pace for me (I’m don’t do speed and distance at the same time), and I felt ready. Then my whole world changed. A nasty car accident left me with Class 4 Whiplash (out of 5), stretched and torn back muscles, a bulging disc in my neck, 6 or 7 ribs that would not stay locked into my spine, and a pelvis that had somehow twisted partway off my spine. Walking, standing, sitting, and sleeping were excruciating. Running was impossible; I was forced to drop out of the race, which was harder on me than I could have possibly expected. I had never considered myself a runner, WHY did this matter!?
It mattered.
Months ago I signed up for the Salt Lake Half determined to complete the race, I figured out my training schedule and started at a very slow jog. A few days later my left foot started to really hurt, it felt like a crack in the bone, something that happened 4 years ago and has never really healed well. I took a little time off, J-Mo and I went on our cruise, and I came back determined to run.
(TMI Alert!)
And then I had a 6 week period. Not 6 weeks of “light spotting” but six weeks of hell, mind-numbing cramps, several boxes of the jumbo tampons, and absolutely no desire to run around the block, let alone run a couple of miles. My doctor has reassured me I’m okay physically, but she can’t really explain the blood nor can she do anything to make it stop. I’m not Googling it because, frankly, I think Dr. Google will tell me I have uterus or fallopian tube cancer and despite Dr. Google not being my primary care physician, my heart just can’t handle that again this year. Finally, the demon period stopped, but three weeks later it started all over again. I just…I can’t. I cannot fathom running 13.1 miles while having to stop every half mile to visit the Port-a-Pottie. Nor do I want to pack an entire box of tampons with me on race day. Not to mention I can’t train for the race with debilitating cramps for weeks on end either.
Late last week I dropped out of the Salt Lake Half. I have another appointment with my girly doc to see if there is anything–absolutely anything–she can do to make it possible for me to get back into some kind of training program. I will find another half marathon this year to run. It won’t be quite as poetic a finish, but it will still be 5 years after my car accident and the longest distance I’ve ever run. I will settle with the concession that it won’t be the same race.
For the last several years my dear friend A. has been hosting a Pi(e) party on March 14th. She certainly knows how to throw a party and amongst our group of friends our pie/pi enthusiasm has grown immensely. A few photos from last night’s festivities.
A few years ago I bought a Pi-shaped cookie cutter, similar to this one, but this is the first year I actually decided to make Pi cookies. This is my first time making sugar cookies (I know!) and while the frosting is not near the mastery that RA turns out with so much ease, I am quite pleased with the turquoise color and my skills with a butter knife. My next batch I’m going to try the pipe and fill method, but I feel I need to work up to that kind of skill.
We had a LOT of pies. In fact, attendance has increased so much in the last few years we had to move to a conference room because A.’s charming apartment would no longer hold all of us and all our pie. We had two banquet tables full of pies! Marbled cheesecake and chocolate silk, banana cream and key lime, sour cream apple and Black Forest cherry, pecan pie and lemon curd pie. This was both incredible and, for me, a little bit torturous. Confession: I had a tiny slice of lemon and a few bites of some of the others, even though it was totally against my “no sugar no carb” goal. I don’t feel guilty about it one tiny bit. LOOK AT THAT TABLE! That was only HALF of our pie buffet! Also, yes, that cherry pie in the corner IS in a pi plate, similar (but quite expensive) one here.
In addition to at least a dozen sweet pies, we also had a couple other options. There were some pizza pies and a few kinds of quiche and I brought two different kinds of 7-layer Mexican Pie…which is basically 7-layer dip in a pie plate. I know, I know, it’s a bit of a stretch, but I knew I could eat 7-layer dip and most people appreciated a little savoryness to break up all that sweet. Both plates were scooped clean by the end of the night.
Me and my friends? We totally geek out about Pi day. A.,our incredible host and pie-maker extraordinaire, found a perfect “Circumference of Pi(e)” apron with all sorts of geeky equations on it (similar here). J-Mo donned a Super-Pi shirt, I found a Pi-rate T that I never ever want to give up, and D., has a fantastic Pi/Pie shirt. (Did you know the mirror image of 3.14 is PI.E? Awesome!!)
I can’t wait until next year!
