Kitchen Nightmares, Level 3, “Hurt Me Plenty”

17 Nov 2014 Leave a comment

by alightningbug in Construction and Repairs, Getting Organized, Uncategorized Tags: ,

Last weekend felt like the difficulty setting on life just randomly upped itself a couple of levels. Kind of like when you’re in a treadmill and it gives you a random mountain to scale. Only, okay, nothing too major, so that’s something. But still.

Friday night I dropped half a chocolate peanut butter cream pie in my lap. We ate it anyway. (It was delicious!) The weekend went somewhat downhill from there.

Kitchen projects suddenly reset difficulty levels. “Hurt Me Plenty” level replaced the “Hey, Not Too Rough” level that I would prefer. If not for the lack of respawning monsters it would have felt like “Nightmare!” level at times. (These are difficulty levels for the video game Doom in case you don’t recognize them. Doom! And that’s kind of how it felt.)

We tried to install our new over-the-range microwave oven. This seemed like it would be such an easy task – remove broken microwave, install new, same-size, same-brand microwave, cook dinner! Presto!

Taking the broken microwave down was easy and lulled me into a false sense of confidence and security. I had watched many YouTube videos in preparation for the task. I felt well prepared. I piled a large stack of books on the stovetop to take the brunt of the weight, loosened a few bolts, and lowered the broken microwave to the floor. Easy. I didn’t break a sweat or even a fingernail. And I took a little pride in my accomplishment as a female and in doing it by myself. (I wanted it done and Dave wasn’t up yet. It was early.)

We had imagined the new same-size, same-brand microwave might actually attach to the same mounting plate already affixed to the wall (the metal bracket that holds the major weight of the microwave). But no.

We measured the old and new and nothing matched. Maybe that’s how life changes should be, but we had hoped microwave manufacturers would see things differently. There is both utility and efficiency in hardware consistency.

We had also hoped that, at the very least, the holes needed in the upper cabinet would be in the same place so that we could avoid turning the bottom shelf of the cabinet into Swiss cheese. I could have sworn at least one YouTube video said these holes were standard among over-the-range microwave ovens. But it was another no-go. As if the manufacturer randomly moved each hole several inches in various directions – except for one which is about two millimeters from where it needs to be. So close, yet so far! Pretty sure that was just to tease any annoy us. Ugh.

That’s when more trouble started. And I started to get sick. Not just feel sick, I mean I started sneezing my head off and having no energy. Time for a full-blown cold just when we’ve turned our one remaining construction-free room into a construction zone.

To be continued …

Foggy Morning Drywall

12 Nov 2014 Leave a comment

by alightningbug in Construction and Repairs, Uncategorized Tags: , , , ,

It’s a foggy morning this Wednesday, November 12.

We’re getting drywall! Finally. Work on our unit and entire building started almost a year ago when our balcony door was locked from the outside thus trapping our fresh-cut Christmas tree out on the balcony in a bucket of water. We could see it through a living room window and wondered if that would be it for the holidays.

They began work on the outside of our unit without telling us. We came home one day, and a sign had been taped on the outside of the balcony door window. The door was bolted (wired) shut from the outside. To be fair, technically, the former liaison to the community had posted a note in the lobby on the Friday before. Seeing as we couldn’t use the front parking lot anymore due to construction, we hardly ever walked through the lobby. The notice was in 12pt type and, at a glance, looked exactly like the previous note that had been up for two months. Out of date, it should have been removed. Danny claimed this was our notification. Communications where not his strong suit. We got a new liaison (our fourth) shortly after.

They would demolish the artificial stucco siding outside of our unit thus turning our balcony into a construction zone. We could no longer go out there except by clandestine escape through a window or the one day they let us out to reclaim our Christmas tree and a few clay flower pots left over from summertime greenery. It was cold and some of the clay pots had frozen themselves to the balcony which we freed with tea kettles of hot water. Sweet escape! The workers were helpful and nice as they helped us relocate the tree and pots.

Scaffolding would go up a few months later, then temporary security walls with their pinky, fluffy insulation, clear plastic, and fresh-cut wood smell. And zero windows. No daylight! Just singing workers on the other side along with the sounds of construction. Banging. Saws. Drills. Yelling. It lasted for months.

The pink walls came down in September. I can see this foggy Autumn morning through actual windows. We’ve been in a holding pattern with odd gaps, large sections of exposed 2x4s and fluffy YELLOW insulation peeking out at us. It’s a bit drafty too, so I’m hoping drywall makes that a little better.

One room will be finished soon, then the rest. We hope. Maybe it will be almost normal and free of leaks. It’s a process.

Because I Should Really Have An App Just For Keeping Recipes, Two-Ingredient Pizza Dough Recipe

15 Oct 2014 1 Comment

by alightningbug in Foodie, Recipes, Uncategorized Tags: ,

Maybe this type of recipe app exists already, but I don’t have one. I have other apps that already have recipes, but I just want an app where I can enter or import my own recipes like a pocket-size set of index cards. Recipes that I really like would be easier to keep track of. And I’d be less likely to misplace notes on recipes-in-progress and experiments – like my mead. There are index card apps! Maybe I’ll check them out and see how well they’d work for this type of thing.

In the meantime, I can post recipes here on my blog so I won’t misplace them. Today, I came across this article and recipe for two-ingredient pizza dough.

Click here for the article on two-ingredient pizza crust.

Here’s the recipe:
1 Cup Greek Yogurt
1 to 1.5 Cups Self-Rising Flour*

*Or 1.5 cups all-purpose flour, 1.5 tsp. baking powder, and 3/4 tsp. salt – thus making it more of a four-ingredient pizza dough, but it still sounds good and fairly simple. Then they brush it with olive oil so it’s really a five-ingredient pizza dough. But who’s counting?

Mix ingredients in a bowl. Knead on a floured surface for 8-10 minutes (presumably until it builds gluten and the dough bounces back after a stretch). Add small amounts of flour if the dough is too sticky. Don’t let it sit around and rise like a yeast-based dough. Immediately form the dough into your desired pizza crust shape. Brush with olive oil. Add toppings. Put into a 450 degree oven and bake for 10-12 minutes.

I really like the idea of making my own self-rising flour because I think I might try it with some white whole wheat flour. Maybe add some honey to the dough too for a honey-wheat crust. That way I’d have a “simple” seven-ingredient pizza dough. Yum! Can we eat yet?

Today’s post

02 Oct 2014 Leave a comment

by alightningbug in Uncategorized

OK, yesterday I wrote that I would start posting regularly again even if the posts were short. Well this one is short. Might write more later. But hay, it’s something!

Determined To Post Regularly Again (Even if my posts aren’t “regular”)

01 Oct 2014 Leave a comment

by alightningbug in Uncategorized

Well, while I have actually been doing some writing, I’ve clearly gotten out of the habit of a daily post. So I’m going to make a super huge effort to get that done even if it’s a super quick little post. This is one for today. Yay, today!

Anyway, lots going on — car stuff, condo stuff, school stuff, birthday stuff, doctor stuff. And to make typing even more of a challenge I smashed my index finger in my car door last week. No, silly, not on purpose. I really don’t think I need more challenges. But lets just say I felt like a real doofus, and my fingernail is not long for this world now (not while attached to my finger anyway). At least I can type again without agony. Yay, no agony!

Last Swim of the Summer

07 Sep 2014 Leave a comment

by alightningbug in Uncategorized

Happenin’ right now. At least, it’s the last day of swimming for this community pool for this year. It was a mild summer, but this past week actually felt like summer. Hot & humid. So the swim feels good.

Horse Sense? Extreme Maneuvers, A Short Story

20 Aug 2014 1 Comment

by alightningbug in Short Stories, Uncategorized, Writing Tags: , , ,

Please check out my latest story, Extreme Maneuvers, on Enchanted Spark.

This was written for Enchanted Spark’s last Photo Flare Contest. It’s a flash fiction piece based on two lovely photos which you can see on that site along with the story. While there, check out some if the other awesome stories, photos that inspired them, and blog posts.

At the time I wrote the story, I did not know if the horse photo was of actual Chincoteague Ponies. The photos are posted without captions.

Also known as Assateague horses, Chincoteague Ponies are a feral breed that live wild on Assateague Island. Residing on the East Coast, a few hours drive from that area, I have seen them before but not as often as I’d like.

They’re a relatively short horse and have round bellies due to the high salt content of their diet of salt marsh grasses. To offset the salt, they drink twice as much water as other breeds.

The story was inspired largely by the photo of the two ponies, but also by a water fall image that was one of several from which we could choose. It looks a lot like sections of Great Falls. I’ll have to ask where that was taken. In my story it features prominently in Wilber’s mind.

I’ve really enjoyed Enchanted Spark contests. It’s been great for me to have a goal and object of focus to help move things along – to help me propel a story into being. Thanks, Melinda and Julie and Enchanted Spark!

The Name’s The Thing, Sparky

15 Aug 2014 1 Comment

by alightningbug in The Daily Prompt, Uncategorized, Writing

The Daily Post’s Daily Prompt for Thursday, August 14 is The Name’s The Thing. It asks:

Have you ever named an inanimate object? (Your car? Your laptop? The volleyball that kept you company while you were stranded in the ocean?) Share the story of at least one object with which you’re on a first-name basis.

Oh looky here! I found a blog post. How’d that get here? Finally.

My blog has a name does that count? I don’t really talk to it or anything, though. I guess I write to it, sort of. If it has a name, but I don’t talk to it is that OK? Somehow I feel like if it has a name I should talk to it … at least sometimes.

My first car had a name. I called it Sparky. I know it’s probably not a very original name for a car. Sparks. Spark plugs. I wanted it to keep working. Keep having a spark. So it was Sparky. It was a maroon, four-door sedan. Previously owned by a traveling salesman. Nice, but a lot of miles.

I usually didn’t talk to Sparky unless I was alone with it. What I crummy friend I was to my car! I was one of those friends. I’ll only talk to you when my other friends aren’t around. Sorry about that, Sparky.

I don’t talk to my current car very often. It doesn’t exactly have a name except maybe, “Car.” I’ve said, “Sorry about that, Car,” if I let the oil get a little low. Or “I really wish people would stop crashing into you, Car.”

Because for a while it seemed like it was a magnet for other drivers to crash into it. I don’t know if it’s because it’s fairly low to the ground or if because other people weren’t paying attention to what they were doing. I threatened to tape bicycle flags to all four corners to increase my visibility. I was stopped at a red light one time and bam! A woman rear-ended me.

A giant forklift was the last to crash into it. Just the tire hit it. I was driving at the time, so it startled me. Car handled it well. I’ve been warned not to drive too close to the airport. I aim to follow that advice. Car and I need all the help we can get.

Vital Fluids, Photo Flash

09 Jul 2014 2 Comments

by alightningbug in Short Stories, Uncategorized, Writing Tags: , , , , ,

I’m very excited, not only, to have recently finished a story and entered it in Enchanted Spark’s Photo Flash contest. I also won! Yay! These are generally fun short stories prompted by, or based on, a photo and are under 1,000 words. In the case of Vital Fluids, it was also inspired by the lack of air conditioning in my car.

Click here to read Vital Fluids.

Visit the rest of the beautiful EnchantedSpark.com website too. There are some really helpful tips for writers of fiction and super nice people. They have recipes, book reviews, and other fun and excellent short stories too!

The Simplest Writing Advice

07 Jul 2014 Leave a comment

by alightningbug in Uncategorized

I very much like this post from Fiction All Day. In fact, I think I’ll use this opportunity to try to “reblog.” This is my first attempt at reblogging, so apologies in advance if I somehow manage to break WordPress.

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