Tuesday, February 09, 2010

Mary Poppins' bag

That's how my brain feels- like Mary Poppins' bag. No telling what I'll pull out of it! So here are a few tidbits knocking around my noggin lately.

BLUEBERRY MUFFINS

I find myself making this muffin recipe about every other week. However, I change it enough that I want to repost it with my revisions (in italics).

Ingredients

1 c. sugar
1 c. nonfat milk
1 large egg (2 eggs makes them kind of better, though, in my opinion)
1/2 c. apple sauce (unsweetened)
2.5 c. flour (half whole wheat/half white)
2 tsp. baking powder
1 c. blueberries

Directions
Mix flour, sugar, and baking powder. Then add in the egg, milk, and apple sauce. Lastly, stir in blueberries.

Bake at 400 degrees for 20 minutes. Makes two dozen.

LOVE love love them. I've gone all the way to using all whole wheat flour instead of half and half, but that is some serious fiber consumption, just to warn you. :)

EVEREST- BEYOND THE LIMIT

So I've been watching this show called Everest- Beyond the Limit. It's a reality show/documentary following expeditions up Mt. Everest. I'm kind of obsessed with it. It doesn't help that I started watching during Snowpocalypse 2.0 last week.

First of all- these people are crazy. Climbing Mt. Everest is crazy. This morning as I had the 20ish degree Oklahoma wind slapping against my face, I wondered if this is what it's like to climb Everest. Um, no. It's not. Not at all. If I were at 10% oxygen, that'd be a tiny step closer.

Also, I am fascinated by Sherpas. These guys can literally run up and down Mt. Everest in about 12 hours what Westerners need about 50 days to acclimate and do, because over time and generations their bodies have evolved to excel in the climate. I wonder what southerners are acclimated to do. Sweat? Survive in crazy humidity? I dunno.

VALENTINE'S DAY GIFT (?!)*

Let's face it- I can't help but think this is a joke. The OKC Animal Welfare office is running a special by waving fees for adoption of cats over 6 months old in honor of VALENTINE'S DAY.

Seriously? Are they seriously targeting people wanting to give a cat as a gift, or are they targeting lonely people? Ladies just remember- once your cats out number you, you enter the dangerous crazy cat lady territory.

SPRAY... OR WHISTLE

I need something to keep lame boys away from me. I'm thinking either a spray like mosquito repellent or an audio signal, like that noise that only people under 30 can hear.

Surely there is a large market for this product.


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*Disclaimer. I kid, but I got my cat, Penny Lane, from the OKC Animal Shelter 3 years ago. She was 2 years old then- old for a shelter cat. So it's a good thing to adopt a pet if you're thinking about getting one. Just look at this face!

Penny Lane

Thursday, February 04, 2010

Ice Storm- 2010

I realized this is my fourth straight winter in Oklahoma. I am a little stunned. I also realized that every winter we've had a significant ice/sleet/snow storm (see also 2009, 2007, 2006).

So here are some of this year's pictures. You can see them all here.