It's a Boy!

Congratulations to Steve and Sarah on their new little bundle, and a hearty warm welcome to Charlie. It was such an honor to meet you today.

Oh crap!

I still need to blog tonight!

Recipe for cookies so burnt they stick to your non-stick baking stone

Preheat oven to 375.

Mix 2.25 c. flour, 1 tsp baking soda, 1 tsp salt in small bowl.

Beat 2 sticks butter, 3/4 c. sugar, 3/4 c. brown sugar so hard that you have to dampen it with water and shave some off, 1 tsp. vanilla extract.

Add 2 eggs, one at a time, disregarding the strange things wet brown sugar does to the mixture.

Stir in flour and stuff.

Stir in 2 c. chocolate chips, plus a few butterscotch chips since you've eaten enough of the chocolate ones that you don't quite have 2 cups.

Drop rounded tablespoonfuls onto ungreased baking sheet (if you dare).

Leave in oven for 25-30 minutes or until they smell less like chocolate (and butterscotch) chip cookies and more like a chemistry lab.

Let stand for five minutes before trying to chip them off the baking stone and giving up.

Countable Nouns

So I looked "brussels sprouts" up on wikipedia and the most interesting thing that wikipedia had to say about them is not that they are packed with vitamin C or a relative of the cabbage but that "brussels sprouts" is a countable noun, which I have never heard of but, of course, makes perfect sense. One can say "seven brussels sprouts" and be completely and utterly grammatically correct. (Okay, the real shocker for me here is that grammariticians need to dole out terms for every last thing - even things so obvious!) But anyhow, because I think it is humorous, my trivia question for the week is dealing in countable nouns.

Please, my friends, decide which of these is the countable noun:
a. milk
b. luggage
c. news
d. stereo
e. grass
f. grammar

And if it isn't weird enough that I was searching the internet for facts on (countable) brussels sprouts, I was also playing this game. Who knew that a vegetable could be good for so many laughs. And be such a perfect diversion for a girl who really should be working.

Noble Beast

This guy I live with just surprised me with the new Andrew Bird CD. It got stuck directly into the cd player, it's playing right now, and let me tell you, it's delicious. First I'll try it out here in our stereo and then on my ipod with headphones and then, the ultimate test and best for last, in my car. Andrew Bird makes me glad that music was invented. He's a mad scientist.

First song on the album:

Happy Chinese New Year

Here is your horoscope, Oxen. Pretty good news. :)
"In 2009, the Oxen will be given many opportunities to further your plans and goals, as well as consolidate your position. Steady progress is the position where the Ox is most comfortable and that is where you will find yourself this year. You will also have a chance to impress and gain support from those around you. This is a good year to enhance your skills and add to your repertoire with added training or study. You will be satisfied in knowing that anything you do this year will repay you in this year and the years to come. The months of May, late August and September may mark a change in your career."

Pizza Eating

I want you to know that our dinner dates (who ate 6 pieces) thought we were insane to insist on two large pizzas, but of the 24 pieces and the 24 hours we've all had to eat them, (well we took home the left overs), our family pizza eating tally has hit 15, which is righteous. Though I can't take much credit. Eric has complained that I've only done 20% of the Huls pizza downing this weekend. So you do the math. (My husband is the true champion.)