oak park

D Day Final Thought

As I begin to make this cake that I unwittingly agreed to bake post many glasses of wine, I feel the need to honor the moment.  She has been a force to recon with my whole life, from the early days of delivering tutti fruiti underwear to each other, playing bozo the clown card games with grandma and driving rock cars in the backyard, my sister has been one of my closest companions.  We haven’t gone without our share of troubles, but we have been unshakable partners in crime.  My sister and future brother in law are fortunate to have found each other at just the right time.  I am so happy that she is going to get the opportunity to share her life with someone and experience the joys (and not) of marriage.  I welcome her now into the family of married people.  We are happy, insane and complete in ways we weren’t before.  I love you.  A lot.

The final countdown

Are you kidding me.  The day is upon me.  Today I looked around the house for all of hte little pieces of everything that I need for tomorrow….cake boards, icing tips, color gels, everything.  The flowers arrived, the topping is done and I like an insane person tried to make a new filling for the cake.  I followed the recipe and I clearly can’t make fudgy wonderful chocolate filling.  It tastes good, but has the texture of…hmmmm….sand.  So, wish me luck tomorrow.  We’ll see how it goes!!!

Near vomit mode

The cakes are made. They are on the freezer where they’ll stay till early Friday morning. The topper is done and the funniest flowers will be delivered ups on Thursday. Seriously cutting it close. Eggs and butter bought tonight…the rest will come. Can’t wait to share photos of it all. Most worried about the stacking aspect which I’ve not done before. Ill be happy my dad, mom and sister will be there to help. I do think the topper is beautiful. Thanks for the positive comments. Good night!!

Date Night Horrible

Husband and I had an unexpected and welcome chance to go out for a date.   It has literally been months since our last date, just the two of us.  It used to be we’d go out all of the time, but the past few months we’ve been much more home and neighborhood bound.  So, I dusted off the printer, and processed some Groupons I had bought a while ago.  I found one to a local restaurant/watering hole.  When we arrived a sandwich board outside said is was karaoke and $1 well drinks.  How bad could that  be, we’d have some drinks, apps and dinner.  Well the spinach and artichoke dip tasted like pork….not a good fit for husband dear.   The lobster alfredo tasted like fish mac and cheese.  Super disgusting.  We sent the fish mac back and got a filet sandwich.  That tasted more like  a salt lick and was earthy in a bad way.  My blackened chicken was okay, not even really okay.  The pasta as heinous.  That said, the service was awesome and the cocktails were good.  But, I won’t be eating at the velvet rope again.

14 inches may just be too big

My first failed cake happened this weekend. I won’t be doing a layer that big. It did eventually cook, but suffered as it tried to be set free. I put the whole thing in a king sized Tupperware container and the kids ate fistfulls of it all weekend. In their minds a resounding success. One more thing…what idiot decides to tear down a wall weeks before a wedding cake? Oh yeah, that’d be me.

These boots are made for skating

Let’s get this straight, my neighbor is insane.  I don’t mind saying this cause she won’t ever actually read the blog.  Unlike Steve, who will read this, but I don’t like at all… but that’s neither here or there.  This neighbor comes home from a whirlwind shopping trip with skates and pads with a grin on her face from ear to ear.  Ohhh, did I ever NOT want her to bug me to get out there on my skates, practice, smile and generally foster a positive attitude about life.   Grrr.  But, late in the day she says, let’s go for a spin.  She starts talking about going to a skate park.  SKATE PARK??  Not only that, but she, in her (40 + old body) explains the etiquette and merits of skateboarding culture.  How these are the kids who respect boundaries and respect the board. I am shrinking further into my seat, into my fear zone of …. holy shit, just let me roll unsuccessfully with my husband down the street and make an ass of myself.  We get to the park…with the 5 -m 12 year olds.  Shame, I am telling you, shame.  I can hardly believe it cause I never thought I would ever be at a skate park.  I put on the Tron pads though my husband would hide his face in shme.  Without him, I knew I needed them to avoid a lifelong injury.   I was wobbly….at first.  I did a couple of laps and DID fall.  It didn’t hurt too much and really wasn’t too embarrassing except for grinning neighbor asking if she can help me up.  What the *&%$ is she going to do to help my iceberg ass off the skatepark cement?  My limit was 2 laps at a time.  My whole body would quiver by the time I was done with lap 2 due to muscle unrecognition.  But, I did at least 15 laps.  It was hell, but okay.  Neighbor didn’t want to leave, but it is a good thing myvoice of quitting reason prevailed and we returned home cause it ends up she was tired too (hah).  Now that I know of a new place where the seams in the sidewalk won’t take me out I am more motivated to get skilled in skating.  Thanks to the neighbor, I won’t have to do it alone!!!  Do you think she’ll stop her enthusiastic smile??  I personally doubt it.