3 day weekend + rain = baking!

Sunflower-Wheat Loaf

I used 1/4 cup rice flour and 1/4 flaxseed instead of the wheat germ, but didn't change anything else.

When I was growing up, my mother baked wheat loaves weekly, in addition to making her own yogurt from scratch, which I haven't dared to try yet. Yogurt-making looked far too labor intensive for me, involving thermometers, jars, and a makeshift incubator made of heating pads.

No matter how old we get, my little brother Scott and I agree: the smell of fresh bread will always make us think of our mommy.

the joys (?) of wedding planning

I HATE this wedding planning crap. They say most girls dream of their wedding day all their lives, but I never did. And now that I'm faced with the task, I'm feeling a little underwhelmed.

As soon as Will proposed, all I wanted was to get married on the beach in the Bahamas at sunset. We spent a lot of time in the Caribbean while he was working in Haiti, so I thought it would be nice and simple. But life intervened and instead of the beach, we're getting married at the Castle Tea Room. Will and I fell in love with the venue the moment we saw it;  it's an old stone mansion with two floors and lots of great little nooks and rooms. While the seating arrangements aren't ideal, hopefully it will encourage people to explore and mingle.

And now I'm really pumped about the caterer! It's a funky little local business owned by friends of friends, but they're established enough to be experienced and trustworthy (Culinaria). While we won't have a formal dinner, we'll have servers circling through the guests with different items on trays, and a few "stations" situated on both floors so people can snack at will.

I don't know why, but I was really worried about running out of food. In my mind, that's the worst thing that could happen! But I've decided to trust the caterer... because a) they're the professionals and b) seriously? If we run out? Fuck it. I'll just order pizza.

Here's the menu!

Short Ribs on Horseradish-Garlic Bread
Lamb Meatballs with Goat Cheese Tzatziki

Roasted Tomatoes and Peppers with Goat Cheese on Homemade Garlic Naan

Tomato Bisque Soup Shooters with Mini-Grilled Cheese Sandwiches
Trio of Crostini ~ mushroom compote // Olive Tapenade // Tomato Relish
Veggie 'Tapas' Tray with Marinated and Grilled Veggies and Red Pepper Dip
Assorted Cured Meats//Cheeses//Artisan Breads

 

 

We just want to throw a great party! It seems to me that we can pull it off by planning well but being prepared to improvise, and on the actual day we just need to relax and go with the flow.  The short ceremony and open bar should help with that, too...

Holy Margaritas!

-1 pitcher
-
1 can of defrosted limeade juice
-
12 oz of tequila
 (good tequila, not Cuervo)
-12 oz of diet 7up
 (has to be diet 7up - no other will do)
-1 bottle of Corona

Add ice and garnish with a lime if you so choose.

AWESOME!

*Courtesy of Adrienne

the world appears to NOT be ending today

Not that I'm terribly worried, mind you. I was raised in fundamentalist Christianity, so as a young child I was convinced I wouldn't live past the ripe old age of 13. Or 19. Or 24, depending on whatever was the current prediction.

At the time, it seemed normal. Comforting, even, to be able to predict such a terrible event... to be one of the forewarned.

Now that I no longer adhere to any particular faith, it strikes me as such a sad way to live. To eat, sleep, and breathe the end of mankind? How depressing.

That being said, old habits die hard. I tend to fixate on television documentaries about apocalyptic-type events. It's almost as though, even though I don't believe in it anymore, I still enjoy scaring myself a little bit.

You know, for old times' sake.

Who Will Walk Your Dogs After the 5/21/2011 rapture?  

Symphonic Quixotic tonight!

premarital counseling checklist

 My best friend's stepdad, a great man who's been like family to me for years, will be officiating our wedding. He gave us a dauntingly comprehensive questionnaire to fill out; essentially a pre-marital "inventory sheet" to fill out.

For anyone planning on getting married, I'd recommend working through it. Fill out each sheet separately, then compare your answers. Some rather painful subjects came up, and we both got to feel like shit about certain things... but we worked through it and will continue to work through it.

Obviously, this can't anticipate all the problems that will come up during the course of the marriage. But at least it will help you be on the same page when you start out.

This site almost makes me wish I'd become a teacher...

Almost, but not quite.

http://www.buzzfeed.com/gavon/shit-my-students-write

engagement hullabaloo + preemptive Mother's Day

Will offered to take me out for ice cream for Mother's Day. I asked him why, since we don't have any children (?).

He said: "Because you're the future mother of my children and I thought it would be nice."

I think he probably just had an ice cream craving, but it was incredibly sweet nonetheless.

"Let no man's death bed be a futon."

-Demetri Martin