Three Dog Night

The dogs are all getting along. Sadie, aka Bolt, is doing better. She apparently knows the word "wait". So, we are practicing opening the door. Sam and Abby are getting used to her being around. Sam even slept right by her today. We will survive. There has been some talk about dog #4. I told Love Man, Miss Brunette and Blonde Girl they would have to find Mommy #2 first.

Going to the Dogs

Abby is adjusting.

Reine de Saba by Julia Child

This is the recipe Love Man used for my birthday, a chocolate almond cake. It is fabulous.

Ingredients:

For the Cake:
4 ounces or squares semisweet chocolate melted with 2 T rum or coffee 1/4 lb. or 1 stick softened butter 2/3 cup granulated sugar 3 egg yolks 3 egg whites Pinch of salt 1 T granulated sugar 2/3 cup pulverized almonds 1/4 tsp almond extract 1/2 cup cake flour (scooped and leveled) turned into a sifter

For the Icing:
2 ounces (2 squares) semisweet baking chocolate 2 T rum or coffee 5 to 6 Tb unsalted butter

Instructions:

For the Cake:
Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C).

Butter and flour the cake pan. Set the chocolate and rum or coffee in a small pan, cover, and place (off heat) in a larger pan of almost simmering water; let melt while you proceed with the recipe. Measure out the rest of the ingredients. Cream the butter and sugar together for several minutes until they form a pale yellow, fluffy mixture.

Beat in the egg yolks until well blended.

Beat the egg whites and salt in a separate bowl until soft peaks are formed; sprinkle on the sugar and beat until stiff peaks are formed.

With a rubber spatula, blend the melted chocolate into the butter and sugar mixture, then stir in almonds, and almond extract. Immediately stir one fourth of the beaten egg whites to lighten the batter. Delicately fold in a third of the remaining whites and when partially blended, sift on one third of the flour and continue folding. Alternate rapidly with more egg whites and more flour until all egg whites and flour are incorporated.

Turn the batter into the cake pan, pushing the batter up to its rim with a rubber spatula. Bake in middle level of preheated oven for about 25 minutes. Cake is done when it has puffed, and 2-1/2 to 3 inches around the circumference are set so that a needle plunged into that area comes out clean; the center should move slightly if the pan is shaken, and a needle comes out oily.

Allow cake to cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Run knife around the edge of the pan, and reverse cake on the rack. Allow it to cool for an hour or two; it must be thoroughly cold if it is to be iced.

For the Icing:

Place the chocolate and rum or coffee in the small pan, cover, and set in the larger pan of almost simmering water. Remove pans from heat and let chocolate melt for 5 minutes or so, until perfectly smooth. Lift chocolate pan out of the hot water, and beat in the butter a tablespoon at a time. Then beat over the ice and water until chocolate mixture has cooled to spreading consistency. At once spread it over your cake with spatula or knife, and press a design of almonds over the icing.

Yield: For an 8-inch cake serving 6 to 8 people

This was in the August issue of "Bon Appetit".

Bolt

My other Sadie was a bonger, too. Things are going pretty well.

It is like this, Sam and Abby are basically a Regis and Kelly. Suddenly a female Anderson Cooper has moved in - better behaved, more mannerly, calm under pressure, and very intelligent. What would you do?

However, she has one problem. She is a bolter. She escapes and runs like a maniac. I lost her today as she shot out of the door and through the garage into the neighborhood. The only reason I knew she had gotten out was that the garage door went back up instead of down. This is the second time this has happened. I caught her, thanks to the help of this woman who looked like a super model who stopped with her equally gorgeous boyfriend/husband.

So, until we can get Sadie to stop. We will have to be careful.

My Official Cake

Seriously, this chocolate almond cake is to DIE for. Yum.

The New Sadie

As you know, we only name our pets Sam, Abby and Sadie. As my mother "is not going to make any more stockings for a dog." Well, our Sadie died a few years ago and we have always wanted another Sadie dog.

Love Man made a lot of promises to the girls while he was living in Idaho. Guilt. One of the things he promised was a Sadie dog and there was also some talk about a Wi game system.

Blonde Girl wanted another fish. I was okay with it, but she had her ask Dad. The were sold out
Walmart. I told her after lunch we would go to Pet Smart. We did. Miss Brunette and I were by the fish. Blonde Girl was missing. I knew she was looking at the dogs, which are there on the weekend for adoption.

We walked over to find her and she was sitting next to this black cockapoo. I was really surprised because she looked exactly like our Sadie. I asked this lady, "is this your dog?"

"No, I am from Halo and this dog is available for adoption." "Is it a girl?" "Yes."

Apparently the former owner of Lanie (now Sadie, remember the stocking) died. The dog was taken into custody by the county and she was in several shelters until Halo Rescue got her. She is extremely well behaved and trained. Sadie is thought to be 6 1/2 years old because of her teeth, but has the energy of a puppy. She is chipped, tagged and registered. And, she is now ours.

You can tell she has been well taken care of. Her coat is super shiny and is used to going every

where. That has been a bit of an issue, as she thinks she is going to go with us everytime we leave. Abby has not warmed up to her and Sam is being careful. Less than 48 hours later, things are going pretty well.

We are not getting another fish.

First Place

Here is the Iowa State Fair 1st place entry for the Antique Machinery Division.

The Weekend

A lot of things happened this weekend. It was my birthday and Love Man made me a fantastic cake. It is from a Julia Child recipe that was in the August issue of "Bon Appetit", which suddenly started arriving at my house this spring. Thank you for whoever sent it.

The cake was marvelous. Love Man said he enjoyed making it. It may become my official chocolate cake.

Also, the tank wagon got 1st place in the Antique Machinery division. I will post photos tomorrow.

And, we have a new dog. I will post photos and the true Hollywood story later this week.

Curriculum Night

I went to Blonde Girl's Curriculum Night the other evening. Same old, same old. "We are going to have a great year, we are very excited, such a wonderful class. . ." I figured it was my 13th Curriculum Night that I had attened at LOM Elementary.

I read Blonde Girl's journal, "My Story". She said, "I love my Grandma. She is so fun. We play all day and all night. I like to go to her store. I always get a muffin, orange juice and pancakes.
She is Amish and lets me drive her goat wagon."

Seriously, I wonder if her teacher thinks we are Amish. Amish gone bad, that is.

Also August 22

I made my mother get this photo for all of you lovely readers.

My Cousin Sue's husband went with my Dad to Missouri to get this wagon restored. She wrote me yesterday and couldn't wait to see a picture. My mother's friend and insurance agent pulls the wagon with his team of horses in a lot of parades in the area.

Naturally, my mother will be at the Iowa State Fair on Sunday. My dad didn't love the fair, would have been so proud to have the wagon tank there. In fact wild horses would not have kept him away.

Here is some history on the wagon. It was purchased in 1912 when my great grandfather was appointed as an agent for Standard Oil Company. He served the surrounding area dispensing

kerosene and gasoline. A small tank for the wagon was purchased and oil was hauled to surrounding grocery stores that sold kerosene by the gallon. Little gasoline was sold, as at the time there were only 8 autos in a five mile radius in my hometown.

My Dad had the wagon restored in the 1990s. My brother and his two sons are the 4th and 5th

generation to use this antique wagon.

I am thinking my girls are going to have to be in the next parade the wagon is in.

August 22

Giada and I have the SAME birthday. OMG!


Giada's Homemade Sauce

• 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil• 2 small onions, finely chopped• 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped• 2 celery stalks, finely chopped• 2 carrots, peeled and finely chopped• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt, plus more to taste• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more to taste• 2 32-ounce cans crushed tomatoes• 2 dried bay leaves

In a large pot, heat the oil over a medium-high flame. Add the onions and garlic and sauté until the onions are translucent, about 10 minutes. Add the celery, carrots, and 1/2 teaspoon each of salt and pepper. Sauté until all the vegetables are soft, about 10 minutes. Add the tomatoes and bay leaves, and simmer uncovered over low heat until the sauce thickens, about 1 hour. Remove and discard the bay leaves. Season with more salt and pepper to taste.

Makes about 2 quarts

Big News!

My family's 1912 tank wagon is going to be in a competition at the Iowa State Fair, this Sunday.

It will be in the antique machinery division after lunch after the other competitions are finished.

It belonged to my great grandfather. If you are in and around the Iowa State Fair on Sunday, check it out and take a good photo for my blog. The competitions will be in the Open Arena, the Southeast corner of the Fairgrounds between the Swine Barn and the Stalling Barns.

Again and Also

Another day of home visits.
They went well yesterday.
I am done today.
Lucky me.

Same Story, Different Day

Some of you readers crack me up, wondering who I think I am comparing myself to a rock star.

I didn't say I taught like a rock star. But, let me tell you, to the preschool set I AM A ROCK STAR. Sightings of me at a grocery star nearly sparks riot. Seeing me at Barros is enough for the child to come up and ask me, "Why are you here?" Hard to believe it, but I don't LIVE at the school.

After I have walked Blonde Girl to school, I sometimes run into some of my former Rainbows or Butterflies or Gingerbreads or Jellybeans. They personally think I am waiting by the bus to welcome them to LOM. I am not kidding. Sometimes they try to follow me going the opposite direction. I have to get them pointed in the right direction, I have also had to walk of few of them to their room. It is so confusing. Some are in HORROR of seeing me out in captivity. There is one little girl who nearly dies when she sees me. We got along great in the Rainbow room, but when I run into her out in PUBLIC - well that is a whole other blog.

Again and Again

I am back today for another day of SRP workshops. Later, this week I will start my "home visits" where we visit the preschool child at their house. Usually, they are CLEAN and SHINY with candles burning, Yankee candles are big. When I was expecting the preschool teacher, I always cleaned with the fear of God in me as the teacher was VISITING US. OMG! Sometimes, the child will say " do you want to see my room?" and based on if the mother cringes or not, I decide if I want to see their room. It is pretty funny. I have had children answer the door naked or run and hide. You never know what to expect.

It is so hard to be a rock star.

Me, Me, Me

I am off to my workshops!

Queen for a Day

Now that Love Man does not live in Idaho and we aren't moving there, he doesn't read my blog.

Can you believe it? I mean it is riveting stuff. Apparently, he read it when he didn't live it.

Poor Love Man.

Friday night on our way home from the movies, we decided to go to Dairy Queen to celebrate the mere fact that we lived through the first week of school. They have Girl Scout Cookies Thin Mint Blizzards. Miss Brunette wanted me to have one as neither she or Blonde Girl can deviate from their M and M and Oreo Cookie Blizzards.

They are so green. I immediately think they are adding extra mint flavoring. Dairy Queen ice cream mixed up with Thin Mint cookies, is enough flavor for me.

I quizzed them on how they were made and asked that the mint flavor be omitted. The girls found this hilariously funny as I was telling the Dairy Queen worker how to make my blizzard.

But, we are not crazy enough.

Julie and Julia

Last night the girls and I went to see the movie, "Julie and Julia". We loved it! LOVED it. It was great. I had read "Julie and Julia" and it was so true to the book, as so often movies aren't.

The movie is about a secretary in a dead-in-job who decides to cook her way through the

entire "Mastering the Art of French Cooking" by Julia Child. All 524 recipes and she blogs about it.

At the end of the book, there is a section where Julie Powell answers questions and I quote:

How much are you cooking these days? What's the best meal you've had lately?

Of course I don't cook the way I did during the year, but once you get the cooking bug it's hard to stop. I get a little panicky if I'm out of the kitchen too long. Mostly I cook more simply now (because - embarrassing confession - I'm still not quite through losing my Project weight). But I like to let her rip every now and then. Now that the French thing is done, I'm going back to my roots - fried chicken, Mexican food, gumbo. Recently moved into a new apartment with a balcony out back, and I grilled my first beer can chicken of my very own - before, this was purely my parents' realm. Oh God, is it good!

Beer can chicken.

The Key

Are you tired of me talking about the girls and school? Okay, just one more post. I walk Blonde Girl to school everyday. It is about a mile. I have always walked the girls to school. It is my fitness and I feel better for it.

This year BG decided she was going to walk herself to and from school ALONE. I said, "No, it is my only chance to exercise." So we worked it out that I would walk her to school and she would walk home alone.

She has a key and a phone with an Idaho prefix (don't ask, another story on another day). She walks home. The first day, she called to tell me she was walking home. The next day, I called her to make sure she was okay. She does not want to to be waiting outside or look out the window. I am not allowed to open the door, she wants to use her key.

Yesterday, she knocked on the door. I opened it. It takes her exactly 15 minutes to walk home from the release of school. "Why didn't you use your key?" I asked. "I didn't have the strength."

Her class has to keep ALL of their school supplies in their backpacks as they don't have desks, ONLY tables. So, she has to carry her school supplies back and forth to school. I am going to ask her teacher if she can leave some of these things on her desk. Who cares! Her backpack is heavy. I schelp it to school in the morning and my shoulder is sore.

And, I was only kidding about one more post about the girls and school. There may be many more.

Another Day

Blonde Girl has had a lot of homework. Hopefully, she will get used to this concept. Miss Brunette is used to it by now, but I remember when she was in 4th grade she was shocked by the added amount of work. I can not believe it is only Thursday.

Wednesday

School is going well so far.
Day three.
I am already exhausted from it.

The Girls

Yes, I know.

They're Off

I am sure they would rather be doing this.

Oldie But A Goodie

Here are Blonde Girl and Becca at the Grand Canyon several years ago. I love her hair like that and wish she would get it cut that way again. She looks like the American Girl doll named Kit Kittredge. Becca was actually Miss Brunette's doll, but BG always did covet her sister's things.

Somehow they were always better. She drug Becca with her stroller all over the Grand Canyon.

This year, poor Becca had to go to the American Girl doll hospital for some arm work. She is fine and looks almost like a whole, new Becca.

Sooooo

We are a bit nervous at the thought of the start of school. Yesterday, was not our best day.

Recipes from Nie Cuisine

I love the blog the Nie Nie Dialogues. It is almost the one year anniversary of her near fatal plane crash. She and her husband survived, but the other passenger did not. She actually has two blogs, Nie Nie Dialogues and Nie Cuisine.

Here are some of her healthy recipes:

Whole Wheat Pizza Dough

3/4 Cups whole wheat flour 1 envelope active dry yeast, 1 teaspoon salt, 2 tablespoons olive oil, 1/4 teaspoons of sugar. Add yeast to one cup warm water, let sit. Mix dry ingredients, together then add olive oil. add yeast mixture and combine kneading for about 5 minutes. Let rise for 30-45 minutes roll out, add ingredients, bake in oven at 450 for about 15-18 minutes.

Whole Wheat Waffles

1 3/4 Cup whole wheat flour, 3 teaspoons baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 2 eggs, 1 3/4 cups milk (she uses soy milk) 1/2 cup vegetable oil. Mix and bake. Top with whipped cream and fresh berries.

You Know . . . .

Love Man's knows many dog and cats that share his first name. The First Dog, for example. A former boss's cat, who once yelled "Bo, did you poop?" He replied, "no, ma'm." She was talking to her cat.

What's in a Name?

I am getting ready for school to start. I have to go to SRP on Monday to work on our room. "After I get my get girls to school and my beds made," is when I told Mrs. T. I would be there. We have a capacity in our room for 16, I think we have 13. Enrollment is down due to the economy.

It is always interesting to meet the children. This morning I was wondering about their names.

Conner spelled all ways is popular. So is Trevor. Hailey or Haylee or Haileigh or however you can think of a unique way to spell it is big. Also, Jackson or Jaxon or Jaxx.

I have had a Alexa, Alexis, and an Alexandra. Sometimes all in the same year. It makes me crazy.

Why do we have to name our children names that would be on a soap opera? Devon for a girl

sounds like someone who should be on "One Life to Live." Is that still on? I don't watch soap operas, but I used to as a kid and in college.

There was a list of names reported on "Today" that were most likely to land in jail or get in trouble. Alec was one of them. You know, I can agree with that.

The names will change and one today I will greet my preschoolers by name and they will be

Velma, Beulah, Walter, Arlyn, and Gladys.

Last Day of Freedom

This is it, tomorrow is the big day.

Putting on a Happy Face

Miss Brunette is back in volley-ball camp. This time at the high school. OMG. I felt old dropping her off. She will go every day this week, except Friday. So, I will keep you posted if she makes the team.

School starts Monday. UGGGHHHH! That is what the girls say if and when I bring it up.

I did have to remind them that is was Monday. It is not a subject that is freely discussed at our house.

Tomorrow Love Man is taking them for haircuts, as he wants one, too. I am sure it will be just the tiniest amount of hair. They are fond of their long tresses.

No More Sun Days

Yesterday, I didn't sit out by the pool. After 5 p.m., I did put on my giant hat and ventured into the shady part of the pool. That was nice. One slug girl stayed in her pajamas all day. The other did go to church and swam for a while. Other than that, she was equally sluggy. There was a "Legally Blonde" marathon on. Of course, Blonde Girl calls it "Wiggly Blonde".

There was a time, when we had to make those girls come in. We had to limit how long they were in the pool, because their feet would bleed from too much water, crawling out of the pool the hard way and going continually down the slide.

They do swim, but it seems more driven by their friends. Swimming with Mom and Dad is not at the top of their list. I swam laps and did my pool exercises, thank you very much.

This is the Crime Scene

This is it. The club in Flagstaff where I got the worse sunburn of my life. My lips are now covered in cold sores. I did put plain yogurt all over me. That really does help. Vinegar works well, too. I guess it was the thin air and the altitude. I did wear sun screen. I may have forgotten a couple of places.

When I went to the Pointe on Friday. I wore a hat and was covered in sun screen. I also sat under a big umbrella. I was shading Amy too much. So, I had to move.

"You are one big scab," said Amy. "I know." I had laid low all week. I was totally stared at during a grocery shop at the Fresh 'n Easy.

Friday just being in the heat took its toll on me. I felt terrible Saturday. I keep waking up and going back to sleep all morning. Lucky for me the girls were tired from the day, so they slept in.

Love Man is in the White Mountains fishing.

SO, if you ever go to Flagstaff, Arizona in the summer, watch the sun. Seriously, this kind of thing never happens to me.

Friday at the Pointe

Miss Brunette and yes her hair does look red to me, too.

Blonde Girl.

The former little pink haired girl. We love her.