Just wondering if anyone is still out there?
I know I put this blog to bed about a year ago,
but here I again, seeing if anyone is left.
Sunday, July 12, 2009
Monday, May 26, 2008
It's Finally Here!!
My new blog home is ready! Please join me at my new home. If you have Rose Cottage Lane linked on your site, please change the link name and address to the following:
Thursday, May 22, 2008
That's Hot! Warning: This Post Contains Photos That Are Not For The Squeamish
In the words of Paris Hilton....that's hot! My arm is what's hot, now that it's been deep-fried. We had a slight cooking catastrophe at our house last night and I wound up with 1st and 2nd degree burns on my right arm. I'm okay. I've not gone to a doctor, but I might go to an urgent care clinic near work tomorrow if the blistered area looks any worse.
Last night, Sarah and I were frying churros for her Spanish class project that was today. The first batch went fine. The oil was about 20˚ below what it called for. I was using a thermometer to keep close watch of things. When we went to put the 2nd batch in, they cooked for a little while then suddenly - BOOM - one exploded all over the place, sending 350+˚ oil into the air, onto the stove and the ceiling and the floor. My first instinct was to step backwards, as the oil caught fire when it hit the burner. Unfortunately, this also meant I stepped into a puddle of grease on the floor and fell smack dab on my bottom. I managed to get up, and Brad had already lept to his feet with the swiftness of a super-hero. He was in the kitchen immediately, grabbed the fire extinguisher from next to the kitchen sink (mounted on a cabinet) and began spraying the stove, where the oil and remaining churros were still exploding and catching fire. When it finally died down, he was able to turn off the burner, the controls of which are "ingeniously" placed on the back of the stove, where one has to reach across the flaming pot to turn off the heat.
Brad wouldn't let me help much, even though I wanted to and kept trying to sneak in to help anyway. He and Ashley cleaned up the entire countertop and stove area. Everything that had been on the counter top had to be washed. The cabinet doors had to be washed, the stove pulled out and mopped under and behind, the walls wiped down, the ceiling had to be de-churroed and the floor was mopped twice - all by Brad and Ashley. I did a little wiping down. Our 6-month-old $80 toaster was trashed, because dust from the extinguisher was in every nook and cranny. (That'll teach me to buy an expensive toaster, huh?) There was also a pile of cooking magazines, most as-of-yet-unread, and recipes untried, on the microwave that I didn't even mess with, just tossed them. Minor loss. No heartaches there.
Needless to say, Sarah did not take churros for her project. Her teacher was very understanding and excused that portion for her. She did get a small burn on her arm, but thankfully, I took most of the injuries. I would feel so much worse if it had been she who was hurt. I had Ashley take pictures for me. The blister on my elbow just started this morning and has ballooned up over the course of the day. If it doesn't look better, or looks worse tomorrow, I'll be heading over to an urgent care near work. Thankfully it doesn't hurt really. That concerns Brad a little as he thinks I've probably got some tissue damage. Stay tuned for photos.
I don't know how I'd have gotten out of this in such good shape and such a clean kitchen without my personal super-hero. Brad was wonderful and I know cleaning up all the extinguisher dust-covered oil goop was no fun. He said, I guess it's spring cleaning just a little late. I told him this evening it wasn't really an accident, I just wanted someone else to clean the kitchen for me. Seriously though, he never complained last night even though I know his back and knees were killing him, he was hot and sweaty and exhausted by the time we all went to bed at almost midnight. I love you Brad - thank you.
You can get more of the story, with more bits I probably left out, at Brad's blog. He tells a much better story than I do.
In the meantime - let this be a reminder. Do you have WORKING smoke detectors in your home? Are the batteries fresh? Do you have a kitchen fire extinguisher in a handy, easy to reach place? Do you know how to use it? Is it still good? Go check these things immediately!! If we hadn't had the extinguisher handy, we would have had a much more dangerous situation on our hands. Check with your local fire department if you need help - they are more than happy to help keep you safe.
And now, if you're squeamish, look away. If you're a medical trauma fan (like my favorite mother-in-law - hi Judy!) here's your chance at some good icky photos (all photos were taken by our new resident photographer, Ashley):
Last night, Sarah and I were frying churros for her Spanish class project that was today. The first batch went fine. The oil was about 20˚ below what it called for. I was using a thermometer to keep close watch of things. When we went to put the 2nd batch in, they cooked for a little while then suddenly - BOOM - one exploded all over the place, sending 350+˚ oil into the air, onto the stove and the ceiling and the floor. My first instinct was to step backwards, as the oil caught fire when it hit the burner. Unfortunately, this also meant I stepped into a puddle of grease on the floor and fell smack dab on my bottom. I managed to get up, and Brad had already lept to his feet with the swiftness of a super-hero. He was in the kitchen immediately, grabbed the fire extinguisher from next to the kitchen sink (mounted on a cabinet) and began spraying the stove, where the oil and remaining churros were still exploding and catching fire. When it finally died down, he was able to turn off the burner, the controls of which are "ingeniously" placed on the back of the stove, where one has to reach across the flaming pot to turn off the heat.
Brad wouldn't let me help much, even though I wanted to and kept trying to sneak in to help anyway. He and Ashley cleaned up the entire countertop and stove area. Everything that had been on the counter top had to be washed. The cabinet doors had to be washed, the stove pulled out and mopped under and behind, the walls wiped down, the ceiling had to be de-churroed and the floor was mopped twice - all by Brad and Ashley. I did a little wiping down. Our 6-month-old $80 toaster was trashed, because dust from the extinguisher was in every nook and cranny. (That'll teach me to buy an expensive toaster, huh?) There was also a pile of cooking magazines, most as-of-yet-unread, and recipes untried, on the microwave that I didn't even mess with, just tossed them. Minor loss. No heartaches there.
Needless to say, Sarah did not take churros for her project. Her teacher was very understanding and excused that portion for her. She did get a small burn on her arm, but thankfully, I took most of the injuries. I would feel so much worse if it had been she who was hurt. I had Ashley take pictures for me. The blister on my elbow just started this morning and has ballooned up over the course of the day. If it doesn't look better, or looks worse tomorrow, I'll be heading over to an urgent care near work. Thankfully it doesn't hurt really. That concerns Brad a little as he thinks I've probably got some tissue damage. Stay tuned for photos.
I don't know how I'd have gotten out of this in such good shape and such a clean kitchen without my personal super-hero. Brad was wonderful and I know cleaning up all the extinguisher dust-covered oil goop was no fun. He said, I guess it's spring cleaning just a little late. I told him this evening it wasn't really an accident, I just wanted someone else to clean the kitchen for me. Seriously though, he never complained last night even though I know his back and knees were killing him, he was hot and sweaty and exhausted by the time we all went to bed at almost midnight. I love you Brad - thank you.
You can get more of the story, with more bits I probably left out, at Brad's blog. He tells a much better story than I do.
In the meantime - let this be a reminder. Do you have WORKING smoke detectors in your home? Are the batteries fresh? Do you have a kitchen fire extinguisher in a handy, easy to reach place? Do you know how to use it? Is it still good? Go check these things immediately!! If we hadn't had the extinguisher handy, we would have had a much more dangerous situation on our hands. Check with your local fire department if you need help - they are more than happy to help keep you safe.
And now, if you're squeamish, look away. If you're a medical trauma fan (like my favorite mother-in-law - hi Judy!) here's your chance at some good icky photos (all photos were taken by our new resident photographer, Ashley):
Wednesday, May 21, 2008
Rollin' on the River
My new place of employment is owned by wonderful men who believe in taking care of their employees and who understand that without employees, they wouldn't be a company.
Every month they have a monthly meeting, usually off-site, to discuss the monthly "numbers". They print out the monthly profit/loss statement and each employee gets a copy, so that we can all see the bottom line. There is also a profit-sharing program, where the eligible employees share a percentage of the profit. They also want to make sure there are no secrets. In addition, having the employees know the bottom line means they are more likely to watch waste, mistakes, etc.
When we have a record-breaking sales month, the employees get a special treat during the monthly sales meeting. In the past, they've done things like laser tag, gone out to eat at very nice restaurants and more. This month, we were treated to a catered lunch on one of the Devon boats to cruise the Oklahoma River that was chartered just for our company. We spent an hour and a half on the river, cruising up and down from the locks to dock. We didn't get to go through the locks, but another boat did.
We had a really great time. It was so fun and relaxing. Here are some pictures from my iPhone.
Every month they have a monthly meeting, usually off-site, to discuss the monthly "numbers". They print out the monthly profit/loss statement and each employee gets a copy, so that we can all see the bottom line. There is also a profit-sharing program, where the eligible employees share a percentage of the profit. They also want to make sure there are no secrets. In addition, having the employees know the bottom line means they are more likely to watch waste, mistakes, etc.
When we have a record-breaking sales month, the employees get a special treat during the monthly sales meeting. In the past, they've done things like laser tag, gone out to eat at very nice restaurants and more. This month, we were treated to a catered lunch on one of the Devon boats to cruise the Oklahoma River that was chartered just for our company. We spent an hour and a half on the river, cruising up and down from the locks to dock. We didn't get to go through the locks, but another boat did.
We had a really great time. It was so fun and relaxing. Here are some pictures from my iPhone.
Sunday, May 18, 2008
Pocketbooks and Book Bags
Remember when purses used to be called pocketbooks and bags were called book bags? Well, a few Etsy sellers have given a new twist to those terms, selling purses that are literally old books! These are SO cool! If I carried WAY less stuff, I'd absolutely carry one of these conversation starters.
Retrograndma sells purses made from books, old vinyl records and more cool stuff. You can check out her shop at THIS link.
Pretty Theory's shop is filled with great titles paired with lovely print fabrics that make each purse a true work of art. Very cute stuff! Take a look HERE.
Rebound Designs does a lovely job of making high quality purses out of books in excellent condition. The handles are unique and add to the stylishness of the purses. Check out their shop at THIS page. Or check out her website HERE.
Want to make your own hardcover pocketbook? Check out THIS tutorial at HGTV.com.
Friday, May 16, 2008
Something Big Is Coming
Something big is coming to a blog near you in the coming weeks!
Look for big changes, a new name and even a new address.
Brad is going to help me revamp my blog, make it bigger and better, add a fresh coat of "paint" and some new graphics.
I can't wait for you to see it! Stay tuned for for more news on this developing story.
Until then just hang out with me here. I should be posting something new this afternoon or evening.
Monday, May 12, 2008
A Stack of Pancakes For My Chauffeur, Please!
If you're human, you probably understand how cravings work. If you've ever been pregnant, you laugh at the mere mention of cravings.
This evening, after a lovely supper of prosciutto-wrapped chicken and roasted green beans, I suddenly had a craving for pancakes. (No, I'm not pregnant. Yes, I'm SURE.) I don't eat pancakes very often, because I usually feel a bit of the "I-can't-believe-I-ate-the-whole-thing" syndrome afterwards. But IHOP (or was it Denny's?) just had a commercial come on tv a few minutes ago and they were showing pancakes. Oh they looked so delicious, with butter melting and syrup dripping. Yum! I'm telling you, we're going to be having pancakes before the week is through. But don't you dare say I told you so, when I get that ICBIATWT feeling again. Just let me relish in my misery, won't you?
Before I ever thought of pancakes, I was driving home from work this afternoon, and I had to stop for several long stoplights, and also waited in line at the bank drive-thru for over 30 minutes. When I had the chance, I would pick up the Oklahoma Gazette I had with me and read a sentence or two. I had the thought, as I annoyingly put down my paper in order to drive, that if I were rich, I'd certainly like to have a chauffeur. There would be times I'd rather drive myself, but boy it would be nice to sit back and read and catch up on blogs (I'd have a laptop with me you know) and all those things I don't have time for now, because I have to worry about not hitting a car on the road, and pesky things like that.
Brad has decided that if he were rich (which would mean I'd be rich too), he'd like two homes - one in New England at which to spend Christmas, and one somewhere tropical at which to spend the summer. And since I'm rich because he is, I'd pick out the summer house which would be somewhere on a Caribbean beach. We could get a chauffeur who also knows how to pilot a plane and a yacht. We'd have to stop at IHOP (or was that Denny's?) and get pancakes to get rid of this craving of mine, and I'm sure the other three members of my family would want to eat too. But I'm a nice person (I think), so I'd buy a stack of pancakes for our driver/pilot/captain too. Oh waiter! Five stacks of pancakes please!
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