What kind of music do YOU like?

For some reason, in a kitchen one of the first things you get asked by everyone is "What kind of music do you like?"
I'm not fond of this question.
The reason being??
I like most music, everything but country, and don't spend too much time on it. I am a radio flipper. And I'm okay with that.
Yesterday was knitting day! I made an orange and maroon striped square for the Hokie Healing project (see link at right).

Happy Sunday!

I'm home from work, ready to sleep and just passing a couple of minutes before I hit the hay.
Tonight was a really good night at work - almost 300 people coming to the restaurant - a bunch of them having dessert! Two parties of over 30 people, a couple of 8 tops and a couple of 6 tops were highlights.
Luckily it was steady the whole night, and not sporadic. Tonight was definitely better than last night.
The schedule is up - mostly working at night next week, starting off Monday morning with prep and having off on Thursday. Chef is interviewing for the position, and hopefully someone good will come through. The girl that was in tonight definitely has part-timer mentality and Chef was not into that at all!
I put some hours in this week, so time to sleep tight!

No Day Off?

It has been a crazy week over here.

Wednesday was especially busy.
I made two cakes, I worked a part day, and I met Doug and Anna's newest addition, Georgia.

You know how there are people who hold back and don't tell you anything about their experience in childbirth? (for the most part I think it is so you get suckered in)

Not Doug and Anna, I feel like I could ask them anything about her delivery and they would tell me. The girl either had one of the toughest deliveries, or I just haven't heard about too many of them. I'll spare some of the details - but let's just say from start to finish, the family was in the hospital for just about a week. Luckily, everyone is doing okay now and they have a new kiddo in the house:

Doug, Anna and I had a great lunch together - Chicken Limonata, Salad and Roasted Potatoes, Strawberry Shortcakes for dessert and all the labor and delivery gory details.

During the morning I baked a couple of cakes, one for a bachelorette party and one for a 40th b-day party. I iced them after getting back from work and early Thursday morning.

This one I got an email about on the Monday - he wanted a picture frame with an old style Laverne and shirley L on it in pink. I think this qualifies:

I worked that night on my "day off" the other dessert plating girl is flaking out, there was one other girl on Garde Manager and Chef was on the line. (Normally, there are two people on Garde Manager and Chef is a floater for bigger nights.) So I said I would come in to help out.

Have I mentioned that I get to wear zooba-like pants to work ?!? this is totally a perk in my book here are the ones that I just got in:

Love Love Love it!

Happy Monday

I got an email I wasn't expecting today. Basically, back in Feb or so, I made a topsy turvy cake for a 13 year old's birthday party.

Today, I got pics of said cake. Looks like there was a little damage in transit, but the cake seemed to be in the shape it was supposed to be in.

Today was also the first day in the bakery of the restaurant where I work. I made bread and desserts. Very cool! Hopefully I'll be transitioning into the bakery over the next couple of weeks. The hours will be more "normal" 8-4, and the work will be scheduled instead of ruled by a little printer with orders on it.

Meal Planning - What not to do

Today was a good crazy day - I guess it all started very early this morning, midnight thirty or so, after work, I went to Jackie and Jason's to celebrate their new house. I got there when things were winding down, but luckily the Hippie had a stogie left for me, and although the pineapple vodka was long gone, there is always a sip or two of whiskey left.
I hung out too late to go home so I stayed the night and came home mid-morning ditching the weekly knitting session for the volunteer/south dakota contingent. A long time ago in a land far far away - I met Heather through volunteering. Her husband, Paul, always wanted to take an Indian cooking class, so we did. That is how I met Paul. Heather grew up in South Dakota. If you move to North Carolina from South Dakota, there is a group here for you - but you knew that, because you already know them - the South Dakota Contingent. I met Dave and Bill that way - and through them learned the proper pronounciation of Pierre (hint, only one syllable). Since, I have met their beautiful significant others - Heidi and Sandra. In the past 9 or so years I've known this group, we have been marrying off and adding to the brood - Heather and Paul (already married when I met them) have Nora and Auden, Dave and Sandra married about 4 or 5 years now just had Dylan (this is the first wedding that Kel and I went to when we were dating). Heidi and Bill married a couple of years now, are adding two to the group too, but we have to wait until August to meet the first lil' guy - the other isn't on a definite timeline, but we'll welcome that kiddo when the adoption papers go through.
Anyway - the Volunteer/South Dakota contingent came over at about 1. I scooted from Jackie and Jasons at about 1030 - stopped to pick up food and then chopped my little head off - marinated the vittles and prepped a bunch of food for the crew. Kel and I fixed guacamole, fajitas (steak, chicken and fish), and pineapple with rum for dessert. We picked up a few things around the house and a good time was had. Heather made wonderful Chocolate Ice Cream and Olive Tapenade (yum), Heidi brought the beans and rice.
It was all she wanted to do all day and finally at the end, Nora held Dylan:

Dylan was laid back. SOOOOO laid back during the time he was here. Dave was making him giggle using Daddy tactics - this kid is loved and happy.

And Kel played with Auden:

Auden and Kel are crazy together - they play legos, they goof off, they are rambunctious people and it is hard to tell who is 3 and who is 37 when they are together. Kel brings Auden out of the "shy around adults" shell and Auden's eyes light up when he sees Mr. Kelly.

Heidi is preggers - and actually looking preggers - last time I saw her, she was her svelte self. I feel like I haven't see her in a while and the baby bump is in full effect - she is handsome playing the role of a pregnant woman.

And then Kel and I recovered - Sunday nap time, in full effect. What a great day off.

Stupid A$$ Handyman

Rant: In the neighborhood that I live, there is a handyman. He is not handy - and if I were snarky, I'd mention something about the man part here.
He is so "not handy" that at the last homeowners meeting (we are a self run organization) they basically said he is what we could afford. But he is good, and if you have a problem after he has completed a task, you should contact the hoa to get it resolved. Now, after that statement, there were 4 people who spoke on his behalf. All of the stories went like this: I had [handyman] fix my [insert item to be fixed here], although it wasn't right the first time, he fixed [item] when he was called back.
Um, why isn't he fixing it right the first time. How about this - instead of paying someone a low sum twice to do a job (because he isn't going to repair stuff for free) - pay someone 1.5 times that to do it right the first time - I'm a genius.
They do the same thing with the painting crew too - paint doesn't last worth a crap - they didn't sand, recaulk, any of it. Anyway - I was on the handyman, not the painting crew.

Now, here is my experience with the dolt.
Our front door needed to be replaced. After arguing with the HOA - I emailed the part of the bylaw that was online that said they should do it. And boy did they.
He didn't stain or paint or seal the door while it was off hinge. I bought new hinges because the old ones were looking ratty and he didn't take the stickers off and put them in upside down. When he sunk the holes for the locks, he tore about an inch and a half splinter (it looks totally unprofessional - all you need to do is apply like 3 pieces of masking tape to stop it from doing this). Somehow in the whole mess, he cut himself, and bled on our carpet - AND THEN TRIED TO COVER IT UP.
All in all, it took Kel over two hours to fix the door to a point where it was functional and clean the rug.
There were other things, but this is just off the top of my head ranting.

Anyway, back to today - I worked until midnight last night and was wired until 2.
I don't need to be awakened by the sounds of power tools and metal bits hitting each other. Especially because I was actually sleeping. That comes at a minimum around here.

Almost the weekend?

I work tonight and tomorrow night. This working at a restaurant thing has its ups and downs, but come 5 o'clock on a friday, it isn't freedom. Then again, having a off mid-week is kind of cool.

Wednesday - Day off!

I have to say that a lot of people are worried about me.
The emails and phone calls that I have gotten because I went to school at VT is comforting.
I have been somewhat stoic (or in shock, you choose) about the whole thing until I saw a flag at half mast yesterday on the way into work.
That just did me in.

Shutting off the news

I've been emailing Amy C, the last of my friends still at VaTech, last night and this morning.
She knows 5 (edit: was five, is now nine) of the 33 and is waiting to hear about three others that are not on the confirmed list. I wouldn't even know how to cope.

Thoughts for my fellow Hokies

I have been working in a kitchen all day.
Somehow I got home without hearing the news, and then I listened to a very interesting voice mail from Meredith - she heard how I got the pastry job after all, and was asking if I knew anyone up at Tech, with the events of the day and all, even though I graduated almost 10 years ago.
Then I flipped on the TV.
Massacre at Virginia Tech.
I had classes in Norris, mostly Engineering Science and Mechanics classes - statics, dynamics, mechanics of deformable bodies. And was an R.A. in the C-Shaped building next to West A.J. - Cochrane Hall.
Last year I took Kelly to his first football game at Tech. Actually, my bud Amy C. had extra tickets and was gracious enough to let us use them. We started together at Tech as buds in the same class in the corps of cadets. She is still studying. A couple of years ago she decided to follow her dreams and go back for her doctorate. While we were there, the three of us walked around campus. It has grown in the last couple of years, but I could still recognize some of the buildings.
Amy C. is the last of my friends at VT.
I zapped her an email and hope to hear back soon.
In the mean time, my thoughts to everyone on Campus.

The power of suggestion....

Last Sunday, Easter Sunday, Jackie, Gray, Hippie and I were sitting around the dining room table at Jackie and the Hippie's house.
On Sundays, anywhere from 2 to 4 people gather at Jackie's for knitting. and drinking. and eating. and talking. In general a good time is had by all.
After a few rounds of bloody marys, Jackie and Gray suggested that I start a blog.
So I came home later, and asked Kelly, my dear darling devoted husband if I should start a blog. He said sure, it would be a good outlet.
What should I let out?
Well, let us start with changing professions. With a nice little severence shove from my job of nine years, I recently changed professions. Not a gradual change, mind you, not like one branch of Engineering to Another Branch of Engineering. No, not me, I left the nice cushy engineering/purchasing related desk job and decided to follow a dream. You know how people say things like, if you enjoy what you are doing, it doesn't matter what the pay is? It's true. Every single word of that sentence is the absolute truth.
Even if your mother doesn't understand that you are taking 4 years of college and a professional designation (P.E./Supergenius) and working as a prep chef in a restaurant kitchen. It's okay.
More on that later.
I think I'm going to like this blogging thing.