Summer, fleeting summer

As I sit here in my nook at the lab after a day of busy runnings around in the Wharton Lab I realized something: My summer has been full and eventful, and yes, even exciting, but I got nothing done that I wanted to get done!! Yes I got some of the things I needed to get done finished up, but none of the things that summers are reserved for, like catching up on that ever growing book list, putting your artistic expression (as debatable as it might be) on paper/canvas/pottery/etc., knitting that thing you've been meaning to knit for months now and are quickly running out of time to finish in time, taking those strolls in the park/great outdoors (ok, I don't feel so bad about this one because it's been like a million degrees outside and I, outdoorsy as I might be, do NOT handle heat well - it's sad, but true), the list goes on. How depressing!!! (and, just in case you were wondering the word "how" is now typed "hope"...???)

How is it that in nearly three months of no real commitments to anything but work and moving, really, I have failed to accomplish anything I wanted to accomplish for myself?! I feel like a failure. This was possibly my last summer of "nothing" and I just wasted it. Dang. I don't even know what I did. I have experimented a lot in the kitchen, and that has been rewarding and educating, like my adventure Sunday night:

I decided circa 10pm, Sunday, that I was going to attempt to make some Pavlova, a dessert from Australia/New Zealand. Recipe is simple enough - basically eggs, some sugar, corn starch, and cream of tartar - no biggie. So I'm whipping up my egg whites into beautiful "soft peaks" (picture to be uploaded later) and I'm thinking: "Holla! I can totally do this thing!" Ah, key point: I was attempting this recipe without any sort of mixer aid - just me and my whisk. So, I carry on with the recipe with a little spring in my step from my success with the "soft peaks." Things were going great until I added the sugar and.....corn starch....dun, dun, dun, dun. Insta-impossible, right there! I'm beating and beating and beating this mixture trying to get some semblance of a meringue out of it, to no real avail. After beating my heart out for a little over 15min I give up and decided it's good enough for me - so I don't quite have the "stiff peaks" the recipe calls for, but I do have droopy peaks!!! That's gotta count for something, right?? Apparently not. I divvied everything up and threw it in the oven. So, the taste wasn't bad, though a little over-done, the consistency was just all wrong. Blast you stiff peaks any my weak arms!! While it wasn't a complete failure, it was definitely nowhere near a success. I'm going to need to invest in some sort of hand mixer, at least, if I am going to attempt anymore "whipping" desserts. Now I know why the moms of old were so buff!!! To try to redeem myself I made a little raspberry reduction sauce to go with my sad Pavlova and I think it worked. It was de-lish!

Since the Pavlova only called for egg whites, I was left with 6...SIX!!...egg yolks. I couldn't bear to let them go to wast so I decided that I would save them 'til Monday and make some creme brulee with them. **and here enter the yummms, and mmmms, from the readers** Well, I did not realize that creme brulee was so high maintenance and has decided that it needs to sit over-night before it can be fired...LAME! Well, so we shall see how the broiling goes for it later tonight. I'm excited!! I really hope it works! I've never used a broiler before, but I'm hoping that having a gas stove will make it near the awesomeness of having a torch - if only I were that amazing of a cook to warrant having my own torch. *sigh* ....Maybe someday.

Either way this is turning out to be a good week. Angela came in town yesterday and will be here 'til Thursday. And, Miss Mika arrived today and will leave tomorrow afternoon/evening: I love having house guests! Angela and I are going to see a movie tonight; 500 Days of Summer, I believe! So that will be fun times, for sure. I just love that girl.

Oh, my hummer greeted me this morning before I left for work, it made my heart happy - I'll snap a picture of that little bugger if it's the last thing I do!!!

Signing off. 'Til next time!

~MW

Sorry for the lateness... (Plus Moving Happenings...II)

Hey kids,

So sorry for the gap between posts this week - it was crazy!!

So, I last left off telling you about how my mom had come into town and she was helping me spruce up my little apartment. Well, might I just say: mission accomplished!!!!

In my humble opinion it looks lovely! Things really started to come together as we put our noggins together and experimented with furniture arrangement, decor options, etc. I would post pictures, but my camera is currently out of commission...I need to pickup some batteries. So, maybe next time...

However, I must tell you about the best part of this apartment: I have a hummingbird friend!!! Oh, it is SO exciting! I put up this cheap little $6 hummingbird feeder from Wal-Mart and filled it with 97cent nectar juice and the next morning I had a hummer!!! Didn't see the little one for a day or two after that, but then I saw him (though I think it might be a her...coloration is kind of dull, but I'm really not sure - I'll let you know if I figure it out!) throughout the day on Saturday - ah, this is bliss :) I've decided that I'm going to invest in some bottle-brush plants to see if I can get any more.

My mom and I had a great visit and I was sad to see her go, but we both had to get back to reality...lame!

So, Thursday B and I went and took some engagement pictures of my friends Brad and Kira. These two are amazing. They made an almost exact replica of the American Gothic (the painting with they farmer couple and the dude holding a pitchfork) - it was perfection!!! So that was real fun.

Friday I watched some peeps graduate...summer graduation ceremonies are so short!!! After that I went to work for a bit and then had a lovely evening the Humphreys: We made THE most DELISH blueberry ice cream. Seriously, to die for....we were are pretty much in heaven. And we enjoyed some Planet Earth with our dinner and finished off the night with Mama Mia! Cute movie - I loved Ricci's sing-a-long moments :) After that my lovely Katie came to visit!! We ran around town a little bit on Saturday...we went and saw our old house: We have officially been shown up! So sad. After she left I sliced and diced and mixed and arranged some good eats for Kristie and Lionel's wedding with Patricia and Dr. Wharton - good times. This wedding was absolutely lovely! It was in their backyard, SUPER small, I mean there was probably about 20-30 people there. I mean, we are talking dinky! But it was beautiful and way fun. I just love those two people. Kristie my entomologist extraordinaire and Lionel her burly Aussie. Super fun stuff. Whew! What a whirlwind of a week!!!

Well, I must finish getting ready for church - I think I'm going to pot some plants when I get home this afternoon!! Hmm...and maybe go pick-up a bottle-brush.... I love plants :)

Happy Sunday, all!

~MW