Monthly Archives: February 2013

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I Officially Feel Old

I thought I felt old when I realized a few years ago that my students who were graduating were young enough to be my children. I thought I was old when the oldies station started playing songs I thought were cool. I thought I was old when I realized that the 80s were thirty years ago. But I was wrong; today marks the day where I officially feel old.

One of my students came to me in a panic today because progress reports go out tomorrow and he was not done with an assignment for English. They are learning to write a research paper so he had his topic, had his sub categories and needed to gather sources and gather information and note where it all came from for the bibliography. He had no sources yet and it was due …. you guessed it … today. When I asked him why he had nothing he told me he only had one day to go to the library and the computers were all taken. So he couldn’t use the Internet.

What about a book

He looked in a book.

Why didn’t he write that as a source?

It only had a little information on his topic.

So why not use it as one of the source?

It was a book.

Yes, a book is a source.

But it’s not a website.

(Here is why I feel very, very old today)

I asked him, in a very calm and rational voice what he thought we used as sources for our research papers before the Internet.

He responded, with all sincerity and wonder, “You wrote research papers back then?”

I officially feel old.

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A Day Off

Work has been kicking my butt lately and I think it is a little worse since I know I have three more weeks of it. Seventeen meetings in two days takes a toll, and it is not just the meetings, it is the prep, paperwork and finalizing after meetings that just adds more time. But it is done for now and Bob and I headed up to St. Petersburg for a nice day out today.

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We originally planned to go to a place that has 120 beers and an extensive wine list. But they didn’t look open, so we wandered around a bit and found a cool Mexican place. The food was so good, and I was so hungry that I forgot to take pictures of the food. I did manage to get one of Bob’s beer. It really isn’t the beer so much as what they add – Worcestershire, pepper and spices. Bob said it was good, and very different.

And … Bob and I decided we missed Brad and Emmie and Logan so much we couldn’t wait for the summer to visit. So since Bob had to take a few days off and I have Spring Break coming up, we decided to freeze our tushes off and go visit. We found a great deal on the flight, making it cheaper than DC (sorry Karen and Erin … we’ll get up there soon, but we just could not pass it up!) so we are going for it.

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Gracie, of course, loves the suitcase and decided she needs to go to England too. Not sure how Renny and Luna would feel about that … or the neighboring rabbits.

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What to do when there are no eggs in the house

I headed to lunch with mom and dad today, and stopped to pick up some things to make so Bob could eat this week as I have late meetings at least three days. So after making beef stew, pulled pork and jerk chicken, I really, really wanted dessert. Bob mentioned ice cream, but I had none In the house. I mentioned that I could make a cake or cookies and his response was that he didn’t want me to have to cook any more today. I tried giving him the correct response, which is, of course, “which ever you would like to make, dear.” Ok, the dear is optional, but really, for a smart man, he just didn’t get it.

I decided to make a cake while he took Jessie for a walk. But … there are no eggs in the house. Something I dearly wish I had known before going to the grocery store today. But, that little, pesky detail is not going to tell my stomach that it just can’t have dessert. So, I went with the vegan cupcake option.

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A few years ago Val sent me an article that mentioned a vegan cupcake book. (Vegan Cupcakes Take Over the World) I had to try it. So I did. When I lived by myself and never had milk or eggs in the house, I frequently ate meals that were mostly vegan. Baking was no different and I love the way these taste. You know a recipe is well used when the pages are stuck together, yet the spine wants to open on that recipe. That would be the vegan chocolate cupcake.

Yes, the cupcake, which is totally chocolatey, totally delicious and totally easy is vegan. No eggs, no butter, no milk. Soy milk, apple cider vinegar, canola oil work with the coco powder, flour and leavening agents to make a moist, yummy cupcake.

The icing, however, is not vegan. I am horrid at making icings and they never turn out right. I also lack patience today to try yet another icing, so I went with heavy cream and Nutella. I said the cupcake was vegan … I never said the whole thing was. The cream topping gives it a nice layer of flavor and the cupcake it just delicious even on its own.

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Easy, quick and no fuss cupcake. Dessert even with no eggs in the house.

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Reason Number ___ I Love Florida

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I should feel at least slightly guilty for this post considering so many are digging out from a blizzard. Should. But I don’t. I did move to Florida in large part to avoid snow, sleet, ice and cold.

It has been a long few weeks and the next two are not going to be any better. This means when I’ve had the energy to cook, it has been simple meals that I’ve done dozens of times if not more. But today we decided to get out and about for a bit and enjoy the beautiful weather. Bob suggested St. Armand’s Circle. So we headed down there and found a little place that did Middle Eastern/Mediterranean called Terrace on the Circle.

After my disaster with falafel a few months ago, I have been reluctant to try it again. We split a plate of falafel that looked great

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For the main dish I went with the Kefta.

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I was pretty sure I was going to be able to eat the whole thing, but nope. Had to bring half of it home. The meat was seasoned well, but I am use to spicier versions, so it was missing just a little something. The hummus that went on top was fabulous, however. And this from someone who isn’t that crazy about hummus for the most part.

But the best part of the day (aside from finding a cool little spice shop) was the view.

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Just another day in paradise you could say!