But happy. You know me: I seem to do a bit better when there's slightly too much to do, versus too little.

I'm so behind on housework that my husband folded laundry today, which is this sort of cute/sweet thing he does when he sees that I'm under stress.

It's actually rather brave of him: would you want to fold the laundry of an obsessive-compulsive proofreader? I mean, everything's fine and wonderful until she discovers that you put a dish towel that had a bleach stain on it back into the dishtowel drawer instead of one of those strategic "rag stashes" that lurk in the kitchen and bathrooms for quick clean-up jobs.

Then her perfectionism comes out, and all hell breaks loose.

I'm so glad I don't have to live with me. Oh, wait . . .

Posted by: Attila Girl at 07:31 PM | Comments (3) | Add Comment
Post contains 141 words, total size 1 kb.

Martin G. used to add two teaspoons of flour to the eggs, and then strain the egg mixture. That would remove some of the white, along with any unblended flour. His family insisted that this made the final product, technically, a crepe.

Zora used to whip up the eggs, so that they'd almost get fluffy--notwithstanding the presence of yolk--and then put in some Worchestershire sauce. Since she claimed to be vegetarian, I always allowed myself to believe the Worchestershire sauce was vegetarian, and was free of anchovies. Of course, I might have been wrong.

Posted by: Attila Girl at 09:09 PM | No Comments | Add Comment
Post contains 100 words, total size 1 kb.

Now that I've developed an omelet filling that we all three (mother, husband and self) can live with, it might be time to stop making them in sequence. With a MoFo twelve-inch omelet pan, I could simply produce one really butch omelet.

Though it might be a challenge to turn it. And there is the margarine vs. butter debate. (That one is solvable: I'll use olive oil. Healthier that way, anyway.)

Good food is such a fundamental pleasure in life. I'm glad my first few boyfriends taught me to cook.

Posted by: Attila Girl at 04:36 PM | Comments (9) | Add Comment
Post contains 100 words, total size 1 kb.

Circa 1982, my friend EB came up with a list of kitchen items that Only Need To Be Rinsed. Such as:

• the coffee maker; and

• the garlic press.

To which I'd add:

• the cast-iron frying pans;

• the outdoor grill; and

• that bowl that holds the fresh fruit on the counter.

What else?

Posted by: Attila Girl at 08:51 PM | Comments (15) | Add Comment
Post contains 65 words, total size 1 kb.

I've been doing my mother's laundry since October. (I pick it up, then drop it off the next time I see her.)

Now that she has the second mortgage in place, she thinks it's time to get a washer and dryer. Oddly enough, I'm being really supportive of this idea.

It looks like this will be a splurge: she'd really like to get a state-of-the-art European-style front-loader, and I think it's justified since it'll be a big energy saver. Besides, she lives simply in most ways.

So: thoughts on those water-wise washers? It needs to be big enough to handle queen-size comforters. Other than that, we just want a good deal, and something sooper-dooper energy efficient.

(Yes, I'll drop by the Consumer Reports website before I head out to take her shopping.)

Posted by: Attila Girl at 11:13 PM | Comments (6) | Add Comment
Post contains 136 words, total size 1 kb.

But I can't.

Posted by: Attila Girl at 12:42 PM | Comments (3) | Add Comment
Post contains 13 words, total size 1 kb.

1 'Cause, you know: my husband is sleeping with her.

Posted by: Attila Girl at March 01, 2006 08:04 PM (s96U4)

2 That slut!

Posted by: Darrell at March 02, 2006 10:20 AM (ZcVKO)

3

Posted by: Attila Girl at March 02, 2006 10:49 AM (s96U4)

Hide Comments | Add Comment

if you can't figure out where they're getting into the house—and you don't want to overuse the ant spray—there is this desperation measure you can take: find a spot right on or by the ant superhighway, and place a drop of honey there. Wait half an hour, and soon the part of the line that had been diffuse will be well-defined with busy, productive little ant bodies. Find the entry point, spray that with ant spray (or block it off with powder, or sewing machine oil) and then wipe the rest of the critters up in a grand moment of speciesist bigotry.

But be sure to mop up that little honey drip very thoroughly, or you'll have company again, and soon.

For more household hints, PayPal me $50 tonight and I'll think of others so fast it'll make your head spin. Don't doubt me on this.

Posted by: Attila Girl at 09:57 PM | Comments (1) | Add Comment
Post contains 158 words, total size 1 kb.

I remark gleefully to my mother. "I got a bleach stain on my favorite black cords. See here, where it used to be? And I filled it in with a black marker. You can't even tell."

"Yup," she agrees. "It looks fine. Sometimes I have to do that, too."

I put the pants back in the drawer. "You know, theoretically, one shouldn't ever buy clothes that aren't either white or black."

"Don't be silly," she replies. "You can buy clothes that are in any color at all, so long as you have a pen in that same color."

It's not often that I have such a pure appreciation for my mother's genius.

Posted by: Attila Girl at 09:26 AM | Comments (6) | Add Comment
Post contains 122 words, total size 1 kb.

I still don't know how many days a week I'll be doing my cool blue-collar job—or how long, overall, it will last—so I don't want to invest in it, but I'm looking for small things to make the days easier, such as:

1) A child's watch--one I don't mind getting paint on. Problem is, most of the little boys' watches that appeal to me cost $17 and I'm not willing to pay more that $5, or $10 at the outside. (I did see one $5 watch, but it was too big for my wrist. I suspect I'll be out at Wal-Mart this week, so I might see something there or at Target (which is a block away; how cool is that?).

2) Better breakfast and lunch equipment. I've been buying bagels on job-site mornings, but I can't afford those luscious poppy-seed bagel sandwiches from Noah's forever. I can get supermarket bagels (blueberry are the best), and put cream cheese on 'em myself, but I'm still not progressing up the health ladder that way. I'd like to get a small insulated food jar, and take oatmeal in that. I've seen recipes for making oatmeal overnight in the wide-mouth thermos itself, but I think that might be packed away with my Tightwad Gazette books. The other possibility is finally breaking down and getting a Crock-Pot. I can make overnight oatmeal in that; since I can put dried fruit in it, the husband might even like to have some of it for his breakfast. (Recipes for slow-cooker oatmeal are actually abundant.)

I really like the Bento "laptop" lunch box systems, but they would be far too expensive unless I were getting a good four days a week at the job site. I do carry a satchel to work, and I might be able to carry my cold lunch on one side, with my hot breakfast oatmeal/coffee (each in a vacuum bottle) on the other side, separated by a sweatshirt.

The idea on my blue-collar mornings is to get up, make tea (in the pot), drink some, throw on clothing, and pour the rest of the tea into my insulated "travel" mug. On those days I don't carry my purse, but put a few things into my tummy pack, and everything else into my bookbag (not the nice one; the one I don't mind getting paint splatters on).

I race out the door, and get to B's house in time to carpool to the job site with him and the others. So we usually eat breakfast in the car (for me, the rest of the tea and a few store-bought muffins) until we get to the place where Starbucks and Noah bagels are next to each other. There, I refill my drink container with Chai latte, and get the expensive bagel (the one I want to replace with something cheaper and healthier).

Actually, the perfect breakfast thermos for me would have two compartments in it: I could put the oatmeal in one, and an improvised fruit compote in the other (e.g., fruit cocktail microwaved to make it warm).

So I'll be looking at Target for some of this stuff as well, as well as the tiny Japanese department store on the Westside that carries some of the nicest mult-compartment food containers I've ever seen. And those aren't pricey at all.

Obviously, share with my any box-lunch or breakfast-on-the-go wisdom you may have.

Posted by: Attila Girl at 01:05 AM | Comments (8) | Add Comment
Post contains 572 words, total size 3 kb.

1 My ideal job has always been home renovation.

Posted by: gail at January 02, 2006 01:55 PM (jMroL)

2 Well, one of my aspirations--after I sell my novel and get rich/famous within seconds of its hitting the bookstores--is to buy houses and fix them up. So I'm learning something that might actually be useful to me down the road.

Posted by: Attila Girl at January 02, 2006 02:12 PM (zZMVu)

3 Joy, Coleman (the camping people) make a whole bunch of really good (and reasonably priced) thermoses. I have one at home that is a dual-compartment. About a pint on each side, two lids, two cups. Check the camping side of Wal-mart or target. For lunch I used a soft-side cooler bag (the $5 kind) and froze two bottles of drinking water to keep things cold. The water will thaw by lunch in warm weather, giving a cold drink along with your lunch. My wife used to freeze tea or lemonade as well. With the cold pack you can take any type of tuna/chicken/egg salad (in a separate bowl) and bread to make a sandwich that isn't soggy. Veggies and fruit also do well. The lunch box then collapses for your trip home. I currently use MREs for lunch on the go; part and parcel of the job. They have improved over the old days, but not much. SGT Dave Camp Victory, Iraq

Posted by: SGT Dave at January 03, 2006 12:23 AM (blfs0)

4 Sgt. Dave, You are the MAN! Sounds like what you're recommending is sturdy, like the "trucker's Thermos" I use for road trips. Exactly what I need. When you eat your MREs, eat them with an awareness that we here in the U.S. are truly grateful for what you're doing. And so are the Iraqi people, though our media is keeping that a secret from most of mylefty friends. I hear C-Rations were worse, though it annoys me that you aren't getting hot meals every minute (and bikini-clad girls feeding you grapes, for that matter). Send me a note if you'd like a care package: I'd love to put one together for your and your friends.

Posted by: Attila Girl at January 03, 2006 01:09 AM (zZMVu)

5 1) What's the problem with oatmeal? Put rolled oats and boiling water into a wide-neck thermos, then wait around 20 minutes. It will be ready by the time you get to the jobsite. May need to experiment with the amount of water. Raisins and diced dried fruit should plump up just fine. 2) Blueberry bagels are sacrilege. I know I am a hypocrite - a Jew who loves everything from Thai to Mexican. But it still hurts when my home cuisine is "fusioned". 3) Here in Israel, the soldiers buy watch protectors - a thingie that looks like a sturdy plastic version of the "blister pack" type packaging. The clear plastic "dome" covers the watch and protects it, the cloth backing goes between watch and your arm. Hope I explained this well - do they sell those there? Another trick is to cut a circle of clingy plastic wrap, and cover the watch face with it while painting. Then peel and discard. It's easier to stick the plastic on the watch and then trim off the excess, rather than try to cut a perfect circle out of the clingy film. Hope this helps!

Posted by: Ben-David at January 03, 2006 11:43 AM (4YZr0)

6 Ben-David, how do you feel about blueberry blintzes? 'Cause I do prefer them to regular cheese blintzes. I only eat the blueberry bagels because supermarket bagels are generally so awful. When I'm at a real bagel shop I always order a poppy-seed bagel. Not toasted. With cream cheese. Is that acceptable? I'm also very fond of Latkes, Challah, and matzo ball soup.

Posted by: Attila Girl at January 03, 2006 12:52 PM (zZMVu)

7 Joy, C-rats were not as bad as they say - at least every once in a while. My father (1SG Jim) served for several years and would bring C-rats home for camping trips. As it is, I do eat very well. The Dining Facility (not "Mess Hall" anymore) is staffed by a bunch of really nice people who are fighting for the contract jobs. The food is almost too good for this old body (I have to watch the middle). I appreciate the offer of a care package; the wife and extended family are taking care of me at this time. Call the Army Reserve 203rd MI Battalion or the CA National Guard - most of the armories have an adopt a soldier program. The kids need all the support they can get. This old, grumpy sergeant appreciates the kind words and support. Be well. "Always Out Front" SGT Dave

Posted by: SGT Dave at January 03, 2006 09:51 PM (blfs0)

8 Thank you, Sir. I haven't yet done that. But now I will.

Posted by: Attila Girl at January 04, 2006 12:01 AM (zZMVu)

Hide Comments | Add Comment

if you're making cranberry sauce from scratch, tonight's the night to do it. Otherwise, it won't "jell" properly.

Also: tonight's a good night for making pie. Take me, for instance: I'm going to buy my pie from the Ralph's bakery tonight because I can't be bothered and have nothing to prove.

Posted by: Attila Girl at 06:51 PM | Comments (12) | Add Comment
Post contains 59 words, total size 1 kb.

I hadn't realized that lime would make such a dramatic difference in grilled chicken (vs. lemon), but the grilled breasts at the BFL Conference were to die for.

And the big bags of little key limes they sell at Ralph's contain far too many to use in gin & tonics (and ginless tonics) before a few dry out and look/taste icky.

So this Sunday I'd like to do a little grilling if time permits; please share your favorite marinade recipes that contain some fresh lime juice. Yum.

UPDATE: You people aren't too helpful, are you? You forced me to actually DO SOME WORK MYSELF. It was grim; but here you go.

Please report here your favorite adventures involving chicken, lime, and your grill.

Posted by: Attila at 01:07 AM | Comments (5) | Add Comment
Post contains 131 words, total size 1 kb.

thinks we should just ditch the silly Food Guide Pyramid—even in its new "programmable" form—and let people feed themselves. After all, we couldn't be doing a worse job, even with all this Federal "help."

Reminds me of Michele's Food Guide Pentagram, which is, um, slightly more appealing than the Feds' version. Oddly enough.

Posted by: Attila at 02:59 AM | No Comments | Add Comment
Post contains 55 words, total size 1 kb.

I feel a whole bunch of domestic posts coming on.

Bear in mind that I'm a schoolteacher's daughter, and on some sort of cellular level having more light means that it's time to clean/straighten the house: My mom used to pack a year's worth of housework into 2 1/2 months. I do the same, without a sliver of excuse for it.

So, today's question is, if I determine that I can afford to invest in a small appliance, should it be a Crock-Pot or a pressure cooker?

If I get a Crock-Pot, I can start dinner early in the day, and it'll be done in the evening. If I get a pressure cooker, I can compress a lot of cooking into a small amount of time. Given my propensity for procrastination, the pressure cooker is the more obvious choice.

But either one should be cheapest this time of year, and given that it's still chilly at night, there's at least another month (and probably two) of cold-weather meals we can have. Matter of fact, I can probably start using my grill before I give up on making beef stew.

At this particular moment, the world is my culinary oyster. Or it would be, if I were into shellfish.

UPDATE: The slow cooker is winning out, especially on the basis of price. If I were willing to use a pressure cooker on my little 60s-era electric stove, the cost difference could be narrowed down a bit. But I'm really not, which means that I'd be paying over $100 for an electric pressure cooker. That's a rather expensive upgrade at the moment. I can get a slow cooker for $40-$55, and I suspect that's the way I'll be going.

Posted by: Attila at 06:36 PM | Comments (11) | Add Comment
Post contains 291 words, total size 2 kb.

I just broke my iron, and it's a nifty cordless one, too.

Wonder if I can get it fixed.

Wonder how much it would cost to replace.

But for the next week or two or ten—until I figure it out—I'm a free woman. How cool is that?

Posted by: Attila at 01:01 AM | Comments (1) | Add Comment
Post contains 51 words, total size 1 kb.

. . . but now I try to be amused.

Posted by: Attila at 10:34 PM | No Comments | Add Comment
Post contains 20 words, total size 1 kb.