Aussie

She's going to be the death of me. Licking my face while I drive, next time she's getting a seat belt.




Australian Cattle Dog up for adoption to a good home, preferably with no cats. Not sure how she is with other dogs but I imagine that she would love a play mate. She's a sweetheart, loves her belly rubbed, loves giving kisses is VERY affectionate. She'll lay all over you just to be close to you. Listens well, very loyal, fairly house trained (most likely was an outside dog) she just needs a little fine tuning. She's very happy to be indoors. Please help me find her a home with room to run around or someone that will walk her regularly. Barely sheds, smells cleeean, had two baths, HW prevention and Flea prevention. She's a great dog that just needs a home that will love her as equally as she'll love you. She's a lovebug and she needs a forever home. Please help, I don't want to send her to the Humane Society.

Mom, It's not a threadmill.

LA Fitness not "La" Fitness

So I finally went to LA Fitness tonight (I hate going to the gym) but I'm doing it for my mom (as well as my fat-ass self). They are pretty state-of-the-art with LCD screens attached to every cardio machine. Holy crap I just realized my mom left me a glass of ice water next to my bed, YES! for moms.

So I get to the gym at like 8:45, most of the cardio machine TVs are on abc watching Dancing with the Stars. So I get on an elliptical machine and bam I realized how royally I screwed up! Lost is coming on in 15 mins and I didn't bring my headphones! I can hook up headphones directly into the machine and watch TV! Amazing what inventions there are. In a way it's kind of funny, watching TV usu requires a couch/bed, but at the gym the TV is workout entertainment. I thought it was pretty cool that you can choose the channel of your choice. There are also machines that you can hook up a USB cable, or an IPOD and charge it! Insane!

So first day at the new gym was partially successful with the workouts, failure for missing Lost. I got parts of it but with no sound and I couldn't get the subtitles to work. Ohwell. My mom working out was entertainment enough.

So I know no one will read this which is fine, I don't get offended.

I am behind

Nerve's '50 Poncho and Casey's '49 Merc

I knew that I would only update this in random spurts. but now that my computer if finally up and running after over a year, I guess I can try to continue with it. David and I just got back from Gainesville where it was very chilly and rainy. We went to Billetproof, a classic/hot rod car show. Most of the club couldn't make it but maybe next time. It was really nice aside from the cold rain on Sat. For now I am getting ready for bed and hopefully there will be more updates with less time in between.

Old Baking adventures

I like baking, but this some cheat baking by the box cupcakes.


How many David and I ate. I think actually that might be how many I ate alone. :P

These were my first raw food creation. Mashed bananas, raw Agave nectar, raw organic cacao powder, raw organic cacao nibs and raw shredded coconut.
My niece loved it.

More later...

Cherry Pie

I made my first cherry pie with FRESH cherries.

I didn't make the vegan ice cream yet, I made Mango ice cream instead and it was really good. Cocoa Mochi was nasty, never again.

I've taken up the task of babysitting my nephew for the summer and we've spent almost two weeks together. It's been fun, this week I was teaching him how to swim. And the first day he had it down. Day two was even better. We took today off, good thing because it poured but we went up to Big Al's fish store. He was amazed at all the fish and the sharks. It was neat. I finally picked up a Pleco to add to my algae infested tank. My cichlid continues to look like he's on the brink of death yet somehow still hangs on. The Pleco is in Algae heaven right now. I anticipate a fast growth spurt. I also may have finally found a home for my lovely Aussie water dragon. I would like him to go to a loving home since i can't give him the attention he deserves, haha, I sound ridiculous.
Conner trying to gather all the things his mom gave him when we went to visit her at work. The pollito, the post-it note book, the magnet pin. He wanted to stay and hang out in the cubicle.

Conner's amazement at all the fish.



After a long day looking at fish, McDonald's Happy Meal with a "kid's juice"

vegan ice cream

Ok I have two recipes that I am going to try. Now that I have no job I am going to use my time doing the things I love which is make sweat delights and eat them too.

Equipment:
- Blender or food processor
- Ice cream machine (the kind with the tub you chill in the freezer works fine, and they cost less than $50)

Ingredients
1 tetra box firm silken tofu (like Mori-Nu) -or- 8 ounces soy yogurt
Between 3/4 to 1 cup plain soy milk
1/3 cup maple syrup or brown rice syrup (or a combination)
2 tsp vanilla
I would also add 2 T arrowroot powder but the recipe didn't call for it.

Directions
Combine all 4 main ingredients in a blender or food processor and blend until thoroughly combined and smooth. Blend in any desired flavoring ingredients (see below). Pour into your ice cream machine, and freeze following the manufacturer's instructions.

Add-ins:
For various flavors, add to the food processor:

For Banana Soy Ice Cream, blend in 2 ripe bananas

For Strawberry Soy Ice Cream, blend in 12-16 frozen and partially thawed strawberries.

For Pineapple Soy Ice Cream, blend in 1 can or 1 cup of pineapple (well drained). You may want more sweetener.

For Ginger Soy Ice Cream, add either 1/4 cup preserved ginger or 1 to 2 inches grated fresh ginger (for preserved ginger, add to food processor so it gets ground up).

Use your imagination to come up with new flavors!

Flavored liquers or syrups are a great way to add punch. Try creme de menthe and chocolate chips, or coffee liqueur, or instant coffee powder...

I also like cinnamon, which now that I have REAL Ceylon cinnamon from Costa Rica, I may add that.

The second recipe has a slight variation.

Lazy Vanilla

2 c. soy creamer (or any non-dairy milk)
2 c. soy milk (or any non-dairy milk)
¾ c. sugar
2 T. arrowroot
2 t. vanilla extract (choose a high-quality brand; none of that imitation stuff either!)

Mix ¼ cup of soy milk with the 2 tablespoons of arrowroot and set aside.

Mix the soy creamer, soy milk, and sugar together in a saucepan. When the mixture has just started to boil, take off the heat and stir in the arrowroot slurry. This should immediately cause the liquid to thicken (not a lot, but a noticeable amount; it will be thicker when it cools).

Stir in vanilla extract.

Set the ice cream mixture aside to cool. Freeze according to your ice cream maker’s instructions.

There is also a recipe for using the Vanilla bean but I don't think I'm going to waste my Costa Rican Vanilla bean on Vegan ice cream, sorry.

I think I've given up on the Costa Rica trip photos. They are a pain to load, and I have so many more but ohwell.
I just finished making Japanese cocoa Mochi except I used cacao and organic sugar and I totally wasted it all because those things are weird and sorta nasty.

OK night