Ego Boost

I like ego boosts. I like them a lot.

So this morning I have been working on sewing an apron for my mom to give her friend for her birthday (pictures to come later). As I was sewing, one of my mom's piano students' younger sisters came wandering in. Her mother grabbed her and answered her questions about who I am, then told me what her daughter said, "She's even beautiful, mom."

This tells me a lot of things, the first being that kids really have no sense of attractive. I was wearing my pajamas, hadn't washed my face, hadn't put in my contacts (so I was wearing my glasses), and definitelly hadn't touched my hair. And yet, I still felt pretty good about myself.

Foods

Lately I am really enjoying my once a week cooking assignment. It has led me to believe that I would be quite happy as a housewife. Hear that all potential husbands?!? I like to cook foods and stay home and such! Take note!

Anyway, I have cooked two things lately that I really liked. Interestingly, one is very vegetarian, while one is as un-vegetarian as you can get! The first is black bean burgers, and they were yummy! I ate them with the salsa that my roommate and I made up.

1 can Rotel (diced tomatoes and green chiles)
1 green onion
1 small garlic clove
small handful of fresh cilantro
half a lime

*Drain the Rotel and chop everything up in an electric chopper, except the lime. Squeeze the lime juice into the completed salsa, add maybe a little salt, and enjoy!



The other recipe is a direct result of watching Julie and Julia. My mom wanted to make something special for her dinner on Friday, so she thought she might like to try Boeuf Bourguignon. I got to try making it Tuesday so she could know if it would be good. We found pdf's of the recipe on this website. Turns out to be a winner. It's a beef stew, and it tastes pretty awesome. We ate it according to the directions on the recipe, with boiled potatoes and steamed peas. It is just so meaty and good.

Music of my mind

This may make you think I'm crazy, and maybe I am. Ok, here's the story: When I fall asleep, I hear noises, and often they sound like music. So, last night, as I was going to sleep, I had a prolonged period of in-between, when I could hear a lot of noises. It sounded like a symphony, but none I had ever heard before. I woke up and thought, maybe I can get this on paper! Unfortunately, as I tried to remember those melodies and wonderful bass lines, I couldn't remember one thing. All that was left was a knowledge that 1. I had never heard it before (at least, nowhere but my mind) and 2. it was a wonderful mix of classical, modern, and post-modern styles.

As I slipped back into that in between state, the music started again. It was beautiful, and this morning I can remember nothing.

"Bonsai Your Pet" and other stories

The other day I realized I'm becoming more and more grownup. One of the signs I discovered is affinity for asparagus. I used to refuse to even eat asparagus, and when I did force it down, it was painful. Suddenly, several months ago, I ordered a meal where asparagus was one of the main ingredients. I loved it. I now crave it. It's a sign. However, I still feel like the idea that I'm a grownup is a laughable one. I feel a kinship to the character in this comic (another sign that I am not grownup is the fact that I still read comics).

In other news, this morning I realized that Walter is a pretty nice size for a dog. Not small enough to be too annoying, but small enough that I can still carry him. I mentioned this to my mom and she suggested that I figure out a way to bonsai him. As I considered the methods used to bonsai a tree, I realized that if these were applied to an animal, it might be considered cruelty. Restricting food, water, and living space to keep an animal small all seem somewhat legally actionable, except in the case of goldfish.

pets = stress

This week Walter was very sick. I got worried. Thursday night I was worried I would have no puppy the next morning. Here's the whole story. Tuesday morning (2 am-ish) I woke up to Walter whining. Turns out he had vomited in his crate!. It was gross, but I was able to clean it up pretty easily. He continued to throw up throughout the morning and got weaker and weaker as the day wore on. By 9am, he would just lie there forlornly, and no amount of coaxing would help him. I ended up taking him to the vet and they decided they needed to do a very expensive x-ray. That, coupled with blood tests, and the actual visit, meant that I had to shell out a lot of money. I was not pleased, but I figured that if the puppy got better, it would be worth it.

They gave me some antibiotics for him and sent me on my way. I was slightly annoyed, because it seemed like he was already getting better. He kept vomiting (or wommitin...), but seemed to be getting better. The next morning he was excited for his food! That was the last time he ate for two days. Thursday I was a bit freaked and had a pit in my stomach all day. The puppy seemed to have some energy, but he wouldn't eat, and he still threw up a couple of times. Friday morning I finally took him to the vet clinic I had wanted to go to in the first place. They checked him out, gave him some saline and vitamin shots and some special food and sent us on our way (they also didn't charge me much, a little less than 1/4 what the other place charged). By Friday afternoon he was pretty perky. By yesterday evening he was so puppyish he was hard to control. I realize there are perks to a subdued puppy, but I am very happy for energetic Walter to be back!