Sadness in Idaho

I heard today about this terrible accident that happened yesterday morning near Emmett, Idaho. My friend's niece and nephews are the Walker kids. I went to see my friend tonight after work. It is a devastating time for their family.

http://www.idahostatesman.com/273/story/73387.html

Please pray for the Walkers.

RAT (part II)

Today I was walking the halls during lunch (getting fit at MIT) and I saw a sign that said BRASS RAT...hmmmm...and it sounded vaguely familiar. It turns out that is what they call the MIT class ring! So maybe the RAT I saw was taking a break from posing for the ring. I don't know. I'm just trying to think of why a rat would be visiting "Mahogany Row".

Run And Tell (RAT)

This morning I was at work minding my own business and working on the computer when I saw something move out of the corner of my eye. I turned and saw it: a small RAT (or big mouse) scurrying around the doorway and into the office. I immediately alerted my coworkers (no, I did not scream) and called Facilities. Seeing a little critter will jump start your (heart and) day! While we were waiting for Facilities to show up (with our feet off the ground) the rat headed back out the door. My coworker shrieked and the rat stopped, turned around (did he look at her?!), and headed back into the office and behind some file cabinets or under the copier where it had been hanging out for a little while. A few minutes later he headed back out the door and to the left. I had turned my camera phone in hopes of getting a shot but he was too speedy. I ran into the hall and watched him run down the hallway towards the News Office. Later I heard he had been caught in the ladies bathroom (now I call it the "Rat Room") and I'm assuming he was let free in Cambridge.

Here's to you, Templeton, you livened up my day!

Close your eyes and imagine this...

A few times a year the "Men's Chorus" in our congregation ("ward") sings a musical number in Sacrament Meeting. It is always a delight to listen to them sing. Today was no different. The one thing that was different was that when I looked around the chapel, every teenage boy over 12 and man in the room was on the stand singing Nearer, My God, to Thee a capella.

Nearer, my God, to thee, Nearer to thee!
E'en though it be a cross that raiseth me.
Still all my song shall be
Nearer, my God, to thee,
Nearer, my God, to thee,
Nearer to thee!

Though like the wanderer, The sun gone down,
Darkness be over me, My rest a stone,
Yet in my dreams I'd be
Nearer, my God, to thee,
Nearer, my God, to thee,
Nearer to thee!

There let the way appear, Steps unto heav'n;
All that thou sendest me, In mercy giv'n;
Angels to beckon me
Nearer, my God, to thee,
Nearer, my God, to thee,
Nearer to thee!

It was extremely inspiring!

Let her eat cake!

They never did that at BYU...

Yesterday at work all of a sudden I heard this LOUD noise. My coworker exclaimed, "IT'S THE MEN'S SWIM TEAM!!!" Huh? I followed the noise and found them -- the Men's Swim Team -- speedo-ly clad, yelling and screaming and hitting the wall with flotation devices. It was quite a sight!! The team yelled a cheer, everyone clapped and then I went back to my office. A few minutes later I heard the LOUD noise again and sure enough the Men's Swim Team was heading down the hall in front of our office. It was really fun to watch them cheer and yell. I guess swim team season is under way. I snapped a few photos on my camera phone and will add them later.

Tonight was the "Postcards from MIT" show and sale. My photographs and quilt art were a nice addition to the collection of over 100 postcards. I bought a really cool oil painting of a red headed woman in a green hat.

Only at MIT...

Quilt art

Postcards from MIT is an art project where all members of the MIT community (Faculty, Staff, Students, and Alumni) are invited to submit a 4x6 inch original piece of artwork (with your signature on the back). Today is the deadline and the "show and sale" is Friday night (the postcards sell for $15 each and the money will benefit Rosie's Place). A few weeks ago I submitted 5 photographs and last night I made these quilt postcards (inspired by Denyse Schmidt). These were the only fabric art they had received so I made 5 more tonight. I think they're pretty nifty and I hope someone else does too!

It's Girl Scout cookie time!

Some of my coworkers bought a few boxes of cookies and shared them today. Thin mints are still my faves and I've got two boxes of mints on order (where are they?!). Believe it or not, one year I sold the most boxes of cookies in Troop 833. I think my dad bought 40 boxes but hey -- that still counts! I have this recollection of our freezer being filled with boxes of cookies and they probably cost 50 cents a box.

Support the Girl Scouts!

My favorite scarf

This was my birthday present last year from my niece Adrienne. Now that it's winter it is in full fashion! I love the note that she sent along with it. She's a gem.

Squeaky clean

I usually clean for occasions. But with no occasion on the near horizon and a very very very dusty/dirty condo, I decided to clean every room today.

If Abe and George showed up with their white gloves, they'd be proud of me.

Happy President's Day!

Plug your ears!

Match A/B/C with 1/2/3:

1. Loud
2. Louder
3. Loudest

A. The alarm in my condo building went off this morning at 7:00am. People standing outside in their pajamas, fire trucks...
B. There were noises later this morning that sounded like pictures were falling off my wall but I think it was icicles falling off the roof outside my window.
C. There are 127 children in my ward under the age of 11.

My guess is:
1-B
2-A
3-C

Birthday & Baptism

My neighbor turned two today. Here's a picture of her big sister showing me "two" and one of her being two. And, one of her with her mom, neighborly neighbor.

My friend Zoe got baptized today by her dad Tadd. It was a very nice baptism (she had to get dunked twice because her dress didn't go all the way under!). The chapel was filled her friends and family (some from far far away). I made the program and some of my famous mint brownies.

Ice and more ice

I encountered these icy steps this morning walking to work. And, I looked out the window during the day and one of the students was ice skating in Killian Court (ice over the grassy quad).

It's been an icy week.

Aloha!

Do you think my nephew Ian is enjoying college life at BYU-Hawaii?

These boots are made for snowy days

Today was a snowy day. That's different from a "snow day". I had to work today so it wasn't a "snow day" for me. Sigh.

I bought these boots at L.L. Bean last year. After living in Boston for 18 years. I should have bought them the week I got here.

Thanks Elisabeth (and Martha)!

I opened my door today and found this on the table in my entryway! This cute little bear was wrapped in cellophane and holding a (yummy) Valentine sugar cookie (I have already requested the recipe for the cookie and the frosting). My friend Elisabeth made it for me and she got the pattern from Martha Stewart.

Remember Flat Stanley? I've had many a kid send me their Flat Stanley to photograph in different places and then send on to someone else so they can travel the world. So in true Flat Stanley form, I took pictures of my new bear around my condo...on the couch...on the microwave...on the piano...and on the stairs.

Now I need to name my new bear...

Who has over 200 games???

The Batistas do, that's who! I had dinner with them tonight and then we...you know...played games! First we played Rat-a-Tat Cat and then we played Fowl Play which was really fun! Luis barely beat me...but he did! I want to get Fowl Play to add to my meager collection of games.

I took this picture (with my camera phone--sorry about the blur) which accounts for only a fraction of their games! They have Mystery Date. I hope they'll let me borrow it the next time there's a Girls Weekend.

Tax time

My dad always did his own taxes. For a few weeks our dining room table would be covered with receipts, the calculator, and tax forms. He inherited a farm which I'm sure made his taxes more complicated. If we bugged him while he was working on them he'd tell us it was "tax time".

One of the things at the top of my To-Do list this weekend was to get my tax information ready for the accountant. I didn't finish getting the information ready and I'm annoyed at myself for not making it a higher priority (it didn't out-rank making chocolate chip cookies).

So, it's still tax time for me.

Have your cake in a cake carrier and eat it too!

This morning I drove to Newburyport to visit an old co-worker and her new baby. Of course I took my camera along to take pictures of the baby. It was fun to visit with her, meet the baby, and see their amazingly cool hundred year old home. My friend suggested that we take a quick trip to Oldies since I love antiquing. The place was a huge barn--with NO heat I must add--but they had lots of neat stuff organized by type which made browsing much easier. This white enamel cake carrier with red trim caught my eye. We looked through the entire place and then I went back to ogle at the cake carrier and my friend offered to buy it for me as a thank you for visiting and taking pictures. Wow! What a nice gift!! I've already run it through the dishwasher and put it in its new place on the table as my centerpiece!

P.S. Oh yeah. The baby...here's a picture of the baby.

fancy pants

I love jeans. I love dresses too. I've just never been one to mix and match nice pants and blouses. I started my new job on December 6th and I've worn either a dress or skirt/sweater every day--until today--when I wore nice pants for the first time! My friend has given me lots of hand-me-downs and I got the nice pants from her.

This morning while walking to work from the subway I was remembering that my Grandmother Pitchforth, who was born in 1898 and lived to be 94 (and whose phone number was 6--see my 1/23/07 entry) never wore pants. Never ever. She wore a dress (and apron) every day of her life. I remember asking her once about wearing pants and she told me that Grandfather Pitchforth wouldn't approve.

We've come a long way, Granny.

Enrichment Night

Tonight for Enrichment we had a card making/valentine making activity. My friend Leah is very creative and had all the supplies for the coolest cards and a little Valentine candy holder. It was a fun night!

What's for lunch?

This is what I saw on top of a trash can today as I was walking out of work...college students love pizza!!

You can't take my Easy Bake Oven!

I saw this article on CNN today. My Easy Bake Oven isn't going to be recalled since it's from 1964! It was a Christmas gift from an old boyfriend; one of my all-time favorite gifts!

I had an Easy Bake Oven when I was young; possibly the inspiration for my baking hobby/habit. I crawled into my crawl space tonight and took these pictures. I must admit that the box is probably my favorite part!

the next holiday

This is my favorite Valentine's Day photocard! A few years ago my friend Alecia had a cookie decorating party and I snapped a few photos and there you have it. I've got "the eye" for cookies!

Big kid weekend

I did a little bit of babysitting and a lot of picture taking this weekend. See for yourself.

Valentine brownies

About a dozen years ago I took a "chocolate" class around Valentine's Day through the Boston Center of Adult Education (BCAE). It was taught by a woman named June Jacobs and she had a catering business. We made these in class in a jelly roll pan and then cut them out with a heart cookie cutter. They are delicious and are always a big hit! People are intrigued at how I get them heart shaped (the scraps are as yummy as the hearts!). This is one of the best brownie recipes I've ever made.

I made these this morning to take to a baby shower.

Valentine Brownies
Makes 24 squares (or about 18 hearts) in a jelly roll pan - these will be large!

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Melt 6 ounces unsweetened chocolate and 3/4 cup unsalted butter in a double boiler over simmering water. Set aside. Meanwhile, mix 3 cups sugar and 6 extra large eggs in a large bowl with a wooden spoon. Add 2 teaspoons vanilla and a pinch of salt. Add the chocolate mixture. Now stir in 1½ cups unbleached flour and 1½ cups chopped walnuts. Pour into well greased big square pan (or jelly roll pan). Bake for 25 minutes. Cool and cut out with a heart-shaped cookie cutter.

Dinner Club

Tonight I went to dinner with some friends at a relatively new Mexican restaurant in Lexington called Ixtapa. It was a bit pricey so I ordered taquitos as an appetizer for $6.50 and drank water. I love taquitos! And water's not bad either! When they seated us we were surrounded by lots of kids and two birthday parties. Once the crowd thinned out we could hear each other better and it was really enjoyable to talk about politics, movies, current events, and whatever. We made a plan to get together again and next time we may eat at the famous Hilltop on Route 1.

Mr. Bus Driver

I took the bus tonight. Talk about perfect timing; I went up the escalator to the street and the bus was there! As we approached the first stop the bus driver said: "Ladies and Gentlemen, the bell is not working so when you want to get off, just let me know." And then......are you ready for this............he leaned around..........and SMILED! That made me smile!!!











Here is a picture of the "NO BELL" sign. I love homemade bus signs!