Exploding Head Syndrome

What a great name for a disease.  This is an actual phenomenon.  Believe me,  I'm not clever enough to come up with this by myself.  Its a condition where people will experience a loud noise that seems to come from within their own head that lasts for only a second.  Usually at night as they're drifting off to sleep, it will jolt them awake. It isn't usually painful, but it can be very alarming and unnerving.  Some people hear an explosion, roar, gunshot or someone screaming.  For me, its the sound of a buzz saw going through my skull.

I really thought I was alone with some strange condition that no one understood.  After my doctor looked at me like I was from Mars, he said it was probably a mini seizure.  Great.  So I did some searching and after a month or so I started finding out that others have had what they call a vibrating or buzzing brain.  Last night, I found out that there's a name for it.  There's even a wikipedia page about it. 

The first time it happened, I woke up terrified wondering what was outside my window making that noise.  I drifted back to sleep and again, it jolted me awake.  "Gary???  Was that you?"  Sound asleep.  The third time I realized it was coming from inside my head.  I was so afraid to fall asleep again that I kept myself awake for an hour playing solitaire on my Ipod. 

No one knows what causes it but apparently it can be brought on by stress and fatigue.  I'm not stressed.  Not in the least.  (@_@)  It hasn't been as bad as that first night, but I've found that sleep aids (benadryl) will keep it from happening.  With time, it supposedly goes away by itself, which remains to be seen. 

Quoting someone named James from his blog Disease Prone:

'So what’s happening?  Nobody has any idea.  It isn’t auditory because deaf sufferers have been reported.  It’s not linked to random nerve firing (often reflected in a condition called myoclonic jerks).  It’s not linked to epilepsy.  It’s not linked to migraines.

So we can’t understand what causes it, we have no idea what’s happening, we can’t say what might trigger it, it doesn’t seem to correlate with any associated conditions, apart from sleep – there’s only one thing missing here.  Can we cure it?  Of course not, what are you, stoopid?'

Thanks, James.  You made my day.  ;-)

Gangy

The other day our kids came over with the grandkids for a Thai dinner.  The whole family was here  except for Dan who had to work.

Jordan is two and a barrel full of monkeys.  What a darling little toddler she is.  She is learning how to say "please" by tilting her head and saying in her cute little squeaky voice, "Say please!!!"

Sophie is a week and a half old and such a beautiful baby.  I can sit all day just holding her.  This is the good-parts version of being a mom.  I don't have to change diapers, just cuddle and spoil.

Gary has decided that I need to be called Gangy (as in Arrested Development).  It tickles his funny bone.  I'm not sure I'm very happy about this, but I have to admit its pretty funny.  Jordan has already started calling me that, at least that's what it sounds like.  If you haven't seen the show, she's a horribly wretched mother.

This is one of my favorite conversations about her:

Michael: Lindsay, new outfit?

Lindsay: This? No, I've had this for years. I think it's a hand-me-down from Mom.

Michael: You got a price tag. Right there.

Lindsay: Is there? I guess she wanted me to have something new. Sweet old thing.

Michael: Only two of those words describe Mom, so I know you're lying to me. And where did you get that outfit?

Lindsay: Old thing got it for me.

I'll be the Anti-Gangy.  :-)

Yummy ginger cookies

I love ginger cookies.  I'm always looking for different recipes to try but they usually don't turn out the way I want them to.  I like them to be really spicy with a strong ginger and molasses bite.  These past couple of weeks I've been tweaking a couple of recipes I've found and I think I finally came up with one I like.


One recipe I'm borrowing from uses a large amount of mixed spices instead of a purchased gingerbread spice mix.  The other recipe I'm using was one I found when I was out of molasses and had a serious craving.  Between the two of them, this recipe I came up with isn't bad.


1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup coconut oil
2/3 cup packed brown sugar
2/3 cup molasses
1 tbsp fresh ginger
1 egg, beaten
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
3 cups flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 tsp salt
3/4 tsp baking powder
1 tbsp ground ginger
1 tbsp ground cinnamon
1 tbsp ground nutmeg
1 tbsp ground allspice
1 tsp ground clove
1/2 tsp turmeric


The fresh ginger gives it a little more zing.  The last time I tried powdered ginger it wasn't strong enough, and using just fresh ginger wasn't enough either.  So why not try them both?  :-)


I used coconut oil because I think there are some health benefits to it, but if you want, just use one cup of butter.  Same for the wheat flour.  Just use four cups of white bread flour if you don't want to use wheat.

Directions:

In a medium sized bowl, mix the butter, coconut oil, brown sugar, and molasses.  Stir in the egg, fresh ginger and vanilla and mix until smooth.  Add the salt, baking powder and spices, then gradually add the flour and mix until well combined.  It's a pretty stiff dough.  If you don't think your hand mixer is up to it, mix the last bit by hand or use a stand mixer.


Roll into 1" balls and place on greased cookie sheet 1/2 inch apart.  You might want to flatten them because they don't spread very much.


Bake for 15 minutes at 325 degrees F (cookies should be firm).


Yummy.  

Time to exercise

Its official.  I'm extremely out of shape.  I have felt a need to get some exercise for a while but it wasn't until I got on the elliptical this morning that I realized just how badly I need it.

Four minutes.

That's how long I lasted.

Its embarrassing.

But tomorrow will be better than today, and the next will be even better.

I have a friend that runs several miles each morning with her husband.  I'll never be a runner (Jerri, you rock!) but I will be in shape one day soon.

My day off

Today was fun.  Morelia gave me Tuesday off since I worked all day Monday while she moved back to St. George.  

My new couch and love seat were delivered today so I spent a little bit of time spraying fabric protector on them

Erica and I went to Twentyfive Main for lunch (yum) and then went to JC Penney and Walmart and did some shopping for her soon to be delivered baby girl.  :D

Stopped over at Dan and Debbie's apartment to check out their new digs and got to play with Jordan for a while

Came home and ate leftover Chinese food with Gary

Repaired one of the legs on our old green easy chair.  One of these days I'll reupholster it.  Its a mess right now

Replenished our 72 hour emergency kits

Watched a little TV

Went to bed

It was a pretty nice day.

Dobie

When I was about three or four living in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, my sister, Valerie and I had a cute little dog named Dobie.  One of our favorite past-times was to slide him down the laundry shoot to the basement and have him land in a basket full of laundry.  As far as we knew, he loved it.  Actually he was probably terrified of us.  But a sweet little dog nonetheless.

I've been looking for a picture of him in the boxes of old photographs I've got and couldn't find one anywhere.  I'm sure I've seen a picture of him, unless my memory of him is clearer than I thought it was.  I googled around for a dog that sort of looked like him and even though this isn't quite right, its close.  He was a little smaller and a darker brown.

Do you have a favorite pet from a long time ago that you still think about?  I miss Dobie.

We are cursed

I don't know what it is about the things that Gary and I like.  But when we love something so much, it's either discontinued or goes out of business (at least here in town).

Just to name a few:

• Fazoli's
• McCormick Imitation Butter Flavored Salt
• Famous Dave's BBQ
• Teriyaki Stix
• Skipper's Seafood Restaurant
• This yummy mozzarella cheese from Costco that was twisted up like a rope

Watch out Jack In The Box and Del Taco.  You're on the list...

Ten guilty pleasures

Sometimes I just need a little time out to indulge myself if I'm feeling tired or run down.  I tried to think of ten things that really float my boat.  (not in any particular order)

1. Chocolate cake from Del Taco. 
2. Honey smoked salmon from Costco
3. Cheesecake
4. Chocolate Cheesecake
5. White chocolate macadamia nut cookies (Otis Spunkmeyer cookies are to die for)
6. A hot soak in a tub with lavender bath salts
7. Angry birds on my iPod
8. Sitting on the porch swing on a nice day with a breeze
9. A twenty minute nap
10. Walking around holding hands with my sweetie.

It appears that I like to eat.  I like chocolate.  Gooey chocolate.  If I had to choose between a brownie and a french fry, I would take the brownie in a heartbeat.  Salty is good, but chocolate is, well, divine.

:D

Bunny fishing

When my three youngest girls were about four and five (the youngest two are twins) we lived in a house that had a balcony that overlooked an undeveloped desert landscape. We had horny toads and jack rabbits all over the place.

One of my favorite memories of that house was watching them entertain themselves by tying a carrot to a string and holding it over the balcony in hopes that they could feed a bunny. They never did get one to take a nibble but that didn't discourage them. They'd be out there day after day waiting for a bunny to eat their carrot.

I just love the thought process of a child.  In their mind anything is possible, and why not?  If we could all have that kind of imagination and excitement as we get older, think of the things we could accomplish. I'm always trying to quiet the voices in my head that tell me something isn't worth my time, that I'm not good enough or that there's no point in trying something new.

I'm really trying (the key word here is trying...) to step outside the box and be willing to try new things without fear of failure. Not trying because you're afraid is worse than trying and failing. Messing up just gives you an opportunity to try again. Here's to bunny fishing.

*bling*

My wedding ring needs repairs, again.  I love my ring.  Its the one Gary bought for me before we were married.  But its needed repairs so many times, and now the prongs on the smaller stones are snagging things and I'm afraid I'm going to lose one of the diamonds.

Years ago when it needed repairs but we couldn't afford it, I went down to Walmart and got myself a gold band to wear so my finger didn't feel naked.

These days I'm in the mood for a little more pizzazz.  So Gary told me I could go out and find one I liked that we could afford.  I went to the jewelry store in the mall and found the perfect ring.

I've always wanted white gold or platinum, and this has just the right amount of bling for me.  I wish the photo looked better.  Please ignore my fingernails.  These are working hands - they're not for show.

I took it home to show Gary my new toy and he asked how much it cost.  "Seven dollars."  He exclaimed, "SEVEN DOLLARS???"  I said, "I'm sorry, did I spend too much?"  He gave me a big hug and said he loved it.  

I love him.  And I love Claire's.

Being in charge

This job at The Alterations Shop has been the coolest thing since peanut butter.  And along the way I'm learning all sorts of things about dealing with customers and being the one in charge.

Today I had a bride come in with her somewhat overbearing mother.  This girl needed straps for a sleeveless wedding gown so I proceeded to fit her with a muslin strap so we could determine where the finished satin strap should sit and how wide it ought to be.  I asked her how she liked this, and how she liked that, and then the mother stepped in and completely took over.  okaaaaaaaaaaay.  She positioned the straps here and there, and not being in a mood to pick a fight and take over again, I let her do her thing.

Then the girl wanted the front of her neckline to be a little "pinched" or pleated so it would scoop down an inch or so.  I tried a few things but she wasn't happy.  The mother was trying to stay polite but I could tell she wasn't very pleased with how things were going.

We finally got it somewhat resolved, but on the way home I thought about the experience.  I was not happy.  I felt so out of sorts and embarrassed with how the fitting went.  Then it dawned on me.  I wasn't the one in charge.  I am very confident in my skills but sometimes I think I'm too "nice" and I don't come across very professionally when I get like that.  I realized that that mother probably would have been happier if I had just taken the time to exude a little more authority and strength.

Or maybe it's just her.  You can't please everyone.  I like my job and I'm good at it.
Thanks for letting me rant.

:D

Now I know

We recently returned from a cruise to the Caribbean and by the way, had a wonderful time.  There's nothing quite so relaxing and peaceful as being waited on hand and foot with no responsibilities or cares for ten days.

We ate at one of the restaurants quite often and got a kick out of some of the waiters there.  One was from the Philippines and was so cute.  I asked him how to pronounce a certain dish as I pointed to it on the menu - Grilled Beef Bruschetta.  I was pretty sure I knew how to pronounce Bruschetta, but asked just to be certain.  His reply, "Grilled Beef".  Oh okay.  Thanks.  =D

Groundhog Wellington

I absolutely love Groundhog Day.  It's right up there with Halloween.  For the past seven years we've been celebrating the day by cooking groundhog, eating heavenly sticky buns and stuffing angel food cake into our faces while watching the movie with Bill Murray.

I try to make each year unique when it comes to dinner but my ideas are getting stale.  I went through our photos and found that this year wasn't so original after all.  Next year will have to be monumental.

2005 was our first.  I made chicken drumsticks wrapped in bread dough.  Mother and babies have cloves for eyes, toothpicks for whiskers and olives for noses.  Yum!

2006 was a little more creative.  Our meatloaf wrapped in bread dough was stuffed with spaghetti (Gary's idea) so when it was cut open, it would look like, well, you know.  

Notice the red spots on back - that's where the "buckshot" landed.

I guess I really like to cover meatloaf with breading.  2007 was actually pie dough this time.  Its easier to form and mold into shapes.  The claws were fun.  I think he looks more like a mole than a groundhog.

Okay, so this was different.  This is two turkey breasts tethered together and stuffed.  Maybe a groundhog would look this this if it was skinned and roasted...

(2008) 

I went looking for our 2009 photos.  Apparently I don't have photos for this year.  Bummer - what was I thinking?  This was Chicken Cordon Bleu from Costco.  But the fun part was making the Spam claws that were attached for feet.  

Chris was at the Missionary Training Center in Provo prepping for Romania.  We wanted to make sure he would get some groundhog, so I made something shippable for him.  I made an Apple Ladder Loaf and shaped it like a groundhog so he and his mission companions could share in the festivities.  It turned out really well, but it gave them all gas.  Sorry Chris! 

The following year (2010) we made groundhog pizza.  

And fruit pizza for dessert

2011 was very predictable.  Yes, it was wrapped groundhog.  Yummy meatloaf though.

So now the challenge is on.  Next year has got to be completely original.  I've got eleven months for a new recipe.  

Happy Groundhog Day!