Weekend in DC!

Hippo in Smithsonian

YAY! I'm coming home so so so so soon. Get excited Austin! I am absolutely ecstatic!

Crochet of the coral reef in the Smithsonian

 Can't believe my last post was November 1st. Time has really gone by. I've mentioned it before but when you're working all day, 5-days-a-week and you're just living for a weekend it all just whooshes by. I can't believe I've been here for 5 months already.

Sculpture Garden in DC

Of course my job doesn't help with this flyby sense. I'm constantly planning for the future. Deliverables are due by this date and that. We need to think about next fiscal year (which is April). Deadline is at Christmas. blahblahblah. At this rate my life is like an oilslick!

I went to DC last weekend to visit Mattie. I had a grand ol' time. Shop, ate and walked around Whole Foods for the first time since I moved. Gosh, I miss that place. I am determined to start going regularly despite my horrid first impression with the one in Union Square (abolutely ridiculous line, and all I wanted was a snack!).

The mess we made in the kitchen

Anyways, Mattie and I made a delicious dinner. It was the most simple and perfect roast chicken (which is now my go-to recipe for guests. I made it for Chris and my roommates last night--awesome). And vanilla roasted pears with REAL vanilla beans. It was so nice to go back to a 'normal' pace. Slower, unhurried and just about lounging around and doing nothing. We did get to go the Smithsonian Museum of Natural History, which was nice.

Smitten Kitchen...vanilla roasted pears

Voila!

Apple A Day

South Norwalk, CT

 Apple picking. Apparently it's a big deal up here. And common. Of course, I had never heard of the past time being from Texas and all. But last week, I was lucky enough to get to go and catch the tail end of the season. It was glorious...to be able to ride a car through winding roads in the Conneticut countryside which were paved with autumn's gold and scarlet leaves. It's truly fall. The most beautiful fall I've ever seen. Shelby, Chris, Jackie, Lauren and I went to Blue Jay Orchards.

 Once upon a time, in the beginning of my career, I co-founded the Apple-A-Day (henceforth known as AAD) with my supervisor. It was a joke between me and him. And we let others in on it. Then I started bringing in apples for each member. And each member started paying dues. And then I penned a weekly newsletter. And that newsletter became bi-weekly.

 Yes. I created an club at work. What started out as fun, became a real thing. The simple concept of an apple a day (keeps the doctor away). I had an even dozen members, included myself. I had to cap membership since I did not want to be buried under bushels of apples, that I would have to lug to work everyday. But there were honorary members, those who knew of my faux passion for apples and those who enjoyed the quick wit and sarcasm I displayed in the newsletters.

However, I am sad to report, that with the end of apple season, and the turn of a new month, AAD is no more. Well, in the sense that I will not be personally placing an apple on each member's desk in the morning. And that dues will no longer be due. It might be the end of an era but there is always the future.

What to do with my apples? Well, I have been eating them...Jackie made applesauce. I made...nothing...so far.

But I have been on a baking bonanza.

Samplings of my shenanigans:

Easiest Banana Softserve

Brownie Roll-Out Cookies

Brownie bear...

Attempt at Baby Jesus Cake

Less than picture perfect snickerdoodles

Roasted Eggplant Soup

Sunshine likes to watch TV on the laptop too!

Cheers,

Sandy