{"id":1054,"date":"2013-03-22T07:00:09","date_gmt":"2013-03-22T14:00:09","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.therowdybaker.com\/?p=1054"},"modified":"2013-04-18T17:13:58","modified_gmt":"2013-04-19T00:13:58","slug":"fly-on-the-wall-for-march","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.therowdybaker.com\/?p=1054","title":{"rendered":"Fly on the Wall for March"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Fly <\/a><\/center>Here we go again! Every month a group of bloggers gets together to give you little snippets of what life is really like in their house when no one’s watching. (Except for you – because you’re actually a little fly on the wall…out of reach of the flyswatter, hopefully!)<\/p>\n

Here’s your chance to see what went on in two households, as I spend three weeks visiting my daughter in California and get to meet my new grandson for the first time. When you are through with this blog, please<\/em> check out the links below for more dirt!
\n\"fly1atiny\"<\/a>
\nEven if you\u2019ve been doing your calisthenics, a fly can only travel about six miles in a day, so you probably just hung out at my house while I was in California. If so, this is what you would have seen:
\nThe whole Deadwood series.
\nThe whole Lonesome Dove series.
\nThe whole Streets of Laredo series.
\nThe whole Dead Man\u2019s Walk series.<\/p>\n

You also probably got to listen to a lot of fascinating phone conversations, because The Man talks on the phone more than most adolescent girls. You now know more about hunting than you ever, ever<\/b><\/em> wanted to know. And conspiracy theories.<\/p>\n

In the meantime, however, your relatives in California were chilling on the wall at my daughter Brenna\u2019s house, where it is much more entertaining.
\n\"fly1atiny\"<\/a>
\nMarch 1st finds us scurrying out the door on our way to the Dr. Seuss breakfast at the girls’ elementary school. Taunee is in jammies (because it’s also pajama day) but Sophie is rocking a new outfit, complete with a furry vest. Yes indeed, we hit the mall yesterday – a big treat for me, since I live up in the hills, far from any decent shopping.<\/p>\n

You won’t have long to wait. We’ll be back soon to load the “Better than Crack Brownies (though to be politically correct, at school Sophie calls them Better than Crackle Brownies) and jugs of milk into the car for Sophie’s class, to celebrate her birthday. Those 4th graders will go through two pans of brownies and almost two gallons of milk!<\/p>\n

The house is decorated for tonight’s slumber party. Sophie and I made lots of hot pink and black paper roses to go with her pink and black zebra theme.<\/p>\n

\"Just<\/a>

Just a few of MANY flowers we made.<\/p><\/div>\n

I hope you brought your little fly ear protection. Five girls can make a LOT of noise during a slumber party. Here’s a link to my blog, if you’re dying to know how to make a zebra cake! Sophie’s Zebra Party<\/a>
\n\"fly1atiny\"<\/a><\/p>\n

\"taun<\/a>

“Eema” (that would be me) and Taunee. Wonder where she gets her goofiness from…<\/p><\/div>\n

You may have noticed that Taunee is a source of constant entertainment. Here are a few of the things you’ve heard already:<\/p>\n

Brenna: \u201cTaunee, what\u2019s that blue stuff in your hair?\u201d
\nTaunee: \u201cI don\u2019t know \u2013 what\u2019s it taste like?”<\/p>\n

Taunee is in her nightgown. The dog is sniffing her butt and she\u2019s giggling.
\nBrenna: \u201cTaun, don\u2019t let the dog do that!\u201d
\nTaunee: \u201cWhaaaat? I LIKE it.\u201d<\/p>\n

Baby, screaming loudly
\nTaunee: \u201cHe sounds like a fire drill!\u201d<\/p>\n

And in the \u201cThings You Don\u2019t Expect to Hear\u201d category:<\/p>\n

Taunee: \u201cDid you put an apple in my lunch?\u201d
\nBrenna: \u201cNo. They were too big and you wouldn\u2019t have time to eat anything else.\u201d
\nTaunee: \u201cAwwwwwww.\u201d
\nBrenna: \u201cBut I did pack you grapes and a Cutie\u201d
\nTaunee: \u201cYay!\u201d
\nBrenna: \u201cAnd I didn\u2019t pack you any chocolate today\u201d
\nTaunee: \u201cTHANK you!\u201d<\/p>\n

In explanation, she OD\u2019d on chocolate recently and learned that it was better going down than it was coming up. For now, she\u2019s a no-chocolate girl. So I\u2019m guessing that she\u2019ll eat all the jelly beans this Easter and her big sister, Sophie, will get to eat all the Cadbury Mini Eggs. Score, Soph!!!
\n\"fly1atiny\"<\/a>
\nI\u2019m annoyed that I live in an area of the country that doesn\u2019t have a food specialty. You know…a thing<\/em>. In the Redding area, olives are big. Instead of wine, you can go to an olive tasting. If they had martini tastings to go with the olives, I\u2019d be one happy woman.<\/p>\n

Here\u2019s the best part, though. Friday is always tri-tip day. It seems like every business has their own barbecues set up outside, slow roasting beef all day. This produces a little chunk of heaven that is wrapped in foil and (for a price) sent home with you. It\u2019s oh, so good. Brenna made some twice-baked potatoes and I made a salad, and we were all in a food coma by 8pm.<\/p>\n

\"I<\/a>

I know I look a little crazed. But if you were on a “plant based diet” that you blew off while on vacation, you’d be excited about all this beef too!<\/p><\/div>\n

\"fly1atiny\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Sophie taught herself the \u201cCup Song\u201d from Pitch Perfect in one night. Oh, to have that kind of memory and retention again. The song is stuck in my head \u2013 probably forever. She also amazed and delighted the admiring crowd (us) by performing the tripod and singing the Star Spangled Banner at the same time. Repeatedly.<\/p>\n

\"Bet<\/a>

Bet you can’t do it!<\/p><\/div>\n

\"fly1atiny\"<\/a>
\nAnd as for baby Mack?<\/p>\n

\"He<\/a>

He was not amused! Brenna, however, sports the orange mustache without a whimper.<\/p><\/div>\n

\"fly1atiny\"<\/a>
\nBrenna\u2019s voice called down the hall: \u201cChris?\u201d My mother instincts were immediately on alert by the tone \u2013 especially since the second and third calls were higher pitched and louder. Chris went running. A few moments later, Brenna came into the kitchen, looking a wee bit shaken. A little SNAKE had just been slithering around in her bathroom sink. What the\u2026 I don\u2019t want to know how that could happen, but I was grateful that there was only a day left before I flew back home, and I waited to take a shower until I was safely back in my own bathroom. I\u2019m not afraid of snakes, but in the sink? Huh-uh. No way.<\/p>\n

\"fly1atiny\"<\/a><\/p>\n

\"Ugh.<\/a>

Ugh. They say THIS is the worst part. Somehow I doubt that.<\/p><\/div>\n

And now, I\u2019m home again. See all the stuff on the tray? Can you guess what I get to do tomorrow? Ugh. I had a very casual doctor, and put off this whole colonoscopy business for years without getting lectured. But now I have a new doctor, and somehow I find myself bustled into this clinic and that, having all the tests I\u2019ve been avoiding forever.<\/p>\n

I have my fears about this. I\u2019m terrified of anesthesia \u2013 not just that I might not wake back up, but that if I do there\u2019s no telling what I might say. I\u2019ve thought of so many inappropriate things I could spill my guts about that now I\u2019ve practically guaranteed it\u2019ll happen, and the medical staff will probably be laughing with friends over drinks tomorrow night, saying \u201cYou\u2019ll never guess what this woman said today\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n

Thinking happy thoughts. Thinking of my happy place. Puppies. Babies. Recipes.\"fly1atiny\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Whew. That lovely procedure is over. I’m home – a little shaky, violated, but glad to have that behind (heh heh) me. Lovely nurses, a hysterically funny anesthesiologist, warm blankets, and a delicious lunch afterwards. Not to mention a sweet power nap! Yes, I could do that again.\"fly1atiny\"<\/a><\/p>\n

And on this cheery note, I\u2019ll pass on the recipe for Sophie\u2019s favorite cookie. We made them while I was visiting, and the whole batch disappeared almost immediately. I\u2019m sure you\u2019ve all had these, but if you think about it, they look like something a fly would LOVE.<\/p>\n

\""Cow<\/a>

“Cow Pies”, also known as “Boiled Cookies”<\/p><\/div>\n

\t Cow Pies<\/span><\/p>\n
<\/div>\n
Author: The Rowdy Baker<\/span><\/div>\n
Serves: 24<\/span><\/div>\n
I love to use chunky peanut butter, and sometimes add chopped peanuts with the oats. The recipe makes about 24, but trust me – you’ll probably want to double it!<\/span><\/div>\n
\n
Ingredients<\/div>\n