Archive | December, 2010

My dinner is less interesting than your panties. Probably.

13 Dec

One of the interesting acoustic features of my condo is that the wall separating my kitchen from my neighbor’s kitchen is strictly a privacy shield. It does nothing to block the noise.

Fortunately, of all the rooms in my place, that’s the one in which I’m most comfortable with eavesdropping (or being overheard). A few months ago I posted on Facebook something along the lines of, “It sounds like my neighbors have a pet goat.” This weekend I got to the bottom of that mystery. It is my neighbor, singing.

Apparently the guy is tone deaf. Saturday night we was in the kitchen loading the dryer and I heard him trying to belt out some hiphop. And it sounded like a goat bleating. Bless his heart.

He interrupted the song to tell someone that it was a good thing he was doing laundry because he was out of clean underwear. He went on to inform us that he had considered turning his underwear inside-out to get a few more days out of them, but had ultimately decided that would just make his pants dirty.

Whew.

I thought about pulling up a chair and just sitting there to see what else I could learn, since the guy was cracking me up, but it was about that time my fire turned all kinds of ape-shit crazy in the living room, forcing me to run out and get my fire extinguisher.

Fast forward to Sunday night. I’m in the kitchen alone, frying up bacon, onion and mushrooms in a skillet. And I find myself saying – to absolutely no one other than myself – “Oh hells yeah. This is some awesomeness right here. A skillet of bacon, onions and mushrooms for dinner? Who’s jealous? Who’s jealous?”

Except, I wasn’t exactly SAYING it. I was kind of shrieking it because I was excited. And that’s when I heard the distinct sound of my neighbor’s dryer starting. Which means he was probably over there pointing at the wall so his girlfriend could hear me going bananas for a non-nutritional dinner.

At least he’s clear: I’m not a goat. Hells no.

The fire log from hell tried to kill me.

12 Dec

Perhaps I'm being melodramatic, but it felt like a forest fire in my living room.

Give me a chilly winter night, and it’s a lock you’ll find a fire in my hearth and a glass of wine in my hand. I’m a sucker for fires. IN THE FIREPLACE.

Sorry, had to clarify that, because last night I was 98% certain I was going to burn my entire apartment building to the ground thanks to a Hell Log from Pine Mountain.

One down-side to condo living is that I don’t have wood pile out back that I can access on chilly nights. And storing a pile of wood in my place is not an option… anyone familiar with termites?

I am. The first place I rented in DC had an infestation. I came home from work one day to see what looked like black blood running down the wall of the dining room. Turns out, it was mass of termites trying to flee, their writhing bodies looking oddly fluid. Yes, I’m haunted. It’s nothing short of scarring.

So the solution is store-bought, 4-hour fire logs. And not only are they termite-free, but they also come with a pre-determined burn time so you can plan your evening. Want to go to bed at 10? Fine, pop that log on at 6. Voila!

This year I’ve been buying Pine Mountain brand, because they’re (allegedly) more environmentally-friendly. Last night, I think I figured out why: they try to kill anyone who starts a fire.

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I’m supposed to be making Christmas cookies…

11 Dec

But instead, I’m pacing around my house, trying to figure out what I should eat for lunch, and if it’s too late to eat lunch.

Why am I devoting so many brain cells to such a simple thing? Because I’m getting a massage in 90 minutes and don’t want to feel like a beached whale on the massage table. I’ve definitely done that before: eaten too close to rub time and then, when they say, “Roll over on your stomach,” I’m like, “Really? Are you sure you want me to do this??? OK, fine, it IS your table.”

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Recipe: Roasted brussel sprout slaw

9 Dec

One of the ironies I appreciate about myself is that I love to cook (and fancy myself a pretty good one), but 80% of my diet is crap.

Let’s take today, for instance. Breakfast? A plate of microwaved Geno’s Pizza Rolls. Lunch? Microwaved cheese enchiladas from “Amy’s Organics.” (Purchased NOT because it’s organic, but instead because it was cheesy.) Afternoon snack? Leftover crab dip with fried pita chips from last night’s work party – and a stack of chocolate covered pretzels, also from the party.

Sadly, the only thing exceptional about today’s meals was the number: I usually eat about six meals a day.

Which brings me to NOW. I’m sitting in my recliner, kicked back next to the fire listening to the soundtrack to “A Charlie Brown Christmas” while in my oven, brussel sprouts and cauliflower are roasting.


Yes, the same girl who regularly consumes 3000 calories in simple sugar each day also craves brussel sprouts.

And as a holiday gift to you, my lone reader, I offer up this suggestion:

Shred some bussel sprouts so they’re the consistency of coleslaw. Add some small cauliflower florets. Toss with olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, salt and pepper. Heat your oven to 400 degrees. Roast for 20-30 minutes, or until brussel sprouts begin to brown. Eat.

Pair with a Stouffer’s French Bread Pepperoni Pizza for optimal results.

You’re welcome.

Rub me, love you long time.

8 Dec

I still have about a hundred dollars in my flex spending account for the year, money I need to use or lose before January. Since I tend to be Ms. Frugality, you can imagine how I feel about potentially forfeiting my own money at the turn of the year.

As a result, I’ve been coming up with creative ways to use it. I’ve stockpiled vitamins and calcium tablets. I went to the dermatologist for a basic body check to make sure none of my moles was cancerous. And last night I got a massage.

Let’s just agree: if my receipt for this massage gets approved for reimbursement, I’m going to kick myself for not figuring this out sooner. I LOVE massages.

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