stuffy stuff

things have been crazy lately. helping the boyfriend move and settle into his new place. getting used to the new routine. new critters that i will have to write about. cooking experiments. reading new and interesting things. meeting new folks. work, work, work and soon, more WORK.

sheesh.

i've been looking at a lot of crafting sites/blogs and dang, it makes me want to create stuff. somehow i got into the habit of never having time to make neat things anymore, and i hate it. i need to start forcing myself to take time for creativity. i need a tangible outlet for all these ideas, concepts, and spontaneous brain explosions. i need to start knitting again, more. i have got a huge box of wonderful yarns calling me forlornly from my craft shelf that i have been blocking out for too long. i'm going to try to make at least 5 things this month. its about time for my annual matching hat/scarf frenzy, and i want to experiment with mittens this year. i wish i had a person to help me learn this crap, there is too much lost in translation from written instructions, and it gets overwhelmingly complicated real fast. i need to make a few cat-hats to warm up my knitting memories. i need to get ahold of some needles.


i also have been missing painting, so i think i will devote some time to that soon. i've been mulling around some ideas for turning one of my paintings into a series. maybe i'll work on that this week.

i've been doing cooking experiments, which have been very satisfying. last week, i made a super romantic fantastic dinner for the boyfriend (aka: MDM) consisting of delicious spice-crusted swordfish steaks, roasted/grilled vegetables, and delicious shells in a creamy herbed-mushroom sauce. (fresh shiitakes! yum!) we ate it with some delicious wine, and it was a great evening.
i made enough for leftovers, wonderful with Spanish rice.

a few weeks prior, i made a big crab feast at his new place. crab cakes, hot crab dip, fry chips, fresh baked bread, a yummy feast!

i made some pumpkin rolls which turned out delicious, so next i will be playing around with variations of this with other squash/carrots/different spices, etc.

i found a mouth waveringly enticing recipe for chocolate chocolate chip banana bread, which i will try. i might make another batch using dark chocolate and nuts as well. i cant wait!


we have new critters at the zooquarium!
a new rattie girl, names princess buttercup, that we rescued from petsmart. she had been alone there for far too long, and i am glad we grabbed her, because she is just the sweetest thing ever. so cuddly! my only regret is not bringing her home sooner! now we have 6, and the cage is looking a bit not-big-enough-for-my-tastes. we may be rigging up a new cage and tunnel system soon to give them more leg room. its fine as it is now, the cage we have now is plenty huge, but i am of the "too much room is preferable to simply sufficient" philosophy.

we also have a new turtle! her name is Lois, and she is technically a tortoise, being a box turtle. we were given her by a coworker who saved her from her dog, and her kids wanted to keep her as a pet. after about a week she decided she couldn't handle her properly and gave her to us, knowing we are turtle lovers and would take good care of her. we made her a BIG pen and she seems to be quite happy there.


whew, that was a lot of typing. i have a horrendous cut on my thumb and it hurts so im done writing for now.