A butcher, a baker(?), a procrastinator

Let's start with a Monday morning laugh. You have to go and read this entry by Miss Zoot, it is hilarous.

Something else hilarious (to me anyway) - I entered an "Oscars pool" at work, where you pick who you think will win in each of 24 categories. I tied for 3rd place with 17 correct. Which is pretty awesome and funny, considering I have not seen a single one of any of those movies. Not one. In fact, I can't remember the last movie I saw in a theater. I do remember who I saw it with, which would put the last one some time in early 2002. Sad, I know. In fact, it doesn't seem as though it could really have been 4 years since I have gone to a movie, but I do believe it has been.

And by the way... I didn't know when I made that previous entry about the movie Crash with James Spader that there was a new movie with the same name. I did remark, if you recall, that the movie was 10 years old, so I cannot be held responsible for any confusion that may have caused to any of the millions of readers of my blog.

I took Abby to the groomer this weekend. She is scalped. Butchered, if you will. In fact I have never seen her look as she does now. I didn't ask them to scalp her either, and so it wasn't a good surprise. (I intended to take a picture to post but I will have to do that tomorrow.) It kind of reminded me of the first time she got groomed. It was when Jen and I were roommates (more years ago than I care to count; Abby was probably 1 so that gives you some idea how long ago) and she took Abby to the groomer to surprise me. I was surprised all right. She did call me at work to "warn me" before I came home, but I still wasn't quite prepared for what I saw. That really had everything to do with that it was the first time she had been groomed and not that it was horrible or anything, though. It really was a thoughtful thing for her to do, especially since now every time I take Abby to the groomer it seems to get more and more expensive and it didn't start out cheap. I could buy a great pair of clippers for half what a grooming costs and scalp her like she is now myself for free from now on.

Some time I'll have to expand on when Jen and I were roommates. The longest 6 months of both of our lives, I think. Great friends, terrible roommates. It's a wonder we and our friendship survived it. Oh, and then when we were moving out I let my then teenage brother have a party there. Let's just say it started Friday night and I was taking the last of the party goers home on Sunday night. Wheeeee. Remember Gang Green? (only 2 people who read my blog will get that)

Anyway. As people who know me well may have guessed - I did not make it to the cake decorating class yesterday. It wasn't my fault, though. I was perfectly ready, willing and able to go. However... Jen called and said she didn't feel like going because she had... well let's just say an upset stomach (which is not the way she phrased it to me but we don't really need to go there). We had decided to start the class next month, but then she e-mailed me this morning to say that she found out we didn't really miss much, just how to make a cake and icing (which, in a cake decorating class, would seem to me the most important part, but hey, what do I know?) and we should feel free to continue in this class this week.

You should SEE the list of things were are supposed to bring to class this Sunday. Ok, I'll show you. I have actually edited it down a bit:

Apron (if you want) (because I wouldn't want to muck up my bowling clothes with frosting goop)
Damp cloth or sponge (or 2, or 10)
Scissors (is this what they're cutting cakes with now?)
Toothpicks (in case you get some of that stiff frosting stuck in your teeth?)
Plastic bags to take home dirty things used in class
Waxed paper (for your rainbow transfer) (my what?)
Waxed paper squares (about 6 for practice roses) (something tells me I'm gonna need more than 6 practices)
PRACTICE FROSTING (for use with Practice Boards) (practice whats?)
½ cup THIN consistency with ¼ teaspoon piping gel added to practice writing (you can color this to use for the writing on your cake after we’re finished practicing) (WTF is piping gel?)
1 cup MEDIUM consistency to practice borders (you can use the white that we will need for the clouds and border on your cake)
½ cup STIFF consistency to practice roses (this can be colored and used for your final cake for Lesson 4)
All the items in your Course 1 Kit
Parchment triangles, featherweight bags or disposable bags
Icing Colors
Piping gel (again, WTF is piping gel?)
8” round layer cake (any flavor) iced with light blue THIN consistency Class Buttercream Icing – you can put the cake on a plate, a cake circle, or right on the turntable. (what flavor goes with light blue frosting?)

I am pretty sure I have never seen canned frosting for sale in varying consistencies, so I am going to have to follow the instructions for making it. Which is scary, very very scary.

Somehow I doubt I could get away with just bringing those tubes of colored gel-stuff-that-isn't-frosting that you can buy to write on cakes with. Oh wait. Maybe that is piping gel.

I can see it now. I'll probably be heading to the grocery store at 2:00 on Sunday...

Bear in mind, class begins at 4:00. How long does it take to bake a cake mix?