29 July 2005

When Momma ain't happy . . .

I've been trying to get in a better frame of mind before posting again.

It hasn't happened. This year has just been so hard. The kids have been sicker than ever. The collarbone incident hasn't helped.

Family members dying. Newspaper acquaintances dying.

Yard all torn up for massive city project. Entire 15-foot swath of trees gone out of our backyard, creating a road to the neighbors'. The entire neighborhood has taken to walking through our yard, and we can't take it much more.

Kids can't play outside because of constant construction and constant presence of backhoes and bulldozers.

Work isn't fun. It is just hard. I'm finding it very hard to stay motivated day in and day out. Not sure I like the direction my job has lurched into because of new leadership, either. But no real options for escape.

Husband's job responsibilities are changing. He's stressed. I'm stressed.

I've been morose and cranky for about two weeks. If you can think of a way to cheer me up, post away.

3 comments:

Gina said...

When I'm bummed out or stressed out or just plain cranky, I turn to the expert: Shel Silverstein. Here's a good one. Hang in there!

"Put Something In"

Draw a crazy picture,
Write a nutty poem,
Sing a mumble-grumble song,
Whistle through your comb.
Do a loony-goony dance
'Cross the kitchen floor,
Put something silly in the world
That ain't been there before.

Anonymous said...

Granny Twichell's Secret Chocolate Cupcake Recipe:

10 oz. semisweet chocolate, broken into half-ounce pieces
1 cup heavy cream
2 oz. unsweetened chocolate, broken into half-ounce pieces
5 eggs
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
3/4 cup cake flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
2 cups semisweet chocolate chips

Chocolate icing:
1/2 cup heavy cream
6 oz semisweet chocolate, broken into half-ounce pieces

Decoration: 1 oz white chocolate, finally grated

Directions:
Preheat oven to 325 degrees F
Heat 1 inch of water in the bottom half of a double boiler over medium heat. Place 10 oz semisweet chocolate, 1 cup heavy cream, and 2 oz unsweetened chocolate in top half of double boiler. Tightly cover top with film wrap. Allow to heat for eight minutes. Remove from heat and stir until smooth. Set aside until needed.
Place eggs, sugar, and vanilla extract in bowl of electric mixer fitted with a paddle. Beat on medium until lemon-colored and slightly thickened, about 4 minutes. Add melted chocolate mixture and beat on medium for 15 to 20 seonds more. Add cake flour, baking soda, and chocolate chips, and beat on low for 10 seconds. Increase to medium and beat for additional 10 seconds. Remove bowl from mixer. Use rubber spatula and throughly combine the batter.

Evenly divide mixture into 18 bake cups tht have already been positioned into muffin tins, filling the cups to 1/4-inch below the rim. Bake in preheated oven until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean -- about 25 to 30 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool to room temperature.
To prepare icing, heat 1/2 cup heavy cream in a 1 1/2 quart saucepan over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil. Place 6 oz semisweet chocolate in a stainless steel bowl. Pour the boiling cream over the chocolate and allow to stand for 5 minutes. Stir with a whisk until smooth.
One at a time, dip the top of each cupcake into the chocolate icing. Sprinkle grated white chocolate over icing on each cupcake, and refrigerate 30-40 minutes to set icing. Allow cupcakes to come to room temperature 15-20 minutes before serving.
-- From "Death By Chocolate", Kenan Books, Inc. 1992

Anonymous said...

Whoops -- that last was from me, Rebekah