Sunday.....

Good Morning!
I awoke this morning to the sound of a nice rainfall. Lately it has been raining so hard that the sound isn't comforting. I started watching Samantha Brown's trip to Macchu Picchiu, which is the lost Incan city that was discovered about 100 years ago. It was beautiful and made we want to plan my next trip. I really hope we are able to travel a lot when I am done with school. I probably wouldn't mind living in land-locked OK for the remainder of my life as long as we traveled often. Actually, I still want to move. I have been picking out "potential moving destinations" that we are going to visit in the next year. So far, we have researched Madison, WI, and after seeing Michael Moore's SICKO, we have put serious thought into making a bigger move overseas. When I graduate, I have to do my CFY year, which is a clinical fellowship year to earn my certification. It is a 9 month fellowship year. As much as I would love to pack my things and move overseas, the smartest thing for us to do is probably stay in the States until I receive my certification. Who knows what will happen.

I wasn't very productive yesterday. While Robert is gone at work, I try to stay home and tidy up and catch up on school work. I did both, but after that, I did nothing but watch movies and read. I also ended up going on a small hike, even though I said yesterday in my blog that it was too hot. It was nice and refreshing. I love going on hikes. They really let your release your daily stressors and give you time to just think. Oh, I did go to the grocery store and picked up a few things. How I wish we had more options than Super Target, Wal-mart, and Reasors. We do have a Wild Oats here, but it is a little expensive. Robert and I only shop there when we have some extra $$! I wish there was a Trader Joe's here. I used to stock up on products when I visited my sister in Santa Fe, but she no longer lives there. I guess I will have to save that trip for when I visit Gina B. in Michigan. The highlight of my day was last night while I was making Pad Thai (use the Thai Kitchen, Pad Thai for 2 mix-it's so good and easy---and cheap too!). I like extra lime in my Pad Thai so I decided to grate the lime into my mix, so I could get all the essential oils out of it and add extra flavor. While I was grating, my hand slipped and I grated a large chunk of my thumb, right about the bone, off. It was quite painful---I even had to sit down for a bit because I was a little light-headed. I guess when it heals, it will add some character to my thumb!

Well, I guess I'll stop writing for now. Blogging is addicting. It's like having a personal journal. I could have probably written forever today!

Here is my closing recipe--My friend Melissa (who just got accepted into the Pastry program at the Culinary Institute of America-YEAH!) and I make these often. She obviously is a better baker than I am-but I try!

Ginger Creams, AKA, The best cookies ever....
1/3 c shortening
1/2 c sugar
1 egg
1/2 c molasses
1/2 c water
2 c flour
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp cloves
1/2 tsp cinammon

Easy creamy icing
1 c confectioners sugar
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp vanilla or lemon
1 1/2 tsp water

mix shortening, sugar, egg, molasses and water. stir dry ingredients together and blend in. chill dough (it will be very sticky and look not very chilled, but it is)

heat oven to 400 degrees. drop dough by teaspoonfuls about 2" apart on lighty greased baking sheet (I use parchment paper or a Silpat instead of greasing my sheet). Bake about 8 minutes or until almost no imprint remains when touched lightly. while slightly warm, frost with lemon or vanilla icing.

i also store mine in the fridge after they have cooled.