fashion tragedy

today, the weather turned cold again. i was relatively glad, seeing as how i have no spring clothing in order for warmth. however, i'm "outgrowing" my duds due to massive overeating. what on EARTH will i do when i quit smoking?!?!? i've gained about ten pounds in ten months. Though i needed to gain SOME, my clothes need to fit because i cannot replace them at this time. ugh. kinda depressing, but dressing like a weiner dog cheered me up. yay sally. i miss her.

From the Kitchen

1/4 c is NOT my friend! I have had the same measuring cups for (probably) ten years. About the second month after I bought them, I sat the 1/4 measuring cup on the counter too close to the stove. That little faux pas went unnoticed until it was too late -- a little hole melted into the cup, about the size of the tip of my pinkie finger. But I kept using that warped little 1/4 cup, mostly because it seemed frivolous to go out and buy another set just for a 'right' 1/4 cup. I don't know of any stores that sell measuring cups by themselves.



Finally, about a month ago, I saw a set of measuring cups with measuring spoons that matched. My measuring spoons are fine, thank you, but for some reason unbeknownst to me, I just had to have that nifty matching set, hung together on a convenient hanger for my kitchen. Lo and behold, the only two times I've used that set of measuring cups, I've used the 1/4 cup. The second time I used it, I was packing brown sugar for cookies and guess what? The handle snapped right off! I guess I don't know my own strength. I laughed out loud tonight as I whipped up a corny banana oat bread for work tomorrow. Still using the old stuff, still positioning my index finger just so on the little hole in the 1/4 cup, never bothering with the new measuring spoons at all. In my defense, I didn't study the new utensils at all when I bought them, or I wouldn't have. Each one, every cup, every spoon, has two levels of measuring. I'm not sure what that is supposed to do for you. I don't like my tablespoon to double as a 4-teaspoon measurer. Hmmm...



And another note from the kitchen. I usually mix my dry ingredients separately from my liquids and moist ingredients whether the recipe calls to or not. Unless the recipe specifically instructs to add this or mix-in that in a different order, I mix them separately and then blend the two together. This always makes me think of myJoe. He once named my wire whisk "Spooner" and now, every time I use it, I root through my utensil drawer telling myself out loud that 'I know I put Spooner back in this drawer somewhere!' Ah, the Joe-isms...they never fail to make me smile.

"Is that for a boy or a girl?"

Having a son who is a chemist at a major pharmaceutical company may be a good thing -- especially if he's my son. JoeChemist is the kind of son who listens when I talk to him. He likes to ponder grand things and is not afraid to embark on new adventures. We had a conversation this past week that went something like this:

self: So, JoeChemist -- why can't the pharmaceutical companies come up with an antibiotic for girls? You know, we have trouble with side-effects when we take some antibiotics?

JoeChemist: Oh, you mean the dreaded yeast infections?

self: *cough* um...yes, I do. And that makes me wonder why chemists like yourself can't make an antibiotic with the anti-girl-trouble-drug in it too...you know?

JoeChemist: Yeah, I've heard that is really bad for some people.

self: So, you know, I'm thinking the doctor could call the prescription in to the pharmacy and when the pharmacist heard, for example, amoxicillin, he/she could ask, 'is that for a male or a female?', kinda like when you drive through for fast food and order that kiddie meal, ya know?

JoeChemist: *laughing hysterically*

self: Ok, ok, son, I know that sounds ridiculous, but really...why?

JoeChemist: Oh, ma, only you! *cleansing sigh* Because antibiotics destroy bacteria to kill infection, but that same bacteria is useful for the other problem. So adding the drugs you need to prevent the girl-trouble would be (probably) nullified by the antibiotic. That, or the antibiotic would be rendered less useful in fighting the infection.

self: oh.

Well, I thought it was a good idea. I guess if you're one who struggles with that issue, your doc could write you the necessary girl-trouble prescription at the same time and post-date it for a week after the antibiotic run, right? I'm grateful I don't have that problem...seriously.

my son Joe

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