Happy Fourth of July, everyone! Because even the promise of sparkly-things-to-come has the power to distract me, I give you a small selection of random thoughts:
I’ve always loved the Fourth. There are sparkly fireworks and heart-rousing music that I get to fake-conduct with my dictator stick conductor’s baton. I love to watch the Boston Pops perform on tv, but these past few years I’ve had to forgo that tradition. Ah, the sad realities of having a social life. This year, in fact, I had to choose between two parties! Oh the horrors! So tonight I will be at my IO’s house, making sure it doesn’t burn down from all of the illegal fireworks his neighbors insist on blowing up (last year, we all had to run for cover as one shot into our chairs). We’re grilling all-American Fourth of July burgers. I baked a homemade cherry pie (and a chocolate cream pie, just in case). There will loud music and the company of friends. It should be a wicked good time…as long as no one gets called in to work.
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I have been a baking fool this weekend. I made a homemade cherry pie yesterday (which included pitting two pounds of cherries. Oy.), a chocolate cream pie, two dozen chocolate cupcakes, and Bee’s birthday cake this morning. In fact, I even decorated the cake already. It took me thirty minutes. Seriously. I outlined the bunny with dark chocolate store-bought icing, and then I filled it in with homemade cocoa icing so the insides would be a softer brown. Then I outlined the bunny again and added details. Thirty minutes. No crises. Now I’m wondering what’s going to go wrong and when because this isn’t how cakes go at my house. I just have to add blue m&m’s for the eyes and pink m&m’s for the ears and nose tomorrow and he’s done. If only the party were as simple…
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Strangely, I mowed the back yard yesterday and ended up with some sort of rash afterwards. I don’t know if it’s the high pollen count or if it was a reaction to the sun, or maybe it was just a reaction to the few cherries I ate. The rash was comprised of fine, red, raised bumps – what my mom used to call prickly heat rash. Whatever it was, it itched like crazy. I took some Benadryl and it knocked me out. I can still see it today, but it hasn’t started itching yet. Odd, right?
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Alrighty folks…I’m outta here. Kind of a lame blog entry, I know. I will try to lead a much more interesting life today and tomorrow. Have a happy holiday and BE CAREFUL!