Lemon Bundt Cake & Other Holiday Horrors

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Blair walked in the door last night with a lemon bundt cake from a co-worker that weighs about 10 pounds but tastes as light as air. 

Say what you will about CPA's and accountants, these people know how to put the hurt on some baking. For the next two weeks our home will fill with cakes, drop cookies, slices of pie, fudge, peanut brittle, peppermint bark, coconut macaroons, and on and on and on. One woman he's worked with for years always sends home a bag of assorted baked goods--the kind that call for crisco and butter. She makes these peanut-butter balls that are so good they make you want to smack your momma. One year she didn't include them. I told Blair to go back and tell her that HER JOB WAS ON THE LINE if she didn't hustle up some peanut butter balls for the bosses wife. (I don't think he took my advice. But he did tell her I missed them and the next year she sent me a HUGE batch of them. Lovely woman.)

The problem with these gifts is two-fold:

  1.  Blair doesn't have much of a sweet tooth. So guess who consumes a majority of the food?
  2. He brings these trays of food home and then leaves me alone with them! All day alone in a house with a lemon bundt cake, as I am today, is an exercise in torture and self-denial. (An exercise I am flunking as it's not even 8 am and I've already had my first slice of cake. So good....)

I also feel we should reciprocate. "Should we send baked goods to the office?" I asked Blair. "Do you want me to bake some vegan cookies?"

I think it's rude when he just ignores me like that. 

No matter. I'll console myself with bundt cake. Tis the season to get fat. 

Cheers,

Dena

New Moon, Team Jacob, and the Most Romantic Date Night EVER

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The other week I dragged Blair to see the teenage vampire romance New Moon, part of the Twilight series. I was introduced to the books by my niece when they first came out. "They are the most romantic books ever!" she exclaimed. The books aren't a bad read. My only real complaint is that each book in the saga is approximately 300 pages of Edward the vampire telling Bella, "I love you and must be near you!" to "But no, it's wrong. We must remain apart," and back to "But my soul yearns for you. If only I could kiss you! But no... I must not." On and on and on...

Coming from a teen's perspective, I totally get the yearning/romance angle. As an adult, however, I really want to tell the characters to just make a freaking decision and move on with their lives.

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May The Force (And the Geek) Be With You

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Yes, we're geeks. We get it. 

Saturday we went with my niece and her family to the Carolina Renaissance Festival, complete with jousting tournaments, everyday spectators who arrive in full Renaissance regalia, and  disgusting 2 lb. roasted turkey legs that everyone walks around gnawing on, leaving a trail of dripping grease behind them. (Shockingly, medieval times weren't vegetarian friendly.)  

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AnaZar Fashion Boutique

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Do you ever have those days where you just know you were in the right place at the right time? I "discovered" my favorite new store IN THE WORLD today. AnaZar Boutique in the Oak Ridge Shopping Center. Love, love, LOVE this store!

I found the store after meeting a friend for lunch. I'm in desperate need of jeans and though I was unfamiliar with the store and actually on my way into Greensboro to shop I thought, "I should check them out."

For the record, I'm easily intimidated in boutiques. I'm fashion challenged and have no idea what goes with what. I so often feel like the sales people in these places are looking at my ho-hum wardrobe and thinking to themselves, "She dared leave the house in that and thinks she's going to shop in MY store? Mm-hmm." 

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