WHOO-HOO!!!!!

I got the interview with the county!! So now I can start worrying about that!!

Ode to candy corn...

Either you love them or you hate them.

This sickening sweet confection has been been around for a long, long time. Over 100 years in fact. I used to like to eat them in layers....heck...I still do. They're a little too sweet for adult Kate though. I find myself mindlessly eat through half a bag....then the sugar hits your stomach like a brick and makes you feel like "uughh...what'd I do that for?" Not too mention, they kinda look like human canine teeth from someone with really bad oral habits. The British perhaps? The ingredients seem relatively basic, but I bet if you got them to the right temperature, you'd wind up with a fiberglass speedboat or a swimming noodle or something. They also are coated with carnuba wax. Isn't my car coated with carnuba wax?? Someone told me recently that they used to like them until they heard of someone's house burning down and the only remaining thing was a perfectly intact and untouched bowl of candy corn. Makes you think....

I don't know...the jury's still out on this one. I think I liked them better when I was a kid. I was in Target a week ago, and they have candy corn soda, from the good folks at Jones Soda Company. Chris and I tried it last year and it is a vile concoction! Don't do it! Just don't do it... But I digress....Here is some interesting, or perhaps not-so-interesting trivia on the legendary candy:

**Candy corn has been around for more than 100 years. George Renninger, an employee of the Wunderlee Candy Company, invented the popular confection in the 1880s and Wunderlee became the first to produce the candy. The Goelitz Candy Company (now Jelly Belly Candy Company) started producing the confection in 1900 and still produces candy corn today.

**Originally, candy corn was made of sugar, corn syrup (not HFCS), fondant and marshmallow, among other things, and the hot mixture was poured into cornstarch molds, where it set up. This original mixture is probably where the name of the candy corn-like Mellocreme Pumpkins comes from. The recipe changed slightly over time and there are probably a few variations in recipes between candy companies, but the use of a mixture of sugar, corn syrup, gelatin and vanilla (as well as honey, in some brands) is the standard.

**More than 35 million pounds of candy corn will be produced this year. That equates to nearly 9 billion pieces, which is enough to circle the moon nearly 21 times if laid end-to-end. That alotta corn....

**A serving of candy corn has about 22 pieces and contains 140 calories, no fat.

Just thought you'd like to know......

Ready for a dramatic rant?

Don't you wish this was real? I'm sorry I've neglected you for so long! English and nutrition and diet therapy have taken my life over this week. Not only do I have a 1,500 word essay to accomplish on the realities of home in comparision with television families (I know....should be fun I think! LOOOSY....I'm home!!), but I've got my first big exam on Wednesday night. My head is swimming with info on fat-soluble vitamins and peptide bonds! The good news is my English professor liked my last essay and gave me an A! Whoo-hoo! I'm really enjoying essay writing, and I think I'm good at it too! Should I dump nursing and be a writer? Do they make money? I don't want to be a Danielle Steele or something....her books make my flesh crawl with her descriptions of male anatomy in action....if you get my drift! Book editor sounds really interesting, but I have no idea what that would involve. Would you be an English major then?

Anywho, last week I wasn't feeling well. Conditions were just right for a "perfect storm" scenario. My body was saying---Kate, you stupid, stupid girl! I know how to take care of myself, but do I do it? Part laziness, part busyness, and part hopelessness. Obviously if I was more active, I wouldn't weigh what I currently do. If I wasn't so busy with class and job hunting, and juggling Chris's stuff, maybe I would take the time to cook nutritious meals. I think I'm looking for excuses though. In reality, I punish myself. On a subconscious level, and even more scary--a conscious one. As much as I try to push out the crap that's been stacking up in my life, it creeps in. I miss Tim, and I'm dreaming about him all the time. I worry that I'm never going to get another chance with him, or anyone else. I don't want to be alone for the rest of my life. Pain is always there...it never leaves me. I've got tears running down my face as I type this. Why should I take care of this worthless person? I tell myself--do it for Chris, Kate....but someday he's going to make his own way and I'm what will remain. Wow...am I hormonal or what!! Sorry to be such a Debbie Downer! Shake it off Kate...shake it off! As I was saying, I wasn't feeling well. I was very sick 10 years ago when I ruptured a hole in my colon. I'll spare you an image of diverticula (although for a brief moment I considered it...but I want you to come back to my blog!) I healed from my surgeries beautifully, and I really have not had many issues in the last decade. Last week, however, I felt the telltale pinch. I remember it well. Right before I lost my medical benefits due to my current unemployed state, I saw my dear, sweet doctor--Stacy Nuccion at Kaiser. Love her!! She is so awesome! She told me if I needed her for any reason to call, whether I had benefits or not. I got her office on the phone and explained that I knew the necessity of getting on antibiotics right away, so she called them into Walmart for me, and told me to go to bed for a couple of days. Now, normally the idea of being in bed like that sounds kinda appealing....read a good book....some magazines.....television.....but when you're in pain? Not so much fun... And have you seen daytime television?? Do they really think we're idiots?! No thank you! Somewhere in here I should probably put in a paragraph. Another precursor to this flare-up was the fact that Tim's grandma got me all upset. We had a garage sale with his grandparents. They live in a mobile home park in Calistoga, so garage sales aren't very successful for them. When they heard we were going to have one, they asked if they could join in. No problem. Well....the topic, as grandma and I were sitting there, of Tim and I came up. At the time, I successfully changed the subject. But......she called me a couple days later and said "You know what Katy...have you ever though of just talking to Tim and seeing why he wants this divorce?" You have got to be KIDDING ME!!!? I told her I've begged...I've pleaded....I've groveled...I've humilated myself...I've cried a buttload ( I didn't say that to her....but you can picture me doing it can't you?!) of tears. Nothing. He won't go to a counselor...Christian or otherwise....he wouldn't see my pastor who was so willing to help us in any way he could (he even offered to pay for a weekend away for a Christian couples retreat!)....nothing. He's just done. Stubborn, stupid man!! Aarrgh!! Her answer was "oh....well....we'll just keep praying then." I know she loves me, and thinks of me as her granddaughter, but gosh that woman stirred me up! And of course.....what happens next? That's right....I get my period! Of course!! Nuf said. The perfect storm! And Dude!! Do antibiotics give you heartburn or what?? I gotta take better care of myself. Just have to....

I continue to hunt for a job...so far...unsuccessfully. It's very discouraging, and I worry that my family is thinking I'm sitting up here on the second floor with my feet up watching tv and eating chocolate bonbons. I'm not....at least not the tv part. I eat to feel numb...I've said that.....Chris's birthday is at the end of the month....Christmas is going to be here before we know it! I'm glad God's in control cause I don't seem to be! Wish he'd clue me in a little...

Goodness.....I've gone on...and on...and on....Thanks for reading my rant.....what's new with you?

Yum!

Well....nothing very interesting going on around here, so how about a recipe to put you in a fall frame of mind?

Apple-Walnut Cake With Cider Sauce

Ingredients:

2 cups sugar

1 cup plus 2 Tbsp vegetable oil

1/4 cup apple cider

3 large eggs

2 tsp vanilla extract

1 tsp each cinnamon, nutmeg, and baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

3 cups flour

2 large Granny Smith apples (3 1/2 cups), peeled, cored and chopped in small chunks

1 1/2 cups chopped walnuts

Cider Sauce ingredients:

2 cups apple cider

1/4 cup packed brown sugar

1 Tbsp cornstarch

1 Tbsp butter

1 tsp vanilla extract

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Coat a 10" tube pan with removable tube insert (Note: ok....who in the heck has this? I used a bundt pan and it worked perfectly. A 9 x 13 glass Pyrex would probably suffice as well) with nonstick spray.

Whisk sugar, oil, apple cider, eggs, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking soda and salt in a large bowl until blended.

Stir in flour until blended. Stir in apples and walnuts.

Scrape mixture into prepared pan. Bake 1 hour and 10 to 20 minutes, or until a cake tester or toothpick comes out clean.

Let cool in pan on wire rack for 1 hour. Remove from pan and let cool on rack.

Cider Sauce: I must confess....I made this cider sauce, and it never thickened up. It tasted great, but I didn't serve it...you may wish to just skip it, or experiment with more cornstarch...who knows!? Whisk cider, brown sugar and cornstarch in a medium saucepan until blended. Place over medium-high heat and bring to a boil, whisking occasionally. Boil 1 minute or until slightly thickened. Remove from heat and add butter and vanilla; stir until butter melts. Let cool to warm or refrigerate until serving.

It was really yummy! I refrigerated the cake after we'd had a piece, so it didn't start growing fur.....cause it's preservative free don't ya know.....

So cute!

My Heather Bailey strawberry pincushion kit finally came! I can't wait to make it! Isn't it adorable? It doesn't take much to excite me I guess!

Graffiti and swimsuits.....

The bands are taking a trip to Santa Clara at the end of this school year. They are going to perform at Great America. Chris has to earn money in order to pay for his trip. Close to $300. I'd like to go, so double this number. Chris and I had the opportunity to earn some cash for his music account today by participating in graffiti removal. So we go to school early in the morning and meet up with the other kids and parents. We get the equipment, and off we drive to some various bridges in Santa Rosa. We climb down some rocky hills, careful to avoid the poison oak and blackberry vines along the way. Today I guess there wasn't as much graffiti and trash as usual. Saw a couple crack spoons and some napkins smeared with blood or poop. Eeewww! We just left those....I did enjoy catching up with my friend Cherry, who accompanied Chris and I. Poor Cherry though....after all his hard work, Chris took off his gloves to put in the garbage bag she was holding. Problem was he had sweat profusely in them, and proceeded in the act of removing them to flick sweat all over her! Bless her heart! She politely said with a smile "It's ok Chris." Climbing back up the rocky hill proved to be more difficult than getting down. A blackberry vine grabbed skin on my ankle while my son accidentally goosed me by pushing his mother's tushie as she struggled to gain footing. Thanks Chris! Such a good helper...... ;)

When I got home I made plans with my friend Alicia to find her a new swimsuit, since her's spontaneous combusted earlier in the week. Hehe....she knows what I mean! Anyway, we went to a bunch of stores and finally found some shorts to go with a swimtop she already had. It was on sale for like $1.50! Big score! Now watch it turn the water black or dissolve or something! Anybody know any good swimsuit sales?

I've been wasting way to much time and having so much fun on this Facebook thing! If you're not on, get with the program people! It is a hoot! I was on earlier this evening with one of the 7th grade girls from RVCS. She asked to chat with me cause she needed boy advice. Me?? Boy advice?? Um.....don't have a very good track record here. Real adorable of her to ask though! I think she was hoping I'd tell her to go ahead and confess her undying affection for him, but I did just the opposite. I told her junior high boys (sorry Chris!) are just kinda stupid at this age. Now watch her go to school and tell the boys what Mrs. Brown said! Me and my big mouth! I told her to hold back her confession. Better to wait until she's older.....like after she's grown....out of college maybe....has a career...am I wrong? Do I sound bitter? Me??

Anyway, that was my adventures for the day. You?

Pretty in....plaid?

Well....what do you think? I wanted a change from the brown, and we all know it's a woman's prerogative to change her mind right? I can always go back!

Well....another week went by without word from the county. Feeling discouraged. I applied at a few other places to, but no call backs yet.

So far school is going well...I think. English is a lot of work, and despite her claims to the contrary, am finding my teacher not to be on top of her correspondence. She always takes a week to get back to me and I do not like that! She had each of us in the class make a blog specifically to respond to the different assignments we're doing. She wants us to respond to each other's blogs as well. I've looked at all 30 of them, and the only time someone has left a comment it is from.....you guessed it....me! No one else has responded yet. Am I missing something, or am I the only diligent student? Frustrating. Have to write a summary of "The Monument and the Bungalow" today. That should be fun....not!

The nutrition class is interesting in spite of my teacher. He is really difficult to take notes from. Luckily I record him on my little Sony recorder. I'm not sure if that will help or not. The only homework we've had with him is reading. He assigns 2 chapters to read every week. This is about 60 pages. Luckily I like to read and I like the subject matter.

I wanted to share a recipe with y'all (not southern, but I'd make a good one I think...although I don't like heat!):

Corn and radish salad

4 ears of corn

6 radishes, halved and thinly sliced

1/4 red onion, sliced thinly

1/2 to 1 whole jalapeno, seeded and minced finely

2 Tabl. fresh lime juice

2 Tabl. extra virgin olive oil

sea salt & freshly ground pepper

Cook the corn on the cob in a large pot of salted water for 12 minutes. Drain and cool. When cool, slice the kernels off the cob and put into a medium bowl. Add radish, onion, and jalapeno to taste. In a small bowl, mix the lime juice and olive oil together and pour over the salad. Salt and pepper to taste.

I have added a touch of soy, and some sugar to this as well, so if you feel you'd like to, be free to experiment. It is a nice summer salad. Cool and refreshing. I like it cold....