Rain is replacing the snow and Western Washington is looking more like its usual grey and green self. It's time to take a break from playing with the Christmas toys and cook a little food. A pan of biscuits is finishing up in the oven, but these aren't my usual biscuits. My usual ones are quite good, if I do say so myself, but I have a bit of Christmas ham to be used up. So it's ham and cheese biscuits.

First, my usual biscuits:

2 cups sifted all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
3 teaspoons baking soda
2 tablespoons or so shortening or butter
1 cup of milk or water

Preheat your oven to 425. In a mixing bowl, combine the dry ingredients. Cut in the shortening or butter (Use your fingers or a whisk or a fork or a potato masher to thoroughly mix the fat and the dry ingredient mixture. You have it when you grab a small handful and it clumps when you squeeze it together).

Grease an 8 inch round cake pan (or whatever baking dish you have of approximate size) and set it aside.

Get your floured board ready.

Then add your milk or water to your bowl and stir just long enough to get everything incorporated.

Turn the dough out onto your floured board and pat it down, flip it over, pat it some more, fold it in half and knead it together a bit, then press it out into a roundish shape about the same size as your baking pan. Cut into rounds with a biscuit cutter or a drinking glass turned upside down and put into your baking pan. You'll have to sort of cram them in. They won't fit as pretty little perfect circles, nor should they. :)

Bake in your preheated oven for 12 - 15 minutes until they are just slightly brown on the top. Pull out of the oven and transfer to a plate (I can never do the flip and slide trick as gracefully as my grandmother used to do).




For the ones I just made, I added about a tablespoon of dried rosemary to the dry mixture. I used a little less shortening and added in a little olive oil. Then, after cutting in the fat, I added a half cup diced ham and half a cup of shredded cheddar cheese. The rest of the recipe proceeds as normal, except these will need closer to 15-20 minutes to cook because of the extra stuff. I'm eating one now and they are fantastic.

I hope the fact that it's snowing now means less people will be stopping by my work to buy gift certificates today. *crosses fingers*

I think I overdid it on bundling up for the cold trek to and from work. I now have a nasty heat rash on the inside of my right thigh. Perhaps long underwear, a pair of pants and then fleece pants over the top was over the top. (Oh, of course it couldn't also have to do with the fact that I weigh more now than I ever have in my life, part of that extra weight being in my thighs, nooo...) The walk to and from work tomorrow is going to be even more fun now. But it's that or wait for a bus that may never come or may be too full to stop. I'm the only supervisor scheduled tomorrow and may well be the only person that shows up, period, so I can't puss out and call in. Snow was much more fun when I lived in Bothell and could say I couldn't make it in, whether I really could or not because everyone else lives in the city and wouldn't know the difference.

But...

I just have to make it through tomorrow and then it's a four day weekend. Then I work one day on Monday and have three more days off after that.

I live a block and a half away from the main drag up one of the biggest hills in Seattle, Queen Anne Ave. I expected a few people sledding and tubing down the hill, but there are people skiing and snowboarding down it too.

Excuse the lack of cut. I can't remember how to do it, it's been so long.

Today marks two years that Dan and I have been together. This fact blows my mind.

I just went outside to smoke and take a few pictures of the snow. The ground is coated in snow with a layer of ice on top. Walking around, it cracks like a giant creme brulee.

So I decided not to drive to work because of the weather. Skipped the bus as well because I didn't want to be crammed in like a sardine in a can. I walked. I wanted to take pictures of the snow and such in Seattle Center on the way, so I walked through. Going down the hill on 2nd by the Pacific Science Center, just as I thought I'm probably going to eat shit going down this hill, I ate shit going down the hill. Fell flat on my ass.

When I got to work, I noticed my keys were not in my coat pocket. Or in any pocket. Or in my bag. I think they may have come out of my pocket when my arms flailed when I fell. They go in my left pocket. When I fell, my right hand was in my other pocket holding my cigarettes and lighter, and those came out still clenched in my right hand. So, I figured the keys might have done the same with my left. I went back on my lunch break, but no keys to be found.

I can have a copy made of my boyfriend's apartment key. However, my only keys for my truck were on my now-lost key ring. I'm going to have to wait until after Christmas to have a locksmith come assist me because I can't afford to do that and Christmas shopping both right now. Bleh.

Fucking snow. I knew I should have chained up the truck and drove to work today....

Want!

It's cold outside. I need some thick, heavy comfort food. I'm making scalloped potatoes with sausage.

6 or so potatoes, sliced
1 onion, chopped
1 kielbasa, cubed
1 can of cream of mushroom soup
1 cup of milk
1 teaspoon or so each of dried thyme, rosemary, salt, and pepper

Layer the potatoes, onions, and sausage in a pot or casserole (I use one of my cast iron dutch ovens). In a bowl, whisk together the mushroom soup, milk, and seasonings, then pour evenly over the potatoes, etc. Put a lid on the pot or foil over the dish and bake at 375 for an hour or so. Let it cool for about 5 or 10 minutes so the sauce will thicken up, and chow down. This turns out ridiculously good for how basic the ingredients are and how easy it is to make.

The entire point of the holidays is lost when you get stressed out, bitchy, moody, self-absorbed, and rude. When traveling out into the world to get items to show your generosity to your loved ones, it is not necessary to be a complete and utter asshole. From blocking intersections with your gigantic automobile because you are too childish and impatient to wait for the next green light to standing with your cart dead center in the aisle once you're in the store to cutting your fellow shoppers off or stopping right in front of them when they are looking at something on the shelf, you are taking a big shit all over what this time of year is supposed to be about. Act right. Don't be an asshole.

If you care enough to note a person's death, you should care enough to spell her name correctly.

The kingdom of heaven is within.

Are you satisfied?

Are you satisfied?

*tap tap*

Is this thing on?

We laid out all our grievances.
All the little things that have built over time.
A tally of tyrannies.
Our shots rang out at night,
and I'm across the water from you
thinking the time is right.
It's going to hurt, but
this has been coming for a while.
Perhaps we'll be allies soon.

Oh, hello.

I am in Lubbock, Texas. I got off to a bit of a late start again today, so I decided to spend the night here so I don't arrive at my dad's in the middle of the night. I drove around a thousand miles yesterday, from Ontario, OR to Littleton, CO. I got to see my homegirl Jennie for the first time since she moved back to Colorado from Seattle. I showed up at 11 at night and she had a full plate of food, a loaded bowl, and Rice Krispy squares waiting for me. And then she made me breakfast this morning. How cool is that?

When I left her place, I stopped just down the freeway from Denver in some little middle-of-nowhere town to get coffee at a convenience store. I probably betray my Seattle-ness by admitting this, but I like cheap shitty convenience store coffee. Anyway... On the way in, a lady that was getting out of her car at the same time as me looked at me, smiled and said hello. I followed her into the store. I got my coffee and went to the counter. "Just the coffee?" asked the clerk. "Yep," I replied. "It's ok. It's on us." I was confused for a second, then said, "Thank you" and left. A stranger said hello to me and the clerk gave me free coffee. I knew for certain that I was not in Seattle anymore. I never fully realize how anti-social Seattlites are until I go somewhere else.

I'm spending the night in a Super 8 that is nicer than any Super 8 I've ever seen before. It's really nice, complete with granite countertops, real wood furniture, a flat-tube TV, refrigerator, microwave, and wireless internet. And a gigantic bed that I'm about to fall into.

Oh, I almost forgot. When you cross the Texas state line, there is a big sign that says, "Welcome to Texas. Proud home of President George W. Bush." I didn't think it was possible to laugh and cringe at the same time. I'll get a picure of it on the way back up.

The road trip has begun. I am typing this from the cozy confines of the hotel room I just checked into in Ontario, OR. I got off to a late start on the trip. Originally, I had planned on leaving at about noon, but I didn't get to leave until 3. I packed my clothes last night and then finished up today. I got up around 9 this morning, messed around with the boy, had coffee, changed the spark plugs on my car, finished getting things together, loaded the car, went to Discount Tire to get a leak in one of my tires fixed. That last thing was what held up the program longer than anything else. They were really busy, but there was no excuse for them taking an hour and a half to get around to patching my tire. Left there damn near irate, dropped the boy home, cashed a couple paychecks, and headed out. And now I'm going to go to sleep. I'll post a few pictures I got today when I get up in the morning.

Twenty minutes until my vacation time starts. I will not have to be at work for 16 days and I cannot wait.