I'm a Big Fat Sponge

Our four-day staycation has been fanflippin'tastic.  We've been out and about but today, day four, we're hoping for big fat raindrops or a wicked snowstorm. 

Check out my new books.  One used, one with a coupon.  Both good deals.  I love Jacques Pépin.  Each time I watch his show (which is always), I learn something new.  These books are companions to his show. 

I'm like a big fat sponge, soaking it all in. 

So today I'm plopping my butt in The Lemon Tart Room with my Pépin books.  With any luck, I'll do so during a nice big storm and a good cuppa something warm.

Thanks to all you Boogerbutts for keeping up on my blog even though I haven't visited Bloggerville in what feels like forever.  Planning on catching up next week. 

Until then, cheers and boogie boogie.

Double Broom Action

So I didn't get as many chores done yesterday, as planned.  Got caught up on some coupon work and before I knew it, my afternoon was gone.

But that's okay because it felt good to use my coupon station.  Now that the desktop got killed (see yesterday's post), I love the table even more.   It's so flippin' big that my self-healing cutting mat fits, making it super duper easy to cut fabric into quilt shapes.

Anyway, today I've gotta get crackin', finish the chores and get to the market for ingredients.  Though I'm tempted to go ingredient shopping first, best get the fridge cleaned out and the crappers sorted.  Because there's one thing I don't want to do during our mini staycation and that's clean.  Hence the double broom action.

My Husband Broke My Computer

It was a crappy desk top that made more noise than a jet engine.  I hated that thing.  Now we're on the hunt for a new one, thinking laptop this time.  Did some looking over the weekend and so far, all the laptop keyboards sucked. 

I have a laptop that I love, we bought it years ago and it's NEVER been online.  It's only 2 gigs but was purchased solely for writing.  Thought I could put it online but I can't.  I enjoy my alone writing time too much to bring the Internet in.

That said, I found a few more places that sell Windows 7 laptops, going to check them out this week.  Until then, you guys won't see much of me on the blogs.  But I'll still post each day and you can reach me on email.

In other news, we're headed toward our mini-staycation.  Can't wait.  Got a good bit of chores done yesterday, getting the rest done today.  Then Wednesday I hit the market for ingredients.  That's all from me.   I'll catch up on all your blogs once I get my new computer up and running.

Until then, cheers and boogie boogie.

Morning Bake & FREE Money

It's about ten to four as I type this.  Dough is fermenting, the house is asleep and in one hour, I'll shape the dough into rolls, prove and bake.   With any luck, Huckleberry will wake to a breakfast of eggs, bacon, potatoes and fresh rolls with whipped butter.

Meanwhile, I'm hunting down sales and looking for freebies, as I print FREE money from home. 

For anyone new to printables (coupons online), the first of each month is new coupon day, which means coupons get yanked, reset and/or added.  It's a coupon holiday.  Each computer (not printer), gets two prints per particular coupon.  If you're interested, here are two places that I get my coupons.com printables.

Coupons in the News

WNY Deals & To-Dos

Note, there's a spot to change zip codes.  This is a great way to get different coupons.  I've had luck with, 77477, 30303, 10101, 30044, 90210.

Also note: Coupons can be printed in black and white.  No reason to waste ink.  However, coupons need to be readable.  Doesn't have to be a super high quality, just has to be readable to the scanners.

Lastly, coupons.com requires a one-time download of their printer software, but you don't need to setup an account.  Any questions?  You're welcome to email me or ask here.

And that my lovelys, concludes another post from me.  Still too early to publish this so I'll hit schedule and then get back to deal hunting.  Have a groovy day and boogie boogie.

The Kibosh + How-To Green Goo

So my big plans to make crackers and tart shells got the kibosh yesterday due to blah, blah, spinal stuff, blah, blah.  On the good news though, I got to meet Hubby for brown bag lunch and then do a little ingredient shopping. 

I scored jalapenos, prunes, Hungarian hot peppers, killer scallions, and one rotten banana.  As soon as my body allows, I'll be back in the lab, brewin' up goodies.

Like this one here, served in a zombie mug.

1 big green bell pepper
3 celery ribs
organic apple juice (homemade if you have it)

Might look gross but this is my new favorite drink.  So flippin' good.  Talk about sustained energy.  I'm tellin' ya.  For me, this beats a cuppa Joe, any day of the week.

Getting Out of My Own Way

We're in the midst of making our double office into a solid work space.  So far, so good.  But there's a few knots to untangle.  Like my coupon station and Tim's gaming shelf, which he did a killer job on.

Now we're waiting for the coupon station to arrive from Staples.  Which was not cheap.  After coupons and rewards, we paid $47.43 OOP.  Which is just enough to annoy me.  That said, I've outgrown my current station, and that was the best deal I could find.

In baking news, I made my fourth cake.  A four-layered carrot cake with maple vanilla frosting.  The frosting was too sweet for so many layers, so I scrapped some off, saved it for another time, and took meticulous notes.

Then we hit Barnes.  Tim wrote and I studied cake.  Did you know that most cakes fit into six basic categories?  I didn't.  Actually, I never cared before.   But now I do.

It was a good weekend. 

I'm at a point where I no longer want to be in my own way, and I want to hit a few serious goals.  That, and I have some health issues that need addressed and thanks to my honey bunny, we're going to work on those bits together.

From here on, I ask myself:  How will this (step) help me reach my goal?  When I ask myself that question, I think differently about what I'm doing or not doing.  Sorta puts things in logical order, if you will. 

And that my Bubblebutts, concludes this post.  I'm off to write and bake.  Like to be done early so when the delivery dudes arrive, I can rebuild my coupon station.

Until next post, cheers and boogie boogie.

PS: Made these over the weekend as well.  100g wholemeal, 250g strong white.  Very nice in crust, crumb, and taste. 

Tickle My Toes

I can't wait to show you all the new toys that Tim got me over the weekend.  We hit a restaurant store that is loaded, and I do mean loaded, with all kinds of cookery and bakeware.  Everything from used to new, classic to modern.

The best part, everything was FREE!  More on that later, since I haven't taken pictures yet.

Meanwhile, dig these long rolls I baked on my very own, newly purchased, for FREE, rimless bake sheet.  No more fusing with a jelly roll pan.  Now, like on The Great British Bake Off, I too have the joy of sliding my bread right off the sheet and onto a wire rack.

I tell ya, it's the simple things that tickle my toes.

NOOOOOOO!!

How am I so tired?  I even slept the last two nights.

Yet today, I cannot keep my flippin' eyes open.  Ugh.  Although the headache is gone, so that's good.  But I haven't baked or cooked a thing today.  In fact, I was out of homemade bagels so for breakfast, I schmeared cream cheese on plain potato (crisps) chips, and topped them with raw jalapenos, because I'm outta lox.

It didn't taste good.