I admit it - I've been ignoring you. I've just had so much going on and I'm still trying to process it myself. This afternoon I'm interviewing for a position at a large pharmaceutical company and if I get a reasonable offer, I'm taking it. I'm not excited to go back to work - I'd be fine with never working again - but I want the money to go on with some other parts of my life. The fantastic hubby and I want to expand our family and I'll be the first to admit - I love to spend so I know I'll want to spend tons on the little addition.
I need to get ready for the interview - wish me luck (though we know I'm fabulous and they'd be silly if they don't love me).

American Dream

Dreaming of eggs, bacon, hash browns and toast? Steaming coffee on your mind? Come visit me at work - we'll hook you up (and for a very reasonable fee).

Slave to the man

Working sucks.

Another branch on the family tree

Addison Laura Bak
7 lbs, 3 oz. 20" long

Smells like an open house

Yes, it is what you think it is; warm, yeasty, crusty on the outside, chewy on the inside bread. Here's the deal: I took Martha's Baking Handbook out of the library the other day and have been perusing it daily, drooling and wishing for cold hands and more patience. Today I couldn't take it any more. I made my first cup of coffee and started out bright and early sifting my ingredients. I followed the recipe exactly, and everything was going well until I turned the dough out onto my board to begin kneading. Splat. So I added more flour. And kneaded. And added more flour. And kneaded. And added more flour, and more flour, and kneaded some more. This went on for quite a while. Finally, after much trial and error, I hit the right dough consistency; smooth, not sticky and pliable. I was thrilled - even baking isn't an exact science! Who knew? I might be hooked.

I have joined

the rest of the ratrace and have become gainfully employed. You can find me in the Macy's Marketplace (hugging and snuggling all of Martha's new treasures).

As American as...

I am not a baker. I'm not exact, I'm not measured and I'm definitely not predictable. I'm not that great at following directions, and I believe someones got to be different (and that's usually me).

But weirdly enough I want to be a baker. I dream of fresh loves of bread, with perfectly chewy interiors and crisp, crunchy crusts. I imagine holidays filled with savory, sweet pies, the house perfumed by wonderful, homey aromas of cinnamon and nutmeg. I buy book after book on baking, desserts and breadmaking and stare longingly at the pages. But I believe in change and growth and chances.

So I baked a pie.

It's not perfect; the crust didn't brown as much as I would have liked, and pastry is not my specialty, but it's a pie. And it'll taste fine.

And that's enough.