January is Nearly Over!

So, I have been busying myself with domestic overload. After a much needed "girl day" last week, I was thrust forward into hermitdome. Working from home is convenient. However, this past Saturday was the re-scheduled family Christmas party. This meant that I was going to go a little over the top in the kitchen as I tend to do in these situations. Friday night, I began my ritual by inserting the DVD Enchanted into my kitchen DVD player then, I went wild. I began by making nice with the dirty dishes in the sink so that I could have a clean work environment. Then, I made a yellow butter cake from a box.

Our family Christmas dinner is usually a Mexican themed meal. So, I decided that my contribution to the feast would be a flan inspired dessert trifle. So, while the cake was baking in the oven, I made home made caramel fudge sauce, which was time consuming, but much easier than imaginable.

Then, I made a custard like gem known as Panne Cotta. I found the recipe on line and tweaked it slightly to taste like custard so that it would have the essence of flan. The recipe called for unflavored gelatine, which got me really excited, because I've always wanted to try that stuff. Folks, if you've never had Panne Cotta before, I urge to make friends with it, you will not be sorry. Panna Cotta could be used for a number of tricks such as enticing someone to clean the bathroom or the litterbox for you, or as a metaphorical white flag after a minor domestic. It can also be a great way to brighten someones day or even just to cheer yourself up. Yes, Panne Cotta is the dessert to know.

I digress, so after the cake had baked and cooled, and the movie ended. I put in the movie Persuassion to get me through the rest of my work. The Panne Cotta needed to gel over night, so I layered one layer of cake in the trifle dish and some of the caramel sauce on top. I put the remaining parts in the refrigerator and went to bed- it was 1:00 a.m. So, at 6:30 a.m. I was up again and the Panne Cotta gelled into a thing of beauty. I layered half of that on top of the caramel then I added more cake, more carmel and the rest of the Panne Cotta. Holy cow, my flan trifle was soooo yummy!

I do have other food stuff to discuss, but Steven and Chris will be on soon, so I need to go make a latte. Until then~Toodaloo!

My Name Is "Ladytoesocks" and I'm a "Doctor Who"-aholic.

It is true. I tried, in vain, to avoid this mess. During my high school and college years, I was a fan of Tom Baker's "Dr." One early morning while in college, dealing helplessly with insomnia, I turned on the tv and spotted Doctor Who again. Much to my dismay, it wasn't Mr. Baker as the Time Lord, but a different Dr. I had to look away and sigh.

The show went away for a while, and I moved on.. never forgetting the lovely show I so enjoyed Saturday's on PBS. Then, it came back, new, with better graphics and better special effects. I couldn't do it, I could not watch a Doctor clad in, what appeared to be, leather......I missed the scarf.

Then, about a month ago, I was once again dealing with the torment of insomnia. I turned on the tv and there he was...another version of the Dr. This time Catherine Tate was playing is Tardis side kick. So, I thought "what the heck, she makes me laugh". I watched, became a bit addicted, and then I found it on BBC America, once again on Saturday night. It was as though something fanastic from childhood was calling me back to a happy place- like the the sound of the ice cream truck in the summer.

David Tennant was the current Dr. and he is a fantastic actor. He breathed new life into the Dr. Even though he lacked the flashy scarf, he had a long coat. In fact he is quite the snappy dresser and has good hair. So, talent and a good fashion sense drew me in; not to mention great writing.
Well, the New Year weekend was filled with a Doctor Who marathon on BBC America. Showing the shows in which David Tennant played the tenacious Time Lord. He decided to leave the show while he was still loving playing the doctor. (I think he didn't want to get burnt out on the role, because he has been a fan for most of his life.) It was sad though. Just when I was finally able to love the Doctor again, he was reborn into a new Doctor.

So, today I am mourning the loss with house work. Filling the void with organizing cupboards and spot treating set in stains of imbedded modeling clay and maple syrup. I must say though, that after a two-day marathon, I'm a bit drained from all the excitement. My body feels like I spent the weekend sustaining myself on M&M's, Coca-Cola, and Disco. Yes, Doctor Who is a lot like a sugar rush.

I think these bones are trying to tell me to start moving around again. perhaps some cardio will seep it's way back into my morning routine. I'll see how that works out for me. I'll update when things develop. Until then~ Toodaloo!