February | 2009 | that*darn*kat

I really feel that a blog post is worthless without a picture. Maybe that says something about my lack of confidence in my writing skills, or the incredible laziness that causes me to skip reading blogs that lack at least a sprinkling of interesting photos. However, here I am writing a picture-less post.

My computer went kaput two weeks ago. Not seriously throw-it-out-the-window kaput, just the cd-rom drive stopped working. I have no clue why, nor did any of the ever-so-helpful techy people Hubby talked to on the phone. After several hours of rigmarole, one of the first techy people declared that the whole computer needed to be reformatted. So Hubby took that on with a bit of a grumble (and a trip to Costco to purchase an external drive to store our ever-so-important data). No dice. The next techy person suggested that they’d just send us a new cd-rom drive, which we could install and then send the defective one back to them. Tried that…and it failed. So, early last week we packed up the computer and sent it back to have the techy people try a hands-on fix. Each day I anxiously watch for the FedEx truck to drive by and bring me a working computer, but so far it hasn’t shown up. For the interim, we’re back to working on the crummy old computer. The irony is not lost on me that the computer I call “crummy” and “old” is still working after years of abuse, and the fancy new computer had to be shipped in for a fix after only seven months.

However, although I can still send e-mail, and surf the web, I’m not willing to upload any new pictures to this old machine. So all the pictures that would have accompanied this post are still trapped in my camera, and will remain there until the FedEx truck brings me back my (working) computer. And can I just say here how glad I am that fixing broken computers falls to Hubby rather than to me. He had his share of headaches over it. Me, I use the computer and feel like mostly I know how to make it do what I want. But how it actually works is a mystery to me.

Now that I’ve rambled on about my computer, I’ll hit you with a bullet list of the things I’ve been meaning to blog about, but haven’t.

I have finished the socks I started knitting. Then I knitted another pair. And I have now cast on the first sock of the third pair (actually, I’m working on the heel flap).
The girls and I have been reading “Nancy Drew” books at bedtime. The old ones that I used to read when I was a little girl. I love having excuses to read kids books aloud while cuddled up under a blanket on the couch. And usually, when the girls ask for “just one more chapter” I want to know what happens next, too.
E-Boy is obsessed with numbers lately. He turned three, so he points out number threes wherever he sees them. I think he feels a bit of ownership of this number; he sees the three on the check-out line and thinks it’s calling out to him. We were at an event recently and he wanted to sit in seat number three…I had to explain to him that our tickets only allowed us to sit in seats seven through ten. “But me three!” he insisted.
The snow has (mostly) melted around here and I am anxiously awaiting the arrival of Spring, and with it, the opportunities to be outdoors more often (without freezing). I am overjoyed that February is done!

How about carmel apple pancakes? Yummy, if you ask me!

First, turn on the oven to 400 degrees and melt two tablespoons of butter in a pie plate.

Then, peel and slice an apple (I prefer Fuji, but you can use whichever kind is your favorite). I use half an apple for one pancake, here I’m making two so I’ll use the whole thing.

Break two eggs into a mixing bowl and whip them up, then add a half cup of flour, a teaspoon of salt, and a half cup of milk. Mix.

When the butter is melted, turn the pie plate so the butter coats the entire bottom and half way up the sides. Then sprinkle some brown sugar and cinnamon on top of the butter and arrange your apple slices in the pie plate.