Spring lambies redux

Spring has sprung, and yet, the hovel still is not ready. The plan to move back in early April went out the window when it was discovered that the kitchen cabinets for almost all the appliances and both sinks were not the right size (ordered by a large hardware store chain that shall remain nameless). Frustration and anger ensued (and continues)...an oven and sink were exchanged...there was waiting...a replacement cabinet was ordered...more waiting. And so we wait...and hope that the replacement will be the right size. *Sigh*It would be nice to live in San Francisco again.

But there was some spring fun in the country this weekend. Dana's Cheviot sheep mamas had lambs, and she hosted an afternoon of sheep shearing/lamb viewing/sit 'n knit/honey tasting fun. Dan helped hold down one of the last year's lambs, now full-grown, to be sheared.


Time for a trim

The sheep looked a bit silly after the shearing, but a lot less raggedy.


Newly shorn

There was a lot of wool, from papa ram and his two sheep (who were last year's lambs). Arrow tried to eat a fallen piece of wool...maybe the lanolin was tasty?


Arrow checks out the wool

The newborn lamb -- born just that morning! -- was the star of the afternoon. People took turns holding her, while mama sheep bleated loudly at everyone.


Little lambykins with mama

Darcy Rose wanted to pet the mama sheep, but she was too fast for the humans. She did get to pet the newborn lamb though.


Gentle pats

After seeing the animals, we noshed on cupcakes and sampled delicious goat cheeses, truly local honey from a beehive recently discovered on the property, and some teas Dana's friend brought to share. It was a lovely spring afternoon in the country!

Progress

Spring is near, and perhaps more cupcakes! (Actually, many-a-cupcake has been baked and consumed in 2009, but the lack of light was uninspiring.) I've been in a funk these past few months, but I was in San Francisco last week, dog/house-sitting for a friend, and noticed I was in a great mood. So I think the long commute has been bringing me down even more than I realize...but we *may* be close to moving back into the hovel. Still a lot delays to contend with, and problems along the way, but it actually is starting to look like a house. The un-hovel, let's say.

Here's a preview of the progress so far...it's been over a year, after all...


Cheery yellow paint, partway


Green living room


Blue bathroom with wainscotting

More progress shots from the past year...not too much documentation though, because it turns out I am not a process person. I just want it to be done! When I first started knitting I remember reading about process knitters, those who enjoy the process of learning a new technique more than the finished piece. And I thought to myself, how odd! Going through the hovel remodel has reaffirmed that I am not a process person. The activities I enjoy doing, liking knitting and baking, I find meditative (when I am not messing up), but I definitely want to finish!

Happy winter

I have been lazing through the winter break...reading, drinking tea and eating holiday treats, watching movies, catching up with friends and family, and sleeping...but how did the time go by so quickly?

Dan and I went up to Rocklin see his family on Christmas Eve, then returned to Chez Maman on Christmas Day. My sister made an origami dog for me...crafty, eh? The quilted espresso is from Dan's mother.


Cute samolian pooch on pink and green

My brother picked pomegranates from the tree in the backyard, decked out in a bicycle helmet and hospital scrubs...


Beware falling fruit

I was so lazy I did not even send out holiday cards this year...the hovel is my excuse. In my one bit of craftyness, I knit a chocolate brown Puff Daddy neck warmer for Joanne, with one skein of Biggy Print. I thought it turned out pretty well...hopefully the puff holds up...


Puff chocolate

And I got to catch up with some friends' babies and toddlers, who are growing up so fast! Dan and I met baby Georgia, daughter of Cheya and Rick...


Holding lil' baby Georgia

We also visited with Darcy Rose, who we had not seen since her 2nd birthday! Her family moved to new digs, and we walked to the park near their new abode, where Dan pushed her on the swings...


Higher! Faster!

After the walk, we shared some cookies Dan's sister had made for Christmas. Look at that smile!


Such a cutie

After Darcy finished her cooky, she was interested in the last one, which was for daddy. "Not yours," she told her mother. Also, "not Oliver's" (the dog). Ownership seems to be quite the thing...


Cooky time

She is talking a lot more now, toddling all about, and so, so fun to be around!


Putting magnets up on the fridge

My college friend Portia and her family visited from Texas, and we celebrated her son DJ's 3rd birthday with them! DJ is dairy-free, so for my first foray into dairy-free cupcakery I made dairy-free vanilla cupcakes with dairy-free chocolate ganache.


Blowing out the candles

DJ and his sister Veronica seemed to enjoy the birthday cupcakes...


DJ and Veronica, with birthday cuppies

After cake, there were presents to open, of course. DJ loves trucks, and received an impressive collection of toy trucks and cars. Dan and I gave him a vehicle-themed floor puzzle. But nothing could top the final gift, big boy underwear!


Big boy underwear, wow!

After presents, Dan had fun playing with the energetic birthday boy, although I am not sure the restaurant staff enjoyed it as much...


Gotcha!

Twas a relaxing break, with just a few more days of lazing for me...also, I finally took my mother's old Singer sewing machine to the shop for a long-overdue tune-up, so mayhaps there will be more crafting in 2009?

Happy new year!

Holiday cheer

Tis the season for gingerbread cupcakes and peppermint bark! Joanne hosted a holiday open house last weekend, kicking off the holiday baking...I made gingerbread cupcakes with maple cream cheese frosting, which may be my new favorite frosting. I mixed chopped candied ginger into the batter, and the cupcakes were filled with cranberry apple butter and topped with a pomegranate seed (from the tree in the backyard at Chez Maman)...twas a nice combination of flavors.


Holiday cuppies

And of course, peppermint bark, an annual tradition...


Bark bark

The highlight of the party was holding baby Ryan. He really is adorable!

October fly-by

Where does the time go? All of a sudden mid-November is upon us, and it is dark by 5 pm. Grr. But the solstice is next month, and the daylight hours will get longer again. Dan and I have been busy with the hovel, as usual. And I caught another bug, second time in less than a month, boo. But it has not been all bad, thankfully.

During Fleet Week, Dan had a work function at the Carnelian Room, and we saw the Blue Angels from the 52nd floor, a rare treat.


Red, white and blue

We saw the planes fly by the Transameria Pyramid and the Golden Gate Bridge, quite a sight. Dan and I also visited the newly-opened California Academy of Sciences, which we had been looking forward to for quite some time. The place was packed, so we just checked out the aquarium. We will return to see the rainforest, the planetarium, the living roof, so many things to see. The albino alligator seemed very much at home in the new digs...


Just relaxing

And earlier this month Dan and I went to our friends' impromptu wedding, just a handful of friends with colorful umbrellas, on a gray rainy afternoon at Baker Beach, witnessing two people's love and commitment for each other. I was so grateful and happy to witness such a beautiful celebration. I am hopeful that someday the people of this state will think so too. And I hope it will be soon!

C is for cooky

Autumn is here! It even rained in the Bay Area over the weekend. Sadly, no creative output to speak of here at Chez Maman...too busy commuting, worrying (about the hovel and everything in general), and feeling tired of being tired...but trying to remember that I am an optimist!

And I find a home-baked cooky sometimes can lift one's spirits...so I made flourless almond chocolate chip cookies for book club this past weekend. I think this is the perfect cooky recipe that is both gluten-free and dairy-free...celiac and lactose intolerant book club members should be able to enjoy a sweet treat too! I usually use peanut butter, but have tried almond butter the past couple times, which also makes a tasty cooky. Dan made the almond butter this time with unsalted dry-roasted almonds in the food processor...fresh almond butter!


Almond chocolate chip cooky

The cookies have a nice chewy texture, chewier than the peanut butter version. Both are delicious. We discussed A Thousand Splendid Suns...reading the book made me so grateful for being a woman in America...despite all the things I worry about and disagree with...I am thankful.

Pink cupcake gig

I had a cupcake gig over the weekend, almost a year to the day of my first one. Dan's coworker Josh requested pink cupcakes for a baby shower for his wife Marlena (my birthday twin!). I got organic strawberries at the farmer's market and tried two strawberry cupcake recipes. The first recipe used strawberry chunks, but I thought it tasted a bit muffin-y, so I tried a second recipe with strawberry puree. (I used twice the amount of puree.)


Strawberry cupcakes

The cupcakes were a slightly pink color with a faint berry flavor. The cake was dense, but not too dry. (When I sampled the chunk recipe cupcake the next day, it didn't seem so muffin-y...and the strawberry chunks were rather nice...will need to conduct more strawberry cupcake taste testing!) I also made two dozen vanilla cupcakes, also topped with pink strawberry frosting. The frosting was very sweet, but had a nice strawberry flavor.


Vanilla cupcakes with pink dots

I need a Cupcake Courier, but it is always out of stock. What's the story? These disposable trays will have to do for now...and the cupcakes made it to the shower safely.


Strawberry-to-go

We were greeted with mimosas on arrival...what a treat...Dan and I also were charmed by Victoria, big sister to the new baby, who arrived (early) during the week! Congratulations!