Third time's the charm?
Nov. 8th, 2007 11:33 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
averygoodun42So, yesterday I was bemoaning to my mum the lack of socializing opportunities for Babe until he gets into preschool. Two years ago I joined the local Mother's Group for the sole purpose of their playgroup program, hoping to remedy the lack of socializing problem. Last year's playgroup organizer never got back to me and never got back to me and suddenly the year was up and I was not impressed. But, just before my year's memebership expired, a new playgroup organizer came on board, and I decided to give it one last shot.
The new organizer got back to me. Right away. I was impressed enough to renew my membership in the Mother's Group (for insurance purposes). A playgroup was organized, we all met up and then, before the next meeting, I had to go to Canada to see my failing grampa. While I was gone, there were messages about this week not being good, and then there were problems with getting a time for the next week (despite the fact that we had arranged a meeting time based upon all our submitted schedules of available times). Shortly after I got back, one of the members bowed out, since school was getting out for the summer and her schedule would be chaotic, what with her older son now being in the mix. I had tried to foist the responsibility of being group leader off on someone who wanted the job, but in the end, I was the one who sent out an email trying to get the rest of the group together. Not surprisingly, it didn't happen. That was the end of that group.
About a month ago (or two?), the playgroup organizer called to check up on that group. I had copied her on most of the relevent emails, so I'm sure she had a good idea of the status. I confirmed the demise, and so she asked if I was still interested in participating in a playgroup (yes), and then sent an email around (and, I assume, called everyone as well), with the new group info.
I immediately sent out a welcoming email, saying, more or less, "Hey, can't wait to meet ya'll! How about ten days from now?" Didn't hear a peep. Nada. Nothing.
Gotta admit that I kind of wondered if it was me. I know I eat a lot of garlic, so...
Anyway, that was, as I said, a couple of months ago. I had given up on the playgroup thing happening. I complained to my mum about it yesterday. Tonight, lo and behold, I received a call from the playgroup organizer. She complained, in her cheerful, good natured way, how it kind of grated on her nerves that people wailed about needing to be in a playgroup and then... nothing. They drop off the face of the planet.
Anyway, she's given me the numbers of three other mothers for yet another attempt at a playgroup. She's optimistic this time, because one of the mothers is as desperate for a playgroup as I am.
And then she said something funny. She said how the husband of the desperate mother had a British accent, so that mother and I should have something in common, anyway.
Um...
I should make a voice post one of these days. I may have a touch of a Canadian accent, but, um, not British. Geoff says that my sister and I both speak more properly than most Americans (we been taught good and proper, we has), so perhaps that's why she thought I was foreign. Well, that and I don't have a New England accent as I like my R's to be in their written spots. I'm funny that way.
Point is, there's a prime example of the Universe answering my call. Hopefully there won't be too harsh a lesson in there.
Yesterday I started the church concert baking process for Saturday. I made three batches of cookie dough, baking one of them. I will need to remake the chocolate chip cookies, though. *shifty eyes*
Today I managed to make a loaf of banana bread, a loaf of banana-nut bread and a batch of Nanaimo Bars that look faaabulous. I hope the concert attendees aren't as picky about coconut as Geoff's coworkers are.
Tomorrow, I make the brownies, pumpkin tarts and cookies. Although the pumpkin stuff is a lesson in assumptions. I cooked a lot of pumpkin last winter, freezing the majority of it. I thought I had frozen two quarts of it, but it turns out I only froze one. I thought I had one quart left after having used one a few months ago. Nope.
Turns out that the quart containers in the freezer were of potato water, turkey water and gravy. All of indeterminate age. I defrosted then chucked them all. Good thing is, I now have room in the freezer (especially combined with the loss of the bananas). Bad thing is, I don't have frozen pumpkin. So, today at the store (second trip, as I'd forgotten I didn't have any graham cracker crumbs when I'd gone shopping this morning), I broke down and bought my first can of pumpkin. It's the right season for fresh pumpkin, so this really is sacriledge, but... So hopefully the pumpkin tarts and cookies will turn out okay despite the canned foodiness.
I think tomorrow night, after I make the brownies and the tart tins have cooled down, I will prepare the tins for the butter tarts as well. Butter tarts really need to be fresh, so they need to be made Saturday, but I see nothing against making the pastry then wrapping it up tight for the night in the fridge. It's such a time consuming process, and I have a lot to bake on Saturday as it is (gingerbread (possibly x2), coffee cake, cookies, cookies and cookies).
So, that's my tentative plan. And then, after I've made all that, I'll see what I have left over and figure out how to use it all up. Fast. I want to get back on the diet again, and I'd really like it if I came home to a temptation free house in January.
The other thing I've been doing, besides spending more time with Babe than I'm comfortable with, is reading pulp. By the end of this weekend, I think I shall be completely caught up on the adventures of Stephanie Plum. Gawd, that's funny stuff. Mostly. Book eight (or was it seven?) wasn't terribly funny, but then I wasn't in a great mood that night.
I've also been looking at, and working on (a very little), my exchange piece. I think I'll be able to get it done in time. (Hope springs eternal.) I am also currently ignoring the looming deadline of the holiday fair. I'm waffling on whether to cancel or to print out the digital images and make them into the cards. I'll still have original stuff and real prints, just not on the cards... *sigh* I don't know. I'm delaying thinking about it till Sunday. There's too much on my mind right now.
Anyway, I should head to bed now, as it is very late. Need to clean up the kitchen first, but then... Sweet Morpheus will call and leave his twisted imprint upon my mind.
Goodnight!
The new organizer got back to me. Right away. I was impressed enough to renew my membership in the Mother's Group (for insurance purposes). A playgroup was organized, we all met up and then, before the next meeting, I had to go to Canada to see my failing grampa. While I was gone, there were messages about this week not being good, and then there were problems with getting a time for the next week (despite the fact that we had arranged a meeting time based upon all our submitted schedules of available times). Shortly after I got back, one of the members bowed out, since school was getting out for the summer and her schedule would be chaotic, what with her older son now being in the mix. I had tried to foist the responsibility of being group leader off on someone who wanted the job, but in the end, I was the one who sent out an email trying to get the rest of the group together. Not surprisingly, it didn't happen. That was the end of that group.
About a month ago (or two?), the playgroup organizer called to check up on that group. I had copied her on most of the relevent emails, so I'm sure she had a good idea of the status. I confirmed the demise, and so she asked if I was still interested in participating in a playgroup (yes), and then sent an email around (and, I assume, called everyone as well), with the new group info.
I immediately sent out a welcoming email, saying, more or less, "Hey, can't wait to meet ya'll! How about ten days from now?" Didn't hear a peep. Nada. Nothing.
Gotta admit that I kind of wondered if it was me. I know I eat a lot of garlic, so...
Anyway, that was, as I said, a couple of months ago. I had given up on the playgroup thing happening. I complained to my mum about it yesterday. Tonight, lo and behold, I received a call from the playgroup organizer. She complained, in her cheerful, good natured way, how it kind of grated on her nerves that people wailed about needing to be in a playgroup and then... nothing. They drop off the face of the planet.
Anyway, she's given me the numbers of three other mothers for yet another attempt at a playgroup. She's optimistic this time, because one of the mothers is as desperate for a playgroup as I am.
And then she said something funny. She said how the husband of the desperate mother had a British accent, so that mother and I should have something in common, anyway.
Um...
I should make a voice post one of these days. I may have a touch of a Canadian accent, but, um, not British. Geoff says that my sister and I both speak more properly than most Americans (we been taught good and proper, we has), so perhaps that's why she thought I was foreign. Well, that and I don't have a New England accent as I like my R's to be in their written spots. I'm funny that way.
Point is, there's a prime example of the Universe answering my call. Hopefully there won't be too harsh a lesson in there.
Yesterday I started the church concert baking process for Saturday. I made three batches of cookie dough, baking one of them. I will need to remake the chocolate chip cookies, though. *shifty eyes*
Today I managed to make a loaf of banana bread, a loaf of banana-nut bread and a batch of Nanaimo Bars that look faaabulous. I hope the concert attendees aren't as picky about coconut as Geoff's coworkers are.
Tomorrow, I make the brownies, pumpkin tarts and cookies. Although the pumpkin stuff is a lesson in assumptions. I cooked a lot of pumpkin last winter, freezing the majority of it. I thought I had frozen two quarts of it, but it turns out I only froze one. I thought I had one quart left after having used one a few months ago. Nope.
Turns out that the quart containers in the freezer were of potato water, turkey water and gravy. All of indeterminate age. I defrosted then chucked them all. Good thing is, I now have room in the freezer (especially combined with the loss of the bananas). Bad thing is, I don't have frozen pumpkin. So, today at the store (second trip, as I'd forgotten I didn't have any graham cracker crumbs when I'd gone shopping this morning), I broke down and bought my first can of pumpkin. It's the right season for fresh pumpkin, so this really is sacriledge, but... So hopefully the pumpkin tarts and cookies will turn out okay despite the canned foodiness.
I think tomorrow night, after I make the brownies and the tart tins have cooled down, I will prepare the tins for the butter tarts as well. Butter tarts really need to be fresh, so they need to be made Saturday, but I see nothing against making the pastry then wrapping it up tight for the night in the fridge. It's such a time consuming process, and I have a lot to bake on Saturday as it is (gingerbread (possibly x2), coffee cake, cookies, cookies and cookies).
So, that's my tentative plan. And then, after I've made all that, I'll see what I have left over and figure out how to use it all up. Fast. I want to get back on the diet again, and I'd really like it if I came home to a temptation free house in January.
The other thing I've been doing, besides spending more time with Babe than I'm comfortable with, is reading pulp. By the end of this weekend, I think I shall be completely caught up on the adventures of Stephanie Plum. Gawd, that's funny stuff. Mostly. Book eight (or was it seven?) wasn't terribly funny, but then I wasn't in a great mood that night.
I've also been looking at, and working on (a very little), my exchange piece. I think I'll be able to get it done in time. (Hope springs eternal.) I am also currently ignoring the looming deadline of the holiday fair. I'm waffling on whether to cancel or to print out the digital images and make them into the cards. I'll still have original stuff and real prints, just not on the cards... *sigh* I don't know. I'm delaying thinking about it till Sunday. There's too much on my mind right now.
Anyway, I should head to bed now, as it is very late. Need to clean up the kitchen first, but then... Sweet Morpheus will call and leave his twisted imprint upon my mind.
Goodnight!
