Gym Class

I went to the gym today with the intention of running like a trained mouse on the treadmill in front of the Rachael Ray show. However, my plans changed as I was checking my two cute kids into the childcare. I saw that many women were going to "class" and so I decided that I would go to "class" too. Glad I did. It was a power pump/step class taught by Becky. Any class taught by Becky is a class worth taking.

So we started with plie' squats with the bar with light weights (after a thorough warm-up) and we did MANY sets. So many in fact that my legs were begging me to stop. We also did shoulders, back, biceps, triceps, chest, hams/gluets and abs.

After the pump section of the class (50 minutes or so) I walked over to the drinking fountain and as I bent over the water I passed loud gas. Not really, but wouldn't that have been embarrassing! Actually, my legs almost faltered which would have been just as bad.

I was muscularly spent. I decided to stay for the step portion and I was completely beside myself with the choreography. Everyone else was in sync, but alas, I was not. Forward when I should be backward. Kicking when everyone else was doing an Elvis move. Too much! When she announced the final routine I called it quits. I was spending too much time whirling about that I wasn't getting enough workout. I was dizzy, tired and smelly. But I will be back on Wednesday for Sports Training--thankfully basic step skills are the only requirement.

Video Games

I have many things that I am embarrassed to admit and enjoying video games is one of them. I enjoy puzzle games like Azada, time management and sometimes match three. In California, I loved playing Canasta. I love playing that game with warm bodies or cyber bodies. Occasionally, I will get into a gaming jag, or binge and then I will be able to let it go for a while. Right now, I am feeling the need to binge. Slightly embarrassed - yes. Think I should be doing something else like studying, reading, listening to classical music - sometimes. But, I will probably always enjoy video games. Thankfully we don't have a gaming console like a Wii or xbox. So I will enjoy the pleasure of gaming while it lasts.

Minutes

Why does the minute needed to use mouthwash take forever? This morning while I used my new mouthwash, ACT, I was surprised to see how long that required minute took. Minutes pass by all the time without notice, but I knew each second of this minute intimately. Thankfully , my ACT wasn't burning the top layer off my mouth or dissolving my tooth enamel like other less gentle brands (Listerine anyone?).

I remember having to sit on a chair for being naughty and that 5 minutes, just 300 seconds, was beyond eternal. Not able to talk, nothing to do was pure torture. Funny, now I would enjoy 5 minutes or so of peace, no answering 5 billion questions, facilitating needs....Interesting how perspective changes.

Lawn Mowing in December 2008

Yesterday afternoon, I primed the gas pump of our trusty lawn mower. After 50 pulls or so, I was on my way to a leaf-free yard. Yes, our two beautiful, LARGE, Norway maples finally gave up their last golden leaves. I even mowed up the super tiny leaves of our next-door-neighbor's flowering hawthorne tree. I stood back to look at my handiwork after, and to scrape the same neighbor's doggie doo off my boot, and was in awe. Mainly in awe because I was mowing the lawn IN DECEMBER! Lawn Mowing and In December just don't belong in the same sentence, especially since this lawn mowing took place at the base of the ROCKY MOUNTAINS in Utah county. I don't think I ever mowed our moss-grass in California in December because it had stopped growing by then. Paradise, the town we lived in, claimed to be above the fog and below the snow. Not mediterranean by any stretch, but lovely just the same.

So, thank you Mother Nature for giving me one last day to enjoy the warm sun on my cheek, the smell of grass, dust and gasoline and one more day to admire my freshly manicured lawn before you dump your sparkly powder. If you don't mind, please speed it up. The kids and I are dying to go sledding and sip hot chocolate.

Sucked In

I just spent one hour redesigning my blog background and I feel like I just sat down. Amazing.

Nothing like the Smell of Fresh Baked Bread

Yes, the aroma of perfectly browned crust enclosing the tender soft center of my bread is permeating my home as I type. It is like a nice fuzzy blanket and I love, love, love it.

You can have this aroma in your house too, if you like. Here is my recipe:

Melissa's Bread
Start with this in your mixer:
4.5 teaspoons yeast (I only use SAF)
2 Tablespoons sugar or any other sweetener you like
2.5 cups very warm water (around 120 degrees)

Then Add:
2 teaspoons salt
1/4 cup vital wheat gluten
1/4 cup powdered milk
1/4 cup vegetable oil
5-6 cups flour (with the gluten, you could go all whole wheat)

The flour is your variable, so please do not add all six cups at once. Your flour may be feeling bloated that day and you will end up with a brick on bread instead of a loaf.

Let rise once - then shape into whatever you want and let rise until double. For loaves - 350 for 30 minutes. Rolls 350 for 20 or so minutes, until golden.

Now here is the secret...if you want really soft, bakery style - place plastic wrap, bag or whatever over the bread after about 10 minutes of cooling. It "sweats" the bread and makes it oh so soft. This works really well for hot dog buns or rolls.

I made Kimchi!

You may wonder why I would spend my precious food budget money on making something stinky and unappealing to most people. Well, I for one like kimchi and I wanted to try my hand at making this pickled/fermented vegetable for myself. I mean, I did not want to spend around $5.00 for a PINT jar of the stuff when I could make 2 large napa cabbages worth of it for far less. It is still fermenting in my garage (for obvious olfactory reasons) and should be good to go by tomorrow. I have visions of eating this delicious concoction with fresh steamed rice and making kimchi chigae - my mouth is watering!

Now for some shameless plugs:

I happened upon a great resource for Korean cooking on youtube. The star of the cooking is Maangchi. She has produced numerous cooking spots on her blog that show in detail, the wondrous art of Korean cooking. If you have a hankering for some kimchi, mandu or some of those tasty side dishes, then please visit http://www.maangchi.com.

If you become inspired to create some of these dishes and need a good Korean Market, then I will point you in the direction of First Oriental Market in Orem, UT. It is on State Street just north of Hancock Fabrics, behind the Greek Grill. They have everything you need and more to create all of Maangchi's recipes. Wahoo!