I am so glad today is the last day of March. The long hours everyday has me worn down to a nub. April’s a bit unpredictable too but I’m hoping by May, things will be a bit calmer. Lately, I’ve been so tired, I’m cranky and grumpy. I haven’t had much time for the gym or to go outside and enjoy the nice weather. I’m so jealous, seeing other people enjoying it. Tourists on the metro are coming in droves to enjoy the Cherry Blossoms. Well, at least someone gets to admire them. I won’t have time until probably mid-April when they’ll be going or gone. I need a three day weekend to just be outside. The office is suffocating me!
Monthly Archives: March 2010
Seder
Posted by Leaf on March 30, 2010
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Note to self: In the future, before any holiday meal, wear sweatpants. Last night, I was invited to a Passover dinner where I seriously ate myself silly, to the point where I turned down dessert at the end. Chocolate covered matzas, brownies, macaroons! I was muffin topping though and could barely breathe. We started with wine, matza, horseradish and haroset which is a mixture of chopped apples, nuts, cinnamon, and sugar.
There was also sweet cooked carrots and potato kugel. Gefilte fish, which I didn’t like the first time I tried it years ago, but this time with the horseradish, I liked it a lot. Hence the need for stretchy pants.
I also tried matza ball soup for the first time. It has an interesting texture which I enjoyed. A bit like stuffing, but it doesn’t crumble in the soup. Somehow it manages to stay together as you’re eating it. The brisket I started on Sunday turned out well, though maybe on the salty side. That’s what happens when you quadruple the amount of salt the recipe called for. I just didn’t think 3/4 teaspoon of salt was enough for 3.8 pounds of brisket. Next time, maybe a couple tablespoons of salt will be enough – depending on the size of the meat. Though it will be a while before I eat bovine again. I’ve had cow four times in four days now and it’s getting to be a bit too much moo. I could go for some more of that matza ball soup again though.
Dinner and Raving Rabbids
Posted by Leaf on March 27, 2010
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We had fun watching the Capitals practice last time so we headed that way again this morning to see another practice session. Last time, there was maybe only half of the team because we got there late, but this time, the whole team was there including Coach Boudreau. He actually took to the ice and did some coaching. Laich came early and left early probably because he was still nursing an injury. Towards the end, Alex Ovechkin and his teammates were goofing off, egging each other on trying to make fancy shots, and playing to the crowd which was surprisingly large. It was a fun practice session to watch.
After, we went for a lunch of saltenas and soup. It was chilly today so the hot soup helped thaw me out a bit. Saltenas are pretty much empanadas and they reminded me of Australian meatpies. Very tasty. I did have my camera with me but I was too hungry to stop for photos.
Next it was off to El Chaparral Meat Market. We got t-bone steaks and delmonicos for dinner tonight with friends. Since the Whole Foods was next door, we went there next to grab the rest of the ingredients to put together tonight’s meal for our guests. After all was said and done, we started with a tomato and bell pepper soup (I cheated and got it from Costco, it was good though!), then (served family-style) mushrooms cooked in a red wine sauce, spinach noodle kugel, mashed potatoes, steak, and for dessert, sweet mung bean soup and brownies from our guests.
After, we played Raving Rabbids on the Wii.
This counts as my 2010 list of things to do – entertaining friends. I’d like to do this more often. In fact, next weekend will be another set of friends. I’m a bit worried though because this time, there will be two young children. I hope I can make something they’ll eat. Then again, I was a bit worried about this dinner too. Cooking for others is kind of putting yourself out there. At least it seems so to me. I want my guests to enjoy the food and have a good time and I think we did tonight.
Fast Food Pizza
Posted by Leaf on March 24, 2010
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After working late tonight, the boss treated us to pizza and we decided to try Domino’s touted National Taste Test winner, above Papa John’s and Pizza Hut. The truthery/puffery advertisement. We got a pepperoni and mushroom and double cheese. In conclusion, I still like Papa John’s better. I think I still like Pizza Hut better too but it’s been a while and I’m not sure I remember Pizza Hut pizza. And I definitely like Ledo’s better but I’m not sure that qualifies for fast food pizza. And this was on top of the fact that I was starving because it was already 9 PM by the time we ate.
In short, my picks:
- Little Caesers (Are they even around anymore??)
- Ledo’s
- Papa John’s
- Pizza Hut
- Domino’s
Taxes: The conclusion to my cleaning saga
Posted by Leaf on March 22, 2010
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Last night, I went back to reconcile the various iterations I did and finally figured out the errors. Yay! I submitted my Federal taxes and it only took me 3 weekends and hours of cleaning and $25! Then I went on the state website to file my MD state taxes. Lo and behold it took me all of 10 minutes. I love their online system and the tax process they have established and it’s free! To boot, after the submission, they had a feedback box. I couldn’t figure out how to save a .pdf file of my return rather than printing it. So I told them I thought everything was wonderful and I loved the simple system but I couldn’t save a .pdf. This morning, I got an email from an employee there instructing me how to do it! I was so impressed with their customer service! Such personal and prompt attention. Kudos to the Comptroller iFile division of the MD state government. They are doing it right!
Tax Season
Posted by Leaf on March 21, 2010
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Every weekend for the past 3 weekends, I have been doing my taxes. I’ve done it five times now and gotten 4 different results. I can’t use the repeated answer because I know the mistake in both of those. Yesterday, before doing my taxes I putzed around for a good bit. I tended the plants (Farmville and real life), cooked, ate, entertained the chinchillas, vacuumed, mopped, dusted, wiped the windows, cleaned the blinds. This place is going to shine like the top of the Empire State Building! … by the time my taxes are done. Today I need to do it again to double check what I did yesterday! AAAGGHHH!! I’m so sick of typing in my W-2s for what feels like the jillionth time! In the meantime, I’ve done laundry, even folded and ironed shirts! ME! IRON!! Unheard of. That’s how much I am hating taxes right now. Dishes are loaded in the dishwasher, plants are watered. Chinchillas have busted loose. And I’m thinking of hiring a tax accountant.
Update: I just vacuumed the place again. Then I put another layer of topsoil over the pots filled with peat. Then I watered everything again. No plants in them yet. Just prepping for the seedlings. I think I see some streaks on the windows still.
Update: Vacuumed floor again. Mopped floor again. Did taxes for the 7th time. Am officially a tax dunce! I dunno, I might wear out this floor by the time this tax season is over.
The First Day of Spring
Posted by Leaf on March 20, 2010
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Today is the vernal equinox! This weekend is much much warmer (close to 80 degrees!!) and today is particularly sunny. I think working in cubicles gives me a false sense that the days are dim and dreary. Now I know it’s just our working conditions that are dim and dreary. Today, with windows to enjoy the full on sunshine, I figured out why the orchid’s leaves look like they’ve been fried crispy.
It’s always the fine print that gets ya.
The windowsill is full on baking sunlight in the mornings. I moved it away and applied soothing aloe and sunblock on those poor crispy leaves.
Look, here’s another sign of spring. The chinchillas are hot and molting.
Gardening Supplies
Posted by Leaf on March 19, 2010
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At this rate, my debt will never be repaid! I just blew through another hundred bucks for gardening supplies! But I needed them. Really and truly needed. Spade and trowel without which, how would I dig the soil? Trimmer and pruner for trimming and pruning of course. And in anticipation for lack of precipitation, a drip waterer -terer -terer -er -er -er. So that’s that. My two new favorite activities lumped into one.
Update on the garden:
Uh oh, my orchid is already looking a bit dry. Drying flower bud, yellowed dry areas on the leaves. I poured some water in there. Hope it’s not too late!
Something sprouted! I forgot to label the pots I grew, I think it’s sage. Sage is supposed to be the fastest to germinate of the seeds I planted.
Census 2010
Posted by Leaf on March 18, 2010
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It’s a bird! It’s a plane!
Posted by Leaf on March 17, 2010
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Speaking of seeing birdies… No, really. It’s a bird. Flew in through the hole that leads to the hood vent of our kitchen. I freaked out telling my parents to nab it in a trash bag with a full on biohazard suit. They scoffed and asked what was wrong with me. I’m a city girl! I didn’t grow up playing with wild animals like they did. And they really did! I think bird-catching was a normal childhood activity for them. The bird was stubborn though, it wouldn’t come out even after we took off the screens to the hood. It hid on a ledge. We turned off all the lights so it couldn’t see, then my dad rooted around for it. After a while we gave up and turned on the lights and a few seconds after that, it flew out. First to the living room, then upstairs! I ducked and covered leaving my parents to fend for themselves. My dad went after it upstairs and I followed while telling him to shut all the doors. Backseat bird catcher.
It landed on the top of a doorframe and my mom handed my dad a fishing net to try to scoop it up. It flew away then somehow made it outside the door. The end.
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