Ataraxia Opposed

Of late I am finding it deeply unfair that socially and physiologically women have to wear a second layer of clothing in this heat.

Wandering Whole Foods this weekend I was perusing the produce area for healthy snacks at work, specifically fruit.  I saw the cantaloupe.   I like cantaloupe and these are already cut in half and prepared. I bought two halves and was happy. Eating one at home with only a spoon and with great ease strengthened my resolve. I took the other to work and tried to have there.  At home the cantaloupe was dispatched mindlessly. My stainless steel spoon easily sliced and scooped in one motion with only occasional  glancing. The experience was done with quickly, almost too quickly.

This was not the experience had at my desk. The plastic spoon lodged into the fruit and threatened to break.  Attempting to use more lateral forces failed as well. A plastic knife had to be employed to  get at any of the meat and it was messy.  I had to use a combination of the knife, the spoon and my fingers. It took quite some time to finish.  I almost bailed cantaloupe juice all over my desk several times. So while plastic utensils with cantaloupe is not a FAIL, I would not recommend it. No more cantaloupe at work, unless I decide to bring in a metal spoon.

UPDATE: Cantaloupe half and I did battle again at home. But this time I brought a metal spoon - and I made sure the spoon was small so it took longer....

I've been not posting much at all of late.  This is mostly due to the

My co-workers come from all over the LA area.  And they bring with them all the viruses, sickness and mini-plagues from their areas.  the come in sick and within a few days I am sick.  A couple days later everyone else is sick.  It's like I'm the canary of the office.  On the bright side I'm not sic for very long (1-2 days max), while others are sick for weeks.

N is catching his own sicknesses and they take him *down*.  I'm still able/stupid to do small chores around the house and cook.  N is in bed or on the couch miserable.

Work has descended on me.  I have been and will most likely be working long days and nights possibly for several months.

Dead-ant, dead-ant, dead-ant, dead-ant, dead-ant, dead-ant, dead-aaaaaaant, dead-dead-dead-ant.  Finally.  I woke up on Tuesday morning to ants - all over my counters, my stove and inside. My. Fridge and freezer!  Most were dead but a couple hardy ones were still milling around. I had to go to work so I turned up the power on both boxes.  They were now all dead.  Simple Green, Raid and draconian cleaning  methods later they are almost gone.  I still live in dread that they will find the pantry.

So there we are.  And now I need to go to sleep because my dad is coming in at 5:30AM and wants to have breakfast.....sigh..

So the news says it's raining.  Two weather sites say it's raining right now, right where I am.  What does the window say?  Cloudy in the distance but definitely *not* raining.  In fact it hasn't rained since at least sunrise.  Hit refresh on the two weather sites.  They continue to swear it's raining and that it will continue to rain for the rest of the day.  The rest of the day has passed - no rain.  Sigh.

So I *finally* found a shortening that N can eat and he was willing to try it.  I think to myself, he's almost never had biscuits, let's do that!  So I found the Good Eats Ma Mae's biscuit recipe.  Now I am up for trying variations - all purpose flour instead of soft wheat, drop instead of rolled - but I like to do a recipe as close as I can the first time for a reference point. 
I go to my local grocery store to find a biscuit cutter.  None.  Okay, maybe my local Whole Foods - no go.  next stop grocery stores around my work - no, nope and don't carry those.  Okay, I think, perhaps I need to go to a Bed Bath and Beyond.  They have everything.  3 regular BB&Bs and the main BB&B distribution center later, Nothing.  At best they had heart shaped and star shaped cookie cutters.  I do research online for what Williams-Sonoma and Sur la Table would have.  WS will have them - in late Feburary.  Oh, Come On!
I mean a simple 2" biscuit cutter.  Usually part of a set of circular cutters of varying diameter.  I have seen the "giant cupcake" mold, "Build a Bear" mold, and electric contraptions to do everything there is to do in the kitchen.  But no circular cutters.  Is LA so isolated from such basic baking that they don't have this simple tool?  Apparently so.  I'm going to Amazon to get what I need and am starting to wonder if that should be my first stop in the future.

I think when we get back from Hawaii, I won't be tanned.  It seems like where ever we go it is dark/raining on that part of the island or the entire sky is cloudy.  I haven't put sunscreen on once and nothing.  So if it looks like I didn't go to the islands it is not due to lack of effort on my part.

When the handle on our old toilet broke we decided to replace it.  We chose a comfort height (for someone of N's height) with elongated bowl - (insert angel choir here).  The guy at Home Depot assured us it was an easy job and should take us 30 min - an hour tops.  (trip 1)

So this last weekend we installed the toilet.  And I say last weekend because that's how long it took us to do it.  Name something that could go wrong and it did.  List of challenges:

Begin Day 1, 11 am
* Black gunk in old tank - made everything so fragrant and pleasant.
* Rotted Seals broke and leaked nasty-nasty water all over me.  <I heard myself scream in horror>
* Rusted bolts and nuts - Near friggin' impossible to remove.  My hands still hurts.
* Installed Toilet leaked out the base - F-ck! Needed to go back to Home Depot (trip 2)
* Flange below floor - WTF! G-dd-mitt! Had to go buy the ring with extension (trip 3)
* Flange *really* below floor - *&^%^%#@!  Had to buy new ring with extension AND extra collar (trip 4)
* Uneven Floor - made me tighten the bolts too tight.  Broke the bowl. $(#)*@!!#(*&$(*#&@! <deep breath> #(*&$(*#(!*@^$#@(!!*#&$!  A hammer was looking like a good tool to finish the job.
End Day 1, 10:30 pm

Begin Day 2, 9 am
* Went to back to Home Depot to get new bowl. (trip 4)
* New Bowl suggested to me by Home Depot help was wrong match. - <see above for cursing> went back for matching tank since wrong bowl was installed. (trip 5)

So yes finally at 5 pm Sunday we finally got the toilet installed.  The first time it flushed it was so unexpectedly loud I thought it was exploding.  I jumped back and hit the wall behind me.  It works now, but I still can't talk to people about it without swearing like a sailor.  So the lessons learned here are:
* Tools absolutely essential for removing an old toilet, but are to be banished from the room once installation begins
* Gloves and hazmat suits should be seriously considered - alright just the gloves
* To save on return trips, buy enough wax rings to sculpt a toilet
* Last, but certainly not least always suspect the "advice" from he Home Depot to be dirty, dirty, dirty lies.

OMG! Mother’s Cookies has fallen under the treads of the Economic Apocalypse's tank of doom!  You remember Animal Cookies.  Those little animal cookies drenched in icing with sprinkles?  Yes, I’m crying too.  And although I haven’t had them in forever, I’m going to the store and buy some.

consumerist.com/5061209/mothers-cookies-goes-out-of-business-kills-off-circus-animals