an addendum...

You know it's interesting, this business of trying to be prepared for...whatever! This past week we here in the desert of southern California have experienced all kinds of weirdness. The thing that I brought away from it all is that I am uncomfortable. Wah. Someone call the Wambulance, S'mee is uncomfy. That said I know I am not as prepared for freak snow as I could be. Not enough insulating blankets, not enough warm sweaters, not enough housing closer to the equator.

People have been stuck in less than favourable circumstances: terminals across the country from where their transportation of choice cannot arrive or depart, or perhaps a friend' home because lack of utilities in entire states has been shut off -all because some snowflake got a power trip.

So as Thor and I spent the night apart (stupid snow!) I was glad that he had someplace to stay that was warm and welcoming. I was also glad that I knew how to take care of things here at home if that over night stay became more of a week a part. People in my neck of the woods are not prepared for snow like we experienced, no shovels, no city road equipment to appropriately clear roads (I could rant on that, but I won't), and the stores were depleted of things like Presto Fire Logs and ice scrapers; not to mention that if Thor couldn't get here, neither could the trucks that deliver little luxuries like food and fuel.

Time to think back on recent days and make a list that would help us if this happened again. hmmm, what would make my being stuck in an airport easier? (What could I actually pack in my carry on baggage? That's a tough one! Any ideas? Please share!) If I had to leave my home, or welcome others into it, what should I have on hand? Do I have anything that would help me stay home instead of evacuating when the power goes out?

Sometimes we can prepare and prepare and we still will get stuck. However, if we can grab a few things now that can make a difference later, why not do it?

If anyone has information or ideas, please share! Thanks!

Best laid plans...

Well, tonight I was supposed to begin a once a month class on cake decorating. Tonight we were just going over tools and recipes and I panned a small demo to give the ladies attending some "secrets" that I've learned over the years.

Let me preface this by saying as I got in my car to go home at 9:00 in the evening, it was 90 degrees and there were thunderheads with lightning in the distance (read: Heat and Humidity).

Anyone who knows anything about cake decorating knows that heat plus humidity equals disaster; and disaster is what we had tonight! We got a late start, and then the frosting "broke" meaning the heat got to it and the sugars broke down making a nice thin mess. The cake refused to cool down at all, making the thin icing a lava flow of melting buttercream! I was racing to get the darn thing frosted just so we could cut it up and eat it before it slid to the floor!

The gals were really supportive, had a great laugh and promised to come back next month for more instruction. I tell ya, I am ordering some cooler weather for next month's class!

Oh, and the cake in the photo was made a couple of months ago! No such luck when your teaching!

full spectrum

Hey, I'm still on the road, but I thought this was a great photo, one I don't think I've posted before.

Oahu, '05

Weird Science!

Calcium Chloride is used for all kinds of things. Literally hundreds of uses from controlling dust to an ingredient in Cadbury Chocolates! But who knew it looked so pretty in the afternoon sun?

Bristol Dry Lake is near Amboy, CA in the Mojave Desert. As Thor and I drove past the enormous beds I was impressed with the extremely bright sparkle of the pre-processed mineral. It shown like glittery new fallen snow. The photos truly do not show the view we had.




The basic process is this: Find or create a flat level surface on the land. Flood said parcel with a good dose of plain ol' water and wait. After a bit of time the calcium chloride will rise to the top, crystallize and then it's scraped off and taken to the plant for processing and diversification. There are specific plains that have been squared off and made more efficient for the processing equipment. The day we drove through they were recognizable, but dwarfed in beauty by what Nature did all by herself.



Seriously, this landscape was absolutely gorgeous! It went on for miles and miles! It was especially grand because we caught the whole lake bed directly after the latest storm and the whole of it was soaked! Crystals covered the bed for as far as the eye could see, and shimmered in the sun with a bright white against the ice blue of the water and the deep blue sky.

The fragile crust flaked and chipped, and also had veins here and there. Along the edges of the lake,near the mountains and roadsides, where the land rises just enough, the gravel and grit keep the water and crystals from working their magic.

However, Nature finds a way to keep beautifying herself and even in the pebbles of an arid desert road grow sweet delicate flowers!

Most people go this time of year for the cherry blossoms.

Next week hubby goes to D.C. on a business trip. I usually save up plane fare and go along. This time I am staying home so that I can attend a scholarship contest with my #5. (more on that Tuesday)

I enjoy D.C. It's so different from where I live and there is a definite sense of anxiety there. All kinds! For instance the idea of the traffic. Everyone has a car, but there isn't one parking space in the tri-state area, and they drive like maniacs. They race from signal to signal and honk horns like no where I have ever been. I always feel like I am in a movie there. The pedestrians are lords of this jungle, dressed to the nines in heels and brief cases, and when they get the chance they just cut into traffic and dare bones to break. (hence a major part of the honking) People are everywhere, tons of them and they all have someplace extremely important to go. I am fascinated by the numbers of junior high kids who spew out of buildings and museums on an hourly rotation like the children of Zeus. Most of them wearing F.B.I. shirts. This causes me to wonder how one distinguishes the real F.B.I. from the junior high kids during a riot.

The last time I was there I was in a women's restroom at the subway station. A group of F.B. I. agents came through the door, one with an incredibly swollen tongue, another with great wisdom. "Haa Mahhhm" "No girl you got to get that thing working in yo mouth better than that or you gonna get yoself killed." "HAA MAHM" "I said talk better not louder. You gonna get killed." "Do. You. Thin. Ma. Mahm. Wi. Ril-eh. No-tith?" (replies with just a hard look) "Well at least it looks cool. I wish I got mine done. Man! I am SO stupid!" "Ah Wi dusth kep pwactithee uh ti I thoun goouh" "Yeah girl, she never gonna fine out! By the time we get off the plane, you be all done swellin'." I was in the stall and even I knew what had happened. Unless mom is completely deaf, that girl gonna get huhsef killed.

I love how everyone there looks important. You just know that chick on the subway with the briefcase is a spy, or at least hoping to be one. Then the total republican clean cut Mr. Armani suit with Italian leather shoes - what the heck? #1 he's on the subway going the wrong direction for that suit. #2 he's probably from some communist country and is a spy! There's the crazy person who is mumbling to herself and checking the chain count in her cable knit sweater. Definitely a spy! The whole time I am there I have Peter Gunn going in my head.

I walked home from the subway to the hotel. What was I thinking? It was like 5 city blocks and I thought to myself "why not? It's silly to pay for a cab for just 5 blocks!" Well, it was about 10:30 at night and raining. Raining hard. I had on my new suede leather coat. I replayed the Sienfeld when Jerry turns his coat inside out and then decides not to and ruins his coat to walk home in the rain with Elaine's dad. I kept rationalizing the cost of the cab to the rain and the walk. "Cows don't shrink in the rain. Cows still look the same after it rains. I am not paying for a cab!" So I head out and my coat got completely soaked. I felt like a drown rat by the time I got home, but it was the experience of it. After about a block I noticed that the street lamps no longer were there and that the streets became dark, narrow and full of dark alleys. "Brilliant S'mee! Girl, you gonna get yosef killed!" Too late to turn back now I walked faster until I could catch up with a couple of women I saw about 1/2 block ahead of me. I approached them and asked if I could join them in their walk.

The thing about D.C. is that it is a very international city. These women couldn't speak English and they thought I was some crazed person. They look scared and took off like you can't believe. "This is reassuring! Perhaps if the bad guys come I can just mumble to myself and begin counting the ribs in my now soaking cuffs. They'll think I am nuts and move on!" So I walk faster and faster and eventually get to a place where I can see the hotel. By the time I get inside and up to our room I am completely drenched, dripping like I stepped out of a pool and my once camel coloured suede leather bomber is a nice chocolate brown. "Don't they make chamois out of suede?" Maybe not. ugh. "Man! I am SO stupid!" Hubby walks in almost right behind me, in plenty of time to see me peeling dead cow off my now cold (but alive!) body. I explain everything to him and I get a pretty good reprimand on the dangers of D.C. at night in our neighborhood and after I dry off and take a warm shower he is there waiting to give my legs a good rub down. That's a good guy!

Moral of the story: Next time you get an opportunity to visit D.C. enjoy the anxiety, the people, the crazy drivers. Catch a few spies on the subway, covertly listen to the F.B.I. agents who run from place to place and pierce their parentally unattended tongues, and enjoy a walk in the rain with your favorite cow. After all of that, go home and retell the adventure to your more than generous spouse. Know that however long the plane ride home, by the time you get off - you be all done swellin. And you will be glad that you lead a dull life in the SoCAL desert.