Category Archives: Everyday Life

Pumpkin Anything

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Along with loving candy corn, one of my favorite things about fall is pumpkin.

I’ll eat pumpkin anything — pie, bread, bars, ice cream, pancakes, frozen yogurt, anything.

My coworker Nicole made a delicious “crunchy pumpkin pie” over the weekend, and she brought some in that I got to sample yesterday and it was reeeeeally good. She now has the recipe on her site here.

I also have really fond memories of an amazing pumpkin bread that former coworker from the Register, Kris, used to make in mini loaf pans and carry around to about 50 people on the floor. AMAZING. We used to look forward to it every year. It was wrapped in plastic wrap to keep in all the gooey goodness, and tasted like it was made with several sticks of butter, and she used to sheepishly warn us that it was fairly calorie-laden, but we really didn’t care. Truly AMAZING.

Me, I’m not much of a baker. But Nathan and I (he loves pumpkin as much as I do!! Yay! One child does!) always make it a tradition to go to Golden Spoon around this time every year to get pumpkin-flavored frozen yogurt with the graham cracker topping.

Yum …

(I think I need to plan our visit soon!)

How about you? Do you have any excellent recipes for pumpkin anything? (Something even a non-baker like me can make?) : ) Or any restaurants you recommend that have a delicious pumpkin something?

Giving up Diet Coke

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So I’m trying to give up Diet Coke. This is not easy for me, since I drink about four or five a day … and have since I was a teenager. (egads!)

I need the morning one for the caffeine (or maybe the first two), and then the rest are sort of habit, really. To be honest, I don’t even really love the taste anymore. I think drinking them is a habit more than anything.

But lately, I’ve convinced myself that my health would be better if I stopped. I keep reading that Diet Coke (either the carbonation or the caffeine, or both) can contribute to tummy issues (which I have), heartburn (have that, too), and can even keep you from losing weight because of the weird number it’s doing to your cells. Not sure how much of that is true, but since all these health issues are with me anyway, I’m willing to experiment.

So … I started by eliminating all but the first two of the day, because those are my caffeine source (and giving up caffeine is a separate matter, as far as I’m concerned)! 

Then I worked on minimizing those first two to wean myself off the caffeine: One day I did a glass and a half; one day a glass; then one-half a glass; then today I just took a sip to fool myself into thinking I had caffeine.

So I’m on my first official day with ZERO Diet Cokes. Wish me luck. … I’ll have to find a way to beat the incredible fatigue that hits me at 2:00, but first things first. …

California Heat Waves, from the 1870s On!

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Whew! As soon as I posted this a couple of weeks ago, we had a nice Autumn heat wave where temps got to 113 degrees — the highest on record since 1877, apparently. And now we’re hitting another heat wave, although yesterday it only got to 91.

It reminded me of an article, though, I found from 1876 in San Francisco about a “heat wave” they had that year that was — gasp! — 95 degrees!

I found the article when I was researching my historical short story, and it made me laugh — both because 95 degrees doesn’t seem like an unusual heat wave at all to me, and because of the way this newspaper article was written. Here are a few highlights:

That yesterday was a hot day there is no manner of doubt, and it is hardly probable that anyone in San Francisco with any regard for the truth will deny it. … Our solid businessmen, who were compelled to be upon the streets, disregarded ceremony altogether and unbottoned coats and vests, and many threw aside altogether their coats, preferring not to sacrifice comfort to appearances. Every man on the street showed conclusively the overpowering influence of the heat, and marched up and down the streets with a limp handkerchief in his hand, which was constantly brought into requisition, mopping the perspiration which streamed from every pore. …

Love the drama! — Businessmen disregarding ceremony and unbuttoning coats and vests! Good God! Continue reading →

Random Thoughts.

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  1. It’s hot.
  2. We had a great time with Superman’s birthday: my parents came over one night; I decorated with his favorite chocolates on the table; we went out to dinner another night; his brother made him “birthday beans” and they watched football most of the weekend. He says 44 seems like a good age.
  3. Had another great time with my book club friends on Sunday. We had brunch on Lido Isle, looking out at the yachts, and discussed The Help. Perfect morning, gorgeous setting, terrific people.
  4. I’m reading Outliers. It’s excellent, but I can’t decide if I’m disturbed by it or simply fascinated by it: It’s disturbing and fascinating at the same time to think success is contingent on so many factors, many beyond our control.
  5. It’s getting hotter.
  6. I’m speaking at a women’s group soon about social media. I find it strange that I’m doing so, but it keeps reminding me of something my son told me once: He said his 5th grade teacher told his class that most of them (in that class) would eventually be in careers that they hadn’t even heard of yet. That was 7 years ago. And yeah, we hadn’t even heard of Facebook then. …
  7. Modern Family started its new season and came out with a bang. Hilarious. Phil cracks me up. The rest of my family loves Manny — my son said he wants a burgandy dinner jacket now.
  8. The idea of sending my son to college is freaking me out.
  9. Candy corn might be the greatest thing about fall. … Well, right there next to pumpkin-flavored frozen yogurt. (Maybe candy corn on pumpkin-flavored frozen yogurt. … hmm. …) I just had to buy a big bag of candy corn at Target. I’m weak, I tell ya, weak.
  10. September is not my favorite month. Aside from the debut of the candy corn, and Superman’s birthday (which is always fun, because he insists on it), September is usually one of anxiety for me. I’ll be glad to start October. 
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