Thursday, June 30, 2011

A Tasty, Brown Sugar & Cinnamon Bread Recipe

2 c flour
1 package yeast
2 T cinnamon
1/2 - 1 tsp ground allspice
1/2 tsp ground coriander

Sift together & set aside.

2 1/4 c milk
2 1/2 T butter
2 tsp salt
8 T brown sugar

Heat in pot until butter begins to melt. Pour into flour mixture and blend well. Add flour until it's too thick for the hand mixer. Turn out onto floured surface and knead (adding flour as you do) until smooth. Place in greased mixing bowl and let rise in a warm spot until double (usually about an hour). Punch down and turn out onto floured surface. Divide in two. Pat each flat. Prepare a butter and sugar mix (I used a whole stick of butter and about 1/2-3/4 c brown sugar, adding some cinnamon and cloves, but use only how much you like. Cinnamon and cloves are optional) and spread onto flattened dough. Roll into loaf shape and place in pan. let rise once more until double (one hour). Bake at 375* for 30 minutes or until done.

I based this off a white bread recipe from Better Homes and Gardens cook book (original edition) and altered it. If anyone has any tips or ideas to improve it, please let me know! :)

Tuesday, June 21, 2011

Z (part 2)

   When we finally got to our meet up - an empty parking lot on the outskirts of Henryville, it took me a moment to find my husband. I shouldn't have been surprised that he wasn't in our original car. He was in a hybrid SUV, the kind he hated but was good on gas. Our car was an ancient and barely reliable station wagon. I could assume this was a customer's car Dave had "borrowed."
   When Ivy stopped her car, I was gripping an ax I had found in garden center, preparing to jump out of the car to inspect the vehicle a short distance away from us. I hadn't seen signs of undead infection anywhere near here, but that didn't mean there wasn't any. I stepped cautiously out of the door, but Dave, almost as soon as I stepped out, leaped out of the car and had me in a bear hug.
   "Get in the car. We still have about two hours before we have to move, and I got a hold of Johnathon. He's going to meet us. He knows the time limit." Dave stepped aside and looked at me then over at Ivy, who was still in her car.
   I nodded, even though he didn't see it. "So does Cami. She's coming, too."
   Dave acknowledged what I said, then walked over to Ivy's window.  "Thank you for bringing her. I know it took a leap of faith for you to even believe her. Do you want to stay with us? Technically, groups are a bad idea, but we're human. We care about other people. I don't want to leave you behind if you want to come along." This statement shocked Ivy and me both. I couldn't recall a time Dave had ever spoken to Ivy, let alone said so much in one go.
   "I appreciate it, and Maggie's one of mine. But she's with her family now, and I need to go save mine." Ivy had misty eyes, but I recognized her strong, "mama voice," as I always referred to it. Ivy was my manager, but once a mother, always a mother, whether the kids are yours biologically or not. I never realized until now, when we were parting ways at the beginning of the apocalypse, that I loved her like family. I gave her a hug through her window.
   "Keep moving, no matter where you go, check every room, every closet, every nook and cranny before you even consider letting your guard down. Be as quiet as possible, keep lights out at night the best you can, avoid large public places like malls and churches." I found myself getting choked up. "I'll see you again. I can tell your like me - you won't go down easy, and it'll take more than a bunch of brainless walking corpses to get to you." I gave her a watery smile. She gave me one in return, then went on her way to her children and brand new grand baby.

   Dave and I waited in the SUV, each of us gripping our weapons - my ax and his .45. "Where are we going, or have you thought of anywhere yet. I'm all good to just stay mobile, but I'm letting you call it."
   "For now, we just need to keep moving. I'm thinking we'll head toward the west, with the dry desert. Until then, we keep moving. When we get there, we find somewhere safe enough for us to stop for more than a night."
   "Okay." I couldn't think of anything else to say. Just so I knew what to expect, I was happy. Well, as happy as one could be when running from and/or fighting zombies. We had about an hour before sunset, about fifteen minutes before we had to start moving with or without the others when we saw the first attack.
   Across the street, a young girl with long, blond hair was walking by the church parking lot when a man stumbled close to her. She turned and saw him. I can only assume she thought he needed help, because she ran towards him. When he lunged and his arms began to encircle her, we could hear her scream even in the car and she managed to push him away and she turned to run. She made it two or three steps, but when his arms will still outstretched, groping for her let his hands become entangled in her loose hair, she didn't have a chance. Her head jerked back and she stumbled, falling into his hungry, waiting arms. I turned my head when I saw the corpse lean down for dinner. Dave was taking aim when I saw Cami's car squeal into the lot we waited in. She jumped out and, before I could blink, fired two shots from a nine millimeter she held. She was an amazingly good shot. At least to me. I'd only seen her at work, really. The girl and her attacker both went down immediately, shot in the head.
   Immediately following her shots, Johnathon's truck rumbled in behind us. I nodded to them both, Cami hopped in her car, and we took off, Dave in the lead, then Cami, with Johnathon bringing up the back. It was most definitely time to go.
   I looked over at Dave as he drove, then in the back seat where Alice slept. reached into my backpack and pulled out a pair of very sharp scissors. I grabbed my hair in handfuls and snipped carelessly at it until it was short, then climbed in the back and did the same for my daughter. We both had waist length hair. I rolled down my window and threw it all out.
   "What did you do that for?" Dave asked calmly as he drove.  "And why do you have scissors?"
   "In case we need to cut bandages. And I love long hair, but I love me and Alice surviving more. I will gladly sacrifice vanity for life. You saw that girl. If she had short hair, she wouldn't have a bullet in her brain right now."

Saturday, June 18, 2011

Some Tips for Living With a Pregnant Woman

   So, I am with child. I'm pregnant, but I am still capable of doing most of the work I did before I got pregnant and I insist on doing what I can. I'm just perpetually exhausted, generally in various forms of discomfort and believe it or not, despite being a woman and therefore designed for making babies, it is very trying and hard on the body. Especially when it comes to the end. Childbirth is the closest to dying a woman can get (without extreme circumstances like tragic car wrecks, etc).
   So, perhaps people should consider this. A man whose woman is expecting should make a point of helping out, maybe picking up some things she doesn't have the energy or ability to do anymore. Attempt at being nice to her more often. Maybe rub her feet or massage her back - pregnancy  causes many things to happen to her body, and she will generally ache. Her feet and ankles generally swell. Her sudden weight gain causes them to hurt much more and more often.
   A pregnant woman doesn't require someone to do all of her work so she can just sit or lay around (except in circumstances which require bed rest). Staying active by walking and doing her usual daily tasks is good for her and the baby. The more physically stressful things, like arranging furniture in the baby's room or such like, she shouldn't be doing, especially by herself.
   Also, remember that her hormones are perpetually driving her crazy. She will be easy to make cry and easy to make angry. There's not much that can be done to stop this. One thing that helps lessen the various outbursts would be to do your best to keep yourself in check. When she does something that angers you, or isn't as nice or polite as you like, try to over look it (unless it's truly important. Pick your battles very carefully). The things you know irritate her, avoid doing, at least around her.
   Also, try to give her a little bit more attention than you used to (helping out around the house as previously mentioned is a great opportunity for this). Remember, more often than not her self esteem has dropped (seriously, gaining that much weight, not being able to fit any of your favorite clothes and noticing your odd walk and what not really kills your self confidence.) Try to make her feel better about herself (and sometimes, the usual compliment of "you're beautiful" seems unconvincing to her, no matter how you say it. Try new ways to make her feel good about herself).
   As I said, although making babies is truly rewarding and always amazing, it is very hard on a woman's body and mind. It's a lot of big changes happening very quickly (although sometimes it can seem like forever!). Show some understanding, some appreciation, and willingness to help. We can't do it by ourselves, no matter how much we say we can.

   This is just a bit of information for those out there expecting their first, or even second or third. Sometimes, people need reminded.

Friday, June 17, 2011

Bad Poem #4

Small Girl In A New Home

Stepping lightly through the door
Hand gently against the wall as she walks
Looking at everything as if it's new
Sneaking into closets
Hiding in the attic
Playing on the stairs
Standing on tip toes to look out the window
Smiling big at finding stuffed bears
Claiming a room as her own

Monday, June 13, 2011

My own cookie recipe

So, I decided to try to develop my own recipe. This is what I came up with. I may change it, I may never make it again, but I thought of it all by myself (unless I'm remembering another recipe and not realizing it. I don't think I am.)

2 cups of flour
1 cup of sugar
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. vanilla
1 cup of oil (olive oil, saffron oil or similar)
2 eggs
1/2 tsp. ground cloves
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Thoroughly blend oil, eggs, sugar, salt, vanilla, cloves and cinnamon. Sift together four and baking soda, then add slowly to mixture. Roll into tablespoon size balls, pat flat and place on cookie sheet. Bake for 12-16 min, until light gold colored (until done).

I tried using 1 tsp. cloves and 1 1/2 tsp cinnamon with a 1/2 cup of honey. That resulted in adding 2 more cups of flour. I threw some cinnamon chips and chocolate chips in, too, and those would probably be good in the above recipe, but when I added to it, it turned out kind of bland (due to all the extra flour) although my husband liked them. Any tips or pointers are. of course, welcome.

Thursday, June 9, 2011

Pirate (Part 1)

   She hadn't been seen around here. This was a new port, recently established on one of the more distant islands of the Eastern Sea. People didn't know her. They may have heard stories about her, or her exploits, but there was no way they could connect this woman with them. But all the people still seemed to step aside for her, avoid her, have a strange mixture of fear and respect for her.
   She didn't know why. True, her brown pants were patched and re-sewn. Her tan tunic was rumpled, torn, repaired and stained. Her boots were weathered, much like her skin, and showed distinct signs of wear. But that wasn't unusual, she had just stepped off her ship. Most sailors, captains or not, looked as though they'd been at sea for months. Even the scar and patch over her left eye weren't unusual. The ocean had many dangers, from storms to pirates to the creatures of the deep, that made her far from the only sailor with scars. She flipped her long braid oner her shoulder and smiled to herself. Was it her captain's hat? No, she wasn't the only woman captain. was it her ship? No, the colors had been taken down well before entering the harbor, and the figurehead was not so outstanding as to cause undo attention.
   She strode into the tavern and found a seat in the corner to the immediate right of the door. She leaned back in the chair and propped her feet on the table. pulling out a knife to toy with, waiting for the man who arranged this meeting. She didn't have to wait long. In a few minutes, a tall man with light hair and dark clothes stepped through the door. He jumped as the knife the woman had been holding flew past his face at eye level and imbedded in the door frame.
   "Honestly, Trinity, is that anyway to act?" He sighed as he turned towards her. She smiled sweetly at him.
   "Honestly, Luke, isn't that a little ungrateful? You know I didn't miss on purpose." Her voice sounded sweet, then turned hard. "Take a seat." She kicked a chair out to him, hitting his knees and making him stumble slightly.
   "I don't know why you're so angry. I know you were successful. Your first mate delivered the sea serpent eggs as I was leaving." He pulled the chair up to the table and sat.
   "It's not that I had any problem raiding the nest. It's that as soon as I came within three days sail of this island, I somehow had a royal ship hunting me. Know one outside my crew and you knew we were coming here. How much did they give you?" She had pulled another knife from her boot.
   "Now, Trinity, calm down --" Luke held his hands up, palms out, trying to placate her.
   "HOW MUCH?" Trinity roared, rising to her feet. "I lost a quarter of my crew, and my second mate is still under the care of our ships surgeon. How much?"
   "You can't honestly believe --"
   Trinity came close to him, lowering her blade to his pants. "The captain and first mate both gave your name before they died. How much did the king pay you?"
   Luke began to sweat and shake. "One hundred thousand. They've been chasing you for years --"
   "If I don't have that in my possession by the time the sun sets, your most precious treasures will be mine instead." She prodded with her knife to punctuate this. "If you try to run, try to hide, try to tell any of the authorities, You'll be dead." She looked up behind him and smiled. "Jake and Thomas will make sure of that."
   Luke looked to either side of him, seeing two very burly, identical men with matching tattoos on their right arms. He recognized them from the few times he had met Trinity on her ship. Twins, silent and ruthless. He gulped and slowly stood, easing back from Trinity's knife to do so. "Sunset, right. And, uh, these gents will help me get there in time, I'm sure. Right. Sunset. I'll be seeing you then."
   "Yes you will." Trinity smiled sweetly at him and sheathed her blade. "I look forward to it. oh, and do be careful. I hear there's some brutal people on the island right now."
   Luke walked hesitantly out the door, flanked on either side by the twins. Trinity leaned back again and gestured a bar wench to her, ordering a pint of ale and the stew.
 

Bad Poem #3

Everyday
I hope for proof
I'm not a naive person
Everyday
All I get
Is evidence that I am

Bad Poem #2

You claim everything
That you were never around to earn
Try to demand the respect
I can't just give you for coming back
How can I see you differently
When you give me no way to?

Wednesday, June 8, 2011

Bad Poem #1

What was
But wasn't
And never could be
But for a moment
It truly was
Sometimes it's missed horribly
Sometimes hardly at all
But always
It is missed

Monday, June 6, 2011

Z (part 1?)

   I never expected it to happen. not really. I was at work when I got the call from my husband, Dave. I ducked into the bathroom to answer. We're not supposed to be on the phone while on the clock, but I knew if he was calling me, it was important. It turned out to be more than important. It was catastrophic.
   Zombies. Seriously, walking dead. Once he convinced me it was not a joke, I immediately found myself on the other side of panic - the cold, business-like, calm action point. My husband had already picked up my daughter, raided the house and was waiting for me, the problem: he couldn't risk the life of a six-year-old to come back in town.
   "Is it already that bad? I haven't seen any signs yet." I asked him, my voice slightly quavering.
   "It happens fast. I'm hoping it hasn't reached you yet, but downtown was chaos. They've been silencing the news, I guess to avoid widespread panic. But before they could, I saw a news anchor go down, then get back up two minutes later. That's when they broke off the feed. Get out while you can. Come meet us. We're out past Sellersberg, in the outskirts of Henryville, but we can't stay here long." I could hear the concern in his voice, and the tension.
   "I'll be there as soon as i can. Don't wait past six. Find somewhere safe before teh sun goes down. How's Alice?"
   "She's asleep. I dosed her with Nyquil. She was terrified, but she's safe. So far."
   "Keep her that way. I'm coming."

   The next challenge was leaving. Dave and I only had one car, and he had it. Also, I was friends with my coworkers \. I had to at least try to save them.
   I went to Cami first. She had two kids and had the most need out of the others to leave.
   "Cami, we have zombies," I told her, my voice deadpan. She looked at me like I was crazy.
   "What? you need to work on that joke, it's not really funny." She glanced at me, then went back to working on price changes.
   "Seriously. Dave just called me. He's got Alice and is out by Henryville, waiting for me."
   "Right. Zombies. You need your head checked."
   I drug her into the bathroom, got online with my phone and googled the news report Dave told me about. I showed it to her.
   "Holy shit!" She was starting to shake.
   "I know. I know. Look, I need my girl and you need your boys. We also need supplies. Luckily, we work at a super center."
   "Girl, I'm broke and you know they aren't going to just let us walk out with what we need." Tears were starting to well up in her eyes.
   "You get Betty and Fiona. I'm going to talk to Ivy and Sandy. We'll get out, and we'll be supplied."
   Just so you know, Betty and Fiona are coworkers. Ivy is our supervisor, Sandy the store manager. I went straight to Sandy's office and shut the door. "Sandy, can you get Ivy here? I've got something really important to tell you guys, along with a favor to ask."
   "Yeah, what's going on?" Sandy called Ivy on the store phone and told her to come to the office.
   "I'll tell you as soon as she gets here."
   Ivy showed up maybe two minutes later. "what's going on, lady? the other girls look like they're about to run screaming out the doors."
   I took a deep breath. "Zombies."
   Ivy and Sandy both looked very angry. I expected this, though.
   "Zombies? You've got the pricing girls all freaking out over zombies? I'm pretty sure I could fire you for this!" Sandy said.
   "Oh my god, Maggie. I am very disappointed in you for this. What are you thinking?" Ivy said at the same time.
   I put my hands up in a placating gesture. "Please, hear me out. My husband called me. And Sandy, do you have actual interent access?"
   Sandy nodded. "Yes. This had better be good." She logged and accessed the web for me. I showed them the news clip. They stared. I saw the skepticism fade from their faces. Sandy looked slightly ill when teh reporter stood back up with a huge bite out of his neck and forearm.
   "That's enough." she said, closing her browser. "I still haven't seen that here, though."
   "That was just downtown, a fifteen minute drive from here. It's only a matter of time. My husband and child are waiting for out by Henryville. Cami's got twins she needs to get. We all need supplies."
   Ivy looked at me thoughtfully. "How are you getting to your family?"
   "I don't know yet. I'll find a way. I have til six."
   "I'm going with you."
   "Ivy! I can't stop anyone from leaving, but do you think that's really a good idea?" Sandy asked. "If it comes here, we can just hide out here until help comes."
   "O until we get eaten." I interjected. Sandy just looked at me. "The front doors are glass -- therefore breakable, no matter how reinforce, shatter-proof or whatever. they will fail under a tireless mob beats on it long enough. The loading docks aren't better, just a different obstacle between the dead and their dinner. There's no way to secure the store, and, even if we could, help may never come. Let us grab our supplies and go. If I'm wrong, well, you can fire me, chatge me for theft and lock me away. But I know I'm not wrong."
   Sandy sighed, then looked at Ivy. "Keep me  informed. Get what you need. Get out. Maggie, it was nice having you work for me, but I hope you're wrong."

   Ivy and I left the office and almost ran over the rest of the pricing team. Betty was in tears, Fiona looked doubtful, but Cami had the steely look of determination.
   "Alright girls. Maggie's riding with me. I think we should listen to her from this point on." Ivy said in her voice of authority.
   I felt put on the spot. I've never been on the leadership side of things. Time to get used to it. "Okay. Fiona, I want you to go through Health & Beauty and grab a cart load of first aid, various drugs, hygiene, energy supplements and vitamins. Don't worry about things like knee braces and what not. Cold, fever, pain, toothpaste, soap, bandages, that kind of stuff." She nodded and went on her way. "Betty, go get and overloaded cart of nonperishables. Canned goods, lots of water, stuff like that." she was the youngest of us, and still soft arounf the edges. I squeezed her shoulder. "Just think like the movies. Get 100 proof liquor, too. It burns." She hurried to get our food. "Cami, us three go to sporting goods."
   We each grabbed a cart and backpacks, loading the packs with camping gear and the carts with machetes, hunting knives, ammunition, bows, arrows and arrow heads. "One more reason I like our competition better! They actually carry guns!" Cami exclaimed as she packed.
   We all rendezvoused at the doors to Garden Center, the only other doors out, and the closest one to our cars. At about the same time we got back together, Sandy paged over the intercom, calling all employees to the back.
   "She's been thinking about it." Ivy said, almost to herself.
   Cami began handing each of us a machete and a baseball bat. "We don't sell guns, but these offer at least a little defense."
   "Okay. We haven't seen anything in the store yet, but be on guard as soon as we head for our cars. They could sneak up out of nowhere. Go for the head if you have to fight."
   We all went to the cars to split the goods. We were three cars away from Betty's when I heard the first moan. I spotted the animated cadaver - a middle aged, portly woman with scratches all over her face and shoulders. Betty whimpered. Cami and Fiona looked like they weren't sure what to do. Ivy was in the middle of the four of us, so she couldn't easily get out. I grabbed my machete and ran at the once woman as she turned toward us. My first swing missed, only gouging her chest. I jumped out of reach of her arms, then swung again, cleaving into her head at the jawline. She stumbled and fell. It took a few tugs to get my blade free, then I bolted back to the group, who simply watched me, dumbstruck.
   "Let's move. That's just the first."
   We got Betty's car loaded and were at Fiona's when the next one made an appearance. This one was quiet. Cami saw him coming behind me. She grabbed her baseball bat and lunged at him. She didn't miss her first swing, beating his skull in, then adding a few more hits for good measure. "I never could stand him." was all she said when she came back.
   "Oh my God! That was Evan!" Ivy exclaimed. "He's not even from around here!" Evan was the regional director. That was not a good
sign.
   "Let's move fast! We don't have much time!" I yelled. Fiona hopped in her car and drove off faster than Betty had.
   Cami turned to me. "Wait for me. I'll meet you up there. Just let me get my boys." Tears glistened in her eyes.
   "I can only wait until six. If you don't think you'll make it in time, get in somewhere safe." We loaded Cami's sedan and sent her after her kids.
   Ivy and I quickly loaded Ivy's SUV and pushed the carts away. I could see more undead heading toward us as we hopped in the car and took off.
   "Fell free to run over them. You'll probably hit something more damaging if you don't, then we'll be stuck here."
   Ivy's only response was running down three zombies on the way out of the parking lot.

Sunday, June 5, 2011

Greetings

Hello! I hope you will find things interesting on my blog. It could be anything from poetry, mini stories or just my thoughts. Everything I write will be solely my work, unless it is in quotes. I welcome your comments, positive and negative, so don't hesitate to say something!