The Beehive – Page 2 – Turning a house into a home, one room at a time.

August 10, 2012

Livened-up Lemonade

Steve is a big fan of lemonade enhanced by other fruit. At restaurants, he always orders strawberry or raspberry lemonade, if it’s on the menu. Lately, he’s been talking about this blueberry lemonade he had at some fancy-schmancy restaurant in San Francisco. He wanted to make it at home, but we could not find blueberry flavored syrup. We also did not have any blueberries. We did, however, have a whole mess of wild blackberries picked from his parents’ yard this past weekend. So, blackberry lemonade it was instead.

I found several blackberry syrup recipes online and adapted my own. I figured we could use it for lemonade or iced tea (Steve is also fond of blackberry iced tea). The ingredients are simple:

2 cups blackberries
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 cup water

Combine the ingredients in a saucepan and bring to a boil and keep it boiling for 5 minutes. This will probably be at medium-high heat, but keep an eye on it and adjust the heat and/or stir the mixture as necessary to keep it from boiling over or burning on the bottom of the pan. After 5 minutes, kill the heat and smash up the blackberries with a spoon, or a potato masher, or a spatula, or whatever works for you. Let the mixture steep until it’s cool enough for you to handle, at least 15 minutes. Then, strain the solids out and you will be left with blackberry syrup.

As for making the lemonade, I just followed the recipe I use all the time for basil lemonade. Basically 1 part syrup, 1 part lemon juice, and 4 parts water. So, for one big glass, 1/4 cup syrup, 1/4 cup lemon juice, and 1 cup water. This makes a pretty tart drink, but I like my lemonade with a little bite to it. You can adjust the amount of syrup to your taste. Steve likes his on the sweet side no matter what fruit he’s adding, so he usually mixes a glass of plain lemonade and then adds syrup.

Pretty color, isn’t it? I was a little worried it would be totally unappetizing. See, the syrup was purple, and lemonade is yellow (well, sort of), and since those colors are opposites on the color wheel (complementary colors, to those in the know) mixing them creates and unlovely shade of brown. Yuck. Luckily, the syrup is pretty much strong enough to completely overpower the color of the lemon, so it turned a pretty red-violet. Yum!

July 27, 2012July 27, 2012

Dirty Diaper Daze

Warning: this post is about some of the unpleasant things that come out of babies’ little bottoms, so if you have a weak stomach, you might want to skip it.

Every once in a while, Rebecca produces some waste that really makes me regret the decision to cloth diaper. Yesterday was one of those days.

A bit of background: the poor thing is going through some digestive changes. She has some sensitivities that cause her to have a lot of gas and spitting up, so she experiences some discomfort in that regard fairly often. Thank God for gas drops, recommended by her doctor as well as one of Steve’s co-workers! On top of that, her digestive system has developed enough that her food is staying in her intestines longer. This is a good thing, because it means she is able to absorb more nutrients. It also means she won’t be pooping in every single diaper, but maybe once a day or even less. So she is getting used to a change in the consistency of her poop. Rather than just squirts of liquid, it’s got some substance to it.

Yesterday afternoon, she was fussy. I knew she hadn’t pooped in a while, two days, in fact, but I kept seeing her “poop face” and nothing but little farts resulted. I became concerned that she was constipated, perhaps as a result of the gas drops we have been giving her. I planned to put her down for a nap, then call her doctor. Suddenly, she started to scream. I thought she was probably tired so I’d change her and continue with my plan to put her down to nap.

When I opened her diaper, I saw the most massive amount of poop this tiny little girl has ever produced. It completely filled her prefold, leaked all around and into the diaper wrap, and squished out onto her clothes. No wonder the girl was crying! All afternoon she’d been trying to poop, and it finally comes out in one explosive rush.

I got her all cleaned up and put her in her crib while I rinsed the diaper, which took for-ev-er. I am not a fan of rinsing poopy diapers in general, but when that much poop is involved, it is really the pits. I had to employ the diaper sprayer and dunk and flush multiple times to get the stuff rinsed out. By the time I was done, I was beat. And I had poop on my clothes. She was still crying too. I decided that we would nap together. She conked out quick and slept for OVER FOUR HOURS. She NEVER naps even close to that long. So I guess that big poop really did tire her out.

June 18, 2012

Rebecca: 6 Weeks

Today, I took Rebecca to the pediatrician for her 6 week well baby check-up. She is healthy and growing! She weighed in at 8 pounds 10 ounces, a gain of more than 2 pounds since she was born, and is now 21 inches long.

Rebecca is just now starting to give us social smiles from time to time. She sure did smile for the doctor today. Not so much for the nurse that administered her immunizations . . .

Princess Rebecca at the doctor . . . before she got her shots.

January 9, 2012January 9, 2012

Fat in a Day

Today, I called my mom to lament about the size of my ever-expanding baby belly. Specifically, I was upset that the jeans I wore all day on Friday without incident were feeling extremely uncomfortable and tight when I put them on on Sunday. I could tell it was going to be a short conversation because I could hear my 2-year-old niece, Allison, in the background saying “Dinosaur Train!” Clearly, my mom had her hands full. I pressed on anyway.

“Mom,” I said, “I got fat in a day!”

“Fat in a day?” she responded.

Suddenly, the background noise changed: “Fat in a day! Fat in a day!”

Thanks, Allison.

January 2, 2012

New Year’s Eve for Losers

We spent New Year’s Eve with Steve’s boss and her husband. The short version of the story is she needed help with her computer and he was the man for the job. I ended up watching a movie with her husband while the two of them worked on the computer, and then we all went out to a delicious dinner.

When Steve told me the situation just a few hours before we left the house, I remarked it was a good thing we didn’t have any New Year’s plans. He said she initially asked what time he needed to be home so we could do our thing, but he told her we had no plans.

“‘Cause we’re big fat losers,” I replied.

“Yeah, but we’re big fat losers together.”

Happy New Year!

December 21, 2011

What’s in a blog?

A couple of weeks ago, I mentioned to my mom that I need to find some new blogs to read. I usually read a little online in the morning while I’m eating breakfast. A (non-news) substitute for the morning paper I suppose. Most of my friends with blogs do not post daily (nor do I, obviously), and a couple of the good ones I’ve been reading for years have become less frequent posters. The few I read that seem to have consistent new posts I’m ready to move on from. Let’s just say it’s not my cup of tea when grown-ups frequently describe things as “adorbs.”

So back to my mom, and my lament that there are mornings when I have nothing worthwhile to read on the queue. She says to me, “Maybe you should start your own blog.” What a great idea! Except . . . I already have one. Nobody reads it. Not even my mom.

December 20, 2011

Diet Dr. Pepper Tastes More like Regular Dr. Pepper?

I once heard somewhere that the “natural flavoring” that gives Dr. Pepper its distinctive taste is actually prune flavoring. It sounds weird, but whatever. I like Dr. Pepper, and it’s one of those things I’d rather not turn myself off of ever consuming again by thinking about what it’s made of. Kind of like hot dogs.

Today I cracked open a can of Diet Dr. Pepper (or, as Steve would say “DDP”), and by coincidence I happened to be snacking on a couple of prunes. Yeah, I eat prunes now. Regularly (ha!). Because apparently 33 is the new 80. And I can safely say that Dr. Pepper, or at least Diet Dr. Pepper, tastes nothing like prunes. In fact, I would go so far as to say Diet Dr. Pepper and prunes do not pair well together at all.

Here’s more info dispelling the prune rumor.

December 8, 2011December 9, 2011

Rant of the Moment

I say “Rant of the Moment” rather than “Rant of the Day” or even “Rant of the Hour” because it seems I have something to complain about pretty constantly. Usually it’s about stupid people, so it’s not surprise that this rant is about stupid people. Or maybe I should give them the benefit of the doubt and say normal people who are acting stupid in a momentary lapse of judgment.

To set things up a bit, I am just finishing a semester of school where probably 90% of my work has been group work. Now, all the instructors say they do so many group projects because in the “real world” we will always be working in groups. I think it’s because they don’t want to grade as much, but that’s just me. In the “real world” when you are working in groups, your group members sit down the hall from you from 9 to 5 (or whatever your office hours happen to be), are typically there to do the group work all day long, and get fired if they don’t do their jobs and do them well. So to say they are trying to mimic the “real world” doesn’t really work for me. But I digress. The bottom line is, my last group projects were due yesterday and I was glad — ecstatic, really — to be done with these groups.

Imagine my dismay today to receive yet another email (I have literally hundreds in my inbox) from one of my group members. (Ug, I thought I was done with this and would finally get some peace!)

“Our final is on Monday at 9:40? I vaguely remember hearing the instructor saying it was earlier.”

Considering the final exam time is printed on the instructor’s course schedule and in the catalogue of classes, I thought this was a stupid question that she needn’t have bothered me with. But, my Grandma Heaton used to say, “you can always be civil,” so I responded politely with a flip remark about how the instructor does not have her act together and can’t be trusted to tell us the correct time, but yes, it is at 9:40. I thought that would be the end of it, but shortly thereafter, she responded.

“I’m going to email the instructor to ask.”

Really?!? I expressed no uncertainly whatsoever about time, suggesting to me that she would have asked the instructor regardless of what I answered. Which begs the question, why did she bother to ask in the first place? I threw up my hands, but again figured that was the end of it. Not so. At this point, our third team member, also copied on these emails, chimed in.

“hmmm . . . . I thought it was Monday at 9:40?”

Let me remind you that this is published in two places and I had just confirmed it to be my understanding as well. I was at the end of my rope a week ago and this was just more than I could take.

“yeah, that’s what I just said. if anyone is still confused, I suggest checking in the schedule of classes. over and out.”

Perhaps a bit too harsh and not well thought out. But I don’t think totally undeserved. Is it so hard to just open up the schedule and check, rather than go back and forth over email like this? We’re not finished yet, though. Team member number one has to have the last word.

“Ladies, were (sic) done . . . . . . . . . . . . it’s just Monday and it’s open book.”

. . . followed by a link to some stress relief breathing exercises. Now, I don’t dispute that I could probably benefit from some sort of stress relief program. However, in this case, I think my stress would be significantly relieved by not having to deal with these people any more. We’re all adults here. Is it really too much to ask that we take some personal responsibility for our own schedules rather than expecting others to keep track of it for us? Apparently so. I will be glad when this is over — for real — on Monday. I’m sure I will shortly be blessed with another group of annoying, stupid people to deal with in some other arena, but I will savor my time to myself in the meantime.

August 24, 2011

Preparing for the Big One

Like pretty much everybody else here in California, I scoffed at yesterday’s east coast earthquake. “Pshaw! 5.8?!? That’s like a truck driving by!” We talk a good game, like it’s no big deal. We have to because we live with the reality that “the Big One” could strike at any moment. But, at least according to this article, most Californians haven’t even really experienced a major quake. That is certainly true for me. I was away at science camp for the Loma Prieta earthquake in 1989. Didn’t feel a thing. I guess I experienced the aftermath when I got home a day or two later, but no actual shaking.

This got me to thinking, how prepared are we for an earthquake? The answer is, not really at all. Steve and I don’t have any water or food put aside for an emergency right now. This is not a good situation, so I decided to do a little research into what we need to get ourselves ready.

Experts say you should be able to fend for yourself for at least 72 hours after a disaster, not counting on utilities and emergency services. There are three main categories of things you need to do to get ready for such a scenario.

Make a plan:

have at least two escape routes to exit your home
keep a pair of shoes and a flashlight under each bed in case you need to evacuate at night
have two designated meeting areas, one near the house and one within walking distance in case the neighborhood is evacuated
have an out-of-state emergency contact to let family/friends know your status (long distance lines are usually fixed faster than local lines)
know the location of the gas main and other utilities and know how to turn them off

Make your home safe:

have fire extinguishers on each level of your home and know how to use them
make sure your smoke detectors (and as of July 1, 2011, CO detectors) are functioning and change the batteries every 6 months
make sure all heavy furniture, such as bookcases, hutches, or media centers, is properly secured to walls
don’t hang mirrors or heavy pictures/artwork above beds or sofas where they can fall on people; make sure all wall hangings are properly secured with a closed hook
secure books and knick-knacks on shelving with non-skid surface material or putty; store heavy items on low shelves
be sure your house number is visible from the street so emergency services can find you

Make disaster kits:

water (1 gallon per person, per day) and non-perishable food items; can opener; plates, utensils, and cups
first aid kit
flashlight or battery operated lantern and extra batteries
battery operated radio and extra batteries
copies of important documents and phone numbers
warm clothes/rain gear/hats
blankets
work gloves
dust mask
liquid bleach and an eye dropper (for water purification and sanitation)
hygiene items (toilet paper, paper towels, moist towelettes, feminine products, hand sanitizer, soap, etc.)
heavy duty plastic bags and a bucket (for waste and sanitation)
emergency cash (including small bills and change)

In addition to the general household emergency kit, each person should have a “go bag” containing similar stuff in smaller quantities in case they need to get out of the area fast. You might consider keeping it in the trunk of your car, so you’ll have it if a disaster happens when you are not at home. Or, Steve, for example, should probably keep one at work. Since he works in the city, and a big quake would probably shut down the Bay Bridge and BART across the bay, he might not be able to get home right away.

Here are some online resources that I found helpful in learning how to prepare for an earthquake:

Ready America – includes a printable Comprehensive Family Emergency Plan
72hours.org – readiness site from the City and County of San Francisco
Red Cross Earthquake Safety Checklist – what to do before, during, and after a quake
Be Red Cross Ready – general guidelines about plans and kits

I’m not sure any amount of preparation can truly make anyone ready for a major earthquake or other natural disaster, but with a plan and enough supplies to get through at least a few days, there will be a lot less to think (or worry) about during a very stressful time. I hope this post inspires you to check out your own situation and make sure that you are prepared for emergencies too.

August 12, 2011

Vacation Day 5: Mission San Juan Capistrano

Speaking of procrastination, it’s about time I finish our last vacation post.

Day 5 of our vacation we were headed to a wedding in San Juan Capistrano, which was really what prompted the whole trip to Southern California in the first place. It didn’t start until 5:30, though, so we had most of the day to kill. We decided to head to Mission San Juan Capistrano, which was actually just about a block away from the wedding venue (and less than half a mile from our hotel).

Established in 1776, Mission San Juan Capistrano was the seventh of California’s 21 missions. Because the parish population grew so rapidly, a great stone church was built on the site around the turn of the century. An earthquake destroyed the church in 1812, and it was never rebuilt.

The mission’s four bells survived the earthquake. Two of the four hanging in the bell wall today are reproductions.

The mission also boasts the oldest building still in use in the State of California, the Serra Chapel, which also happens to be the only remaining church in which Fr. Junipero Serra actually celebrated mass.

Speaking of Fr. Serra, we can’t pass a statue of the guy without taking a fun picture emulating the statue on 280 (a.k.a. the Junipero Serra Freeway).

We did a lot of fun stuff on our vacation, but I really enjoyed the mission. I thought the grounds were beautiful. In other words, I wouldn’t mind if my yard looked like this.

There is also an edible garden. I’m not sure who maintains it, or who eats the produce, but it was a pretty good garden.

Amongst the edibles was a grape arbor with vines that looked quite a bit healthier than the ones we have here at home. Of course these are not the original vines, but Mission San Juan Capistrano was home to the first wine grapes planted in California. Not surprisingly, they grew the grapes and made sacramental wine from them so they would not have to import it from Europe.