In a Funk

I've been in a funk lately.  In a general funk since the loss of my wedding ring, which has not turned up, and in a blogging funk for quite some time.  I haven't had time or opportunity to pull out my camera lately, so I have very few recent pictures of the kids, and the only recent pictures I do have are on my phone.  I don't feel like anything of note, really, has happened, and I haven't even made anything (cooked/baked) lately that I'm inspired enough to blog about.  So yep, I'm in a funk.

I painted my fingernails a beautiful lavender last night.  I rarely paint my fingernails since I'm not careful with them and end up chipping them so quickly, but I felt the need for Color.  So today they're bright, and reminding me that the clouds will pass soon enough.

Growing Up

You can already see in their faces what they'll look like as adults.  It's crazy.  

Taken with my phone at a recent birthday party. 
The tie & wand were props, though they're cute enough for everyday use, huh?

Sad, Sad, Sad, Sad, Sad

I lost my wedding & engagement ring (soldered together) yesterday.  We've spent hours looking, and it's nowhere to be found.  Prayers to ease my hurting heart, and especially, prayers for it to be found would be appreciated.  And thank you for the suggestions, but yes - we've looked there.  And there.  Yes, multiple times.

New Laptop!

I'm typing this from our new laptop!  I'm spending this evening reloading all of our software, photos, documents, etc. on it, so I should be able to resume posting in the next couple of days. 

Laptop Issues and Small Miracles

Our laptop died.  But it died on the very last day of our service plan!  AND - I had recently backed up our budget file, documents, music, and all photos.  PHEW!  Looks like we'll be without it for at least two more weeks; Ill keep you posted.

18

I had 18 vials of blood drawn this morning.  18.  That's a new record for me.  8 was my previous record.  It would have been 21, but I held off on one test.  Here's the story:

I have a PCOS check-up coming up, and I have to have a battery of bloodwork done before I go in.  My doctor's nurse emailed over my lab order on Friday, and I went to a local lab this morning for the fasting bloodwork.  When I handed over the 2 sheets of paper, the lady behind the desk responded with "They want all of this?  Wow.  This is for one person?" 

(Did I mention I HATE needles?)

When I was taken back to the room where the phlebotomist would enter the tests into the computer and then prep me for the draw(s), I was doing okay - not too nervous.  I figured I had done up to 8 vials before, and this couldn't be any worse than that.  The lady from behind the desk came in to hand the lab order to the phlebotomist, and explained to her, "I had to break it into 2 orders; I could only fit 34 tests on the first order, and there's 56."  SERIOUSLY?  56 tests?!?  The phlebotomist raised her eyebrows and responded with "For one person?"  Now I was starting to get worried.

She brought over a basket of tubes and laid 9 of them on the counter.  "9?" I asked, a bit relieved, "I'm beating my previous record of 8."  She turned to me with a pitying look on her face. "Honey, this whole basket is for you - 21.  You're not first place, but you'll be the second-largest draw we've had here."

It took her a long time to enter all of the tests into the computer for the label stickers, and while she did that, I was on the phone to the doctor's office.  I didn't think to question the number of tests, but they had also brought out a bottle of glucose solution for a 2-hour glucose tolerance test, and I specifically remembered being told by the nurse on Friday that I wouldn't be doing that one.  No luck - the dr's office was having phone issues, and the only person I could get through to was the operator, who offices at a different location.  She promised to take a message for the nurse, and I told the lab tech I would hold off on the glucose test (and the accompanying 3 vials/blood draws) for another day. 

The phlebotomist proceeded to draw the remaining 18 vials needed, and I managed to not pass out.  It wasn't pleasant, and I hope I never have to repeat that experience.

After grabbing some breakfast and spending most of the day trying to recover my strength, I got a call from my doctor's nurse - the same one I'd spoken to on Friday.  She insisted that the 2-hour glucose test was not on the lab orders, and I - looking right at the copy I had of the lab orders while talking to her - insisted to her that it was.  She then insisted that the 2-hour test was "not one of the 14 tests {she'd} marked" on the lab order. 

WAIT.  14?  FOURTEEN?  What happened to 56??! 

Turned out "something must have happened" to the email she'd sent.  The emailed lab order she sent me was the full list of tests possible - all 56.  What she was supposed to have sent was the list of 56 with only 14 of them marked as the ones they should test for at the lab.  I'd spot-checked the list when she first sent it, and recognized the names of some of the tests as things I knew they'd be checking (insulin, thyroid, etc.), so I assumed she'd sent the correct thing.  Nope.  She's not sure what happened, because her copy of the email didn't look correct either.

If the doctor wasn't so good, I wouldn't be sticking with this practice.  I have not been impressed with the nursing staff.

18 vials of blood, when I probably should have just been matching my previous record.

Southern Comfort Apple Pie

This was the best apple pie I've ever made.



Southern Comfort Apple Pie
adapted from the Pastry Queen cookbook

1 pie crust (bottom crust only, whatever recipe (or store-bought version) you like best)

Topping:


1/3 cup sugar
3 Tbsp brown sugar
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp salt
1/3 c flour
1/2 c chilled butter, diced
1/2 cup pecan halves, toasted


-In a food processor (or mini chopper, like I have), process the sugars, cinnamon, salt, and flour for 1 minute.  Add the butter, and pulse until mixture is crumbly.  Stir in pecans by hand, and then refrigerate topping until ready to use.


Filling:

6 large, tart apples (I used a mix of Granny Smith and Braeburn)
1/2 c butter
2 1/2 Tbsp cinnamon
1 c sugar
3/4 c Southern Comfort liqueur
1/2 c heavy cream

-Preheat oven to 375.
-Place pie crust in deep-dish pie plate, and put pie plate on a baking sheet, in case your caramel bubbles over in the oven.  (Mine did.)  Cover a second, and maybe third, baking sheet with foil, to place your sauteed apples on in a minute.  (The foil makes for easy clean-up.)
-Peel, core, and slice your apples into 1/4-inch thick slices.
-Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat.  When it starts to foam, add the apples and saute for 5-7 minutes.
-In a small bowl, stir together the cinnamon and sugar.  Sprinkle the mixture over the apples, stir to combine, and saute for 2-3 minutes.
-Remove apples from the skillet with a slotted spoon, leaving as much of the butter mixture in the skillet as possible.  Arrange the apples on the foil-lined baking sheets in a single layer until ready to use.  (Heaping them in a pile will make them soggy.)
-Pour the Southern Comfort into the butter mixture in the skillet.  Simmer the mixture over medium heat for 7-8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the alcohol burns off.  (If it burns your nose when you smell it at close range, keep simmering!)
-Add the cream and continue to simmer for about 10 minutes while the mixture thickens.  Return the apples to the skillet, and stir to coat.
-Pour the apple/caramel mixture into the pie crust, being sure not to fill it to more than 1/2 an inch below the top of the crust.  Sprinkle evenly with the topping.
-Bake 50-60 minutes, until the filling is bubbly and the topping is brown.
-Serve with vanilla ice cream.