Wednesday, March 31, 2010

slightly busy

a-gui


It's raining and snowing a bit outside today. Yay! I just love these cooler days!

So I haven't been blogging these days. I've been slightly busy at/with the caffe, and I've also been doing research for other projects and learning.

I've also been a bit under the weather. My voice went away for a couple days last weekend, but I'm now able to talk with my deeper and scratchier voice (which I kind of like! hehehe.)

Anyhow, I shall resume my blogging-ness!

Friday, March 19, 2010

foxtail sadness

Yama was walking on three legs the night before yesterday, so John and I checked to see if anything was caught on his foot that was not touching the ground. We didn' see anything unusual or feel any broken bone at first, but then we noticed there was a puncture wound in between two of his toes.

John tried to clean it up but it was making Yama very uncomfortable. We decided to call the vet and bring Yama in yesterday.

The vet checked Yama and realized soon that there was a Foxtail seed that burrows in his foot! Apparently this happens a lot to dogs, especially around this time of year. Poor Yama!

These Foxtail seeds will work their way up into an animal's body (usually through their feet or ears and act as barbs) and it can be fatal if the Foxtail seeds get into the animal's lungs or other organs! Scary.

The Foxtail seed almost worked its way through Yama's foot. The vet had to sedate Yama and dug out the little pieces of the seeds.

yama
Yama is OK now but he's on antibiotics and some pain meds.


yama's foot
The open was on the opposite side of the red spot on his foot.


I'm sad Yama was hurt, but on the other side I'm happy we caught it in time. Here's what I found about removing a Foxtail from dogs' paws if it's still only on the surface. We've been checking out each of our dogs' paws and fur after they play outside.

Wednesday, March 17, 2010

in/on my chili

chli


I usually like chili without beans, and when I eat chili I HAVE to put cream cheese chunks in/on it. I know it sounds weird, but seriously, chili with cream cheese is super tasty.

Saturday, March 13, 2010

cucu pudding candy

I bought this Jiyugaoka pudding candy from the Japanese UHA Mikakuto company.

cucu pudding candy


I think this is possily the best hard candy I've had for a long time. It's even possible that thi is the best hard candy EVER.

What's not to like... It's from Mikakuto, it mentioned Jiyugaoka, and its flavor is "Japanese pudding". Mmmmm.

Mikakuto uses Sanonto (a special sugar that dedicated bakers like to use in Japan) for the caramel part of the candy, and delicious egg custard for the rest.

cucu pudding candy


So tasty!

Monday, March 08, 2010

in the twelve-ounce cup

rosetta


Been loving some of the rosetta/latte art I poured in the 12-ounce latte cup. :D

Friday, March 05, 2010

roses

We got some lovely and potent dry roses (ori. Germany) for teas at the caffe. They smell and taste so wonderful!

dry roses
They look beautiful, too.


dry roses in old english tin
And of course I have to find a pretty little vintage English tin for them.


Ahhh. Pretty (and tasty) roses and cute little tins make me happy.

Tuesday, March 02, 2010

chrisette michele - best of me

This "Best of Me" by CHrisette Michele has been playing here and there on our satellite radio for a while, and I've loved the tune and lyrics. I didn't know who sang it so I looked up the lyrics eventually and found it was by Chrisette Michele. Ahh lovely lady.



Chrisette Michele - Best of Me

Saw you again at the parlor
Crossing the walk with your lady
I caught your eye from afar off
I know that she wore a ring

I found a smile against my will
Wish it was genuine
I put away my desire
No more "in love with you still"

Look I'm moving on, oh

Loved you, lost you
Thought I'd give you
All the best of me
We departed
Broken hearted
I need to be free

What we had was
Oh so lovely
I'll swallow my pain
It's my time to
Find the best of me

Can't be the time to be begging
Can't be the time to plead
My momma made me much wiser
What's mine will be just for me

I'm trying hard just to focus
I'm trying hard to sleep
Promise I'm glad you're happy
When its my time it will be

Look I'm moving on, oh oh oh

Loved you, lost you
Thought I'd give you
All the best of me
We departed
Broken hearted
I need to be free

What we had was
Oh so lovely
I'll swallow my pain
It's my time to
Find the best of me

Oh my why have I been just so foolish all this time
Not realizing the beauty that your eyes once saw in mine
I guess its time to find the best in me

Loved you, lost you
Thought I'd give you
All the best of me
We departed
Broken hearted
I need to be free

What we had was
Oh so lovely
I'll swallow my pain
It's my time to
Find the best of me

Oh oh oh
The best of me

(lyrics adapted azlyrics)

Monday, March 01, 2010

shrimp sheller

My sister got me a shrimp sheller (from Sur La Table.) She said she thought of me when she saw this little tool. I wonder why.

Anyhow, I tested it out, and it worked very well!

shrimp sheller


It didn't quite work as well on shrimp for me, however, even though it was a "shrimp" sheller... I guess the shrimp I had were too small for me to fully utilize the sheller. I used it on shelling crab legs and I could very easily pick the meat up with a fork afterwards.

So I have the shrimp sheller in my bag (almost) all the time now. (!) You never know when you need to shell a shrimp or a crab leg, or any shellfish.