Cakes and Cups and Cups of Cakes

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I very much would like to start my own business, preferably one that involves baked goods and coffee.  I had the most beautiful opportunity set before me to co-own a NY style deli recently that I had to turn down.  The reasons were simple.  The location was in York.  I work in Harrisburg, live in Shiremanstown, and have to be at my children's activities in Mechanicsburg.  That would leave me little to no time to work at the place due to the fact that I can't risk leaving my current job with the benefits and health insurance just yet.  Those things are too important right now in a single family income to give up.  Not to mention the insane amount of driving.  I felt kind of angry because on one hand, this was an opportunity to live out my dream.  But I got over it rather quickly.  Why?  Because I am comfortable with the fact that the priorities that I deem to take precedence over this venture are indeed where my attention should be.  Also, I do feel that I will have the opportunity at some point in my life to live out my dream.  I truly do.  I think that this was an eye opener to what this sort of business entails; however,  I know that to be profitable for me with time and money it has to be in a location closer to me.  I just look at it as though this was not the right time in my life.

That being said, I'm not giving up on learning and commencing some of the things that I want to do to open something similar on my own or with someone else as a co-owner.  Last night, my fb status mentioned that I would love to make cupcakes for a living.  How incredibly fun and delicious would that be?  And Christy, if you are serious about joining me, let's get to it girly!  To start, I want to experiment in my home.  I don't have the money for rent or overhead of any commercial property, so that's out of the question.  But everyone starts somewhere, don't they?  Why not have your business down pat before you open up public shop?  So, I think it's definitely experiment time.  I'd like everything to be homemade and creative.  I think this will be loads of fun.  And first stop is apparently going to be red velvet cupcakes for Andrew's birthday.  I'm on it.

Strawberry Rhubarb Pie

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Does anyone have a recipe for strawberry rhubarb pie?  My grandmother used to make these and they're my favorite, but I'd like to take a stab at it myself.  So if someone can guide me in the right direction for the best recipe, I'd appreciate it.  Doesn't that look yummy?

Restless Ambiguity

Have you ever thought to tell someone things about yourself that you normally wouldn't just offer up?  Maybe tell someone about every inconsistency in your typical line of thinking or bring up as many flaws and blemishes just to see what their reaction would be?  You figure people that are close to you have to know these things eventually anyway.  But yet there's something about throwing it at them in a certain way that makes it seem different.

In the book I'm reading now, Him Her Him Again The End of Him by Patricia Marx, there's a part about the main character's friend and her boyfriend.  They were entering that crossroads point in their relationship.  So, the boyfriend tells the girlfriend that he just wanted her to know that if they were to make this serious commitment and she were to have her arm amputated for some reason after the fact, he would leave her.  He just wanted her to be aware of that beforehand so he didn't seem like a bad guy should it happen.  I find this hilarious.  But...at least he's honest.  What's even more funny about this comment is that today my boyfriend told me he'd love me even if I lost my arms.  Go figure.

So then I was thinking about the way your significant other may view you.  I've been with people who believe that they would love me no matter what I looked like.  That's sweet and all but talk about opening the door to letting me become a fat, lazy pig.  I kid, I kid...kind of.  But I think this bothers me just a bit.  I mean, I don't really want to be with someone who looks at me every time I eat and says, "Um, should you really be eating that?"  Or maybe SLAPS A DORITO OUT OF MY HAND???!!!  I laugh at this one because it recently happened.  Yes, it did (he thought he was helping).  I don't want someone not to care though.  I want the person I'm with to care enough to realize that this is not a diet for me.  This is my way of life.  This is my chosen lifestyle.  It's the lifestyle that works for me and one that I want and need for my kids too.  This means that the person I'm with has to live that lifestyle too.  At least in the house or when they're with me.  If they want to eat a bag of Doritos at work, go ahead, though I don't approve.  I want this person to go to the gym with me, go hiking with me, walk with me, etc.  This is something I find very important.  And if I do gain 10 lbs and it shows but I don't say anything, then I want that person to tell me it shows and to get my ass to the gym (in a nice way, of course).  Note that if I do bring it up on my own and you still feel the need to bring it to my attention, you won't be living much longer. Anyway, it's not okay to have an enabler.  I'll try to not be an enabler for other things in return.  This is an ultimate requirement in a relationship.

I think it's evident that I have a one track mind, but these things need to be worked out, especially in writing.  Such is life.  Now what am I going to eat for dinner? :-)

Independence and Waiting

Not everything works out exactly how you wanted.  As an adult, I have a hard enough time with this concept.  So, I can only imagine how my kids deal with it.  Previously, I mentioned that we were going to a beach this weekend.  We did, indeed, make the attempt.  Yesterday (the 4th), we made our way to Leesport to experience Blue Marsh Lake.  We waited in the car for 2 hours in a long line to reach the entrance of the lake.  The line seemed to go on forever and so many individuals were out of their cars soaking up the sun while they waited.  The kids had done decently well during the wait, but...we were thinking we might be pressing our luck.  Drake wanted to come back and play with his new friend, Wyatt.  But the twins wanted to wait it out.  We figured we could endure it a little longer, but at some point we'd have to call it.  When we'd all but had enough, I got out of the car and walked to the bend in the road (about 20 cars up) to see how far it went after that.  I saw nothing but more cars.  A guy standing around that area told me the police were estimating about another hour and a half from that point.  I guess it was full and they were letting people in as they were letting people out.  Him and I concluded that it seems senseless to waste your whole 4th of July waiting in line.  So...we had to disappoint at least one of the kids and head back.  I think they were well compensated though.  They spent the rest of the day playing outside and in Wyatt's pool.  They were pretty happy in the end.

Drake...has poison...on his face.  When I picked him up on Friday, I noticed a small rash under his eye.  He was scratching at it which brought it to my attention.  That spot has grown and it is now on his eyelid, his nose, cheek, and neck.  I've been putting Benedryl gel on it, which says that it is for poison ivy, poison sumac, and poison something else.  It seems to be helping.  But it's not gone away.  I've never had poison and this freaks me out.  Poor little guy...

Books are like precious gems to me.  Since late last fall, I've been reading the series of Vince Flynn novels with the character, Mitch Rapp.  Never would have picked these books up in a million years on my own.  I didn't foresee myself ever enjoying a political thriller.  Thanks to a friend for insisting I read these because I'm hooked.  I seriously can't put them down.  I just finished Pursuit of Honor, which is the last one out at the moment.  I believe, from what I've read, that his next installment will be in October.  I'm disappointed and excited all at the same time for the wait.  I feel the same way about these books that I did with Harry Potter.  That's nuts.  But I recommend you pick them up no matter how you think you may feel about them.  If someone else would read them and talk to me about them, I'd be one happy woman.  Oh, and a movie about the main character has been in the works for some time.  I believe they're basing it off of Consent to Kill.  Can't wait for that either, but I'm afraid of who they might choose to play Mitch Rapp.  I've already developed my perception of him from reading and I really don't want that to be ruined.  Nonetheless, pick up these books, borrow them from me, whatever.  But read them.  Trust me on this one.

And that's about it for today's updates.  Until next time...