More Adventures in the Kitchen of Anne Elisabeth

Lessons I've learned through my recent baking endeavors.

1. Cookies don't bake as fast when you don't turn the oven on.

2. Cookies bake all too thoroughly if you leave them in ten minutes extra.

3. Cookies never look as pretty in reality as they do in the photos.

4. Number 3 does not necessarily mean they don't taste amazing.

5. Lemon bars are hard to make without lemon.

6. Cheesecake is hard to make without cheese.

7. The necessity of organization does not necessarily produce the reality of organization.

However, despite my best efforts to frustrate my own plans, I have managed to produce some awesome treats for tomorrow's Spring Gallery Show! And I have even managed to put together a Chicken Broccoli Bake casserole for tomorrow night after the show.

Mummy: "Are you going to make it without the chicken?"

AE: "No, without the broccoli, of course!"

Randomly enough, this is the first time in I can't even guess how long that I have actually had all the ingredients for Chicken Broccoli Bake. Usually I am missing two or three, and I am obliged to improvise. Perhaps the tormenting kitchen fairies decided to go easy on me after watching the throes of agony I went through with the rest of the baking?

So last night, I dreamed that the world was ending. Fire fell from the sky, great gulfs of doom opened up in the streets, all the people fled the coming destruction, homes were abandoned, families separated . . . yet I was still obliged to cart everything over to the Learning Center and set up for my Spring Gallery show! I woke up, relieved that the world was not ending. But I still had to prepare for the show . . . .

You don't think this means I'm stressed about this show or anything?

Dulcet Sounds of Home

Don't you love those soft, spring mornings, when you awaken to a bright and cheerful world?

SCREEEEEEEEEECH! RRAAAAOWWAAAAA RRRAAARRRR! REEEEEEEEEEK! HISSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS!

AE (calling from her room): "Good morning, Charity!"

Charity (calling from hers): "Errrrrrrrrrh!"

Thus is life with two cats in the house.

My big brother called it: "Egyptian Princess meets the Super Model." I call it: "When Primadonnas Collide." Either way, it's pretty earthshaking.

I--even I, in all my feline fondness--was just on the verge of skinning cats this morning when they dumped over a still life, scattering apples and a solitary lime across the floor. It would be one thing if it had been my still life, but it was actually my student Laura's piece . . . which she has been working at like a trouper this last week and a half, only to have it demolished. Snarl. But we put it back in some close semblance of what it had been, and her painting took a good turn after a few hours of work today, so all is not lost.

Still, if I come to church with a new fur muff in the next few weeks, it might be wisest to not ask . . . .

Anyhow, Charity and I are settling in rather well! I have been painting up a storm over the last week. I would post pictures except that I have a gorgeous new camera that I cannot for the life of me figure out how to work. Hopefully I will get it somewhat in order by this weekend, for I am hosting my second Gallery Show for my students on Saturday, and I really want to document it! Technology . . . sigh . . . .

Anyway, I have a student coming in a moment, so I must go. See ya!

More than Gold

I learned that a professor of mine from Grace died on Tuesday. I didn't know he was sick, so it came as a shock.

This professor was a good friend of mine. I always called him "Professor," and he always called me, "Student" in response. He encouraged me more in my art than probably any one person ever has before. He critiqued and encouraged and urged me to improve, and it is due to his instruction that I am able to do what I can today. He told me when I last saw him in October that he felt like he poured a great deal of himself into my development. And I think it really disappointed him when I decided to transfer after only two years. I remember him researching Campbell's art department and asking me what I was thinking. And he even offered to double my talent scholarship in order to keep me. And while I declined the offer and decided to make the transfer, knowing that he wanted me to stay that much meant more to me than he could have known.

He never could understand why I left, and I never had the courage to tell him. And of course God's hand has been in the whole thing, and I am ultimately glad that I left. Still I find myself now wondering a little bit now that he's gone. The day I learned that he died, I was working on a painting and thinking how I needed to send him a picture of it. He would have liked to have seen it. He always believed I would go places with my art, much more so than I believed it . . . or still believe it. I think he was pleased when I told him what I was up to back in October, my teaching and portrait painting and all. But he was probably even more disappointed than I was that I didn't continue my education.

It's so strange to think that he's gone. Since I'm so far away, it's hard to really accept that he's dead. I can't imagine him not being there . . . and I can't believe I didn't appreciate him more when he was still alive. But I am so thankful that God gave me that visit to Grace last fall, that I got to spend time with Professor Davis. Changes are hard, and people grow old, contract cancer, and die. Yet God is sovereign and God is good. He loved Professor more than I did, and He brought him home at just the right time.

Yesterday while I was painting, Laura and Jonathan Walton dropped in. I put on a CD for them that a friend of mine from Grace made, and thinking about this friend, and Professor, and Grace filled me with memories. Then Esther called, and I talked with her a while, and even more memories flooded back. And one of David's songs on the CD really struck me for the first time:

Things don’t always last forever

And we can’t always be together.

Life will come and tear our hands apart.

But if we look back on memories

We can see so many blessings.

The thought of you will always bless my heart.

I pray my life will always bless your heart.

And when you think of me

May I be someone that you’re proud of.

And all these memories,

May they be memories that you’re fond of.

And all those times that we’ve shared

May they be more than gold to you.

I was really good up until he turned his back to get in his car.

Then I started crying.

But by the time he had backed out and waved at me, I had a convincing smile back on my face!

You'd think, after growing up military, "good-byes" wouldn't be so tough. But I think they're getting harder.

Currently Listening Have a Nice Day By Bon Jovi Have a Nice Day see related

Brother Time

I am enjoying having my big brother around!  Really sad that I don't have a camera currently to document our shenanigans . . . you'll just have to believe me without photographic evidence that we're having fun! Sadly today, though, he went out to Goldsboro to visit people, and I couldn't join him for fear we wouldn't be back in time for me evening lessons. Sigh . . . . But I suppose that gives me the chance to get some work done.

Anyway, what have the brother and I been up to. Well, first evening we had Allison over, and I fed him a big dinner of potato-chicken stuff. He paid me the huge compliment of, "Hey, Nannie, this is really good!" Just what a little sister likes to hear.

Then Sunday he came to church with me and helped me usher, folding bulletins and handing them out with me, until Allison came. It was fun to go to church with my brother and my oldest friend, then another of my oldest friends, Matthew, joined us and we went out for lunch. Sushi!!! Oh, yes. Tom's preparing for life in Japan you see. He ordered us the sushi platter for two, and it was HUGE, more like sushi for twenty . . . so despite our best efforts, we still have sushi leftovers in the refrigerator. Good stuff though, in a raw-fishy sort of way.

Sunday evening, he and I kidnapped Julie Coda and whisked her and Charity away to Allison's place for a viewing of Black Hawk Down. Tom is about to start training in that aircraft, so this was appropriate . . . except I didn't like the whole helicopters crashing and people dying thing so much . . . .

Then yesterday, Tom went to Allison's school to give a presentation on Being a Pilot to her fifth graders, which was fun. Then last night I took Tom to my adult drawing class and let him draw with my students. And he did awesome! And he was so sweet about taking instruction from his kid sister! And I was blown away by what he could do. So now he's talking about taking drawing classes while in Japan because he, and I quote: "Had no idea drawing could be so much fun!" Makes my teacher's heart happy.

Then to balance out having watched the ultimate guy movie of all guy movies (aka, Black Hawk Down) the night before, he agreed to watch the ultimate girl movie of all girl movies with me, Enchanted. And he had the grace to laugh at the right parts, so I guess it wasn't too painful for him.

Anyway, that's a general rundown of our activities over the last few days. It's been fun having a brother to play with . . . and it's hard to think I might not see him again for another three years, unless I make it home for Thanksgiving this year. But I'm glad God gave us this little visit! He's a good brother.

Anyway, I heard back from a literary agency that they want to see the proposal and first three chapters of my novel, so I am on my way now to mail it off to California! I'm excited to see what God will do with this book of mine . . . .