Amish Friendship Bread

We've all heard of chain letters and friendship circles. I've even heard about the Holy Bread Novena of Padre Pio. I recently was asked to try the Amish Friendship Bread. It like a chain letter, but you pass on a starter mix for a bread. The Amish are supposed to be the only ones who know how to make the starter mix. (You can find the starter mix recipe on the internet though.) Anyway, it goes on for 10 days and during these days you either mix the batter or add additional ingredients. At the end of the 10 days, you split the batter into four and pass it on to other friends and bake the batch for your family.






The bread produced is a nice dense sweet bread that reminds me of a banana or pumpkin type bread. Instead of baking loaves though, I opted to make muffins. I really enjoyed making this and the family really enjoyed the muffins we ended up with.

All Is Quiet

I've been quiet for the passed few days because of a few things that have occurred over the past weekend. My family is okay, so it's not me. But a few good friends have had some major challenges come into their lives, that I cannot help but think inward for the time being.

A good friend of mine on Friday, advised me that her father's health is in jeopardy and is undergoing some major difficulties. My family and I have been praying for him and their family's acceptance and preparation for what may come next.

The next day, I received a phone call from DH informing me of the passing of the mother of another dear friend from a major car accident. This truly shook us both as we knew her well and felt a closeness to her and the family. We continue to pray for her and the family she has left behind.

Our family has been praying a lot lately. That's really not a bad thing....

What Blogs Do I Read

What do I look for in a blog?

With the plethora of blogs out there, it's sometimes hard to discern what kind of blogs I like to visit regularly. In the beginning, I read everybody. But after a while, some of the blogs began to lose their lustre to me.

I truly enjoy blogs that have a journalistic touch or editorial or essayist air about them. From these blogs I find inspiration to create and think outside the box and way beyond my suburban life. I also enjoy those that show the humanity of its writer, from the humor he or she finds in his or her own life, to the beauty and style in which he or she lives, or lack of it.

I don't always post comments on other's blogs, but if you happen to recieve one (or a couple) from me, it simply means that you're certainly one of those bloggers I enjoy reading that I am taking much away from what you publish for my own self.

Hopefully, this is what I present to those that read me as well.

WIP Update: R's Gigi Scarf

It's been a while since I've done a knitting post. So I just wanted to show you what I had going on on my needles. This is one of the 3 things I am working on currently.

This is my cousin R's Gigi Scarf. I promised this to her during the Christmas of 2006 for Christmas 2007. Now, it looks like it will be with her for Christmas 2008. I missed the mark last year because my creativity mojo got distracted last year. I barely managed to finish my projects last year. Although, I tell her that I didn't make it last year because she was going home for Christmas and didn't need a scarf in the Philippines... Ha! Kasalanan niya pa. Hahahahaha!

Anyway, the Gigi Scarf is Morehouse Merino Farm kit, that I purchased at their store in Milan, NY. The store is closed now. But this is in a classic feather and fan stitch is a lace weight yarn. Extremely fine. Right now it all looks bunched up, but once I block it, the beauty of lace will shine through.

The pattern is pretty easy (at least for the knitters out there). But since the yarn is so fine, it feels like it takes forever to make any obvious progress.

How Dare They?

Warning, this is a rant.

When I saw this article this morning, this simply drove me up the wall. For the past 3 years, gasoline prices have gone up to crazy heights. While NJ has the lowest gas prices in the nation, at now $3.60++ a gallon, its simply crazy. The food prices are going up, credit card bills are going up, housing costs are going up, utilities are going up. Its simply so challenging. The people are so cash strapped that it feels like big business is ganging up on all of us. The gas prices go up, the food prices will go up because of the transport, as such you run out of cash for your necessities and end up putting them on your credit card. Then the banks are raising interest rates (they will eventually - the low rates now are just a stop-gap measure), so you end up deeper in debt. The cycle is endless.

This is what is going on in the US. I can't imagine how difficult it is now back home. Pero at least back home, they still smile.

How dare these investors be disappointed by the company's second most profitable period in its history! Ang kapal nyo!

When the time comes that we have to buy a new vehicle, we're paying more for a hybrid or one that runs on water. Of course by then, water prices will have skyrocketted as well!

Figures...

Just when I get my blogging, knitting, cooking mojo back, my computer at home decides to give up on me. Granted, we've gotten about 3 to 4 years out of a hand-me-down, its still a bugger that I have to shell out some real moolah to replace the thing.

I was hoping for another year with it. Oh well. When it conked out this morning, it just hit me that I wouldn't be able to read my fave blogs from home. Since, I am trying to get myself back online, I really don't want to be doing it on my office's company time.... Ssssshhhhh. Don't check the time clock right now.

Anyway, this will just delay further my new posts and pictures. Hopefully you'll be there when I get back.

Don't Be Losyang: A Scary Thought

On Monday, I had a little health scare. Not to worry, it turned out to be nothing serious. I had been feeling some chest pain for over 3 weeks, and just could not shake off the feeling of impending doom that I was probably having a heart attack at age 35. After being told by my doctor's office to go to the Emergency Room if the pain persisted, I drove myself to our local hospital ER. If you know me personally, you will know that I am a smoker. I cannot say that I have quit completely, but I have certainly stopped smoking for approximately 2 to 3 years, but do indulge in a couple of sticks every so often. Anyway, I truly thought that it was the almost 22 years of smoking (I started when I was in my First Year of High School - kids, don't do this at home) that was now staking its claim over me.

However, with great gratitude and thanks to God (I am serious here) it turned out to be simply a strain in the cartillage that holds my rib and chest bone together. Phew!

But this was the truly scary thought for me, of course, other than the fact of possibly dying... I had my crummiest bra on that day.... Hey, even my husband, G, when he finally got to the ER after work, asked me... "Which bra are you wearing?"

Time to truly kick the horrible habit (and yes, I really do regret ever starting smoking so young), and to go shopping for new underwear.