tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-75780191495985047322024-03-12T23:27:55.984-07:00The Falcon ProjectOne girls quest for a 64 Ford Falcon results in tirades on food and fashion. The dare: to dress like I belong in a classic car every day for 6 months and I will get to have said car. Fail for one day, and the clock starts over. The quality of the outfits is judged by a finicky, impulsive husband who's opinions change day to day, but are still the final word.Amelia Bjesse-Puffinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07930121959210085515noreply@blogger.comBlogger46125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7578019149598504732.post-38974814080559777102014-05-18T14:55:00.003-07:002014-05-18T14:55:37.882-07:00August 2013August 2013<br />
I don't have any videos from the last two weeks of August. I'd just gotten hired at my first teaching job, so I guess I was a little distracted. We were still skating every day, mostly at DoS, and sometimes outside at THPRD. By the end of August, I could drop in to the shallow end of DoS but still had to climb out. <br />
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August 16, 2013<br />
We got a membership to the indoor bowl that used to be the Department of Skateboarding. It's private, and keyless entry so we could go whenever we wanted. This is a video after we'd been going for probably two weeks. It fails to capture all the times I climbed in and pumped back and forth, and then all the times I climbed in and tried to pump around the bowl. It skips straight to being able to drop in to the 6 foot shallow end and carve all around, albeit very low and slow<br />
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August 14, 2013<br />
THPRD<br />
New board, upgraded from 7.65 to 8.5 inches wide. Increased stability = good. Rolling in to the bowl, pumping around, going higher in the deep end, pumping and kick turning on the way back.<br />
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August 9, 2013<br />
Gabriel Park<br />
The shallow end of this park has a hip you can roll down from (which is itself a challenge for a newbie). This day I worked on rolling down and front side carving the pocket well enough to make it back up hump to roll down the other side and go into the deep end.<br />
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August 6, 2013 evening<br />
The school yard by our house has a big sloped paved area. We'd go there to kick around. Here, you can see the impressive move where I grab my board and hop an inch into the air.<br />
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August 6, 2013 morning<br />
Tiny bowl at Pier Park<br />
Here's a selfie of me dropping in (yes, it took that long to set up), front side carving, and pumping ALL the way back before climbing out of the tiny bowl<br />
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August 1, 2013<br />
THPRD in Beaverton<br />
Rolling in and pumping the deep end. The video starts and ends with the cover on, but it's there, I swear.<br />
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<br />Amelia Bjesse-Puffinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07930121959210085515noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7578019149598504732.post-13393066558454815192014-05-18T12:13:00.002-07:002014-05-18T14:23:27.344-07:00Skate Videos, July 2013<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
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Pier Park, July 31st, 2013</div>
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Drop in at the shallowest end of the tiny bowl, and a tiny front side carve, and pumping out of the "deep" end almost all the way back</div>
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Pier Park, July 30th, 2013</div>
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Pumping practice at the small bowl at Pier Park. Hard work, and plenty wobbly.</div>
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TRON, July 16th, 2013<br />
Dropping in at 3 feet. Watch out, it's getting serious here! I actually remember that I filmed this video so that I could work on getting smoother with my drop ins. I wish I had the very first drop in videos from the end of summer 2012. Those were epically terrifying.<br />
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<br />Amelia Bjesse-Puffinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07930121959210085515noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7578019149598504732.post-49809465100803610082014-05-18T09:34:00.000-07:002014-05-18T09:34:37.461-07:00September 2012, practicing staying on my skateboard in the schoolyard. During this time, we were going here almost every night just to skate around, practice kick turning, real basic stuff. This was the highlight of 2012, after having been skating for 4 months<br />
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<br />Amelia Bjesse-Puffinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07930121959210085515noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7578019149598504732.post-13637979517494105092014-05-16T21:14:00.000-07:002014-05-16T21:24:57.348-07:00I've just looked through all our video-taking devices, and it seems that we've lost our early footage of skating! We were too embarrassed to share them, and now they're gone. The phone they were on has a gap from winter before we started skating, to September after we had been going for 5 whole months! Grr.<br />
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Oh, well. Here's some shots of us from 2 months after starting. Stills fail to communicate the wobbliness of our early rides. Summer 2012, longboarding in Sweden<br />
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Skating up the hills, and walking down, because speed is scary</div>
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First time messing around with my new actual skateboard, instead of the cruiser. Full pads, damn straight.</div>
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Feeling pretty epic in Pendleton, Oregon</div>
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Trying to bond with my nephews and niece, Christmas 2012. They all shred way more than I ever will</div>
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A cold visit with Mr. E, March 2013</div>
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My new mini cruiser, which straps so easily and lightly to my backpack. May 2013</div>
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I will pause here, and revisit Summer of 2013 at another time.</div>
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Amelia Bjesse-Puffinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07930121959210085515noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7578019149598504732.post-49542881980746339542014-05-16T20:43:00.000-07:002014-05-16T20:43:56.961-07:00If you google "girl skateboarder" what you get is a bunch of sexy/artsy photos of women with boards (plus a smattering of actually awesome skaters). If you google "boy skateboarder," you get this:<br />
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<br />Amelia Bjesse-Puffinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07930121959210085515noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7578019149598504732.post-35290611909983098802014-05-16T20:37:00.000-07:002014-05-16T20:37:59.927-07:00A New Obsession<h2 style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
Skating</h2>
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I've decided that it would be a good idea to write about skateboarding. I started skateboarding when I was 29.5 years old. In the past two years, I've skated nearly every day, and improved quite a bit. While I haven't recorded my progression in an organized way, I have some pretty epic early videos.<br />
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It goes like this: I grew up in the country, with no pavement for miles around. I rode horses, ran through the woods, and climbed trees. I did not skate. When I was 14, my family moved to a house in town, on an actual block, with neighbors. I thought I was too old to start skating. Plus, I'm a girl. That's a whole other issue. Over the years, I would occasionally give it a go. Someone gave me a dumpstered board with no grip tape and super hard, super tiny wheels. I'd stand on it from time to time. The first place my husband and I lived in on our own was in an industrial district, surrounded by parking lots. It was so open that it felt private. While not having any idea what I was trying to do, I would mess around on my board in the lot next door. Nothing came of it. During those years, though, I did learn that I could start something new, and that being a beginner did not mean being embarrassed all the time. It's quite the opposite, in fact. People cheer on the gleeful, humble learner. As I saw my 20s winding to a close, I decided that I should finally give skateboarding an honest to goodness try, in a dedicated, organized systematic way. My awesome husband, who was preparing to turn 40, got on board, and together, we skated off into the sunset, or something like that.<br />
<br />Amelia Bjesse-Puffinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07930121959210085515noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7578019149598504732.post-66240323898248708212014-03-27T22:53:00.003-07:002014-03-27T22:53:53.151-07:00Who bears the burden of proof: the creator of a statement, or the one who negates? No one bothers to ask what is true in the first place, but, in a world of inquisitors, who's responsibility is it to provide evidence?<br />
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I read today that anteaters can consume thousands of ants in a moment. Have humans evolved to be a mutualistic species like the ants, where the survival of the species is more important than the survival of one? Or are we really out to only propagate our own personal set of genes? I am pretty sure that it isn't so important for me to reproduce, but I feel an ingrained drive to support the success of those around me. Could be upbringing, though. I'm not sure.Amelia Bjesse-Puffinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07930121959210085515noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7578019149598504732.post-28446003163610347562014-03-26T22:43:00.001-07:002014-03-26T22:43:09.702-07:00Spring Break 2014! A little bit like every other spring break. Like a screw, a spiral, a spring, each revolution puts you back in roughly the same place, just a little bit older and a little bit better, we hope.<br />
Every summer is spent at the bluffs. Every summer for the past ten years picnics are had, friends are connected with, drinks are had. Every season has the First Bluffs Visit of the Year. Biking, walking, skating with our supplies, we funnel in from our other lives, and new memories are made.Amelia Bjesse-Puffinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07930121959210085515noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7578019149598504732.post-60289261138569772722014-01-07T18:39:00.001-08:002014-01-07T18:39:50.378-08:00SlackerI was stuck in traffic today behind a car who's bumper sticker read "Be The Change." I felt this was a little hypocritical and should rather read "Be The Shame" if they're going to insist on putting it on a car. It applies to blogging, too. I'd apologize for the sporadic blog posts, but that's both self-centered and implied. So I'll skip that part, and move ahead.<br />
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Happy belated holidays, everyone. I have loads of pictures, but instead of continuing to procrastinate until I get around to uploading, I'm going to give verbal descriptions.<br />
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We were in Sweden for Christmas. It was beautiful and cold. With so many people to see in different parts of the country, we attempted to pack light. I'm not that good at paring down with a three week long trip, but I tried. I had the rockabilly theme to keep up of course. My staple outfit was turned up jeans paired with button-ups and cardigans. When I knew I wouldn't be outside quite as much, or when it warmed up to 14 degrees Fahrenheit,.I would wear long johns under my cycling tights and flirt a mini skirt. Before we left, I had shopped a few new items for the trip, all of which turned out to be lifesavers. I got new long johns, top and bottom, from <a href="http://www.icebreaker.com/">Icebreaker</a>, and a pair of <a href="http://www.zappos.com/product/7545841/color/183092">North Face super warm boots</a>.. Stylish, sleek, and snuggly. My hair styling was minimal, mostly because I was wearing two hats all the time, so I stuck with a ponytail. Before we left I had some bangs cut in, and that helped my hair look better, but not particularly rockabilly. My attention to detail with the make-up slipped quite a bit, it being vacation and all. I stayed consistent with the eye-liner. I'm not sure that I totally conveyed the message all the time, so I decided to extend the six months out to seven, just to be sure.<br />
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Usually when we go to Sweden I feel giant and unstylish, but this time I only felt giant! Everyone was in black tights and mini skirts, so at least I got that one outfit correct. It's nice not to feel like I stick out like a sore thumb. I blame it on living in the Northwest. I look fine here, but against the lanky, fashion-conscious Swedes... not so much. But this year was better than years past, and that felt good. I shopped a few items when we were there, as usual. I found a stretchy black mini skirt (can't have too many of those). This one rocked because it was about $7 and it has <a href="http://image.com.com/tv/images/features/All_2009/emmys_2009/hotornot/2009/rc_sarah_silverman.jpg">pockets</a>!Amelia Bjesse-Puffinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07930121959210085515noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7578019149598504732.post-7276868479941506122014-01-07T18:39:00.000-08:002014-01-07T18:39:38.530-08:00I have a car.<br />
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<br />Amelia Bjesse-Puffinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07930121959210085515noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7578019149598504732.post-31477861551799340652010-12-13T13:43:00.000-08:002013-03-25T15:50:40.025-07:00<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Goin' dress shopping! It's been a while since I've put anything up, and I know this isn't the most fabulous, hair wise, but I felt like posting. One might note the splotch next on my right cheek. No, I didn't miss-apply the lipstick. I did, however, push myself too hard a week ago and get a monster cold sore. Auto-immune diseases are weird. I'd have thought my super-powered system would have squished that pesky herpes virus on its route from my spinal column to my face. I have so much left to learn about human anatomy. It's fascinating.Amelia Bjesse-Puffinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07930121959210085515noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7578019149598504732.post-29237318706582610092010-12-07T19:36:00.000-08:002013-03-25T15:51:26.461-07:00Nose to the GrindstoneI'm four and a half months in! I can't believe it! I also can't believe how slack I've been as of late; no new photos, no regular styling of my hair. It will be sad if I lose now. I have decided that I don't have enough on my plate with a three week trip to Sweden coming up, the flooded basement project, and Christmas looming around the corner. So to pass the time, I've joined some Falcon discussion forums. I hope someone takes pity on me and takes me under their wing (hint hint to anyone who knows about cars!!!!). E-bay has some Falcons for sale, and I can look at the pretty pictures, and scan the text to see if it runs or now, and that's about it. I feel hopelessly uneducated. Each one is lovelier than the last, but that's no way to make a financial decision! It's nice to finally start the ball rolling, though, albeit very slowly.Amelia Bjesse-Puffinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07930121959210085515noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7578019149598504732.post-360998467340384792010-12-03T10:05:00.000-08:002010-12-03T10:05:35.690-08:00Thanksgiving ReviewI don't know why, but we failed to take any pictures at this year's Thanksgiving gathering. I and my cake were both lovely, I can assure you. The Millennium Cookbook's pumpkin cake recipe was a hit, at least for Per and I. It was a bit much for my family, with all the chocolate and sugar. If I was making it for just five people again, I'd half the recipe. It's so rich and fabulous that when it says "10 servings," they actually mean it. Gluten-free baking can tend to be a little bit dry, so the coffee sauce was a perfect addition. I made it a day ahead of time. Overnight it congealed a little bit. In the past I've been irritated at cinnamon for causing a mucousy consistency, but in the case of this sauce, it worked perfectly to the cake's advantage. And the cake itself would make a great informal addition to a coffee date. The batter was very quick and easy to make. The flavor is interesting enough to stand alone without the need for frosting. I highly recommend!<br />
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In the manner of a good housewife, the christmas decorations are up and the stockings are hung. We're going to Sweden this year, but we still have two and a half weeks to enjoy our home being all christmas-y.<br />
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That's all the updates I've got for now! Happy December everyone!Amelia Bjesse-Puffinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07930121959210085515noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7578019149598504732.post-37852285158315074452010-11-24T10:04:00.000-08:002010-11-24T10:04:42.281-08:00Thanksgiving Eve (Also Birthday Eve Eve)My dear friend, Katrina, sent me <a href="http://www.newyorkerstore.com/november-22-2010/title-the-last-thanksgiving-family-seated-around-thanksgiving-table-each-person-has-arrow-p/invt/136236/">this cartoon</a>. I can't paste it here, but it's worth checking out. My family, immortalized. Per and I are vegan, I'm off sugar, Per doesn't view pumpkins as a dessert meal, Dad's off nightshades, Mom and Sister are off gluten, Mom and Dad are off alcohol and caffeine, and Dad can't have chocolate after 6pm. Soooo... Root mash instead of mashed potatoes (yams, turnips, carrots; it's actually really good), tofurkey for Per and I, vegan mock shephard's pie for the others, agave chocolate cake for breakfast on my birthday because we can't have it for dinner, gluten-free biscuits for dinner. I feel like that covers it. The two things everyone agrees on are roasted brussels sprouts and cranberry sauce.<br />
<br />
<br />
And here's my Thanksgiving fashion inspiration. The hair, at least. The outfit's a tiny bit inappropriate for the weather.<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrZ_t9wI8cuNBLedvVZ_MDuslDvCxaXbA3EGxUF9eGLKgw8248L3QjnBl2GJ8SYVr6KSQiwviIOQCbO136heb57VyIzF8RjIwOR4HDc37oKPgGRCUxli8uJD1SOMABkJOeqlez7ROJ0S6m/s1600/thanksgiving_frontier_hotel.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="305" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrZ_t9wI8cuNBLedvVZ_MDuslDvCxaXbA3EGxUF9eGLKgw8248L3QjnBl2GJ8SYVr6KSQiwviIOQCbO136heb57VyIzF8RjIwOR4HDc37oKPgGRCUxli8uJD1SOMABkJOeqlez7ROJ0S6m/s400/thanksgiving_frontier_hotel.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>Amelia Bjesse-Puffinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07930121959210085515noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7578019149598504732.post-78210066723381096192010-11-23T12:56:00.000-08:002010-11-23T12:56:12.540-08:00Mushroom GravyI'm posting this partly to share, because it's great, and partly so I can access this recipe from any computer. I could make a google doc, but if I'm typing it anyway, why not put it here! I feel like a true American cook should be able to make a gravy without a recipe, but I didn't have biscuits and gravy until I was 17, and it's only made a sporadic appearance since then. I hope you enjoy, and I hope not sporadically (Clueless reference).<br />
<b><span style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-size: large;">Mushroom Gravy</span></b><br />
From Vegan Brunch, by Isa Chandra Moskowitz<br />
<br />
2 cups vegetable broth<br />
1/4 cup flour<br />
2 T olive oil<br />
1 medium onion, thinly sliced into 1/2 inch long pieces<br />
10 ounces cremini mushrooms, thinly sliced (4 cups)<br />
3 garlic cloves, minced<br />
1 t thyme<br />
1/2 t sage<br />
1/4 salt<br />
sever dashes of fresh black pepper<br />
1/4 cup white cooking wine<br />
<br />
Mix the flour into the broth until dissolved and set aside.<br />
<br />
Preheat a large nonstick pan over medium heat. Saute the onion in the oil for about five minutes, unitl translucent. Add the mushrooms and saute for five more minutes, until the mushrooms are tender.<br />
<br />
Add the garlic, thyme, sage, salt and pepper. Saute for another minute. Add the wine and turn the heat up to bring to a simmer. Let simmer for about a minute, then lower the heat and add the broth mixture. Stir constantly until thickened, about five minutes.Amelia Bjesse-Puffinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07930121959210085515noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7578019149598504732.post-10836968392478696762010-11-22T11:47:00.000-08:002010-11-22T11:49:29.888-08:00Birthday week!!!This is my favorite week of the year. It's even better than Christmas, because I have to share Christmas. I love thanksgiving because I get to eat all my favorite foods. And I'm an adult now, so there's no one to tell me to stop eating before I puke. It's my prerogative if I want to eat till I throw up. I've been known to do that, and I'm okay with that. My mouth likes food, and my stomach just has to deal with it. Although Per doesn't seem to like it too much, and in fact banned me from blueberries this year. The past two years that I've gone blueberry picking has resulted in a bit of over-indulgence. I'm like a carnivore; I'll just eat until the food's all gone. But I feel this is a valid point for Thanksgiving, because when it's gone, it's really gone, for a whole year!<br />
The other awesome thing happening this week is my birthday. I'm going to make the following cake. That's right, I'm making my own cake. I'm not a total control freak, but this way I get to know if it sucks, it's my fault. Plus if it's fabulous, I get all the praise. It's hard to find a recipe that I want to eat, that my family will eat too. I don't think they'll go for the coffee sauce, so I'll have to figure something else out for that. And my dad can't eat chocolate after 6pm or he is kept up, so maybe we'll have cake for breakfast. It's a make-ahead-of-time cake, so that'll be perfect. I'll post photos when it's actually materialized.<br />
<br />
Pumpkin Cake with Chocolate-Hazelnut Ganache and Cinnamon-Coffee Sauce<br />
The Millennium Cookbook <br />
<br />
<u>Chocolate-hazelnut ganache</u><br />
1 cup hazelnuts, toasted and skinned<br />
2 cups soy milk<br />
1 pound semisweet nondairy chocolate, melted<br />
<br />
Chop the hazelnuts in a blender or food processor. Add the soy milk and combine with the nuts. Turn the blender on and slowly pour in the melted chocolate. When fully blended, pour into a bowl, cover, and refrigerate until firm, about four to six hours.<br />
<br />
<u>Cinnamon-coffee sauce</u><br />
3/4 cups freshly brewed coffee<br />
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon<br />
3 tablespoons Sucanat or Fructose (I plan to try Xylitol and hope for the best)<br />
<br />
In a bowl, combine the coffee, cinnamon, and Xylitol. Whisk together and cook over medium heat. Let cool and refrigerate until needed-- up to two days if you make it ahead<br />
<br />
<u>Pumpkin Cake</u><br />
2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour (I'm going to use Arrowhead Mills gluten-free flour mix)<br />
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon<br />
3/4 teaspoon baking powder<br />
1/2 teaspoon baking soda<br />
1/2 teaspoon sea salt<br />
1/2 cup pumpkin puree (After we went to Sauvie Island Farms, I roasted and pureed some acorn squash to freeze, so I'll use that)<br />
1/3 cup canola oil<br />
3/4 cup maple syrup<br />
1/2 cup soy milk<br />
3 tablespoons minced fresh ginger (I dislike mincing. I'm a grater)<br />
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract<br />
1/4 teaspoon lemon juice<br />
<br />
Preheat the oven to 350 F. Oil an 8 inch round springform or false bottom cake pan. Into a large bowl, sift the flour, cinnamon, baking powder and baking soda. Stir in the salt until well combined. In a blender, combine the pumpkin puree, oil, maple syrup, soy milk, ginger, vanilla, and lemon juice. Blend until well combined.<br />
Pour the wet mixture into the dry mixture and whisk until combined. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 55 to 65 minutes, or until golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let cake cool completely in the pan, then remove it from the pan.<br />
Slice the cake horizontally into three even layers (that should be fun!). Place the bottom layer of the cake on a cake pan. Drizzle 1/4 cup coffee-cinnamon sauce onto the bottom cake layer. Spread one half of the hazelnut ganache on the cake layer. If the ganache is too hard to spread, place the container in a warm water bath. Place the second layer of cake on top of the ganache layer. Drizzle 1/4 cup coffee-cinnamon sauce onto the middle cake layer and spread it with the remaining half of the hazelnut ganache. Place the third layer of cake on top. Wrap the cake with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least one hour.<br />
To serve, cut the cake into ten pieces. For each serving, place slices of cake on serving plates and garnish with chopped fruit or fresh berries and a sprinkle of cinnamon.Amelia Bjesse-Puffinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07930121959210085515noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7578019149598504732.post-1032666916297513522010-11-21T10:29:00.000-08:002010-11-21T10:29:30.077-08:00How-To<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1394/726849333_8c11fd8d78.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1394/726849333_8c11fd8d78.jpg" width="417" /></a></div><br />
<br />
Some time ago I got a book called "How to Develop Poise and Confidence," by Michael Drury. I don't remember if it was a sarcastic gift or if I bought it for myself to increase my quirkiness, but I've had it for probably ten years. Published in '63 and aimed mostly at house wives, it's a window into another time. While it at first seems trite, the advice it contains is really well founded. Here are some thoughts for the day.<br />
<br />
<i><span style="font-size: large;">Believe in Yourself</span></i><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">How can a woman give herself to her family, her work, or anything else if she hasn't got a self to give? To be self-confident, you have to believe in a self, in its reality and importance. The self you are is unique. Your ears, fingerprints, the swirl of your hair are distinctly your own, not only different from anybody else's but different from any that have existed throughout history. It is reasonable to assume that what is inside--your sensibilities, talents, tastes--are equally special. If you do not value them and use them, they will be lost to the world, for nobody else has your particular combination of abilities.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Perhaps it can be said this way: Taking pains with your outside appearance lets your real self come through, as a sparkling window lets in the sun. If there are pretty curtains blowing softly in the breeze and a bowl of flowers on the sill, so much the better.</span><br />
<br />
I'm still not good at spending time on my looks every morning. Partly because my mornings don't have much of a pattern to them, but I won't blame that entirely. It's just been a hard habit to build. But I do try to remind myself that taking care of the outside of my body isn't all that different than taking care of the inside. Jeans and over-sized hoodies (like I'm wearing right now) are super comfy, but they put me in the mind set to flop around all day. Putting on get-up-and-go clothes makes me feel much more inclined to be a productive member of society, and that makes me feel good about doing my face and hair. It's a positive feedback loop.Amelia Bjesse-Puffinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07930121959210085515noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7578019149598504732.post-84978412293751670282010-11-17T16:26:00.000-08:002010-11-17T16:26:22.228-08:00Crock Pot!I didn't make any sort of fancy barbecue sauce today, but I did make bbq tofu. In the crock pot. With ketchup. Don't knock it till you tried it. I'm a fan of this recipe. I've probably made it half a dozen (6) times. So I just wanted to share it.<br />
<br />
2 containers firm tofu, pressed<br />
1 1/2 cups ketchup<br />
3 T agave<br />
2 T Braggs<br />
1 T apple cider vinegar<br />
1 T red pepper flakes<br />
1/2 t garlic powder<br />
salt and pepper to taste<br />
<br />
Stick it all in a slow cooker and let it go for 5 hours. It gets a little caramelized and tasty. I love it!Amelia Bjesse-Puffinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07930121959210085515noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7578019149598504732.post-91663108201617724772010-11-17T10:05:00.000-08:002010-11-17T10:05:43.977-08:00I've lost track<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjH7PAog3-JkhCwkYhk42Vjv584389fj6TS86vqh0oGpI6EPBb0OHP9czDH3cTuEeZVVgqb4Gx-RqQdH42LxQpf8b_iPH8t_FtLShOoa3_sizlL71UHl7ckK4_RIPSMK31JJc5p5jmjg1Nq/s1600/093133.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjH7PAog3-JkhCwkYhk42Vjv584389fj6TS86vqh0oGpI6EPBb0OHP9czDH3cTuEeZVVgqb4Gx-RqQdH42LxQpf8b_iPH8t_FtLShOoa3_sizlL71UHl7ckK4_RIPSMK31JJc5p5jmjg1Nq/s320/093133.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>How many days has it been now? I don't remember. Since August, so coming up on the half way mark. I'll figure it out. <br />
<br />
I really liked my plan of Thanksgiving-themed food every day, but it didn't last long. I did bump up my cooking, though, trying new recipes or making complicated ones that I usually leave for special occasions. I also realize that I have had the same thought just about every November 1st. But it's back to basics: protein, carb and steamed greens. I have been spicing up the veggies with different sauces.<br />
<br />
<u>Monday's Honey Mustard</u><br />
Big blob of stoneground mustard<br />
Medium-sized blob of agave<br />
Small blob of Veganaise<br />
Dash of balsamic vinegar<br />
Mix and pour.<br />
<br />
<u>Tuesday's Hoisen Sauce</u><br />
6 T Miso<br />
3 T agave<br />
2 T vinegar<br />
2 T sesame oil<br />
1/2 t dry ginger<br />
1/4 t cloves<br />
1/2 t cinnamon<br />
2 t tamari<br />
Garlic to taste<br />
Water to desired thickness<br />
Mix and pour.<br />
<br />
Today is Wednesday. I haven't decided on a sauce yet, but I'm leaning towards barbecue.Amelia Bjesse-Puffinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07930121959210085515noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7578019149598504732.post-65673537581251187912010-11-08T18:27:00.000-08:002010-11-08T18:27:21.191-08:00My First Quiche<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: small;">Time for comfort food. This quiche from <i>The Millennium Cookbook</i> hit the spot. I was pleasantly surprised at how quick and easy it was, and how normal the ingredients were. This book is full of craziness, but the quiche was simple and great.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: small;">(Per says I'm not really rockabilly enough today and I'm getting a warning. So maybe I'll notch it up tomorrow and post some photos while I'm at it. Then again, maybe not.)</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Polenta, Tofu and Vegetable Quiche</span><br />
<br />
Serves 6 normals or 4 hungry cyclists, or Per and Amelia for dinner and then again for lunch.<br />
<u>Polenta</u><br />
4 cups water<br />
1/2 tsp sea salt<br />
1 cup polenta<br />
1/2 tsp dried oregano<br />
1/4 tsp minced fresh rosemary<br />
<br />
<u>Tofu-Vegetable Filling</u><br />
1 clove garlic, minced<br />
<u> </u>1 bunch of basil, stemmed<br />
2 tbsp light miso<br />
1.5 lbs firm tofu, crumbled<br />
2 tsps wine vinegar<br />
2 tsps brewer's yeast<br />
1/3 tsp ground nutmeg<br />
2 leeks, white only, washed and cut into 1/2" slices<br />
1 clove garlic minced<br />
2 tsps olive oil<br />
8 oz mushrooms, thinly sliced<br />
1 zucchini, thinly sliced<br />
1 tsp sea salt<br />
.25 tsp ground pepper (That's 0.25, not 25, okay)<br />
<br />
1 tomato thinly sliced<br />
handful of chopped herbs (oregano, parsley, basil, tarragon, rosemary, thyme, etc)<br />
<br />
<b>To make the polenta</b>: In a medium heavy pot, bring the water to a boil and add the salt. Gradually whisk in the polenta. Reduce heat to low, add the oregano and rosemary, and whisk for 5 minutes. Cook the polenta for another 10 minutes, or until it pulls away from the sides of the pot. Pour the polenta into an 8 inch square baking dish and smooth the top. Cool for at least an hour.<br />
<br />
<b>To make the filling</b>: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. In a large bowl, combine the garlic, basil, miso, tofu, vinegar, yeast, and nutmeg. Transfer half the misture to a blender or food processor and blend until smooth. Return the puree to the bowl and set aside.<br />
In a large saute pan or skillet, saute the leeks and garlic in the oil over medium heat until the leaks are just wilted, about 5 minutes. Add the mushrooms and zucchini and saute until the vegetables are soft and the liquid has evaporated. Add the salt and pepper and remove from heat. Add the tofu mixture and stir well. Spread this mixture on the polenta in the making dish.<br />
Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 20 minutes. Remove the foil and top with the tomato slices, herbs, and bread crumbs. Remove the foil and top with the tomato slices and herbs. Bake, uncovered for 20 minutes, or until the top is slightly browned and the filling is firm. Let cool for 15 minutes to set up the filling before serving.Amelia Bjesse-Puffinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07930121959210085515noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7578019149598504732.post-10847391945267193502010-11-07T07:40:00.000-08:002010-11-07T07:40:22.920-08:00Peach Cardamom BiscuitsThe house is in shambles and it's raining cats and dogs. Perfect time for some baking! I found <a href="http://www.swellvegan.com/?p=469">this recipe </a>online the other day and wanted to try it out, but when I went to the store, I couldn't remember all the ingredients, so I kind of mixed it with a scone recipe by Isa Moskowitz. I still wanted it gluten-free, and I forgot the coconut flour and amazaki, so I improvised.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-8p0-iYcPFd0OPJd9WQYd4-MWsYb0-P663-jHYk_3whH-6FaUMGpFlo_a-1oiD7kg50FwVI7yPokyLOmGLxw8FFi3B6KUNoQ8ZwPwLN9osyoO6hAoStN4ZigERrXLrCKWoM1TAkon5CAf/s1600/biscuits2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-8p0-iYcPFd0OPJd9WQYd4-MWsYb0-P663-jHYk_3whH-6FaUMGpFlo_a-1oiD7kg50FwVI7yPokyLOmGLxw8FFi3B6KUNoQ8ZwPwLN9osyoO6hAoStN4ZigERrXLrCKWoM1TAkon5CAf/s400/biscuits2.JPG" width="298" /></a></div><br />
<br />
Amelia's Slap-dash Peach Cardamom Biscuits<br />
<br />
Mix together and let curdle:<br />
2 cups soy milk<br />
2 tsp apple cider vinegar<br />
<br />
Sift in a large bowl:<br />
1 1/2 cups rice flour<br />
1 cup soy flour<br />
1/2 cup corn starch<br />
1 1/2 tbsp baking powder<br />
1 heaping tsp cardamom<br />
3/4 cup xylitol<br />
1/2 tsp salt<br />
<br />
Make it fluffy:<br />
Whip 2 tbsp of egg replacer into the sour soy milk.<br />
Add in 1/4 cup agave<br />
<br />
Peaches:<br />
I used about a cup and a half of frozen peaches. I melted them on the stove and broke them into half inch pieces. Even if you're using fresh, I'd cook them just a bit to get the peachy syrup well distributed in the biscuit. Stir this into the soy milk mixture<br />
<br />
Mixing it together:<br />
This is why these are biscuits rather than scones. I got ahead of myself and mixed the wet into the dry straight away. To make pastries more on the crumbly end of things (and correct me if I'm wrong), the oil needs to be mixed with the flours before the water stuff. The oil (butter, margarine, whatever) will coat the dry stuff and then the water-based stuff will hold it together. When you want moister cookies, you massage water-based stuff into the flour, getting the gluten sticky, before adding the oil-based stuff. Water's hydrophilic, oil's hydrophobic. That kind of stuff.<br />
Anyway, I forgot about the plan to cut some margarine in, and mixed the wet straight in. No point in dealing with the hassle of cold margarine at that point, so I poured in 1/6 cup canola oil. and mixed well.<br />
<br />
Putting it in the oven:<br />
The oven should be preheated to 350. Drop spoonfuls of the batter onto a greased cookie sheet, leaving some space between. They hold their shape a little bit, but do expand some too. I was worried they'd make one solid biscuit, but they stayed separate.<br />
Sprinkle each one with a teaspoon of xylitol for added yum.<br />
Bake for 20 minutes or till golden, and enjoy!<br />
<br />
I think this recipe would also work for muffins. They have that kind of consistency. It would be worth a try. <br />
<br />
You may be concerned that I am not following through with my falcon project, but I would like to assure you that, even with all the crap going down, I have managed to dress appropriately each and every day. I'll post photos soon, I just haven't had the time/confidence lately to look camera-ready.Amelia Bjesse-Puffinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07930121959210085515noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7578019149598504732.post-34672836851925345952010-11-05T22:01:00.000-07:002010-11-05T22:01:39.743-07:00Dinner, delayedSo the whole "I'm gonna be a good blogger" thing fell apart pretty quick, didn't it? With a sick hubby and the basement (where our bedroom, library and computer room are) flooding, it's been a busy week! But I'm back! Dinner is cooking, dishes are done, and what better thing do I have to do than blog.<br />
<br />
When we got back from Portugal, our eggplants had ripened! We've got four, but for tonight's dinner, I only brought two in. I have paired them with tempeh, glazed carrots, and mashed potatoes.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhodWkK0eDmHHqkiQASVzjPv0BKBKy2tbMJQzXbxFLwVuudf0kRFvKFyFXnyZTpf-5oTzgDkKEr6vs2KkE0gGCXWPEXqCM1t1q5AtWBnxZAYomzouxKkgkydXByYEgwv_mpby85h2Oa_1ZP/s1600/aubergine.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhodWkK0eDmHHqkiQASVzjPv0BKBKy2tbMJQzXbxFLwVuudf0kRFvKFyFXnyZTpf-5oTzgDkKEr6vs2KkE0gGCXWPEXqCM1t1q5AtWBnxZAYomzouxKkgkydXByYEgwv_mpby85h2Oa_1ZP/s320/aubergine.JPG" width="320" /></a><u>Baked Eggplant</u><br />
Cut some eggplants cut into 1/3 inch slices. Salt them on both sides and let sit for 30 minutes. Everyone says to pat them dry, but I always just rinse and shake, and that works fine for me. So do that. Then lightly oil a baking pan, and put them in. Spoon tomato sauce over, and pop them into an oven preheated to 350. Cook for 20 minutes, flip, sauce the other side, and bake for another 30 or so minutes. I sprinkled Daiya cheese over in the last 5 minutes, but they'd taste good without.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbCyNZXCmrykiEsY_gVscJc2_KCKaOptMUU39GBcRdCcCy3F4Krwye6hyphenhyphenFBlC0ITYwmyxy57nGcpzS4msByKAXrwoB7a3Xzp9wA51n1Iliht7qszH7BwLI1EQfMi0SncPJ1RDB55YlIFsA/s1600/Tempeh.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbCyNZXCmrykiEsY_gVscJc2_KCKaOptMUU39GBcRdCcCy3F4Krwye6hyphenhyphenFBlC0ITYwmyxy57nGcpzS4msByKAXrwoB7a3Xzp9wA51n1Iliht7qszH7BwLI1EQfMi0SncPJ1RDB55YlIFsA/s320/Tempeh.JPG" width="320" /></a><u>Savory Tempeh</u><br />
Cut the tempeh into strips. Steam them over a high boil for ten minutes. Take a big old sauce pan. I used a nonstick this time, but cast iron works well if it's well seasoned (which mine is not right now). Put enough water in the pan to cover the bottom to about a quarter inch. And two tablespoons of soy sauce (or Braggs) for each pack of tempeh. Then put in whatever combo of italian-ish spices you want to. Probably about a tablespoon of spices would be a good total. I put in some black pepper and hot sauce too. Add about two tablespoons of oil. It's kind of like you're making a tea for the tempeh to get seasoned from. Put the tempeh in and cook over high for ten minutes. As the water evaporates, the flavor will go into the tempeh. Don't let it evaporate too quickly. If it's getting dry, add more water. You've got to give it time to get to the center. When the water's gone, you've got some very well distributed oil for the tempeh to fry in. Cook till crispy.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>I added a nice cocktail to dinner. I muddled a teaspoon of grated fresh ginger with a little bit of agave and mixed that with some sparkling water and Absolut Citron. Pour over ice and it's very tasty.<br />
<u> </u>Amelia Bjesse-Puffinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07930121959210085515noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7578019149598504732.post-38451344536351641972010-11-02T15:04:00.000-07:002010-11-02T15:04:14.211-07:00Dinner last nightAgain, no photos. Sorry about that. Per flew in from Switzerland last night and at his request I made his favorite comfort food. Dinner was ginger baked tofu, maple glazed Brussels sprouts, and mashed potatoes. Good fall food. We are eating dinner out tonight, so nothing exciting there, but I am planning to make a shiitake winter stew with roots and soy puffs. Plus salad. We've been lacking in fresh vegetables pretty seriously lately, so salad will be nice. I'll post the recipe for the tofu and Brussels sprouts soon. Also I've got four egg plants out in the garden that I need to make. It'll be fun to try to find a hearty, Thanksgiving-ish recipe with egg plants...Amelia Bjesse-Puffinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07930121959210085515noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7578019149598504732.post-67293473742750068432010-11-01T09:00:00.000-07:002010-11-01T09:00:41.375-07:00Breakfast at HomeEven though I wasn't gone from home for very long on this last trip, I sure got to missing my kitchen. Per's still traveling, so my first meal back was a solo adventure. When I woke up this morning the first thing I wanted was a breakfast cornbread. I like to indulge my travel-induced food cravings. One time I absolutely had to have squash pancakes. Nothing else would do. So today it was cornbread.<br />
When one takes the summer essentially off all exercise and subsists on coconut ice cream, one will inevitably pack on some extra baggage. So here I am, on the first real day of the off season, with a few pounds too many. Dropping back to my ideal weight isn't something I ever enjoy, but it's not too terrible either. Without being able to eat gluten, which is low in carbs and high in protein, this year will be extra challenging. On top of that, it's Thanksgiving Month! I am going to make thanksgiving foods every single day this month. It only comes around once a year, and it's my absolutely favoritest holiday. Plus my birthday is the 26th. Soooo... That leaves me with the challenge of finding weight-loss foods that taste super yummy. Cornbread is not one of them, but I made it anyway. I'll start tomorrow, right?<br />
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Skillet Corn Bread, from the Veganomicon, plus my modifications<br />
2 cups plain soy milk<br />
2 tsps apple cider vinegar<br />
2 cups corn meal<br />
1/2 cup gluten-free flour mix by Arrowhead mills<br />
This stuff bakes almost just like wheat flour. It's what I made Per's birthday cakes with<br />
1/2 cup soy flour<br />
I actually only had 1/2 cup of the flour mix, so you could just do 1 cup of flour<br />
1/4 cup xylitol (or sugar)<br />
2 tsp baking powder<br />
1/2 tsp salt<br />
2 tsp molasses <br />
1 apple finely diced<br />
It calls for 1/3 cup of oil, but if you mix in the diced apple, it'll taste more breakfasty and still be moist<br />
I got this substitution idea from Per's mom's Apple Cake which was made back when butter was rationed<br />
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Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease the bottom and sides of a cast iron pan and place it in the oven to warm while it preheats.<br />
Combine the soy milk and the vinegar in dish and set aside to curdle as you prepare everything else.<br />
In a large mixing bowl, sift together the cornmeal, flour, xylitol, baking powder, and salt. Create a well in the center and add the soy milk mixture and molasses. Use a wooden spoon to mix together until just combined: some lumps are okay. Fold in the apple bits.<br />
Pour the batter into the prepared cast iron skillet. Bake for 32-35 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean.<br />
Enjoy!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8UuEJCkUQkXg3rmcIf2XFuQxZyRB6kSw47SDDE4wDthVpWz9bYiOAIrnz6MEHTXGHhvr0XlOe2xn0YVzz56BLBR3g2sDqARFqC96LCvBbX4-YzLF6n5BU9X6E6Erev0LntTV8diC8fKyX/s1600/Corn+Bread.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8UuEJCkUQkXg3rmcIf2XFuQxZyRB6kSw47SDDE4wDthVpWz9bYiOAIrnz6MEHTXGHhvr0XlOe2xn0YVzz56BLBR3g2sDqARFqC96LCvBbX4-YzLF6n5BU9X6E6Erev0LntTV8diC8fKyX/s320/Corn+Bread.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Amelia Bjesse-Puffinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07930121959210085515noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7578019149598504732.post-2192803916052685792010-10-24T02:20:00.000-07:002010-10-24T02:20:35.992-07:00BubblesYesterday was pretty rad. I got up early, got clean and pretty, and wandered out to find an infamous flea market. Once there I realized that there was pretty much no way for me to buy anything. All I had was a little bit of change and a ten euro note. Hard to haggle when you don´t share a language and can´t count out exactly what you want to pay. So I just browsed. After some time, I got tired of holding my wrap around dress closed every time the wind picked up, and it was time for lunch, so I headed back to the flat. That and my victory curl wasn´t obeying me very well. The combination of no curling iron and no hair product made for a very floppy curl that just wanted to unwind itself. Nothing undoes a good outfit faster than always self-consciously fixing it.<br />
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Side note:<br />
I have a book from the 50s on how to have poise and confidence. In one section the author is talking about how she has a friend who is a wonderful professor, but who doesn´t take time with her outfits. She wears navy tights with a black dress, for example. And as a result, she never feels quite comfortable when dressing up. You can´t take shortcuts. I think it´s important to figure out how nice you want to look, then do it all the way. That´s not to say, as the book states, that one should wear heels and an evening gown to the grocery store, but if one wants to wear a house dress, one doesn´t pair it with rubber boots. The outfit must fit the situation. It´s true that I feel most confident when what I am wearing fits with what I am doing. Yesterday my outfit of a black skirt paired with walking shoes, a red t-shirt and Per´s bailout bag made me blend into the crowds both around tourists and local shoppers. At least I didn´t stand out blaringly as being American and therefore and easy mark. <br />
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My new gps device needs to find satelites before it can give me any maps. It told me to find an area away from tall buildings. Here. That was a special little challenge. I grabbed my paper map and headed up the mountain. I finally emerged at an overlook where I could see the Atlantic, a lovely suspension bridge, and gigantic cross. The gps finally figured out that I wasn´t on Lombard street anymore, and cleverly told me how to walk to Jorge´s castle. It was spitting distance, but I still feel much more confident about driving 200 km north into unknown territory with the machine´s help.<br />
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Castelo de Sao Jorge was super fun. It´s the most castley castle I have been to! The fortress at Pus Mountain in Sweden was cool, and the Tower of London was cool, but this one was way better. I will post pictures when I get home just to prove that I am not over-selling it. They had a museum with archeological finds from the past two thousand plus years. One display was of animal bone fragments. I was really bad at guessing what bones they were part of. I think I got four out of twelve. Not stellar for someone who constructed a skeleton. I guess some actual book learning could help in that deparment.<br />
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After the castle I wandered over to a health food store, buying some roasted chestnuts from a street vendor on the way. I got a block of six dollar tofu and almost got some vegan cheese but didn´t have enough money on me. I love trying fake cheeses. They are usually terrible, but it´s interesting to see how different companies interpret cheesieness.<br />
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I only interacted with a few people today. Wandering through the alleys, twice there were bubbles floating down from top floor windows. One boy caught me watching, giggled, and disappeared inside. Another time I was getting ready to make a left down a particularly narrow pathway when one of three old men sitting at a table playing dominoes, rattled off some quick warning with a shake of the finger and a point to the nose. I thought that was very nice. I don´t need to smell bum pee mixed with fish guts. I am okay without that.<br />
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The day of walking and looking and learning really wore me out. My stomach hurt pretty much the whole day, so I know that didn´t help. I had tried to massage it earlier in the day but it hurt too much to even touch. Oddly my digestion is fine, so I won´t complain. I called it an early night, watched a movie. I drifted to sleep lulled by a melatonin and some port, listening to the sounds of people enjoying their Saturday night.Amelia Bjesse-Puffinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07930121959210085515noreply@blogger.com1