The secret to happiness is making due with what you’ve got.  In the words of Tim Gunn, “Make it Work!”

Case in point:

1.  I’ve got a cold.

As you may recall, the Peas had a cold about a week and a half ago, which I fought off…until last night.  Daddy came home yesterday, and upon seeing me in my hat, planted an amazingly passionate kiss on me.  He must have a thing for greasy haired individuals in hats, which suddenly explains the Judah Friedlander poster above our bed.

I temporarily forgot that he was sick, and kissed back, until I remembered and said, “Are you still sick?,” to which he replied, “Doh. I’m daht sick,” as he sucked the dripping snot from his nose back into his head.  Great.

Don’t worry, it’s not the Swine Flu, unless you’re planning on holding a Swine Flu telethon with the funds to be directed towards a VitaMix.  Then I’ve definitely got the Swine Flu.

2.  I’ve got an empty tahini jar.

I’d seen Heather eat tahini in a sweet instead of savory context, so I thought it would work for fruit cereal in a jar.

  • strawberries
  • Honeycrisp apple, chopped
  • stevia
  • cinnamon
  • granola

I wasn’t digging it.  Stupid tahini.  Stick to hummus and salad dressings and leave my breakfast alone.

3.  I’ve got crazy hair.

And you are going to hear all about it, so get comfy.

After all the comments yesterday about how my bad hair day was not that bad, I felt an explanation was needed.  I wash my hair maybe three times a week, because the labor involved is worse then peeling toenail polish off of your old pedicure because your out of remover.  I hope I’m not the only one that has done this.

This next picture should prove to you how much I love you.  Here is my hair this morning, after washing but pre-styling.

40 minutes,  3 flat iron burns and 1/2 a bottle of styling cream later.

I have had YEARS of practice taming the beast.

The best hair story I have has to be when Pea Daddy and I went to Orlando.  I can probably stop right there.  But I won’t.

We’d been dating for a year and a half and this was our first major trip together, to celebrate taking the Bar.  My two major concerns were: a) how I was going to poo on the trip in front of this man I loved;and b) whether or not he was going to run for the hills when he saw the amount of time I invested on doing my hair.  It was long then, so it involved blow drying, hot rollers, three suitcases of product and magical elves (aka Ken Paves).

The first morning we were there, I got up two hours before Pea Daddy so I could walk to the nearest Texaco to crap, and then hole up in the bathroom to do my hair magic.

Needless to say, we were outside in the Orlando air for about five minutes and POOF!

Remember the Friends where they go to the Bahamas and Monica has humidity issues?

I’d have killed for hair like that.

And obviously it runs in the family.

She’s going to hate me when she’s 13.  And inheriting my hair might even be one of the reasons why.

4.  I have slightly delusional children.

Pajama parties at 2 in the afternoon?

If you can’t bet ‘em, join ‘em.  And then beat ‘em.

Gigi took her bedtime role playing a little too far, with a little “bed wetting.”

Which is yet another example of using what I’ve got.

5.

6.  A lack of ingredients for soup.

I wanted to make Mellow Lentil Sniffle Soup from ED&BV, but didn’t have everything to make it.  So I improvised.

Red Lentil Kabocha Curry Soup

  • 2 stalks celery, chopped
  • 1 1/2 c. kabocha squash (or any winter squash), cubed
  • 1 t. ground ginger
  • 1/2 t. ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 t. nutmeg
  • 2 t. curry powder
  • 1 t. garam masala
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • stevia to taste
  • 1 c. light coconut milk
  • 1 c. red lentils
  • 1/4 c. chopped cilantro
  • 3-4 c. vegetable broth
  • 2 T. tomato paste
  • salt and pepper to taste

I sauteed the celery and squash with the spices for a few minutes over medium high heat.

I then added the broth, lentils, coconut milk, cilantro and tomato paste and brought it to a slow boil.

I lowered the heat, covered it and simmered for 20 minutes, until the lentils were cooked thoroughly and the soup had thickened.

7.  A sad excuse for a blender.

I transferred the soup in small batches to my Magic Bullet Delusional Spitwad and blended until the soup was as smooth as it was going to get.  I added stevia and salt and pepper to taste.

This soup was amazing!  My house smelled surprisingly nice, not at all like rotten broccoli, pee soaked couch cushions or singed, overstyled burnt hair.

I had a cup with a great big salad.

  • spinach
  • cabbage (that is now so skeevy it has to be registered and alert my neighbors of its’ whereabouts)
  • carrots
  • pickles
  • broccoli
  • tahini dressing
  • almonds

8.  A delicious nightcap waiting for me.

Cheers!