Cooking is typically an avenue for me to de-stress. Key word here being "typically".
This evening I managed to burn rice past the point of no return, kill the yeast in my dinner rolls (which resulted in rocks with butter), overcook chicken by twenty degrees, and turn cookie dough into crispy lumps.
Now for a person who currently cooks for a living and finds great passion in food, this can be slightly demoralizing. And sure enough, it was. My husband, seeing my culinary demise (and the smoke filled kitchen) kindly gave me a hug and whisked me out of the kitchen as he cleaned up. We decided it was a "going out" sort of evening and headed down the street for mojitos.
This evening I was humbly reminded of the little failures in life that are often blown out of proportion. Through the smell of burning rice and the touch of solid rolls I contemplated (dramatically of course) never cooking again. Now several hours later I feel somewhat childish about my thoughts but was able to come to a reflective none the less.
Have you ever been in one of those McDonalds play places with all the small plastic balls in a pit? That is how the past month has been. Now don't think germs and kids with runny noses. Instead think of the chaotic fun and not quite being stand on your feet but enjoying life none the less. Now this may be a muddled analogy but bear with me, I'm recovering from a food crisis.
May.
I've strapped another lively year under my belt and was able to celebrate with dear friends and family. I awoke on my birthday to the smell of coffee, waffles and the beautiful sight of fresh strawberries, homemade whipping cream and the smile of the man of my dreams. The weekend was full of adventure and lovely surprises from Sean. We road tripped to hippie watch in Ashland and took the most beautiful route to get there, highway 66. We went out camping only to find out that the majority of camp ground were still closed for the season. That didn't stop us thought. We found an old service road to hike down and pitch our tent. Unfortunately we forgot pillows and a pump for our air mattress. After both almost passing out we finally got that puppy filled with hot air. While the day had been sunny and warm the snow still laying on the ground suggested we were in for a chilly night. By the wee early hours of the morning we were packed up and headed home to defrost our toes. We're still working out the kinks of two person camping...in hindsight warm sweatshirts would have been a good idea too...it was an adventure to remember and ultimately that weekend was one of the best I've lived. 
In other monthly news- the cafe I work at won best dessert at the Taste of Klamath-an evening of wining and dining with samples from all the local restaurants. The Vanilla Poppyseed Cake with a Raspberry Chantilly Cream Frosting literally, took the cake. It was a fun, busy, and proud moment. That same award winning weekend Klamath Falls was graced with the presence of my nearest and dearest friend, t'was a blast indeed!
This past weekend Sean and I took a day trip up from Klamath to Seattle (with my parents joining us in Portland) and began the search for our new home. My father labeled it a "treasure hunt" as the four of us spent all day sipping coffee and driving around Everett and Mukilteo scouring the land for a cozy O'Brien abode. In a week and a half I will be done working. In two and a half weeks we will be packed and galavanting up to the Evergreen State!
Thus I blame my meal failures on the busyness of my mind. It could also have to do with the fact that I was attempting to make three separate things at once in a kitchen the size of most people's coat closet... Despite the food foundering and lame McDonalds analogy I am excited for the transition ahead and to live out these next two weeks to the fullest. I just need to finish work strong, pass my classes, pack, and pray because I know the next seventeen days are going to fly.
*A Few May Highlights*
We got to spent the first week of May in Bend visiting family! It was a beautiful weekend of walks along the river, amazing food, and getting competitive in board games!
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| Sean and I rescued this dog, John, who was wandering the freeway on our way to Ashland. We enjoyed the ten minutes of having a dog and were sad to say goodbye, but thankfully sweet John made it home safe. |
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| We got our wedding photos!! |
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| Matteo's Taste of Klamath Crew |
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| Sean and I have been biking the Klamath countryside! |
