A quiet night, a stack of books, a tuna melt on rye

I just got back from my first second official Maid of Honor duty: a tasting for reception food. Some how, it was not really what I was expecting -- not that I know what I was actually expecting because it is not like I've done this kind of thing before.

The venue is the largest park in New Orleans, so there were hundreds of people at this tasting. The Wedding I was there for will be in June, while the people sat across from us at the table were actually getting married in two weeks, and presumably there were people at all points in between. They had a pasta, carving, and crudites station as well as two bars and a random ice sculpture set up around the edges of the room, and then waiters rotated with trays of hors d'oeuvres.

Most of the stuff was very rich, which I think ended up making the grilled tuna my (and pretty much every one else at the table's) favorite simply because of the change of pace. The only truly awful thing I tried was the cajun spring roll -- somehow those two cuisines just don't need to be melded. Well, and the cake, but I don't like cake in general, so I'm probably not the one to make decisions on that score. Everything else was somewhere on the spectrum of yummy, though by end none of us were particularly eager to try anything else. Over all, my most important task was trying the champagne because the groom was driving and the bride had a cold, so neither of them wanted that task. That is the kind of task I can do. :-)

1. I have a Dirty Santa party to go to Friday which involves a naughty gift exchange. Erg. I have absolutely no idea what to get! What is the right level of naughtiness, the best kinks to play to, etc. etc.? I'm thinking maybe a collections of Victorian erotica (if I can find one at the book store). I figure it counts as naughty, but is also vaguely interesting -- at least I find it interesting -- and I can't be the only one, right?

2. Last week, in the midst of making Christmas presents I broke the second of the two most useful cords in my interchangeable needle set. I had broken the other most useful cord a good year and a half ago, so I figured maybe it was time to buy the replacement set. The post man tried to deliver it today, but apparently there is 63 more cents of postage due, and I wasn't home, so I get to take a trip to the post office on Thursday. Mostly now I'm wondering how the company I ordered from managed to miss that $0.63 when they sent the package to me.

3. As part of my continuing efforts in learning how to draw, I submitted my gift for the exchange over at hh_sugarquill and I am ridiculously proud of it. It is Draco/Hermione (although in no way explicit) which is not any sort of ship of mine, but I figure drawing things you don't particularly ship is way easier than writing them (not that I write at all) since you don't have to worry so much about characterization and what-not.
So...( Mistletoe Wars )

So, grasshopper pie went well. It was a little touch and go there while I was trying to whip the whipping cream by hand. Turns out the lids to my plastic containers are not nearly as airtight as they are supposed to be. Also, I should probably not tell people that the only marble I could find to use in this process was one I picked out of the back dirt pile on site. What?! I washed it first! Anyway, things went way better once I took over the roommate's stand mixer.

In other news (which is probably not really news) the Bach Magnificat is HARD. Possibly it wouldn't be so hard if I ever bothered to actually do my choir homework and go over my notes. Turns out I'm turning into the bad choir kid. At least part of the problem is that the second sopranos have their own line of music throughout the entire piece, which means that the alto part is no longer the second line down. We are all constantly jumping up to the second soprano line by accident. But, of course, its not like the whole section does it at the same time. Grrr.

I just bought Creme de Methe for the first time.  It's always seemed kind of useless, and one of those things you buy once for a teaspoon or so and then never use again, but which takes up precious real-estate in a cabinet or on top of the fridge.  I made this terribly *eyeroll* monumental purchase because I've been invited to a pie party tomorrow.  After much deliberation I decided to make a Grasshopper Pie.  Which of course uses a half a cup of Creme de Menthe. 

I don't think I've had Grasshopper Pie in 18 years.  Not since Pop-pop died, which was in Fifth grade, so I must have been ten.  When I was little, we'd periodically go to my Grandparents house for Sunday dinner (my father's parents, who lived on the opposite side of the Philadelphia area from us, meaning they were in New Jersey and we were in Pennsylvania).  Every singe time we had baked macaroni and cheese, broccoli (and I still appear to be the only person who likes the trunks better than the leaves), and grasshopper pie for dessert.  I remember it being very good, so here's hoping that the recipe I found on-line is up to snuff. 

So what are other people's favorite pies.  I must admit to being a pretty big pie fan, simply because I really don't like cake.  Pie is often a good compromise when your mother is despairing about what to serve at a birthday party when the birthday girl doesn't like cake.  Particularly when said party is splitting the difference between Christmas and New Years and every one is royally sick of treats anyway. 

First off, a picture from the ( prom party... )
( Then some knitting projects )

This is going to be one of those posts with a lot of things I've been meaning to put here -- in bullet point-esq form -- because I fail at that whole timely manner thing.  Er yeah. Also I changed me default icon.  Just felt like that needed to be said. 
( Once work related thing )

( Then a bunch of Who related things )There is a possibility there will be another one of these tomorrow featuring a photo from the prom-party and a couple of photos of knitted objects.  Then again, we all remember what I said at the top re: a timely manner, so maybe not. 

Tomorrow I'm invited to a prom themed birthday party.  I'm kind of ridiculously excited.  A group of us went to the the Salvation Army store after work to find dresses.  I may have gotten a full length ball gown for $10.00.  We were looking for the craziest dresses possible -- and the other two people I was with definitely achieved their goal.  One had a great 80s dress in black with hot pink bows at the shoulders and then other a teal colored, 70s-ish jumpsuit, with sequins and a mid-drift cutout.  I think mine is actually fairly staid.  It's one piece, but looks like a black overdress with a white under dress.  Though I did also get a huge gold colored bag to "sneak" in our booze.  There may also be a plan to get together to do hair and makeup tomorrow.  I'm a little worried about their stated plan to tease my hair as big as they can get it.  As bushy as it is normally, I would assume that that is pretty big. 

And I am back in Pennsylvania again.  Let me tell you haw I am so over the really long car trip thing, possibly because I drive up to 10 hours at least once a week (Monday or Wednesday depending on which side of the 4-day I'm on.)  Of course, I'm still not over the long car trip enough to suck it up and transfer my car registration to Louisiana because I still don't want to be from Louisiana.  Call me a Yankee (plenty of people do) but nothing good comes out of Louisiana. 

Yesterday as I was driving through Florida, Georgia, and the various Carolinas, South Eastern PA had some ridiculously strong storms that resulted in my squirrel tree (the tree outside my window that always had a squirrel sitting in the closest branch -- no seriously always) landing on the roof.  Looks like I get to spend my vacation unlocking the door for various contractors.  At least there wasn't too much damage.  Only three holes, two of which didn't really let any water in, and the third which only impacted my mother's closet.  Clothes = rather easy to wash. 

Finally, tomorrow I'm supposed to attend a sleep over bachelorette party.  Can I say how much I had hoped to leave sleepovers behind as part of high school.  There is a reason I don't go camping.  Sleeping bags and hard surfaces hold very little appeal.  I've been kind of stressing over this party for awhile leading to the following conversation with my brother.

Went here last night for their Doctor Who night.  It was great fun despite (or possibly because of) the fact that is was a bunch of 40-something men and glowwormtu, myself and another friend of ours.  We were the token 20-something girls.  It was terrible fun.  I got to give two of the members of my viewing society (ie.  my friends) their first taste of eleven -- both of them were fairly won over after The Eleventh Hour.  glowwormtu even said as we were leaving "I like the new doctor, but I'm not happy about it."  Hee. 

I did get to point out "the shoes of Awesome" from "The Time of Angels."  After they came on screen, the guy next to us at the bar turned around and said "Those really are awesome shoes." Double Hee!  All in all, quite a good experience and one that I hope will repeat its self.  Even if it does mean that I have to go to the West Bank. 

Also, while we are on the subject of the west bank I feel compelled to say:  Yes I know that if you take the first letter of West and the last part of Bank you get Wank.  You should not use that as short hand for where you live.  Also, you should definitely not call yourselves Wankers.  Its creepy. 

First boil of the season!  Off to pick up some Strawberry Harvest and then eat the yummy, yummy crawfish (and boil corn).