It's a Monday? Really?

So today is more like Sunday part 2 since Not-So-Ex is off today. After the chaos of the weekend, today is much welcomed.

As for the weekend, it consisted of Saturday (movie day) and Sunday (baking day). And it was soooooooooo busy.

Sunday's cupcaking (and baking in general since the order included cookies) was rough. Nothing would turn out right. Nothing was working. I wasn't doing anything I hadn't done before, except the results were suddenly not quite right. I started an all out freak out in the morning but, luckily, I was able to pull it together (with the help of Not-So-Ex of course) and the results were pretty damn good. And that was important, especially since they were ordered for a birthday party for the mayor of Charleston.

I must say, when those cupcakes left my house, I felt a million pounds lighter. It was wonderful. So we spent the rest of the day celebrating, at least in our own little way.

But now it's Monday and I have 2 dozen cupcakes to do for tomorrow. They're to introduce myself to everyone else working with my new employer (they own two restaurants and the bakery where I'll be working). So I've already made some creamy coffee and strawberry champagne and gonna experiment with some Strawberry Lemonade and Mimosa in a bit. Should be a fun day!

Finally, a calm day!

So today's a simple one. My main goal was to get some rest since I was up most of the night Wed night making cupcakes, and I definitely did that. We hit the bed early last night and I slept in a bit this morning. And I feel all nice and human and normal again.

Today I've mostly got to do some planning work. I'm making cupcakes for a big birthday monday and the asked to have them decorated. A decorator I am not, but I can do this. And it should be fun. They'll pick them up Sunday, which leaves me Monday to make cupcakes for the staff on my first day at work! Woo Hoo!

Not-So-Ex has also planned a nice dinner tonight at Lola's! Lola's is this awesome pizza place where I will be consuming plenty of Pan Seared Goat Cheese Salad, Spinach and Feta pizza, and at least a glass or two of Sangria! My tummy is grumbling just thinking about it!

Then of course Saturday night is when we're hitting Bluegrass Kitchen and the White movie! So we've got a very busy weekend ahead.

The anatomy of a truly excellent day

I was not expecting a good day today. After all the cupcake malfunctions, I figured I would be rushed, chaotic, and on edge today. And it started out that way.

However, once I got in the kitchen and cleared up my game plan, I found I wasn't in bad shape (although somewhat sleep deprived). I knocked out the frostings I needed to finish and even made another cupcake to replace one that I wasn't crazy about.

I got my kiddos up, fixed them breakfast, and got dressed in plenty of time for my meeting and rolled in right on time. Couldn't have planned it any better if I tried.

Once I sat down for the meeting, it went far better than I was expecting. She really liked some of my flavors (Mint Lemonade and Creamy Coffee were big hits). I will start at the bakery next week, although I get some time for training and learning my way around their kitchen.

The most interesting (and exciting) part of the meeting for me was finding out that not only would I be responsible for the cupcakes, but I will be learning their other recipes. So not only will I be paid to make my cupcakes, I'll be paid to learn from a pastry chef. Normally I'd pay for stuff like that!

AND (as if that wasn't enough) I'll start my employment attending a session about making cheesecakes, which are one of the first recipes I really cared enough to learn. I was like HELL YEAH!

To switch from all the Frutcake happiness, one of the local papers also published a particularly intelligent letter to the editor from the director of the White movie. This same paper had posted an article a few days ago where the writer trashed the film having never seen it (and, strangely enough, saying that his friend and film expert said it was a masterpiece) and Julien felt the need (and rightly so) to respond. His response was incredible and put into words so many things that I could never have actually said. I was very proud.

Anyway, as I've mentioned on Facebook, I will be going to see The Wild and Wonderful Whites of West Virginia at Park Place this Saturday so, if anyone would like to join Not-So-Ex and I, please do!

What do I do while waiting for the frosting to break and come back together again? Blog.

So I've had one of the longest and unluckiest cupcaking days/evenings/mornings ever. I have a big meeting and wanted 6 new flavors available for sampling, but it's been like pulling teeth to actually get them finished at the level I would like them.

It started with my chocolate based cupcakes. I wanted Mocha and Peanut Butter Cup, both using variations on the same base cupcake recipe. I'd had trouble with my normal recipe, tried a new one, liked it, and decided to use it for these. Well it totally failed me. Both the Mocha and PBC rose and looked gorgeous coming out of the oven. Then they cooled and fell like a brick.

Then I decided to do them over using my old recipe and realized I was out of cocoa. First I was soooooo thankful Not-So-Ex had left me the car. Then I realized that, since I had used his car keys the last time I drove, I had locked my purse (which held my car keys) up in the car. So there would be no more chocolate cupcakes till he was home.

While I waited, I experimented with a Peach Cobbler Cupcake, which turned out delicious but ugly. But, you know what, I didn't care. I put a tiny bit of frosting on the least ugly two and put them in the box anyway. We'll just consider them a rough prototype.

But it didn't really get ugly till tonight/this morning. I'm making my Coffee Italian Meringue Buttercream, which used to give me hassle but I had gotten the hang of it. Or so I thought. I made two batches where the egg whites would NOT whip up for me. No matter how much I beat them, they would not behave (sounds like my kids... OW! I'll be here all week!).

Luckily the third attempt worked. However, it's taking a lot longer to break and come back together than normal. I think it's cause my kitchen is hotter than the inner circle of hell right now. But I'm patiently waiting. Or as close to patiently as I can get.

So here's hoping I get my act together, and make it pretty, before tomorrow morning. Cause it's kinda important and stuff.

Wednesday Morning Randomness

So, first off, I just have to say Dear Not-So-Ex, aren't you glad we have iPhones? LOL

Anyway, to be slightly more serious, today will hold some serious baking for yours truly. I have a meeting tomorrow to establish my flavors at Frutcake so I'm taking another sample box to the owner. So today I will be making about 6 dozen cupcakes. And I'm looking forward to it!

Plus, this weekend is the opening of The Wild and Wonderful Whites of West Virginia at Park Place! Can't wait for Not-So-Ex to finally see the film.

I guess I should get to baking! Later!

Mrs. Fix-It is famous...

We got soooooo much done yesterday!

The day started off with a leaky toilet, which Not-So-Ex was able to fix with only a little bit of trouble. Then we finally got started on the living room. We got it all cleaned up, then up came the carpet. The wood floors underneath, much like the dining room, aren't in great shape but I'm hopeful that, once we start sanding, we can make them work. I don't look forward to all the sanding and the cleaning and the re-sanding and the painting, but I do look forward to the beautiful, sanded, finished product and newly painted walls.

And the day ended, in a very odd juxtaposition, with me, unable to sleep (no that's not the odd part) and sitting up till all hours of the night completing an interview thingy for a magazine in England. It's a funny little life I live.

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