A Little Celebration

So...I'm 24 years old now.
Unless you ask Andy, who greeted me that morning with a groggy "Hey...you're a quarter of a century old..." (blame it on the fever he'd been fighting for the past few days :)
I was also greeted by this chilly sight - a skiff of snow on the 24th of March. But nevermind that! I was on my way to have my new favorite breakfast at the best place for such things - the Breakfast Club on Main Street, Moscow.It was pleasant, sharing stuffed biscuits and gravy with 2 close friends from school before we all headed to our 9:30 classes. After that, I had no more class and didn't really feel like doing homework. What I really wanted, was to go home and prune all the fruit trees but the weather just would not cooperate with that idea!
So, instead, I wandered to Beth's apartment and had a great leftovers smorgasbord for lunch and caught up on stories. She ran off for class and Andy called to say he wasn't feeling well and wanted to go home early. No problem there!
Once home, he went right to bed and I decided a nap sounded good too! I woke up at 5, to a pounding hail storm, and got up to check email and wait for him to wake up enough to have some dinner.
Just knowing what was awaiting me for dinner, had my mouth watering! Andy had ordered some take-out Thai food and we broke out the china to enjoy a fancy little dinner of orange chicken, fried rice, pad thai, and a spring roll....yummmmmm
Dinner was followed by a relaxing feel-good movie, assembling a gift from Andy...
...and sharing the cutest little birthday cake I have ever seen!!Now all is said and done, and I'm onto another exciting year with a new kitchen island (perfect for storing my baking supplies and rolling out my pastries), a deep stir-fry pan, a new cookbook, a beautiful hand-crafted necklace, sketchbooks and drawing supplies for London, a camera case and filters to try out on the camera, numerous cards, and countless emails and facebook messages. Thank you for thinking of me! You are all wonderful!!

and Janet...thank you for graciously sharing your day with me for the past 24 years.
I absolutely love having a birthday buddy! :)

Highlights of the Final Spring Break

As I sit once again at my desk in the office looking out at the rain/snow and contemplating deadlines, I can't keep my brain from wandering back over the wonderful spring break week that is now sadly ending. For eighteen years, I have looked forward to this week in March when the promise of springtime is in the air, homework can be procrastinated, and (in recent years) travel and adventures happen. To this day, the trip Andy and I remember most fondly is our spring break week in the red rock country of southern Utah. Before moving to Moscow, my birthday always landed during the spring break week (a very happy birthday by my standards) and quite often it was the week of pruning fruit trees and earning the first sunburn of the year.
This year, Andy and my nearby sisters weren't able to get vacation time from work, so I was flying solo for my last spring break and was determined not to spend it watching the rain and snow from my desk chair.
Susan and Margaret came to the rescue with a scheme to get me to Portland and back without me making the long drive alone. (Keep in mind that I am a pedestrian by nature and merely married into car ownership and commuting. Driving is just one of those necessary evils in my book). Anyhow, Suzie drove over on Saturday and spent the evening and night and Sunday morning with Marie and Beth while Andy and I went to Clarkston for a wedding and time with old friends.
Then, Suzie and I hit the road to Portland for a week of my kind of R&R: some minor sleeping in, trying new and very good food, celebrating St. Patty's day in style, watching some educational TV, furnishing the new house, playing with the puppy, working on home improvement projects, enjoying some time outdoors, and of course the quality sister time :)
The weather was such that dinner one night was made on the grill and we ate it out on the deck! A little chilly, but very pleasant and exciting anyway.We got to play in the dirt and plant a few things in the garden!We completed a little construction project in the garage to avoid the intermittent rain, and had it all insulated, shingled, painted, and installed by the end of day 2!And, I got to be entertained by this adorable pup and even teach her a new trick!
On Friday afternoon, Margaret and Greg stopped by to pick me up on their way to Idaho to spend the weekend with us. Imagine my shock at the size of their Golden, Rusty, after spending 5 days with little Jersey!
It was supposed to rain all weekend, but we lucked out and the clouds held onto it until we were finishing dinner Saturday night. It was a beautiful day for some outdoor shopping and yardwork.
The winter's snow had buried our raspberries and did a number on the bracing system we had going on. The plants sprang back amazingly, but the coated wire was sagging hopelessly and the rotting end posts weren't helping.
Andy had some foresight and had picked up some treated 4x4's and other lumber to replace the rotting ones and we had a project on our hands! Margaret helped to bury the posts...
...and Greg helped to string the new wire. This job gets a thumbs up!
We worked up an appetite that was very satisfied by the delicious meal Margaret cooked up for us, and then we passed the rainy evening playing the game, Carcasson. We sent it to them for Christmas, and they brought it over to play with us - pretty intense at times, and very fun!
The evening ended with fruit pizza and a game of pool. Yes, the guys won, but not easily!

Margaret and Greg headed home this morning, Andy went straight to the shop to continue welding the truck frame so he can reassemble and get ready for the time-consuming finish work, and I settled in to catch up on laundry and such.
It wasn't long before the phone rang...
It was Don and he was in town and wanted to come out and see us! We got to catch up a little and it prolonged my "vacation" from the desk and computer just a little longer.

All-in-all, I'd say it was a good week, and now it's time to put the nose back to the grindstone. Have you noticed how fast that countdown is going?!?!

G-G-G-G-Good Morning!

We were dragging this morning - having some trouble wanting to get out of bed - when we heard what sounded like a jackhammer or a semi using it's jake brakes...only it was right outside!

We heard the sound in little spurts and Andy realized that he'd heard it before while working in the shop. And, it had been a woodpecker trying to make a hole in the metal siding of the shop!
So, I got out of bed and started peeking out the windows, trying to see if we had a friend working away at the siding on our house, or the gutters or something.
I didn't see anything and it continued, so I decided to open the back door and see if the noise would scare it away.
Sure enough! What looked like a Downy woodpecker came from somewhere on top of the roof and flew off across the backyard to the neighbor's fruit trees.
Good riddance!

[compliments of: www.dcwild.com]

The In-Depth Progress Post

As promised, here it is. The steps up to the starting of the Dodge! Andy's been busy, as you will see. He didn't think he'd done that much, but let me tell you - I had trouble narrowing it all down to the following (click on the pics to see them better)....






After we left off, with the bed fabrication, it was time to do the rear suspension. Andy made top and bottom backets to hold the springs and I figured out placement of the shocks which run right up through the middle of the springs.
It's all together now, bed and all and the ride height looks great!








Next up - the beginning of the enduring exhaust job. It started with that pile of parts on the shop floor and is still going as you read.
However, a big part of it is done - the headers.
First, Andy mounted the exhaust flange (which he designed) to the block. Then he positioned the "megaphone" part to the desired alignment and began to cut holes in it for the other tubes - each of which had to be shaped to fit into the square hole in the exhaust flange. It took some practice and time, but he did a fine job and the setup looks (and sounds) awesome!













Then, creating a place to sit sounded like a good plan. So, Andy built a frame for the brilliantly red boat seats and positioned them in a comfortable semi-reclined way. They're actually pretty comfortable!










Brakes! Very important to have right?
And...quite the process to install, it turns out!
First, Andy figured out how to mount the master cylinder within the dash.
That took all kinds of thinking and time! It's installed now, along with the pedal, and may look uber-complex, but could save lives! :)
After that feat, the next task was to install the brake line to each of the four wheels/brakes. And, this wasn't easy either. Andy borrowed a tool from Marc and spent numerous hours shaping the brakeline and then attaching it along the frame and axles.






As the fire-up date approached, it was getting important to install a way to cool the engine. Andy ordered a radiator from the Radiator Barn. Getting it on time proved to be a fiasco! He needed to get it for the long MLK weekend in order to have time to install it before leaving for work training. The company said, no problem. Fed-Ex said - You weren't home. We'll try again on Tuesday!
Some urgent phone calls, a note to the Saturday driver in Lewiston, and a trip into town to pick it up and it was here.
How cleanly to attach it to the frame, was the question. Should it be a visible bracket? Or a hidden attachment? After some diliberation, Andy decided on hidden. He drilled holes in the frame and welded in some nuts. That way, he could bolt the radiator brackets into the frame invisibly. Brilliant.
Then, just this Saturday, we had some Valentine's Day togetherness time in the shop and tackled the grille. Andy had already sectioned it and figured out what angle to mount it at. However, we needed to figure out the grill insert, which hadn't been shortened yet. And...it couldn't just be shortened because the bottom peak had been mangled and then oddly patched by its previous owner.
The grille shell is mounted in two pieces, looking like it cuts thru the axle. I created a template to fit inside top portion and traced it onto the grill. Then, Andy cut it off and we put it all together. The bottom picture shows how we left it.

However....Andy's been working on it more, so we'll be having another post like this soon!

It's Alive

Just a quick video to show one of the major milestones for the Dodge. On Saturday, the beast roared for the first time. Here is a video to prove it. A more in-depth post on the progress to come soon! (Don't forget to turn up your speakers really loud! ;)

Baking Update

I just wanted you to know that since my last post that mentioned baking (think monster loaf of bread), I've actually had a few successes! And, since I've been in quite the baking mood as of late, I figured this was a good time to share.

So, pictured above is my Saturday morning creation - while waiting for Andy's flight to come in. It is known as Raspberry Cream Cheese Coffee Cake...and I've been told that it's delicious! :)
If it sounds good to you, go ahead and try it:
Ingredients
2-1/4 c. flour
3/4 c. sugar
3/4 c. butter/margarine
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 sour cream (I use yogurt instead)
1 egg, beaten
1-1/2 tsp. almond extract
Filling

1 pkg (8oz) cream cheese, softened

1/2 sugar
1 egg
1/2 c. raspberry jam
1/2 c. silvered almonds

In a large mixing bowl, combine flour and sugar. Cut in butter as for pastry. Remove 1 cup and set aside. To the remaining crumbs, add baking powder, baking soda, salt, sour cream, egg and almond extract; mix well.
Spread in the bottom and up the sides of a 9 in. spring form pan (i just use a round cake pan).
For the filling, beat cream cheese, sugar, and egg in a small bowl; mix well. Pour over batter; spoon raspberry jam on top. Sprinkle with almonds and reserved crumbs. Bake at 350° for 55-60 minutes. Let stand 15 minutes before removing sides from pan. Yield: 9-12 servings.
*My opinion: tastes best after chilling overnight.

Another surprising success - French Bread! I didn't have a camera handy, but I do have the recipe (thanks Janet!)

Janet's French Bread
2 pkg. (or 2 tablespoons) dry yeast
1/2 cup warm water
2 cups hot water
3 tablespoons sugar
5 tablespoons cooking oil or shortening
6 cups flour (unsifted)
1 tablespoon salt

Dissolve yeast in warm water. Combine hot water, sugar, shortening or oil, salt, and half the flour. Add yeast. Beat well. Stir in remaining ingredients. Mix until stirred. Leave spoon in batter and let rest for 10 minutes. Repeat 5 times and turn onto floured surface. Divide into two loaves. Roll each into a 7x12 inch rectangle and then roll as a jelly roll beginning with long edge. Place on greased cookie sheet with seam side down. Slash 3 times with sharp knife. Brush with egg if desired. Let rise under damp towel for 30 minutes. Bake at 400 degrees for 35 minutes.

Last night's baking spree had a sweet result! Peanut Butter Heath Bits Cookies....yes I stole the recipe off the Heath English Toffee Bits bag...and it was worth it. :) I won't type it here, since you'll have to go get the bag of bits to even make them and the recipe will be right there handy for ya.

And...my favorite of all favorites to make...pie. Especially a brand-new kind of pie!
The way this one came about was...we went to his Aunt Barb's for Christmas dinner and they had an Apple-Cranberry pie there. The combination sounded strange, but it was really good! So, as we're eating it, Andy says to me "Hey, do you think you could do something like this except with raspberries?" Sure, why not, right? But....I'm a conformist, law-abider, and recipe-follower, so instead of just making it up, I Googled it. And, lo and behold Martha Stewart has tried such a thing!!
I made two pies, one for us and one for the neighbors. The neighbors called it "absolutely perfect" and Andy declared that it's probably his new favorite! Give it up for Martha Stewart!

Hope and Fear

On my way to class this morning, I walked into the Commons - the hub of the University - and was met with an incredible sight. The most bustling place on the entire campus was...frozen! And there, on a huge projector screen, was our newest President of the United States. Larger than life.
He had just started his inaugural address..."On this day, we gather because we have chosen hope over fear, unity of purpose over conflict and discord..." I, too, stopped in my tracks to listen.
And, as I listened, I looked around. It was almost time for a typical morning class to begin and students were pouring in the doors on 2 levels of this building, and then their steps slowed and they stopped to witness the beginning of a new presidency. Even the stairways were occupied by students who had halted mid-step to hear from the man who will lead us for the next 4 years.

The next 4 years for a college student often means huge transitions in life and dependency on a strong economy and availability of jobs. Now is a scary time to be graduating...and I could almost feel the mix of fear and hope in that space! But, Obama continued on with some motivation for us all: "Starting today, we must pick ourselves up, dust ourselves off, and begin again the work of remaking America. For everywhere we look, there is work to be done." And, who better to do it than the hundreds of us watching him, eager to be a part of all facets of this nation's workforce?

Applause erupted at these words: "We will harness the sun and the winds and the soil to fuel our cars and run our factories. And we will transform our schools and colleges and universities to meet the demands of a new age. All this we can do. And all this we will do." This smallish town of Moscow is so passionate about caring for the environment and living responsibly, and sustainable living is such a focus of our education nowadays, so to hear that kind of support was very encouraging! Also, with all the recent budget crises and 'consolidating' of programs and resources, it is nice to hear that the schools might not be forgotten...

Our new President also managed to instill some patriotism in the crowd as he said, "For as much as government can do and must do, it is ultimately the faith and determination of the American people upon which this nation relies. It is the kindness to take in a stranger when the levees break, the selflessness of workers who would rather cut their hours than see a friend lose their job which see us through our darkest hours. It is the firefighter's courage to storm a stairway filled with smoke, but also a parent's willingness to nurture a child, that finally decides our fate."

So we stood there with some fear of what we may face in our futures, but also filled with a hope that, with our help, positive changes will come about and the dreams we came to school to fulfill can still happen. It will take time, as change often does, but I came away with a sense that we will emerge from our current challenges stronger and more determined to make a difference in the world.