The Domestic Scientist

Any of you guys readers of Dot Dabbled? You may have noticed that your RSS feeds and bookmarks may not work anymore since she’s been brought over to the light (a.k.a. Wordpress). So update your feeds and links! She’s now at http://dabbled.org/.

And if you haven’t checked out Dot Dabbled, I highly recommend it. Lots of geeky crafts and lots and lots of cute robot illustrations. What’s not to love?

• RT @MorningToastTaco Bell drive-thru folk song? Taco Bell cashier schooled them. Funny. http://bit.ly/4xY6h (from @dontheideaguy) #
• Back from the pediatrician. Hearing tests scheduled for our non-talkative two year old. I think he can hear fine, he’s just being stubborn. #
• There is at least one mosquito loose in the house and it is picking on me! Ankle, finger, and elbow. Who bites an elbow? Itchy itchy itchy. #
• RT odin1eye Listened to Gearheart 14… @ALRUFF and @Obajoo your voice skills amaze. Production is A+. Writing is superb. FTW!! #
• Just had to toot my horn there for a bit. Okay, I’ll put the ego away now. #
• RT @thesurfingpizza Transformers 2 possibly the worst movie ever AND racist. Read Ebert’s review, its hilarious http://bit.ly/r0Rdf #
• Sorry vegetarians, but this was too funny not to retweet RT @wilw SFW picture: http://is.gd/1axvl *giggle* *snort* #
• Drank a Mt. Dew. Haven’t had one in years. I’m strange and don’t like sweet drinks but I had a craving for one. I feel dizzy and weird. Ugh #
• I seem to know a lot of librarians. RT @Betani Why you should fall to your knees and worship a librarian http://g2th.com/?p=67f32x #
• Heh, I just “stumbled upon” my own web page. I guess Stumble really does know what I like *thumbs up* #
• You lucky Brits! I wish I could fly over there just for this. RT @craft Banksy vs. Bristol City Museum: http://bit.ly/15t4PG #
• I just took the “What Muppet Are You?” quiz and got: Gonzo the Great! Try it: http://bit.ly/t1Zvf #
• The kid BIT a hole in the $80 ball pit I bought him for his birthday. HE BIT IT! The little freak! #
• Heh heh: Buffy takes on Edward: http://bit.ly/yfyKh #
• My kiddle is being insufferable today. I think we’re gonna go on a walk until he’s exhausted so he’ll take a real nap. Oye. #

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Episode 14 is up of The Gearheart. The book has REALLY started to pick up. All the comments were getting so far are along the lines of “OH MY GOD!” and “AWESOME!” You should totally check it out.

Since the move, I haven’t had a lot of time to really get in the kitchen and show off. I figured yesterday being Father’s Day, I should pull out all the stops for my darling hubby since he is the world’s best Dad. I asked him if he could have any meal on the planet, what would he want for Father’s Day. I think he thought I was joking because he said “a steak with crab sauce, shrimp scampi, asparagus, and cheesy garlic potatoes.” When I replied with “Okie dokie!” his eyes nearly popped out of his head.

I have to say, this was one of the most challenging meals I’ve ever done. Trying to get the scampi and bernaise sauce done at the same time, all the while trying to not over cook the steak and asparagus. Oye! This is why chef’s have sous chefs. But I got it all done, and with the potatoes only being a little cold. And I have to say, it turned out fabulous. A meal like this would have cost $50 in a restaurant for the two of us (if not more) but I did it all for under $20. More like $30 if you count the wine I bought with it.

The recipe I used for the scampi was wonderful. If you’re interested, check it out here. The crab sauce is a bernaise sauce with a twist. I had to make my own recipe for this one! If you wanna get fancy in the kitchen, try this out and impress your friends.

Crab Bernaise Sauce

3 TBS minced sweet onion
1 TBS white wine vinegar
1/2 tsp dried tarragon
4 TBS butter
1/2 cup heavy cream
2 egg yolks, lightly beaten
1 cup lump crab meat, cooked
a dash of lemon juice

Combine onion, vinegar, and tarragon in a sauce pan over medium heat. Simmer, stirring often until the liquid has evaporated. Add butter and sautée until the onions are translucent. Pour in the heavy cream, stirring constantly, and bring it to a boil. Now you’ll need to temper the egg yolks with the hot mixture. Slowly add bits of the hot mixture to the egg yolks, whisking briskly. Once the eggs are tempered, add them into the sauce pan and cook the sauce until it thickens. You can add more cream here if you want a creamier sauce. Then add in the crab meat and lemon juice, stir it all around, and serve on top of a nice juicy steak. Then take a bow because everyone will be singing your praises.

• Break it down, Vader! RT @cakewrecks The best part of the entire Star Wars weekend: http://tinyurl.com/mogtmy #
• Kid is down for a nap, hubby is practically unconscious from that virus, cat is asleep, dog is snoring. Should I join them or be productive? #
• the dude(tte) abides. ZZZzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz #
• Okay now, I’ve unpacked practically ALL of my boxes. Why can’t I find my entire collection of knitting and crochet needles?!?!? #
• Ha! Found my knitting needles! In a box of office supplies OF COURSE! O_o #
• Just braved our attic for the first time. Even though it’s clean and well lit, it’s still creepy as hell. For a skeptic, I sure am jumpy…. #
• RT @jimmwagner Some great 2d style animation http://bit.ly/sU3qd from the students at Gobelins an animation school in Paris #
• I am craving tacos like it is nobody’s business. Damn my lack of a car! #
• Finished @ALRUFF’s Father’s Day Present. My execution was shoddy. I hope he still likes it anyway. It’s the thought that counts, right? #
• And maybe the steak and shrimp dinner I’m making him will make up for it #

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One of the selling points of our new house, was it’s completed attic. There is a floor up there so it can be used for storage, which is awesome for a pack rat like myself. After letting the boxes accumulate in the garage to the point where we can’t even park the car in there, I decided I should finally start putting stuff away. The problem is, attics creep the hell outta me. I keep telling myself that I’m being illogical, and there is no reason to be freaked out. It’s just a hot, cramped space for storage, that also happens to be dark and mysterious and potentially filled with creepy crawlies, imaginary and not-so-imaginary. The following is a run-down of the conversation I have with myself every time I have to go up the stairs:

Logical Me: Alrighty then, let’s get these Christmas decorations up in there. … Huh? Why is my heart starting to race? *Sigh* I know why. Wimpy Me, are you there?
Wimpy Me: You’re not really gonna go up there are you?
Logical Me: Of course I am, it’s just the attic.
Wimpy Me: Haven’t you seen the Grudge?!?
Logical Me: You’re being ridiculous. You don’t even believe in ghosts.
Wimpy Me: That’s just because I’ve never met one. And the Ghosthunters say that ghosts like to hide in areas that don’t have a lot of human activity, i.e. ATTICS!
Logical Me: Why do you even watch that show?
Wimpy Me: I like to debunk things? And Steve an Tango are amusing.
Logical Me: Uh huh, sure. Well, then look at this as a ghost hunt! We can go up there and catch ourselves a Casper.
Wimpy Me: Just because I said I had never met a ghost doesn’t mean I want to meet one!
Logical Me: Get your ass up those stairs!
Wimpy Me: *yelp!* Why isn’t there a way to turn on the light BEFORE sticking your head up into the inky blackness?
Logical Me: Turn on the light before the grudge chick has a chance to sneak up on ya.
Wimpy Me: You’re not helping!
Logical Me: *snicker* Now look. See? There’s nothing up here. Nowhere for anything to hide, even.
Wimpy Me: Oh, yeah? What about over there? I think I see something ducking down back there….
Logical Me: That’s like a two foot square space. Maybe a tiny squirrel ghost is hiding in there, protecting his ghostly nuts.
Wimpy Me: *shudder* Or a kid ghost. There is nothing creepier than a kid ghost. That creepy-ass giggle….
Logical Me: If it didn’t involve harming myself as well, I’d throw you down the stairs. Now go get another box.

All I’ve managed to do is toss a few boxes up through the opening. I think I may just wait until Alex gets home so he can just sit up there and keep me company. And if he makes fun of me half as much as I deserve to be made fun of, it will probably be embarrassing enough to make me finish the job.

I haven’t been cross-posting stuff here, but I figured I should post SOMETHING to prove I’m just just lying around the house all day.

Episode 13 of The Gearheart is up! I had a bigger hand in this episode seeing as Alex is sick as a dog.

Note: For anyone that is unfamiliar with The Gearheart, it is a weekly audiobook/podcast Alex and I do. He wrote it and I just help with the voices (and occasionally editing and joke writing) but we do it every week. It’s a ton of fun, so if you’re looking for more fodder for your iPod, go download it for a really unique story.

• Wondering what type of new look to go for for the blog. Vector-riffic, hand drawn, or even some embroidery craziness. Feeling overwhelmed. #
• Garbage disposal just died while I was trying to dispose of tuna salad. Wonder how fast we can fix it before my house smells like dead fish? #
• On the agenda today: Bake biscuits, energy bars, muffins, and cookies. Wonder if I can get it all done…. #
• Anyone have any updates on @BarneysAngels ? I hope she’s okay. #
• Done with the energy bars and cookies (although I burnt most of the cookies) Taking a break and then on to the muffins and biscuits! #
• So tired… must bake more cookies… #
• Aw, screw it. It think the boys can survive Bonaroo without peanut butter cookies. I’m going to bed! #
• We had two flowers blooming by the mailbox and someone TOOK them! Looks like the stems were cut with scissors. How rude. #
• Listening to @caveradio Man I missed these guys the last couple of weeks. #
• Of course, when Alex goes on a man-vacation for 4 days, I am getting sick. Sore throat, coughing, and my nose has turned into a faucet. Ick. #
• Uuuugggg. I feel like I’ve been hit by a fleet of trucks. Of course I get the flu when Alex is out of town. TV babysitter today….. #
• Carpet Invaders! http://www.vvork.com/?p=965 #
• This flu or whatever has gone from level 2 to like level 9. I can’t even think straight and have a fever. MIL is taking me to the doctor. #
• Is it even POSSIBLE to catch up on two missed days of Twitter? What’d I miss? #

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• For your amusement (or WTF moment): There’s a frightened carrot in my bathroom! http://www.flickr.com/photos/obajoo/3587875880/ #
• You know it’s time to go grocery shopping when you end up eating the same thing for lunch as your toddler. #
• Although, I have to say\, these dinosaur shaped chicken nuggets are quite tasty. #
• I haven’t gotten a single e-mail today. Not even spam! That is beyond weird. Are my internets broken??? #
• Of course the day we plan on visiting friends, the kid refuses to take a nap AND is teething. Apologies to @Sargent and fam ahead of time! #
• I want to make TONS of these guys! http://g2th.com/?p=6f36bk I love that Octopus added the fluff on top. #
• Jasper Fforde isn’t letting me get anything done today. It’s like his books have glue on the covers because I can’t put them down! #
• By the way, #ff @jasperfforde @trickjarrett @Sargent @ALRUFF @morningtoast and @DragonConTV #
• The munchkin is refusing to take a nap AGAIN. Wondering what I should do since the “cry it out” method isn’t working. #
• Screaming Rabid stitch a la Edward Munch: http://bit.ly/iVIbg
  via feelingstitchy.com #
• I’m so tempted to make this my Twitter background: http://www.5qm.de/popup.html?t654 #
• Just got back from a get-together with @Sargent and @mistyg. Had a BLAST! And I finally got to meet @gamingwithbaby You should all envy me. #

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Okay, it’s official, I’ve broken the front page. I can’t for the life of me figure out why all the side stuff (like tags and log in bar) are at the bottom of the page. Argh!

I’ve been meaning to change the layout of this thing anyway. Maybe I’ll just do it all over again….

*EDIT* Chris fixed it! All hail Chris!