To Market

Today was our third Saturday at the Moss Street Market. It was also the first sunny day in MONTHS, and the first day that we sold out long before the market was over. Coincidence? I think not! We also had a very special order to fill today -- an Iron Maiden birthday cake for our friend Abi -- which was fun but very challenging, and it's left Cara and I both thoroughly exhausted. But before I tuck myself in for the night, here are some long overdue pictures from the past few weeks.

Cupcakes in boxes:

Cupcakes out of boxes:

Cara made us this awesome menu chalkboard sandwich board sign thingie:

A recent special order, a birthday cake for a talented writer:

And finally, a bird's eye view of today's Iron Maiden birthday cake, mind the wicked flames:

Disco says it's bedtime. Sweet, cakey dreams, everybody!

Vegetables Never Tasted So Good

White Rabbit Cakery, formerly known as the Sugar Sisters, will be at the Moss Street Market every Saturday in May (except May 17) from 10:00 am - 2:00 pm. If you live in Victoria and don't know where the Moss Street Market is, shame on you -- it's at the corner of Moss and Fairfield. Cara and I will be there peddling our fabulous (vegan) cupcakes, mini cakes, and cookies. Advance orders are welcome, and can be emailed to info@whiterabbitcakery.com.

We'd like to keep this going all summer, but we have to sell enough cakes to keep our spot. So hop on over to the market, ignore all the icky vegetable stands, and come see us for a serious sugar high.

Don't Try This At Home

Today I managed to ruin both a dinner plate and a tea towel with a single stick of unattended incense. And just as I was starting to mentally prepare myself for the fire safety lecture I was certain I would be subjected to, I stepped outside to see that James had left a bag of garbage next to the front door. That's right folks, the man forgot to take the garbage down to the dumpster and left it on our doorstep for all the world to smell. From where I sit this looks like a tie game, and I am thinking I am probably going to get away with tea towel arson without so much as a dirty look. Amen and hallelujah, and who says all the fun stops after the honeymoon?

Finger-Licking Good

Me: Are you here for the giant raccoon?

Animal Control Officer: No. I'm here for the cougar.

Me: Cougar?!?

Animal Control Officer: Yes. We've had a report of a cougar on the other side of your building.

Me: Yikes!

Animal Control Officer: I suggest you get inside.

Me: Okay.

Animal Control Officer: And take that cougar-snack of a dog with you.

What a Way to Go

8:00 am Wake up early to bake pie.

10:00 am Put pie in oven without a baking sheet underneath.

10:34 am Pie overflows.

12:30 pm Remove ruined pie and set oven to Self Clean.

2:45 pm Die from inhalation of noxious oven cleaning fumes.

2:47 pm Eaten by rabid, pie loving terrier.

Candlelit Dinner Optional

A few days ago, my husband announced that he has already picked out my birthday present and that it's a really good one. Don't be shocked and amazed by the fact that my birthday isn't until July. That James is a real catch, and he gives a good present. And since I know him to be both romantic and thoughtful (occasionally even at the same time), I immediately thought, YES!, this wonderful man is buying me a new dishwasher, one that won't spew soapy water all over the floor every third power wash cycle.

But then I thought, wait a second, James can do better than that. If this man is a true romantic, and I know that he is, then instead of a buying me a new dishwasher, he must have signed me up for appliance repair classes. Because then when my dishwasher breaks I can say to myself, sorry ma'am, can't find nothin' wrong with it, write myself a check for 500 bucks, and then mosey on down to the local Home Depot to buy myself something shiny and stainless. Teach a man to fish, right honey?

Snack Attack

I just finished a recipe for the latest issue of the Victoria Vegan. This time, instead of baking for people, I baked blueberry dog biscuits for Disco. She liked them. A lot. And it sure took a lot of them to get her to sit still for this picture.

P.S. About Portland: it was fun and it rained. The end.

P.P.S. Those dog biscuits aren't half bad!

Grouchy

The morning started out fine, except that I woke up at 5:30 and couldn't go back to sleep. Excited, I guess, about today's roadtrip. So I got up early and made coffee and got nicely caffeinated while reading the news (and by news I mean my favorite blogs). And then I packed all of my perfectly folded (to avoid wrinkles) clothes very precisely into my suitcase, a pre-trip ritual that I typically savor, a sort of obsessive-compulsive delicacy if you will. And then I did what I normally do when there are vegetables in the fridge that aren't likely to be eaten before they're past their prime: I put a huge pot of water on the stove and chucked them all in to simmer for a few hours while I got ready for work. If you're never made your own vegetable broth, you don't know what you're missing. It's so easy, so cheap, and makes use of those veggies that are on the bubble...too wilted to munch on, but still too perky to toss. So far, so good, I thought. It was shaping up to be an excellent day.

But then I couldn't fit all the dirty dishes into the dishwasher and had to HAND WASH some --horror of horrors -- which made my hands all dry and scratchy, and I think I can feel a hangnail starting to form. And then I tripped a breaker while blow drying my hair and couldn't for the life of me get the little breaker switch to stay flipped in the proper direction. And then, when I was throwing out the cooked veggies after straining off the broth, I missed the garbage can and dumped the entire pot onto my left foot, covering one of my new shoes in a mountain of sloppy vegetable mush. To their credit, the shoes cleaned up nicely, and the only reminder of the incident is the fact that one of my shoes now smells...well,vegetable infused, for lack of a better term.

Despite what you may think, I didn't come here just to gripe. I also came to ask you to pray for James today, if you do that sort of thing. Because the poor guy has to sit in a car with his grouchy, scratchy, vegetable infused wife all the way to Oregon today, and he's going to need all the help he can get. So send him patient vibes and keep him in your thoughts. Oh, and if you have thoughts to spare, I know a certain hangnail that could use a little attention...

100% Chance of Crappy

James and I are headed to Portland tomorrow for the latest installment of Since We Love Our New Car So Much, Let's See How Many Roadtrips We Can Cram Into A Single Summer. We've never been there before, but our sources -- and by sources I mean Google -- suggest that we're really going to like it. We're staying at an uber-hip hotel and have plans to visit Powell's books and the Portland vegan mini-mall (yes, it's true!), among other things. Anyway, I just logged on to check the weather forecast before I commence The Packing, and this is what we're in for:

Oh, great. Something new and different.

Meet the Sugar Sisters

I could not be happier to announce that my dear friend Cara and I are teaming up to take my -- scratch that, OUR -- cake business to a whole new level. Cara is a crazy redhead, an amazing artist, and she loves cake. In my book, those three qualities make her an excellent business partner. Oh yeah, and we have a lot of fun together. As evidence of this outrageous fun, see Exhibit A: Cara and I hanging out at the Mt. Washington pub last weekend after a long day of colliding with each other on snowboards. Nevermind the handbag-sized bottle of Fireball Whiskey, which of course was empty like that when we found it. We're good kids, honest!



Cara and I made our first cake together a few weeks ago, and by all accounts it was a great success. The cake was a birthday surprise for my triathlon buddy Bob, who was turning the big 5-5 and whose sweet wife Carolyn commissioned us to make a triathlon themed cake. Carolyn was an ideal first client because she was very open to our ideas and didn't request too many specific details. This attitude is extremely helpful when you're trying something for the first time and are bound to make last minute changes. She is also my friend, so I knew she wouldn't murder me in my sleep if the cake didn't turn out as planned. Luckily, both Bob and Carolyn were very pleased with the results and no bakers were harmed in the making of this particular cake. See it for yourself below. Oh, and in case you're wondering, it was hazelnut cake filled with chocolate-hazelnut mousse, and everything on the cake is edible and vegan. Except the orange ribbon. Which might actually be vegan, but please, don't eat ribbon.

Since Cara and I had so much fun making Bob's triathlon cake, we decided that we would try to make a real business out of our cakes. Don't worry, Mom and Dad, we're not quitting our day jobs. But we are trying to spread the word that the Sugar Sisters are the girls to call when you need a creative cake for just about any occasion. Why Sugar Sisters, you ask? Well, we tried to solicit business names from all of our friends, but Flour Power didn't quite fit us, and neither did Four Boobs and a Cake. (Thanks anyway, Frank!) So we're calling ourselves the Sugar Sisters until we think of something more clever. Or until we become so wildly popular that it would be impossible for us to change our name even if we wanted to. Like Hootie and the Blowfish, for example.

Little Baby's All Growed Up

Just as I get done convincing myself that single gray hair was actually a natural highlight and the lines forming on my forehead are just shadows caused by sub-optimal bathroom lighting, a neighbor calls to ask if James and I will be her kids' "emergency contact people." Which means that if her kids are home alone and there is, say, a natural disaster or a scary stranger lurking about or a swallowed Monopoly piece they will, in her words, "run to you for help." At first I was flattered. I thought, hey, this lady trusts me with her kids! She thinks I'm a responsible adult! That can't be bad, right? But then I thought back to my own childhood and my own emergency contact person. Three words: FRUMPY. OLD. LADY. Grownupness isn't all it's cracked up to be.

Dear dishwasher...

Next time you're feeling disgruntled, please just let me know instead of dramatically spewing soapy water all over the kitchen floor. I'm not sure if something's gotten your hoses in a kink or if you're simply having a bad day, but if this behavior continues, I will have no choice but to force you into early retirement and hire a shiny new replacement.

In other news, at the risk of jinxing myself, I'm going to go out on a limb and say that I think the long, dark, rainy winter might actually be on its way out. For the first time in months, I drove my Vespa to work today under a clear blue sky wearing only a light jacket with no puffy insulating layers underneath. Is it possible that spring really is springing?? Forget knocking on wood...I'm throwing myself on top of my particle board desk. Immediately.

Road Tripping

Last weekend, James and I and our friends Jeremy and Virginia all piled into our brand new car (yes, the Element finally arrived!!) and headed up to Mt. Washington for a fun-filled weekend of snow sports. It was our first test of what we have determined to be the best road trip car ever, and boy were we right! We stuffed the Element to the gills with snowboards, skis, snowshoes, clothes, games, snacks, beer, and more beer. And there was still plenty of room for four psuedo-adults. And when we tracked snow and mud into every corner of the car, no one batted an eye, because we knew clean-up would be as easy as rinsing our all-season floor mats and tossing them back into the E. We are most definitely in love. Swoon!!!

The weekend was beautiful -- sun, powder, all night dance party (you'll have to ask Jer about that one!) -- and it went off without a hitch, except maybe for some mysterious food poisoning that reared its ugly head after we got home on Sunday night. But no matter. It was worth it. My only regret (aside from eating questionable sushi) is that we forgot to charge our camera battery before leaving home, so I only had enough power to snap one measly photo of the whole weekend. So, without further ado, I present James driving the Element as we headed out of town and up the island to the mountain.


Jer and Vir took more pictures, and if they ever post them on Facebook (hint, hint), I will link to them so you can see just how much fun we had all weekend. Until then, you'll have to use your imagination. Oh, and if you're looking for a place to stay near Mt. Washington, we highly recommend the Forbidden Plateau B&B in Courtenay, BC. Besides preparing incredible homecooked breakfasts, the owners Kim and Lorne were wonderful hosts and made us feel more like friends in their home than paying guests. They hooked us up with snowshoes, gave us all manner of directions, and even accomodated our special dietary preferences on very short notice. And when you stay with them, make sure you ask to feed the chickens and gather the freshly laid eggs. They won't even make fun of you for being a city slicker...at least not until after you check out!

Couldn't Have Said It Better Myself

Dreams

I have always maintained that I don't like musicals. Something about the way that characters spontanously burst into song really irks me, like when I've got a hair stuck inside my shirt that is tickling me but I just CAN'T FIND IT. But last night I dreamed that I was driving our new car on the highway when I hit a patch of ice and started to spin tilt-a-whirl style down the roadway. And what was going through my head during those last few moments was not how much I would miss my dog or my regrets about missed opportunities or even a slideshow of my happiest memories, but instead the voice of Julie Andrews singing, "Just a spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go down..." And then I thought, if Mary Poppins is the soundtrack of my death, perhaps I should reconsider my stance on musicals.

While Watching the Food Network

James: Who is this Julia Child person?

Me: Um, only the most famous chef ever.

James: Oh. Never heard of him.

Somebody's Birthday

It's somebody's birthday! And somebody's wife ordered a mini strawberries and cream cake from me. Somebody hasn't picked up the cake yet, but you get a special sneak preview. Aren't you special??

I made two of these mini cakes because it's actually easier than halving my normal cake recipe. In an auspicious twist of fate, my neighbor realized this morning that she had forgotten her mother's birthday today, but her mom will be none the wiser when presented with the extra cake! Don't you just love happy coincidences?

Snuggly Things

Last night was girls' craft night at our house, and what a fun project we picked! Using a coat hanger and some thrift store wool sweaters (which we felted in the washing machine, producing gargantuan fuzz balls, I might add), we made recycled sweater holiday wreaths. Though James initially volunteered to help us cut up the sweaters into neat little squares, it only took a couple of beers before he got bored and complained that his delicate hands were sore from all the hard work. So the girls muscled up and finished the job. Isn't that always the way??

The most impressive part of this project is that, though we were tempted, we entirely avoided the use of the hot glue gun and instead SEWED the holly leaves and hanger covers from sweater scraps and buttons. Sewed by hand. Threaded needles, even. We are awesome, it's true. Here is a picture of my wreath hanging on our red front door. Tres cute, no?

In other news, we're not sure if it's the suddenly cold weather or a natural winter nesting instinct, but Disco's snuggling habits have reached a new all-time high. What was once merely gratuitous nuzzling has now become downright shamless cuddle demanding. Like, for example, when James was lounging on the sofa and Disco decided that, if he wouldn't snuggle her, by god, she was going to snuggle him.

Who needs a toque when you've got a furry creature on your head?? Like I said, shameless.

Holding Strong

How long has it been since you last watched television? James and I are on day three of a self-imposed TV-Free Week, and though James admits to jonesing for an episode of Heroes, we are holding strong. Our reason for ditching the tube, if only temporarily? Well, it had become ubiquitous, ever-present, sometimes switched on only for white noise or as a light source, and often over-used as a tool for winding down after a hard day at work. I've gotta say that, if you're able to use it in moderation, the tube is certainly not the most insidious of vices. But for us it had become like hideous floral wallpaper that we couldn't even see anymore because our eyes had grown so weary from the constant visual assault. We had to turn it off. We had to take a break. And what we've realized is that, with the box unplugged, it's no longer possible to make it through an entire day saying ten or fewer words to one another. We interact. We talk. And what do you know -- we like it!

What Better Motivation then a Marathon?

Ironman has come and gone and the past 3 months have been filled with TV, potato chips and some world class weight gain (almost 30 pounds to be exact!). As big as a life accomplishment that Ironman was it left a really bitter taste in my mouth. As the day got closer I resented the training more and more. I hated the weekends I had to spend on the bike rather then the beach, I hated the constant pain that injury brought and I hated that I was beginning to hate exercise all together. Looking back in our blog we both seemed to be so sick of everything triathlon related we didn't even make a post about finishing Ironman. We both finished with a smile on our faces if you are wondering.

After Ironman I made some attempts to get back into the swing of things but I was just kidding myself. Every time that I thought about exercise I couldn't help but have a flood of negative thoughts come pouring into my mind. So I continued to sit there on the couch in front of the TV letting my waist line get bigger and bigger. I decided that what I need is to ditch the negative emotions that exercise stir up and bring back that amazing feeling of runners high into my life. I need to make working out fun again.

Running was always my favorite. There is something magical about the simplicity of it all. All you need is a pair of shoes and the will to get out the door. So I have decided that 2008 will be a year of running for me. I don't particularly like swimming so I'm just not going to do it for a while. I enjoy biking but every time I think about getting on the bike I'm reminded of the long terrible 8 hour rides of last summer. Next summer I'm going to focus on what I love to do and just leave out the bad stuff. I'll swim when it sounds like fun and not because I have a race looming and I'll get in a long ride when the sun is shining and I can take my time. I need this to be fun again because I don't like where this path on the couch is taking me.

So knowing that running is where I want to focus my time and needing a little extra push to get out the door I've decided to sign up for the Vancouver Marathon on May 4th. I'm actually quite excited. I'm ditching all the time goals for now and I'm just going to run and have a fun race. If all goes well I might get a little more serious and train for the Victoria Marathon in October, but really I have lots of time to figure that out. For now it's time to reverse the weight gain, get my shoes back on my feet and get my ass out the door!