Move over Martha

The last few days I have had a creative urge in the kitchen, I wish I could say the same thing about a story I'm working on. In that aspect, I have mental constipation, otherwise known as "writer's block." I'm so close to finishing the darn story I can smell it, and it's driving me nuts. Anyway, I digress.

I never really told you all what I wrapped John's brownies in, did I? It was a white plastic diaper wipe box. I washed it out twice, then dried and disinfected it. I left the labels on, and lined the inside of the box with wax paper. I gently stacked the brownies inside the box. Needless to say, I was very pleased with myself; it looked like a normal box of wipes. The next morning, I handed the box to John and said. "When you get older, you revert back to a second childhood. Here's something to get you started."

"Very cute," John said, smirking and throwing the box on the bed. "You can use them on the baby."

It was all I could do to keep from exploding with laughter. "You better look inside. You might want to take that last comment back."

John yawned and reached for the box. The expression on his face was priceless; his face lit up when he saw the brownies.

My creative spurt continued yesterday when I decided, out of the blue to make homemade pasta. Why not? I reasoned. I make the pasta sauces homemade. I have the pasta machine--crank style--but there's still A LOT of things you have to do before the dough is ready to go in the machine. The prep work to the dough is exhausting, and my muscles in my arms are sore today.

I was excited with the final result; two wooden dowels were filled with pasta. The pasta has to dry several hours, that's why it's draped over dowels or pasta drying racks. Tired but happy, I called my mom on the phone to gloat over my success. "That's nice, but I'd rather buy mine already made," she quipped.

Party pooper, I pouted. At the beginning of the week, I thought I might be able to give Martha Stewart a run for her money; but since the pasta making, I have a whole new respect for her.