Our First Date: Citrus Chiffon Cake

[An email sent on 16 October 2009] previous installment here.

High quality sifting by Bruce.

Yesterday I left work early to mop the kitchen floor & vacuum. I showered, put on eye-makeup, and wore a green v-neck with a jewel green cardigan and my strawberry necklace. I was barefoot. When Bruce arrived I had just finished flat-ironing my hair and I was on the phone with Strawbs. Bruce arrived with the following:

• a carton of orange juice
• 2 navel oranges
• 2 lemons
• 1 baguette
• 2 ears of corn
• 2 pints of strawberries

Bruce wore argyle socks and showed me how to prepare corn on the cob using his grandpa's method - the microwave. He had to redo the saran wrap I put on my corn because I didn't do it right ("I should have told you," he said). He glibly suggested we put cajun seasoning on the corn if we had it - which of course we did - and proceeded to eat the corn, hulled strawberries, and baguette with strawberry jam.

After dinner we baked the citrus chiffon cake (which, Bruce informed me, is pronounced 'chiFFAW'). Bruce zealously grated the zest and I sifted the wheat. There were moments of hovering on both sides that were really, really great. Just general closeness.

Finally, we put the cake in the oven and made the citrus syrup. That was especially fun because the syrup was the color of Bruce's hair. We took turns stirring it over the oven and while we prepared it Margie and Steph came home and came to visit us in the kitchen. It was so fun to have them there and there was lots of laughing and general merriment. The kitchen smelled delicious and Margie used her finger to eat the cake batter we saved her in a very small yellow bowl.

We were supposed to wait for the cake and syrup to cool entirely, but we didn't want to wait, so we decided to cool the syrup in the sink by placing it in ice water. That, my friends, is a two person job. Holding the pan steady and stirring it. And not a lot of space, but it is MOST DEFINITELY a two person job. Or, I should say, it's more fun with two people.

And then Bruce had his moment to sift the sugar on the cake. And we got out my white china plates and we all sat down to eat our cake. Steph took the first bite and simply laughed with delight. Margie started dipping her cake in milk, then pouring the syrup in her milk. Then asking shyly for another piece.

Bruce and I did the dishes together and then he took about half of the remaining cake & syrup home.

And last night I sent Bruce a series of pictures I took on my iphone (including the one I sent you), to which he responded:

Mmm... so delicious.
I think that might have been the best date I've been on all year—and it wasn't just the cake. :)

love

kt

Dow Wilson's Meddling

 [An email sent to past roommates on 14 October 2009] Previous installment here.

Dears. I had a splendid time at the camp out. It was lovely. MH was charming and the weather was fine.

I carpooled with Scott R and Bruce C and spent most of my weekend with Bruce. We went on the 10.5 mile long hike, during which Tim H delighted us all. Tim H! What a joy! I never knew. So great.

The group on the 10.5 mile hike.
Bruce is (of course) the one jumping in the background.

Saturday night at dinner, Bishop Dow Wilson (newly released*, as you know) was teasing in a rollicking fashion. He put his right arm around me and said, 'Bruce, this is a good woman.' Then he proceeded to put his left arm around Bruce and said, 'Karren, this is a good man.' Looking at Bruce, 'Bruce, have you ever taken this woman out on a date? Now that I'm released I can say whatever I want.' Bruce replied with a twinkle, 'Oh I'm planning on it.' They looked at me expectantly, and so I blushed and said, 'Well, I do love redheads...!'**

We then proceeded to the skit night and then to stargazing. At stargazing I was rather freezing and so after laying on our backs to look at Cassiopeia, et al, we all rolled onto our bellies to look at the Zodiac. I was still freezing and shivering and Bruce put his arm around me. I was surprised, but it was really, really great. It was just lovely to be at the top of this hill, in the public anonymity of the night, looking at the stars with a boy who loves rockets.

He put his arm around me during Sacrament meeting*** again (as MH and Dan C have noted since), and Monday night I received the following text:

Bruce: Hi kt! Did you make it to Arizona?
Karren: I did :) i made it in just before noon. How is it being back in the office?
Bruce: Just fine, but not as good as camping.
Bruce: So, I was thinking now that we have the official Dow Wilson stamp of approval, maybe we should plan a date.
Karren: Haha yes that was awesome! What are you thinking?
Bruce: Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs sometime this week(end)? Or we could go on a little orange chiffon cake-making adventure.
Karren: Those both sound fabulous - I vote cake baking !! (!!)

And then last night we talked after tutoring at the institute and rather awkwardly (think cute-awkward) discussed a date/time. We talked later on the phone (less awkwardly) and the date is fixed for Thursday at 6pm.

Context: Once during home teaching I made devilled eggs for my home teachers (reminder: Bruce is one of my home teachers). They were appalled that my giant cookbook has no pictures. I was appalled that they thought pictures necessary and insisted on reading the Citrus Chiffon Cake recipe to them to prove that the words would paint a better picture of the possibilities.

I love you all. All.

kt

*In Mormon vernacular, one is called to and released from callings (e.g. Bishop, sunday school teacher, organist).
**I should note here that Dow Wilson is himself famously a redhead. As is his wife. And all 7 of his children.
***Sacrament Meeting is the main worship service on Sundays during which we partake of the Sacrament (similar to communion). 


Next installment here.

The reluctant resignation

It's true, I quit. Not my job, but my temple shift.

I started working at the Oakland Temple back in 2008. I would take the San Mateo bridge to Oakland every Wednesday afternoon to work the evening shift for all of 2009 until work made it prohibitive. In 2010 I just went once a month on Spanish night. Even just going monthly, I missed seeing my fellow workers (now friends) there and so after the wedding & holidays, I decided to try going back to my weekly shift in January 2011.

I found, however, that working full time and commuting up to a full shift at the temple once a week is not a good mix for me. I am proud of myself for taking better care of what I commit to, but it is also sad to feel that I can't keep up with all of the things I used to do. We had a great lesson in our women's meeting at church a few weeks ago about comparisons - one of the women pointed out that in addition to comparing ourselves to others, comparing ourselves to what we "used to be" is also unhelpful. I find that is often a temptation for me - it is very tempting to judge myself harshly for not being able to burn the candle at both ends with no obvious consequence like I used to. Ah, the glory days...

I have loved being an ordinance worker. It was such a gift to work there after all of the stress of Prop 8. I had wanted to work at the temple for over a year and finally I had my opportunity when that assignment was over. I loved having the temple be a normal part of my life. I loved learning the ordinances intimately and I am so happy that I got to learn them in Spanish. I especially loved my shift and that they worked with me when I was very much single, then dating, then engaged, and finally a newlywed. I know they are all invested in my happiness and I am sad that I won't be seeing them regularly.

I am grateful that I had this time and I know that it is right for it to end now. I look forward to the future when I will get to work in the temple again. :)

What it means to be a daughter of God

"You cannot imagine the gifts and talents each of you has. All women have appealing features. I do not refer to model-type appeal, but rather that which comes from your personality, your attitude, and your expressions. I urge you to enhance the natural, God-given, feminine gifts with which you have been so richly blessed. None of you should be so content that you cease to care about how you look or act. In his day, President Brigham Young encouraged women to get an education. This is still good counsel, but I hasten to add: in all your getting, do not lose your sweet femininity.

"You sisters do not know the full extent of your influence. You sisters enrich all of humanity. All human life begins with you. Each woman brings her own separate, unique strengths to the family and the Church. Being a daughter of God means that if you seek it, you can find your true identity. You will know who you are. This will make you free—not free from restraints, but free from doubts, anxieties, or peer pressure. You will not need to worry, “Do I look all right?” “Do I sound OK?” “What do people think of me?” A conviction that you are a daughter of God gives you a feeling of comfort in your self-worth. It means that you can find strength in the balm of Christ. It will help you meet the heartaches and challenges with faith and serenity."

[Read the full address by James E. Faust here.]

Remember that bread I made?

Well I finally have some pictures to show you that it really was as beautiful as it tasted. :)

This was all white bread. We made an all wheat version a few weeks ago and it was even more delicious.

Here is the cake in all its glory

The cake I made for the Relief Society birthday party. Photo credit: the amazing Bruce, of course.

It turned out beautifully, but I had to make a last minute substitution as I had forgotten to buy cream for the icing. I went ahead and used the remaining buttermilk (from the cake recipe) in the ganache. It tasted fine that evening, but a few days later the buttermilk flavor was rather strong (read: sour). Alack.

While we're on the subject of cakes, Bruce and I were in Idaho & Utah this last weekend and my sister-in-law Amanda made a rather delicious "strawberry shortcake" cake. Let's just say that if I had Bruce's metabolism she would not have taken home any leftovers... Yum!


[Strawberry Shortcake Cake recipe from Pioneer Woman here.]

Also, I'm baking a cake

Tonight is my church congregation's "Birthday Party" for our women's organization the Relief Society. Pretty much we're having dinner and 10+ cakes. I am making this amazing chocolate cake from Smitten Kitchen.

[Instead of coffee, I use raspberry extract to give the chocolate a richer flavor and to go with the raspberry filling option.]

Oh boy oh boy oh boy! It's going to be great! [see the results here.]

p.s. It turns out that Bruce isn't really that into cake. However, I knew this before marrying him. He still supports me in my baking efforts however by buying me 12+ boxes of cake flour for Christmas. You see, Marriage is all about Compromise.

Today is a good day!

A few reasons why:

• I got a new shirt at costco that I am wearing today and it is pretty cute!
• I went to my new GI specialist and I don't need to have any procedures / surgeries pretty much until 2015!*
• Bruce and I are taking tomorrow off to go visit family in Utah and Idaho - I'll be meeting a bunch of family that wasn't able to come to our wedding in California. I'm only sad we will only have a few hours in Utah for the in-laws there.
• I am feeling confident about some decisions I've made to simplify my life. I am making progress on learning to say no to things.
• I like my husband. He is my BFF.

*I don't know that I have gone into it on this blog, but in 2007 2008 I was diagnosed with the very glamorous condition of ulcerative colitis (UC)--in my case it is specifically proctitis--and I had to get some routine sigmoidoscopies / colonoscopies when I was first diagnosed. It's all incredibly sexy. Lucky for me, proctitis is a very mild version of the condition and for that I am very grateful. I feel 200% better than I felt before I was diagnosed and treated. The most common symptoms I have now are some fatigue & nausea, which is nothing compared to what it could be :)