Vacation with My Mother

When planning this trip to Austria and Italy, my mother said she wanted to visit an alpine area while she still had the ability to walk around and enjoy it. I should have surmised from that statement that age is creeping up on my parents, but instead we divided the planning; she took Italy and I took Austria. My parents are just my parents - I don't think of them as senior citizens as did the lady at the entrance to Castello Principesco who asked my mother if she qualified for a discount (she did!). Subconsciously, I must have noted the change as I booked all the hotels and made all the reservations and emailed my mother a list of places to see in Merano, Italy. I guess I just thought she was too busy to put all of the information together, even though in the past she has been the planner of all vacations with my father and with her friends.

At some point, I began to recognize that even when I offered to share the load, my mother was more content to allow me to handle the driving, map planning, and daily choices. I was the one asking her if she was tired, or if she needed a break. On the day we hiked, she thought to offer to carry the pack once, but seeing her struggle to lift the half-filled navy backpack, I took it and settled it easily on my back. I listened with concern as her face reddened with exertion and her breath came quickly as we walked uphill. Somewhere -maybe before or maybe during this trip -the roles had changed. A step out of our daily routines allowed me to see it. No words of celebration needed to mark this transition.

Castello Principesco (or Landesfürstliche Burg) is located in the center of Merano, Italy. The castle was completely rebuilt around 1470 and Tyrolean rulers used the castle as their residence when staying in Merano.

And how did they use this door?

Much more inviting.

Castello Principesco is a somber, rustic fortress which looks exactly as it would have 500 years ago. It was here that Ferdinand I of Austria brought his court here to wait out an epidemic raging in Austria.


Enough of the dark and damp, let's explore the streets of Merano.

The Daily Grind

But what a view!

Look Up!

Walking (and Shopping!) Streets

***All information on Castello Principesco was from http://www.initaly.com/regions/taa/merano.htm or was from information at the Castle.

Exhausted, Exhilarated, and Home!

Ooops!

In the rush to prepare and pack I forgot to post my Daring Baker project for September. I completed this month's project at the beginning of the month and have made it again, but forgot to post. Sorry D.B!

So this month's challenge for Daring Baker - Lavash Crackers & Toppings by Shelly Fish at http://shellyfish.wordpress.com/

I have to say that when I read the recipe I was a bit disappointed because I wanted an excuse to eat some sugar ladden dessert, and here is a recipe for Vegan Crackers and a choice of Vegan Dips. However, I was ever so WRONG! These crackers are tasty and hold a variety of dips well.

The first time I made them for an easy Friday dinner with homemade salsa, a Tuscan bean dip, and a non-vegan artichoke dip for hubby and the kids. I did top the crackers but forgot to roll the toppings in to the dough so most of the toppings fell off. Even so, this was a hit for dinner. They kids and hubby love the salsa and the artichoke dip; the Tuscan bean dip was a little too much for them but I liked it and actually used the left overs as a base with carrots, onions and celery in a chicken and veggie phyllo dough recipe which everyone loved (I just forgot to tell them they were eating the same bean dip they turned their nose up at only a day before heeheehee). The left over crackers the kids ate plain.

For the recipe for the crackers, click over the Shelly Fish above. This is a very doable recipe, just roll out the dough very thin and don't forget to roll over the dough once the toppings are sprinkled on. The Tuscan bean dip I found on the internet, just click above and it will take you over to it. The salsa and artichoke dip are recipes that I have found in different forms and I have just added and played with them until they fit my family's taste buds. I don't have exact measurements, but if you really want the recipe leave a comment and I'll send you my best estimate.

I can say that I will use this recipe again - most likely for Thanksgiving to set out with my MIL's cheese ball. Thanks to those DB for another great recipe!

Lavash cracker with salsa.

Tuscan Bean Dip.

Too Good to Be True

Air One Airline has cancelled the flight home from Milan and just called TODAY about it. I am currently on hold with the airline who can't understand why I will not agree to a flight through Chicago and arrive in Boston at 8:30 PM, when I have connection back to Florida at 5:00 PM. One person hung up on me when I asked to speak with her supervisor and another has given me a wrong number. Thankfully Google language translation has given me some basic phrases so I have been able to reach an English speaking operator. Please let there be an earlier flight available . . . Insert some hysterical breathing and cuss words.

UPDATE: GAVE UP ON CUSTOMER SERVICE IN ENGLISH AND CALLED ITALY. THANK YOU TO LOVELY WOMAN IN ITALY FROM AIR ONE WHO NOT ONLY SPOKE ENGLISH WHEN I ASKED SI PARLA INGLESE, BUT ALSO FOUND A FLIGHT THAT PUTS ME INTO BOSTON EARLY ENOUGH TO MAKE MY CONNECTION HOME. GRAZIE, GRAZIE, GRAZIE!

Nothing New Here

• It is still over 90°F/32°C here. The backyard is slowly burning up and my herbs are a bit crisp around the edges.
• Speaking of the herbs, my rosemary is still being eaten by some unknown animal that devours all but the center stem.
• Both kids are doing fine in school.
• Met with kid's teachers and found out that the school has decided to "dumb down" the preschool curriculum. Only teaching upper case letter with no sounds and only using numbers 1-10? Insert eye roll and cussing under the breath here.
• Have found materials to teach son his letter sounds and numbers beyond ten at home.
• Still sending out job applications to leave uneducated, temperature challenged state, but economy is working against us here.
• Still finding my way to the gym most days.
• Still studying for chemistry class and still not fond of significant digits.
• Ten days to Italy/Austria trip.
• Ten days to make and freeze dinners, clean house, do all laundry, make schedule for husband to follow so he remembers to pick up kids from school, learn German and Italian, pack, find new bathing suit as old one has worn so thin in the bum that it is nearly sheer, complete homework for time I am gone, stock refrigerator, reschedule gymnastics classes so they are not at the same time as girl scouts, send teachers an email with Hubby's cell phone for emergencies, and lose ten pounds.
• Still waiting for it to snow here.

They Say its Your Birthday . . .

Now that my children are school aged and have classmates and friends, I have been invited to a new kind of hell - The Birthday Party. These parties are usually held at some kid centered location like Chucky Cheese, Backyard Adventures, or a Fun Center. The birthday child invites their entire school class plus their siblings, plus any friends in other classes to the festivities. The meal served is always pizza and birthday cake, both ordered from the fun party location or from the nearest pizza chain. Once all of the guests arrive, the parents sit back while the nearly thirty children run bugged eyed from one play area to another. Hyped up on cake and carbohydrates, the frenzied "playing" continues for two to three hours until half of the children are in shrilly tears from one of two events. One, the children who begin to crash from their sugar coma are shoved down and then run over by the still intoxicated party goers who believe that they must get to the next play area before Johnny or life as they know it will end and they will spontaneously combust if they arrive second. Or two, a child finds some cheap toy made in a third world country by slave labor that costs 400 tickets and the said child has 28 tickets; as the parent tries to explain the mathematical difference of 400 and 28, the child fearing their parent is not understanding the life or death situation before them, begins screaming, yelling, and finally sobbing like Veruca Salt screaming for an Oompa-Loompa. (I still love Charlie and the Chocolate Factory!)

If you find just reading this paragraph overwhelming, multiply that by 7,340,697,482,424 and now you can begin to grasp my anxiety and exhaustion in attending these events. Throw in that we attended one of these horror shows last night and have another today that includes a POOL and THIRTY TWO KIDS, and you can see where I might need to consume an entire bottle of Excedrin® Migraine in anticipation of this afternoon.

You can call me a party pooper - you wouldn't be the first, but I remember (yes, I am 210 years old!) when a birthday party was a few friends (less than ten) and my mother actually made the birthday cake. Thus far, I have been able to continue this old fashion birthday as KK was born right after Christmas and we have been in Maine with family during her birthday, and Hew has been too young to notice that he is bucking the norm and has been turning down the sibling invite for years. Now that they are both in school and are aware of how a "real" party should go down, I have already been receiving requests for "their party" even though we have more than a few months to go before either of them has a birthday.

So here my dilemma, how do I satisfy their need for a "real party" with my utter aversion and seizure reaction to the screaming, blinking strobe light party locations deemed the norm. We don't have a pool and I'm not inviting thirty kids plus parents to my house. I have thrown out the idea of a movie and they could each bring a few friends, which is getting a non-committed shrug from my daughter. I've also thought about throwing my kids into the land of societal weirdness by having a regular old fashion birthday at home with a handful of friends and their parents, making homemade pizza and cake, and setting up the favorites of pin the tail on the donkey, egg and spoon races, musical chairs, and dropping clothes pins into a mason jar. After all, these kids are under seven and are missing out on some historical cultural norms. How can you function in life if you haven't been spun around until nearly ill and then you try to pin some paper tail onto a poster?

So I am seeking suggestions - teach me Obi Wan how to compromise between the current norm and my sanity.

It's all worth it

Two weeks ago, I started reading a chapter or two of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory to the kids at night. This was one of my books from childhood that my mother had saved and returned to me once I had my own children. Every night, KK reads a page and then I do. We were nearing the demise of Mike Teevee, the last of the children left other than Charlie of course. KK could barely contain her anticipation as she cried out "I just can't wait to see what happens. Will you read one more chapter - just one? I need to know before I go to sleep!"

Just like me, my six year old sees stories. I couldn't wish her a better gift.

Just a Fly on the Windshield

Dear Lady with the shoulder length brown hair, the front half pulled back, wearing the dark sunglasses, and driving the giant ruby red Suburban while talking incessantly on your cell phone and chewing gun,

I am sure it's been a while since you completed your Driver's Ed. class - I know it's been over twenty years for me. But in all that time, the law has not changed to allow you to ignore a red light and nearly mow over a bicyclist in a marked cross walk.

See the bicyclist was me. I know I am way too damn old to be on a bike, especially in a place like here where bicycle riders are seen as target practice for the trucks with gun racks and oversized tires. However, since there is a perfectly good sidewalk that leads from my neighborhood to the gym and I'd finally like to lose the baby weight I gained, back when the baby was born four years ago, I thought the extra workout of riding my bike to the gym seemed logical. Also, add in the benefit of reducing my carbon footprints and global warming (two topics that don't appear to concern you based on your vehicle choice), and I was off like a snail.

I don't want to interrupt your cell phone use, but when you screeched to a stop inches from me and my bike while we were smack in middle of the sidewalk, a good ten feet passed that white line where you are suppose to stop, my heart rate certainly accelerated, but not in the way I'd hoped. It was when you beeped your horn, even though the traffic light in front of you was RED, I decided you must suffer from perpetual obnoxiousness and I said a few words that my son's pre-school class has listed as "coconut words" - words that need to fall off their vocabulary tree. (Don't you just love pre-school teachers!) As I am not in pre-school, I meant every damn word.

Have a nice day and try not to run over any children who I have seen riding their bikes to and from school on that same sidewalk.

Hoping karma really does exist,
Hexe

I Remember

Seven years ago, started as any other day. I was nearly six months pregnant with my first child KK. I was working as a supervising attorney in a division that prosecuted child abuse cases. Hubby and I were packing to fly to Maine for my best friend's wedding that weekend. I was busy, stressed out, self absorbed, and clueless about how much motherhood was going to change my life.

I was in court that morning, handling routine motions. There were more attorneys than clients present, and in between cases, we attorneys whispered like school children, catching up on the latest goings-on. I think it was the clerk who'd had a call from someone downstairs in the main office, that started the news around that there had been a plane crash in New York City. Still oblivious, I handled my cases, talked with co-workers, and remained unaware.

It's not that I'm heartless, but you hear about a tragedy miles away and say the appropriate words of concern and then go back to your life. After all, tragedy was a part of my daily life in those days - the kids and families who were devastated by physical and sexually abuse, You learn to turn off and just discuss the graphic details of abuse without flinching. I remember teaching new attorneys that you had to be able to describe body parts neutrally to put the kids at ease when they talked to you. Catastrophe and heartbreak were normal parts of my days, so a plane crash received a few words of sympathy and that it was back to the business at hand.

I remained in my bubble as I finished my cases and returned to my office. I don't remember what I might have been thinking, but I am sure it was centered around the wedding that weekend and going home to Maine. At my office door was a stack of pink message slips and I quickly ran through them as I returned PH's call. PH asked "if I'd heard about it?" I told him I'd heard about a plane crash that morning in NYC, but couldn't image why that warranted a phone call in the middle of the morning. And then I heard it, the conversation spoke round the world that day - two planes, the Twin Tower, another plane down in Pennsylvania, another at the Pentagon. PH hadn't been able to reach his brother , Peter, who lived in NYC. I wondered about my childhood neighbor, John, who lived in the middle of the city. I called my Mom in Maine and she was with John's mother - still no word. People were gathered around the television sets in the courthouse. I stood by with co-workers in the jury room, watching the images of mass destruction play over and over. PH and I called the airports and quickly decided to drive to Maine. I said that if the world was ending I wanted to be in Maine with family (slightly dramatic but I was six months pregnant). When I couldn't get through to my doctor, PH called his Dad, who was an Ob/Gyn doctor to discuss the long drive, and his Dad offer his giant Cadillac for the trip so I could stretch out and be more comfortable. I remember telling my boss that I was leaving a day early for vacation and he said"GO! Go be with your family." What I remember most about these events is that it felt like time had stopped and all this activity was in slow motion as though sloshing through cement.

It was late afternoon before I remembered to eat lunch. As I stood in line to pick up my take out salad, an unknown women approached me. I am sure I looked as shocked as many other people there, but I just happened to be wearing a rather obvious maternity top. This women paid for her food and then she walked over to me. She put her hand on my stomach and said "You have to remember that in times like this, that baby is what matters." I nodded and mumbled some polite words as I pulled back from this stranger. At the time, I thought she was a bit of a whack-job. Only now, I understand what she meant.

I was lucky that day. No one I knew was injured or killed, we drove to Maine without incident, and I was able to witness my best friend saying her vows. Life went on, but suddenly I was aware that the privilege of being a U.S. citizen does not guarantee you safety from the world outside. Nor does it guarantee your protection from even your own government, as I learned in the days and weeks that followed. The decisions and politics that followed that day have divided this nation even seven years after the fact. Yet for today, I believe that a majority of us will recall that tragic day, as well as the people who lost friends and family. While not united politically, we are united in memory and appreciation of those who acted as heroes that day. I remember.

Frustrated

Some of my free time this week has been spent reading and listening to the news of the presidential candidates. Politics is such a touchy subject these days. As a nation, we are completely polarized. This is especially evident in my own family, where political discussion results in personal attacks from certain family members. Let's just say I'm not part of the majority in the discussions with them.

I have to wonder how we got to this place where people feel completely comfortable insulting family as well as total strangers because of their support of a candidate. The last election resulted in some women from the neighborhood, ringing our doorbell during dinner time and in front of our children telling us that we were "uneducated" and "didn't care about our children." All this because of a political support sign in our yard. We had other children in the neighborhood make insulting comments as they rode by our house on their bike, obviously repeating what they had heard at home. There is still a family grudge being carried out in the form of not speaking to us because we dared to disagree with one family member's view.

I'm not sure of the point of this blog, other than I am frustrated. I can't understand how it is impossible to discuss an issue or a candidate without delving into character attacks.

People joke about the ethics of lawyers, but there really is a code of ethic and it bars personally attacks on the opposition. I have heard some jurisdictions don't enforce it, but thankfully where we live it was enforced not only by the courts, but by the lawyers themselves. You could fight like hell over the facts and the law, but at the end of the day, the opposing lawyer was often a friend. You did your best for your client, but then it was over. Sometimes you won, sometimes you lost. And yeah, it irritated me to lose when I thought I should have won. But if the opposition played fairly, then I took my lumps and called it a day. As a new attorney, it takes a bit to figure this out, but eventually you realize you're going to work with the same lawyers over and over again, and being personally contentious does not help your client and your own state of mind.

Somehow I'd like to find a way to take this outside the courtroom. You don't have to agree with the opposition in the end, but treat people respectfully. Listening to a different approach allows you to consider other alternatives, as there is usually more than one way to accomplish a task. The true concern should be the lack of open, honest discussion. Without dialogue other than name calling, the polarization continue and issues such as war and the economy are left unresolved.

Daring Baker Takes On Eclairs!

From this month's Daring Baker challenge, I learned that my photography needs work as the photos I took did not do justice to these rich chocolate-lemon eclairs. This month's challenge came from Tony Tahhan and Meeta K. If looking for this Pierre Hermé recipe, just take the link over to Meeta K for the recipe including chocolate pastry cream and chocolate glaze. The chocolate glaze was especially successful and I will use the recipe the next time I need a mirror-smooth glaze on a dessert.

I actually doubled the choux recipe and had to make it twice. The first batch did not rise much, and sank a bit upon cooling. They ended up looking like mini eclairs. As I had promised my husband's office regular eclairs, I made a second batch of the choux, piped it out in long lines on a baking tray and then froze them. After they were frozen solid, I cut them into longer lengths the second time to produce a longer, more traditional eclair. (***Thanks to Tartelette for this bit of advice!) The other trick I learned the second time around was to let the choux cook until crisp. I kept worrying about the pastry being crunchy, but the longer baking time meant the eclairs kept their shape and didn't fall.

The challenge required the use of chocolate either as the pastry cream or as the glaze. I made a batch that followed the recipe exactly and used just a bit of lemon glaze as decoration. The lemon glaze consisted of powdered sugar and fresh squeezed lemon juice, with a drop of food coloring. I then switched up the recipe and made both a raspberry pastry cream and a lemon pastry cream. As these were a pastry cream recipe, they were more gelatinous. The recipe for the raspberry cream was from Joy of Baking.com. Just click on the link for the recipe. To make the lemon cream, I just substituted fresh squeezed lemon juice in place of the raspberry puree. Despite the consistency, Hubby, a true chocoholic, like the raspberry filling the best. Those were actually all consumed before pictures were taken.

Overall, these were a big success. Husband's office loved them, with one attorney consuming four eclairs before lunch. I fed the "minis" to the crew who was putting on the new roof. The roofers returned an empty container within a couple of hours and the roof was completed in two and half days. Everyone was happy!

Chocolate pastry cream and glaze with just a bit of lemon icing

See, photography skills need help!

Here is lemon pastry cream and the chocolate glaze. I did have some with the lemon icing but those were eaten before pictures could be taken.

No, that's not scrambled egg in the middle - it's the lemon pastry cream!

My personal observation was the chocolate/chocolate combination was a bit much. The tart of the lemon was a perfect contradiction. Also, I used a dark semi sweet worked especially well in the glaze. Bring on Challenge 3!

Happy Friday!

Final Preparations

The final plans for the trip with my mother are almost completed. We will be landing in Milan and heading to Merano for a few days of walking, a cable car ride, mountain gazing, and a spa bath. Then, it is on to Innsbruck, Austria for more walking, another cable car ride, more mountain gazing, and old city wandering. We end with a weekend in Milan. Suggestions of things to see or do, as well as information on hotels in Milan are welcome.

I am a bit worried about traveling with my Mom. We have divided the languages - she is suppose to have some basic Italian phrases down and I am to handle German. When I spoke with her today, her Italian vocabulary consisted of three words and not one of them was how to find a restroom (my obsession - you need to be able to ask to find a restroom in a foreign language as all other things can wait on a phrase book if needed). I can't criticize her however, as my basic German phrases are from four years ago when I went to Austria and all I seem to remember are phrases related to the weather. Es ist kalt. Es ist warm. Es ist windig. Es ist sunnig. Es regnet. Unless a weather forecast is needed, my German skills are pretty limited. I fear that at some point on this trip, we will become hopelessly lost on some mountainous road, need a restroom, and all I can do is tell someone that it is windy!

Other than the language skills and the whole getting lost, I am looking forward to this trip. Having become a mother makes me especially appreciate of my relationship with my mother. No parent is perfect, but I certainly recognize how much my parents did for me and my siblings. Sure, we all drive each other insane at times, but how often as an adult do you get to spend an entire week with anyone from your immediate family, without husbands, fathers, children, siblings, etc. Part of the reason for selecting the Alps is that my mother at age sixty is realizing that there may be a limit to the number of years that she is healthy and able to hike. There are no guarantees for a healthy, long retirement. Although we are different in many ways, we both love to travel and see new places. So, it just seems fitting that we have the opportunity to take a trip together. I can only hope that when I'm sixty, my daughter and son will have the time and desire to do this with me.

So for now, Addio! I need to go figure out how to find the potty in Italy!

Tropical Storm Fay

Dear Parents,
Due to the potential of inclement weather, school will be cancelled on Tuesday.

It's home we go to drag everything from the yard onto the porch, just in case Fay is anything like Katrina (2005), Charley (2004), and Andrew (1992).


And take down the swings and teeter totter so they don't end up in Oz.
No storm this morning, Time for a quick walk around the neighborhood to splash in the few puddles.
Then, it's numerous "projects" to pass the time.
Maybe a couple surprise projects, like Shrink Art, that Momma tucks away for days like these.
A bit of rain, a blow of wind, but thankfully, no storm!
Time to put everything back until the next warning.
I think we lost our helper!

Quiet

The kids gleefully headed back to school on Tuesday. KK dressed in her first grade uniform, pigtails in her hair and a giant backpack to hold the assignment book that was new this year. And Hew, with his curls askew, said "See ya'!" as he spotted his friends and galloped over to his preschool class. For the last few weeks, I had been anticipating the silence that comes when everyone leaves. I love being with my kids, but in summer as the stay-at-home parent, the job is 24/7 entertainment. Towards the end of the vacation, I am craving just two minutes of silence. In desperation, I have locked myself in the bathroom for quiet only to hear the the voices, games, music, or television. Tuesday arrived but silence did not.

PH, in a totally un-PH move, scheduled the roofers to begin on Monday. I understood that our roof was 25 years old and had leaks and we are in the middle of hurricane season, but damn it, Tuesday was to be my day of silence. Instead, there were various men stomping overhead, shingles flying off the roof into a clanging metal container, and the unending sound of the nail gun for nine hours a day. Not exactly silent.

So today, I finally have my day of silence. The house needs a good cleaning and I promised myself I would go to the gym daily, even though after two days I can barely walk without some part groaning in protest. But for a few hours this morning, I can have total silence. A cup of coffee, the paper, some Internet meandering. In a few days, I have to get back on a schedule as I begin a couple classes, but for now it's quiet and I'm happy.

Look out Milan!

So yes, in October my mother and I are headed to Milan. Most of our trip will be spent north of the city in Merano, Italy and Innsbruck, Austria. We did reserve a weekend for Milan, but for the most part I want to gaze out over the Alps, drink some good wine, feel the cool air, and sigh with contentment. Sappy but true.

Milan was not our original destination, but tickets were found on Air One for $650 with a direct flight for my Mom. Without knowing where Milan was on a map, my mother's response was "BOOK IT!!!!!!" Nine days without kids and I'd go just about anywhere! It should be interesting as my mother's idea of travel is to kill yourself seeing every last church, museum, and statue listed in a tourist guide. I am more of interested in finding the nearest hiking path, good market, and delicious food. I'm sure I'll convert her!

Feel free to tell me where to go or stay as we have no plans in stone yet. Where's your favorite place in Italy or Austria?

Summer Whining

Temperature today 90°F/32°C with heat index of 100°F/38°C.

Five days until school begins.

Nothing else.

Time Flies

You would think five weeks in Maine with my family would give me blog material, but the time just flew and many of the family events are not blog material. Some of my favorite memories include a picnic with my 84 years young grandparents and my kids at my aunt's camp where I used to swim as a kid, my kids and their two cousins (ages four to nine) performing a "show" for me with a Barbie guitar, singing Taylor Swift's You Should Have Said No, two lobster boils, a July 4th golf cart parade at my parent's golf course where the kids dressed as clowns with my dad, a visit to a sugar shack outside of Quebec City, the border patrol on the Maine/Canada border who asked if I had any "fireharms", picking green beans from my parent's garden, and cooler weather. It went so fast.

Fearing that I would have travel withdrawal if I didn't have a trip to anticipate, PH agreed to watch the kids so I could take a trip with my Mom in October. My parents own and run golf course in Northern Maine during the summer and fall. My Dad will be moose hunting for two weeks in September, leaving Mom with the business. Mom decided turn about is fair play and told me to find tickets to anywhere in Europe. Care to guess where I picked? Here are your clues . . .

Another First

Back in May, I decided to try my hand at knitting again. I had made hats, mittens, and scarfs in the past so I thought I'd take on a new challenge - a sweater. After pulling out yards of yarns and putting on the arm inside out and having to take the darn thing apart once again, my first sweater is in the mail on the way to my nephew. Here's proof that I actually accomplished something in Maine



I'm not thrilled with the roll neck, but I love the hoodie and the front pocket. I've already started one for my niece so I'll make some modifications to the neck. And hopefully I sew the arm on the right way the first time.

Daring Baker - Recipe #1

The Daring Bakers is a group of bloggers who once a month bake the same recipe and then post about their experience. For a few months, I haave watched these bakers with awe and jealousy. They make some delicious looking creations. What impressed me about this group was the desire to challenge one's self in the kitchen. So ignoring my lack of skills, I signed up and have completed my first recipe.

This month was a recipe for a Hazelnut Gateau with Praline Buttercream, hosted by Mele Cotte. This is a three layer cake made with ground hazelnuts and no chemical riser (i.e. baking soda or baking powder). The layers have a praline swiss butter cream and whipping cream between them, as well as sugar, liquor glaze. The entire cake is then glazed with a fruit liquor glaze, topped with a chocolate ganche and decorated with more praline swiss buttercream.

I nearly backed out when I saw the recipe, especially because I was at my parent's house. When Mom retired, she threw out most of here baking utensils so on top of the challenging recipe I didn't even have a round cake pan! Once I calmed down and visited Wal-mart for a pan, I broke the recipe up over a couple of weeks and the cake itself came out great. I used a nine inch pan and substituted Chambord for all the liquor in the recipe below. My success with the cake and the swiss butter cream was quickly followed by a fruit glaze that had seeds becuase I used raspberry preserves, a chocolate ganache that would not thicken and a bumpy cake instead of a smooth glaze. I tried to hide the bumpy surface, but I lack basic cake decorating skills. Even with its less than stellar appearance it was a good cake and would make a good winter recipe with a hot drink. More importantly, I learned a lot from this group of Daring Bakers. I also enjoyed the idea that throughout the world people were making the same cake and yet came up with some very different results. Can't wait for next month's recipe!

Filbert Gateau with Praline ButtercreamFrom Great Cakes

by Carol Walter

1 Filbert Genoise

1 recipe sugar syrup, flavored with dark rum

1 recipe Praline Buttercream

½ cup heavy cream, whipped to soft peaks

1 recipe Apricot Glaze

1 recipe Ganache Glaze, prepared just before using

3 tablespoons filberts, toasted and coarsely chopped

Filbert Genoise

Because of the amount of nuts in the recipe, this preparation is different from a classic genoise.

1 ½ cups hazelnuts, toasted/skinned

2/3 cup cake flour, unsifted

2 Tbsp. cornstarch

7 large egg yolks

1 cup sugar, divided ¼ & ¾ cups

1 tsp. vanilla extract

½ tsp. grated lemon rind

5 lg. egg whites

¼ cup warm, clarified butter (100 – 110 degrees)

Position rack in the lower 3rd of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees. Grease and flour a 10” X 2” inch round cake pan. Using a food processor, process nuts, cake flour, and cornstarch for about 30 seconds. Then, pulse the mixture about 10 times to get a fine, powdery mixture. You’ll know the nuts are ready when they begin to gather together around the sides of the bowl. While you want to make sure there aren’t any large pieces, don’t over-process. Set aside. Put the yolks in the bowl of an electric mixer, with the whisk attachment, and beat until thick and light in color, about 3-4 minutes on med-high speed. Slowly, add ¾ cup of sugar. It is best to do so by adding a tablespoon at a time, taking about 3 minutes for this step. When finished, the mixture should be ribbony. Blend in the vanilla and grated lemon rind. Remove and set aside.Place egg whites in a large, clean bowl of the electric mixer with the whisk attachment and beat on medium speed, until soft peaks. Increase to med-high speed and slowly add the remaining ¼ cup of sugar, over 15-20 seconds or so. Continue to beat for another ½ minute. Add the yolk mixture to the whites and whisk for 1 minute. Pour the warm butter in a liquid measure cup (or a spouted container). * It must be a deep bottom bowl and work must be fast.* Put the nut meal in a mesh strainer (or use your hand – working quickly) and sprinkle it in about 2 tablespoons at a time – folding it carefully for about 40 folds. Be sure to exclude any large chunks/pieces of nuts. Again, work quickly and carefully as to not deflate the mixture. When all but about 2 Tbsp. of nut meal remain, quickly and steadily pour the warm butter over the batter. Then, with the remaining nut meal, fold the batter to incorporate, about 13 or so folds. With a rubber spatula, transfer the batter into the prepared pan, smoothing the surface with the spatula or back of a spoon. **If collected butter remains at the bottom of the bowl, do not add it to the batter! It will impede the cake rising while baking.Tap the pan on the counter to remove air bubbles and bake in the preheated oven for 30-35 minutes. You’ll know the cake is done when it is springy to the touch and it separates itself from the side of the pan. Remove from oven and allow to stand for 5 minutes. Invert onto a cake rack sprayed with nonstick coating, removing the pan. Cool the cake completely. *If not using the cake right away, wrap thoroughly in plastic wrap, then in a plastic bag, then in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. If freezing, wrap in foil, then the bag and use within 2-3 months. ***I froze for two weeks and the cake was fine.

Sugar Syrup

Makes 1 cup, good for one 10-inch cake – split into 3 layers

1 cup water

¼ cup sugar

2 Tbsp. dark rum or orange flavored liqueur ***I used Chambord and it was YUMMY!

In a small, yet heavy saucepan, bring the water and sugar to a boil and simmer for 5 minutes. Remove from heat, add the liqueur. Cool slightly before using on the cake. *Can be made in advance.

Praline Buttercream

1 recipe Swiss Buttercream

1/3 cup praline paste

1 ½ - 2 Tbsp. Jamaican rum (optional)***Used Chambord here also.

Blend ½ cup buttercream into the paste, then add to the remaining buttercream. Whip briefly on med-low speed to combine. Blend in rum.

Swiss Buttercream

4 lg. egg whites

¾ cup sugar

1 ½ cups (3 sticks) unsalted butter, slightly firm

1 ½ -2 Tbsp. Grand Marnier or liqueur of your choice ***More Chambord!

1 tsp. vanilla

Place the egg whites in a lg/ bowl of a elevtric mixer and beat with the whisk attachment until the whites are foamy and they begin to thicken (just before the soft peak stage). Set the bowl over a saucepan filled with about 2 inches of simmering water, making sure the bowl is not touching the water. Then, whisk in the sugar by adding 1-2 tablespoon of sugar at a time over a minutes time. Continue beating 2-3 minutes or until the whites are warm (about 120 degrees) and the sugar is dissolved. The mixture should look thick and like whipped marshmallows.Remove from pan and with either the paddle or whisk attachment, beat the egg whites and sugar on med-high until its a thick, cool meringue – about 5-7 minutes. *Do not overbeat*. Set aside. Place the butter in a separate clean mixing bowl and, using the paddle attachment, cream the butter at medium speed for 40-60 seconds, or until smooth and creamy. *Do not overbeat or the butter will become toooooo soft.*On med-low speed, blend the meringue into the butter, about 1-2 Tbsp. at a time, over 1 minute. Add the liqueur and vanilla and mix for 30-45 seconds longer, until thick and creamy.Refrigerate 10-15 minutes before using.

Wait! My buttercream won’t come together! Reheat the buttercream briefly over simmering water for about 5 seconds, stirring with a wooden spoon. Be careful and do not overbeat. The mixture will look broken with some liquid at the bottom of the bowl. Return the bowl to the mixer and whip on medium speed just until the cream comes back together.

Wait! My buttercream is too soft! Chill the buttercream in the refrigerator for about 10 minutes and rewhip. If that doesn’t work, cream an additional 2-4 Tbsp. of butter in a small bowl– making sure the butter is not as soft as the original amount, so make sure is cool and smooth. On low speed, quickly add the creamed butter to the buttercream, 1 Tbsp. at a time. Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 5 days, or can be frozen for up to 6 months. If freezing, store in 2 16-oz. plastic containers and thaw in the refrigerator overnight or at room temperature for several hours.

***My frosting looked like cottage cheese but I just kept mixing and it came together and tasted fine.

Praline Paste

1 cup (4 ½ oz.) Hazelnuts, toasted/skinless

2/3 cup Sugar

Line a jelly roll pan with parchment and lightly butter. Put the sugar in a heavy 10-inch skillet. Heat on low *** (I used medium to high flame) flame for about 10-20 min until the sugar melts around the edges. Do not stir the sugar. Swirl the pan if necessary to prevent the melted sugar from burning. Brush the sides of the pan with water to remove sugar crystals. If the sugar in the center does not melt, stir briefly. When the sugar is completely melted and caramel in color, remove from heat. Stir in the nuts with a wooden spoon and separate the clusters. Return to low heat and stir to coat the nuts on all sides. Cook until the mixture starts to bubble. Remember – extremely hot mixture. Then onto the parchment lined sheet and spread as evenly as possible. As it cools, it will harden into brittle. Break the candied nuts into pieces and place them in the food processor. Pulse into a medium-fine crunch or process until the brittle turns into a powder. To make paste, process for several minutes. Store in an airtight container and store in a cook dry place. Do not refrigerate.

Apricot Glaze

Good for one 10-inch cake

2/3 cup thick apricot preserves *** i used raspberry preserves - bad choice due to seeds.

1 Tbsp. water

In a small, yet heavy saucepan, bring the water and preserves to a slow boil and simmer for 2-3 minutes. If the mixture begins to stick to the bottom of the saucepan, add water as needed.Remove from heat and, using a strainer, press the mixture through the mesh and discard any remnants. With a pastry brush, apply the glaze onto the cake while the cake is still warm. If the glaze is too thick, thin to a preferred consistency with drops of water.

Ganache Glaze

Makes about 1 cup, enough to cover the top and sides of a 9 or 10 inch layer or tube cake Ganache can take on many forms. While warm – great fudge sauce. While cool or lukewarm – semisweet glaze. Slightly chilled – can be whipped into a filling/frosting. Cold & solid – the base of candied chocolate truffles.

6 oz. (good) semisweet or bittersweet chocolate, like Lindt

6 oz. (¾ cup) heavy cream

1 tbsp. light corn syrup ***I used dark because it was in the cupboard

1 Tbsp. Grand Marnier, Cointreay, or dark Jamaican rum (optional)***More Chambord!!!!

¾ tsp. vanilla

½ - 1 tsp. hot water, if needed

Blend vanilla and liqueur/rum together and set aside. Break the chocolate into 1-inch pieces and place in the basket of a food processor and pulse until finely chopped. Transfer into a medium sized bowl and set aside. Heat the cream and corn syrup in a saucepan, on low, until it reached a gentle boil. Once to the gently boil, immediately and carefully pour over the chocolate. Leave it alone for one minute, then slowly stir and mix the chocolate and cream together until the chocolate is melted and incorporated into the cream. Carefully blend in vanilla mixture. If the surface seems oily, add ½ - 1 tsp hot water. The glaze will thicken, but should still be pourable. If it doesn’t thicken, refrigerate for about 5 minutes, but make sure it doesn’t get too cold! ***Mine did not thicken but someone suggested more chocolate and that helped.

Assembling Cake

Cut a cardboard disk slightly smaller than the cake. Divide the cake into 3 layers and place the first layer top-side down on the disk. Using a pastry brush, moisten the layer with 3-4 Tbsp. of warm sugar syrup. Measure out 1 cup of praline buttercream and set aside.Spread the bottom layer with a ¼-inch thickness of the remaining buttercream. Cover with ½ of the whipped cream, leaving ¼-inch border around the edge of the cake. Place the middle layer over the first, brush with sugar syrup, spreading with buttercream. Cover with the remaining whipped cream. Moisten the cut side of the third layer with additional sugar syrup and place cut side down on the cake. Gently, press the sides of the cake to align the layers. Refrigerate to chill for at least 30 minutes. Lift the cake by sliding your palm under the cardboard. Holding a serrated or very sharp night with an 8-ich blade held parallel to the sides of the cake, trim the sides so that they are perfectly straight. Cut a slight bevel at the top to help the glaze drip over the edge. Brush the top and sides of the cake with warm apricot glaze, sealing the cut areas completely. Chill while you prepare the ganache.Place a rack over a large shallow pan to catch the ganache drippings. Remove the gateau from the refrigerator and put it the rack. With a metal spatula in hand, and holding the saucepan about 10 inches above the cake, pour the ganache onto the cake’s center. Move the spatula over the top of the ganache about 4 times to get a smooth and mirror-like appearance. The ganache should cover the top and run down the sides of the cake. When the ganache has been poured and is coating the cake, lift one side of the rack and bang it once on the counter to help spread the ganache evenly and break any air bubbles. (Work fast before setting starts.) Patch any bare spots on the sides with a smaller spatula, but do not touch the top after the “bang”. Let the cake stand at least 15 minutes to set after glazing.To garnish the cake, fit a 12 – 14-inch pastry bag with a #114 large leaf tip. Fill the bag with the reserved praline cream. Stating ½ inch from the outer edge of the cake, position the pastry tube at a 90 degree angle with the top almost touching the top of the cake. Apply pressure to the pastry bag, moving it slightly toward the center of the cake. As the buttercream flows on the cake, reverse the movement backward toward the edge of the cake and finish by pulling the bag again to the center. Stop applying pressure and press the bag downward, then quickly pull the tip up to break the flow of frosting. Repeat, making 12 leaves evenly spaced around the surface of the cake. Make a second row of leaves on the top of the first row, moving the pastry bag about ¾ inch closer to the center. The leaves should overlap. Make a 3rd row, moving closer and closer to the center. Add a 4th row if you have the room. But, leave a 2-inch space in the center for a chopped filbert garnish. Refrigerate uncovered for 3-4 hours to allow the cake to set. Remove the cake from the refrigerator at least 3 hours before serving.Leftover cake can be covered with foil and kept in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

The Joan of Arc Garden, Quebec City

Yet, another overcast rainy day on vacation . . .

what's a girl to do?

I guess I can still walk through the garden

And admire a flower or two!

Or Three!

Or Four!

My Favorite!

Joan of Arc Garden
Created in 1938 by landscape architect Louis Perron, the garden has its own special style: rectangular in shape and built slightly below ground level, it combines the French classical style with the British-style beds. Of rectangular shape and set slightly below ground, it is referred to as the "sunken garden", successfully associating the geometric shape of French style gardens with the lush, colourful vegetation of English borders. Visitors have an opportunity to admire over 150 species of annuals, bulbs and, especially, perennials.

- http://www.ccbn-nbc.gc.ca/_en/jeannedarc.php?section=3

What I Can't Say

Dear Sis,

I understand that you want your children to have the experience of having a dog. Not being an animal lover myself, I am content with our goldfish who require little attention and if I miss a feeding the consequences are not great.

Here's the thing, if you want a dog then you need to take care of it. It needs to be trained - specifically, it needs not to poop in the house every damn day. If you do not wish to train your dog, then don't bring it to Mom's house where it continues its excrement throughout the house. Also, if you see the dog eating styrofoam, stop it, instead of shrugging your shoulders and walking away. It's your damn dog, eating styrofoam does not agree with it, and I am tired of finding poop throughout the house. As you are nearing forty years of age, I can not seriously believe that I have to hold my tongue on this topic.

Besides your dog, it has been good to see you and the kids.

Love,
Hexe

Did someone say Vacation?

I actually thought once we left for Maine life would slow down. I'd have time to take photos, pick strawberries, and blog. What is it they say about the best laid plans?

Since arriving, I have picked up my husband from the airport, driven to Canada, done a whirlwind tour of Quebec City, visited Baie St. Paul where it rained non-stop, drove back to my parent's golf course, helped them put on a golf tournament, steamed and served fifty pounds of hot dogs at the tournament, hiked a mountain, watched an hours worth of illegal fire works, baked eighty thousand cookies and brownies for the golf course pro shop, swept up thousand of dead bugs at a cabin in the woods, decorated a golf cart as a clown cart and made up my children and father as clowns to parade around for Independence Day, had a lobster feed, saw four moose, made crepes (salmon and goat cheese, and then chicken florentine) and a pound cake for a dinner party, had friends from high school and their spouses and children to lunch for the crepes and strawberry shortcake on homemade pound cake, and drove my husband back to the airport, kissed him and sent him back to work.

Now, I have a head cold and two children who have decided to compete in Olympic sibling bickering. I might have taken a few photos, but I am too tired to find the camera and see what might be there. Will be back once I can put together a cohesive thought.

Grammie's Garden

To see the Summer Sky
Is Poetry, though never in a Book it lie -
True Poems flee -

- "To see the Summer Sky" by Emily Dickinson

Go, Go GO!

The time has come.
The time is now.
Just go.
Go.
GO!
I don't care how.
- Dr. Seuss, Marvin K. Mooney Will you please go Now!

The time has come for the trip to Maine. Tomorrow I fly up to the cooler land with the kids, and PH will be joining us next week. There has been laundry to wash, socks to match, packing to complete, and interviews to arrange for PH (don't hold your breath, but at least there has been a bit of a positive response to his cv in Maine). Also, three friends have had babies recently (better them than me!) so meals have been cooked and cute little clothes gifted. In all the running around, it hasn't hit me that (A) we are leaving tomorrow, and (B) this is the first time I've been home in a year. For many people an annual trip home is the norm, but this is the first time in ten years that I have lasted a year without a visit. We didn't plan it that way, it just sort of happened.

So what have I missed this year . . . here's the list.

1. Lobster - In Maine, there is one way to eat a lobster and that is steamed with a cup of warm butter. Don't bother with the work of stuffing it or broiling it. Put an inch of water in a pot, bring it to a boil, throw in the lobster and steam for eighteen minutes. If you insist on a vegetable, make a salad. I'm drooling just thinking about this meal.

2. Cool Weather - Nothing else to say here.

3. Woods - Real trees, and woods with pine needles and cones, and animals that are not reptilian.

4. Humpty Dumpty Potato Chips - Yes, they are made in Canada, but I can only find them in Maine and a few places in New Hampshire. The best kind are BBQ, served with a tuna italian from Whipper's Pizza. Whipper's has no link - I'm not sure they would even know how to turn on a computer but they make the best sandwiches and pizza. More drool.

5. Real lakes - Any retention pond filled with reptilian critters is considered a lake here. Real lakes are cool (maybe a bit cold) and I only need to worry about fish and the occasional leech. The canoe, a book, and a breeze.

6. Mountains - My favorites for easy hiking - Mt. Kineo and Mt. Battie/Mt. Megunticook. For a bit more of a challenge, there is Baxter State Park and Mount Katahdin, which takes a fair amount of preparation and is not for the faint of heart.

7. The New Balance Outlet - Great sneakers at great prices.

8. Country Stores - The kind that sell bait, hunting permits, penny candy, and formal wear. Hussey's General Store advertises beer, guns, and wedding gown - all you need for a wedding!

9. The Maine Accent - Drop your "R" and "ER" is pronounced a "A". This is not the Massachusetts accent and compare them at your own risk.

10. Home - The place you know, the stories, the memories. If I can get the kids to watch a movie on the plane, then here's what I'll be listening to on my ipod

Goin' Home
Mary Chapin Carpenter

This morning I work up with the feelin’ that I’d been away too long
All this blacktop runnin’ underneath my wheels makes me feel too gone
Well I could use a lot of sleep and a little bit of time on my own
And then the sight of you just waiting for me with open arms

Goin’ h-o-o-o-o-ome, Goin’ h-o-o-o-o-ome

Now it’s the middle of November and the lilies bloom by the Gage springs
Yeah, I can see us flyin’ down the Craig store road like we’ve got wings
Turn the radio off, baby, all I want to do is hear you sing
Yeah, I can close my eyes and perfectly imagine everything

Goin’ h-o-o-o-o-ome, Goin’ h-o-o-o-o-ome
Goin’ h-o-o-o-o-ome, Goin’ h-o-o-o-o-ome

All the time that I been takin’
All the things I’ve never found
Suddenly were waiting for me
The minute that I slowed it down

All the time that I been takin’
All the things I’ve never found
Suddenly were waiting for me
The minute that I turned around

Tonight I’m gonna wish you all the things that love can bring
And then I’ll climb right up and watch the sun go down on top of Reilly’s hill
I feel the beautiful breeze just a-slippin’ in under the windowsill
And smell the perfume of the night from those lilies of those fields

Goin’ h-o-o-o-o-ome, Goin’ h-o-o-o-o-ome
Goin’ h-o-o-o-o-ome, Goin’ h-o-o-o-o-ome
Goin’ h-o-o-o-o-ome, Goin’ h-o-o-o-o-ome
Goin’ h-o-o-o-o-ome, Goin’ h-o-o-o-o-ome (Mind the gap)

The Letter I Wanted to Write

Dear Mr. Hiring Director at VIP Company located in the Beautiful Place of my Dreams:

We received your email yesterday requesting further information from PH as you are considering his application for employment. To be frank, after reading the email we both stood slack-jawed for a bit. You see we applied for the position knowing there was no way PH would be seriously considered. We even laughed a bit at our foolishness for applying. By not sending us the form rejection letter outright, you have caught us by surprise and infused hope into a dream that we were slowly letting go.

Don't get me wrong, PH would be an ideal candidate. As his wife, I can certainly attest to his thorough education that was nearly the cost of a home, his dedication to his job, his anal retentive need for perfection, and his ability to handle a stressful situation with a calm demeanor, such as when our toddler son split his lip and had to be mummified to a table, while several shots were injected in the lip before the rushed doctors could suture the gaping, bloody cut. There is no job that PH could not handle if given the opportunity.

However, we had begun to search out prospects closer to our current home. It just seemed easier - no language barrier, a move that is cross country versus across the Atlantic, our licenses to practice law is recognized without any further classes, applications or tests. Easier wasn't necessarily our aim, but after months of steady rejections, we began to realize our skills weren't exactly marketable in a "global economy."

The thing is, your email reminded me of why we wanted a more difficult road - the education and life lessons for our children, being forced to learn a new language and a new culture, the excitement of being forced out of comfort zone and the potential growth we would experience. I don't mean to sound like a Hallmark card, but there is a pull to try and live as an expat. One that I can't necessarily explain. I want to not be hopeful so that the line is cut and dry, but your email has thrown me back into the turmoil of wondering if we are giving up to easy? Are we settling?

I suppose there is nothing else to tell you - you have the paperwork and now, we just wait. PH is following up on things closer to home. But me, I want to say that I am reasonable and I know this opportunity is such an incredible long shot, but damned if I don't still have hope and will be disappointed when the rejection letter comes.

With Regards,
Hexe

The Whiny Blog

For the second day in a row PH has a migraine. While he tries to sleep off the headache in a drug induced state, I am left to quietly entertain two small children for whom the word "quietly" is a foreign concept. Maybe it would be easier if we could get outside, but it 92F with 100% humidity. We tried our daily bike ride this morning at 7:45 A.M., but it just resulted in both kids begging to go back inside the house. The moment we stepped outside, we were assaulted with the thick hot air. I just wanted to cry - we are only a few weeks into this miserable weather and although I have an escape soon, I know I will have to come back. In front of me sits the most recent National Geographic Traveler with pictures of Antarctica and the mountains of Slovenia. I just want to pack a bag and go.

Gone Fishin'

The "sick meal"

I am feeling under the weather. Not deathly ill or anything - my stomach is off a bit and if my children would not finger paint the house, I could easily spend the day in bed. When I'm sick, I want my childhood "sick meal" - you know, what your mother made when you were a kid and sick. In our house, this meal consisted of Campbell's chicken noddle soup and half a peanut butter sandwich. The soup has to be the actual thin, stringy noddle kind - no "O's", cartoon characters, or low sodium. And the sandwich has to be on soft white bread, not toasted and just peanut butter - preferably the creamy kind. You sip the broth with the peanut butter. According to my husband, this is gross, but I'm telling you, this meal and an afternoon watch mindless television on the couch with a satin edge blanket and you're cured. I may be pushing forty, but when I'm sick, this is what I want.

So what's your "sick meal"?

Last Day of Freedom

Today is the last full day of school here. Other than a two hour goodbye session tomorrow morning, the kids will now be home full time. I assume that means the question of what I do with my time will be put to rest for a time. It also means that my secret job of employment finder will now have to be accomplished during nap time and at night. Also, I lose my noon time yoga class.

The requests for summer activities continues to grow. Right now, we have swim lessons twice a week. The list of future activities includes making jello wigglers, going to the beach, visit the library, go fishing, assembling jewelry, going to Maine to visit Grammie, Grampa, the Great Grandparents, and some fun days with cousins, swim at Aunt Mary's camp, and eat lobster.

As there is nothing on the job/moving front, we decided that since I have not been to Maine for a year, I am going to take the kids up there for a month. Florida is miserably hot in the summer and I may become certifiably insane if forced inside with two hyperactive kids for two and half months. In Maine, they can be outside and everyone will feel a bit better. PH will join us for two weeks during which he and I will take a trip to Quebec sans children (Thank you Grammie and Grampa!). We had thought we would be headed to Austria this summer, but with the current economy and our visit to Belgium, I nixed the trip knowing our pennies would stretch a bit further closer to home.

While I am very happy to have a month at home in Maine, I can't help but wish we had a new job and a move to plan. While we continue to send resumes overseas, we have realized that this may not happen for a very long time, and have had some serious conversations about how much we want to leave Florida. Along with the job search overseas, we have begun a search in Maine. It has the advantages of my family, a better education system, four defined seasons (well, there's not much spring I will admit, but autumn is spectacular), and it's right next to Canada so international visits are a car drive away. Yet, in doing this I feel a bit like we are giving up on a life overseas. A good friend reminded me that even in sending resumes to Maine, we could just as likely receive a positive response in Norway before receiving one from Maine. I guess for now it is up to Fate and man, do I hate letting someone else have the controls.