Good Things, Not So Good Things & Apple Upside Down Cake

The week has started. It started and here I am still wondering, "what day is it?". While I'm pretty sure it's Tuesday it also kind of feels like a Monday or a Wednesday. Isn't it funny how certain days of the week have a feeling, a familiar place, good or bad that help define where you are.

It doesn't feel like today. Maybe because the Free Music on iTunes wasn't ready to be downloaded just yet when I was there this morning. *L*  Then again this week doesn't feel quite right either. There are good things happening and some not so good things.

On one hand Vickie has completed her first pair of socks for Round One of Sock Madness. You should have seen her knitting on sock one Saturday. I've never seen her be so quiet or focused before. I'm guessing if I'd licked her at that moment it would have been like taking a dose of Ritalin. Yeah, Fun for the whole Family. *L* (Not that I've ever considered licking a fellow knitters before mind you. :P) Congrats, sweetie! Good Thing.

But then my brother leaves for Italy tomorrow and won't be back for a few weeks. Why it makes such a difference in how I feel doesn't exactly make sense to me. He's already 2000 miles away from me, but when you add in the extra distance and an ocean it feels like it might as well be outer space. It makes me nervous. He's not necessarily thrilled to be going this time either, which kinda makes me even more nervous. He's been over a lot. The longest trip which ended at the end of this past summer was for a year and a half. Hopefully he'll be safe. I'm going to feel on edge and just not right until he gets home. Not So Good Thing.

On the other hand Eunny was announced (PDF) as the new editor for Interweave Knits. Very Cool. I love her style, the way she designs very yummy pieces and also how well she can write up a technique tutorial. It makes me love my already well loved subscription to Interweave Knits so much more. The best part is when I tell someone *cough* MonkeySocks *cough* that I'm about to start a Eunny Jang Sock Pattern I won't have to explain who I mean. :P Congratulations, Eunny!! Good Thing.

But it's also the final week for The Show with Ze Frank. I only discovered the show last May or so. It's a one year project that ends this week. It was nice to know there was someone else out there who saw the world, especially our political system/the assholes in charge at the moment with some goddamn sense. Plus he is just a funny guy. I didn't even finish my Double Knit Duckie Hat aka My Sports Racer Hat in time. :(  I'm going to miss Ride The Fire Eagle Danger Day the most I think. Not So Good Thing.

But there are many more good things than bad coming up. My honey's birthday is this week.  I'm going to meet with Rachel and workout later today. I got a new swimsuit, had to go down a size even. The sun is shining. The Kitty feels better. I'm going to hang out with knitting friends. Plus a whole bunch of other good stuff coming up that I won't go into details about. There's also some bad things I won't go into details about too so it all balances out.

Over all everything is good though. The week just feels weird.

Or maybe it's the fact that the living room floor is covered with the contents of the past as I go through more boxes. Almost done. Still finding a few things that are too sentimental to part with, like the sheet music for plays I did a million years ago, or from a choir that used to mean the world for me to belong to. These things have no relevance on my daily life, but I guess without the experiences I wouldn't be who I am today. I'm sure some day I'll part with them.  Maybe I'll even change my mind once the honey packs all the boxes into the storage thingy and we see that I have yet more decluttering to do. *L*

After the boxes are done then I'm going to take a hard look at the stuff on the shelves, cupboards and closets. What is taking up space without a real purpose and what is earning a right to be here. Oh and are y'all done guessing how many skeins of sock yarn I have? :P

I'll unveil my SIMS, Stash Inventory Management System, in my next post. *GRIN*

I'll leave a Good Thing with a Photo to wrap this up. If you were at last Mondays Knitting Meet Up then you were one of the people who got a chance to sample this: Clickety Biggety

Otter's Faboo Apple Upside Down Cake

Upside Down Apple Topping

1/3 cup butter
2/3 cup packed golden brown sugar
Generous sprinkling of Cinnamon over the brown sugar before apples are placed in pan
3 Crisp Granny Smith Apples cover the bottom of my 13 x 9 in baking pan
Optional: 6 to 8 Kraft Caramels to be melted and drizzled over the top of the apples once the baked cake has been removed from the pan - Or any other caramel topping can be used as well.

Cake

1 cup all purpose flour
1/3 cup wheat flour
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup raw sugar
1/4 cup room temp butter or shortening
3/4 cup 2% or nonfat milk
1/2 cup Apple Sauce
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 egg

Here's a photo showing the apples before the cake batter was poured on top, as well as the cake before the caramel was drizzled on top. Clickety Biggety

Assemble and Bake with the same directions as the Pineapple Upside Down Cake I posted a few weeks ago. Further Baking Instructions on this post. This cake was well received and tasted pretty yummy if I must say so myself. ;^)

The honey liked it too, but said he still wants a Pineapple Upside Down Cake for his birthday. *L*

Comments

[Cookie]

As long as there's more good than bad, it's a good day.

Last week was PMS. This week, it's hot. Who knows what next week will bring.

*hugs*

[Vikkie aka Yarnatic]

HEY thanks for the encouragement and the compliments! :-D LOVE THAT CAKE BTW!

[Susan]

When I saw the first pic of the cake, I thought, "Wow that's some weird yarn!!" Now I understand. Now I'm hungry for apple cake. thank you very much.

[Dave Daniels]

Wow, that was one MEGA post. I think you started writing it on Monday and finished it on Thursday. And that included the cooking parts. There was so much in there I don't know what to comment on first...
ok, your bro will be ok, and he'll be back soon enough. And maybe he'll bring back some fine Italian merino wool for you. :0
Great recipe. Anything with apples (and cinnamon) is awesome.

[Devorah]

I'm glad I'm not the only one who thought you were showing us really weird yarn! That cake looks yummy!

[Stacey]

1. Tuesdays suck... Friday will be here soon.
2. Bro will be fine. Really
3. MMMM CAKE!!! Will be baking on Friday.
4. Would love to make the spicy crab for dinner too

*ahem*

o.0

[LadyJayde]

Dude, I updated. Where's yours? :D

It was great to meet you tonight, I'm hoping I can work out a trade with Dad to watch the monkeys on knit group nights, Mom & I really had a blast (even if she had no knitting).

[Monkey Socks]

A little birdie told me you started a fun new project ... care to share with the rest of the knitting world? :-) Hope you are having a wonderful day!!

~ me