Dreaming of Cookies

I'll be honest, I've spent most of today sitting around. The first half of the day was spent planning the next leg of the road trip, which you (should have) already read about. And compulsively checking my email for that interview scheduling.

The second half of the day was spent looking at other blogs because I'm becoming more aware that blogging is a community, and there are other people writing about things I find interesting. (And if I can draw them in, maybe they'll think I'm interesting, too.)

I stumbled upon blogs written by people who love baking! It probably should've occurred to me a long time ago that these blogs existed, but I just never thought to look that closely. But now! So many people baking! Cakes, cookies, brownies! And decorating them! Decorating really fascinates me because I haven't really ever tried it too much. I'm not the biggest fan of frosting and that stands in the way of most decorating strategies. I'm starting to learn, though, that the truth is that I just really don't like canned frosting. Or the frosting used on some grocery store cakes. Which is stiff and thick and leaves and weird film in your mouth. Uck.

Anyway! I want to start decorating. Especially cakes. I would love to cover a cake in fondant and make little fondant flowers to cover it in. That sounds like a great way to spend a day. And there are so many decorating tools! And I want all of them!

Which leads me to one of those dreams people have--everyone has to have one of these--of something you would love to do in a far away type of way, because it's largely impractical and more work than it would be worth, really, but sounds nice in your head. Mine: having a bookstore/bakery. So I could bake and experiment and have customers to feed so it wouldn't be a waste of money that left me with a surplus of baked goods with nowhere to go. And I could surround myself with books and talk to people about books, too. Doesn't that sound really cozy? I think so.

By the way, if someone you know ever says they just finished baking 8 dozen cookies and then offers you some, do not refuse those cookies with the excuse that you're on a diet. Life is too short to refuse cookies and that person really would just like to feel good passing out some happiness. Take the cookies. Feed them to squirrels once you get them home if you don't want them.

I also found a list of 50 delicious, interesting cakes today and really want to make just about all of them. I can't wait to have a kitchen again. Super duper cannot wait.

Now, unrelated. I've been in an empty house for most of the day and I'm dog-sitting a mopey dog. He's been sleeping under the front window all day, waiting for his people to come home. He only recently decided that they won't be back for the night and has decided to come hang out with me. He's asleep under the couch, snoring. Just woke up to stare at the door. Not that it was unlikely, but I love this family's dog. He is such a sweet dog. He's a little older, greying around the face, but he is so well-mannered and good-natured. And he loves attention which makes it fun to pet him. He's very tired and just got up to go to his bed but the door is closed. Poor guy.

Well. This was a long post, in addition to my previous pretty long post earlier today. So there's lots of reading for you! It's my bedtime, though. I can stay up late when there's something to do, and I can stay up really late when there's something I need to do early in the morning, but I get tired pretty early when I have nothing to do. Strange.