Car Trouble, Ma'am?

Fel gets in car.

Fel turns on car.

Fel puts car in reverse.

Fel presses a button.

Car doesn't move.

Fel is confused.

Fel looks down and sees she's pressing a button.

Fel looks back and presses the button.

Car still doesn't move.

Hmmmmm.

Fel thinks.

.........*cricket sounds* .......

Fel looks down again only she turns a little more to the left.....

Fel was pressing the stop button the whole time!

Fel moves foot over to the go button.

Car moves.

Whew!

The Banquet Cake

My littlest sister-in-law turned fifteen early July and asked me to decorate her cake.  I've decorated cakes before...with droopy icing.   I've seen my mom decorate cakes 'professionally' but I've never decorated a cake for an event before.  For sure not a formal banquet/party.  Yikes!  But when a fifteen-year-old cutie has faith in you, what are you to do?

The answer is simple.  When you are ever in the slightest of pickles, deep inside the bellows of holy-smokes-I-don't-know-how-to-do-this; there are three things that can save you: Jesus, Google and Youtube!

Now, I do have some experience watching cakes being decorated.  My mom does amazing artwork with cakes.  That's how I knew that I wanted to use fondant. The problem was that I had no clue how to make it, how to use it or what all I can do with it....but that's some of the fun.

So, I Googled the recipe, and Youtubed the hows and Voila!  We have decorated cake.

No, it wasn't that easy.  I still had to mix the icing sugar with melted marshmallows the night before but that didn't take as long as I thought it would.  But when I was kneading the fondant, I noticed that it kinda smelled a lot like Plasticine.  That doesn't say much for what marshmallows are made of.

The cake didn't quite turn out like the masterpiece I had imagined but I'd say it was a success.  As hard as I tried, I couldn't get the fondant to turn red and had to settle with a hot pink. All in all, when the day was done, the Quinceañera was happy and the guests had cake.

Sketch to an Island and Visit Your Arl

I'm the kind of person who probably wouldn't make any money if I had my own business.   I'm very much like my dad in that way.  We would rather come out short handed on our side than have the other person end up with any sort of loss.  Trade is usually what we opt for in situations where the other person would compensate us for something.   Some people see that as not wise, but some of the trades I've done in my former life have left me with very memorable experiences. :)

This post is about one of those experiences.

When my best friend finished school, she got the most awesome job managing the park at Half Moon Caye.  She'd be on a secluded island for fifteen days at a time chilling with the Sea Turtles, Iguanas, Boobies (the bird, you sicko) and random people who came to pay their fees for snorkeling at the Great Blue Hole.  Oh boy, did I envy her! 

As it turned out, her boss needed a sign made that would inform people to NOT feed the sharks.  Apparently, people don't obey rules unless they're in the form of a sign.  As the Belizean system of "I know somebody weh know somebody weh could draw" would have things, my friend was my ticket to the job. So I had fun with it!

I made a sketch and sent it in.  They loved it!  The compensation? Well, how was I supposed to make a price for something that took 20 minutes?  I had no idea.....so I said: "I want a trip to Halfmoon Caye".   And just like that, my wish was granted.  Two weeks later, I was on a boat to Half Moon Caye to see my bestest friend at her office by the sea!

We  laughed and talked while I watched her work.  I swam in the Great Blue Hole and returned to explore the Island with my favorite Arl.  We frolicked through the forest reserve among the Iguanas and birds.  I saw where she slept and learned where to find the water tank from where they hauled water to use around the house.

Leaving was hard but I had to go.   I had to give up my friend for a few more days before she can come back to the mainland with us land-folk.

I cherish the memories of that trip dearly.  Really, it's almost not fair that a quick sketch bought me a priceless experience with a very special person.  Money could never buy that.  Ok, so maybe it could....but on a student budget, let's just say it wouldn't be very easy to do.

As for Arl, she's still my bestie.  She's a scientist, wife and mother of a literally-very-bouncy little girl.  I've learned a lot from her about relationships, growing beans in jars and pre/post nuptual molting in birds; among other things.  She's a fireball of wonderful that I'm so grateful to call my friend.  I love you, Arl!

So, you might be wondering where can you find your own, Arl.  I don't know....but this one is mine! Get your own scientist best friend!