Last weekend was the 1st annual Pie Palooza at the Schacalieu house. Pie Night is a tradition of Jeremy's family. They all get together the night before Thanksgiving and everyone brings a pie. We thought it would be fun to get our friends together and have our own pie night early since we will be in Sacramento for Thanksgiving.
Everyone was really pumped to make pies. I had also planned to give out prizes for the best sweet, best savory, and most creative pies. There was some intense competition in the air. We had cards for everyone to write what kind of pie they brought and I made ballots and a voting box so that after everyone was done pie tasting they could vote.
I belive there was about 15 pies on our kitchen table. It was pretty impressive. We had everything from sushi pie to apple pie. All of the pies were very tasty too. Jeremy made an apple pie and I made an avocado enchilada pie. After the votes we tallied we gave out the awards....golden wooden spoons!
The winners were:
Best Sweet: Crapple Pie (cranberry-apple)
Best Savory: Sushi Pie (Eugenia was expecting to take this award & most creative)
Most Creative: Butt Pie (the pie was actually shaped like a butt and chocolate was coming out of the crack)
After the pie portion of the evening, the dance party started. At some point along the night, someone thought it would be fun to start some shenanigans. The next morning I realized that my Mr. Potato Head had been kidnapped!!! We sent out a missing flyer on Sunday. Yesterday, I received a ransom note in the mail, Mr. Potato Head's ear and pictures of him with a duct-taped mouth and his hands are missing.
From the pictures, some people are now more suspect than others. The ransom note said that instructions would follow. I will keep you all updated on the whereabouts of Mr. Potato Head. The people who have done this should be warned that they will have hell to pay. They have opened a bag of worms!!!
Friday, November 21, 2008
Monday, November 17, 2008
Officially a Nutmegger
So I took a day off on Friday so that Jeremy and I could finally make it to the DMV. This would be our 3rd DMV attempt. The first attempt ended in getting lost…damn google map! We were pretty peeved since we had to wake up early on a Saturday. Our second try was on another Saturday, but because of Presidents Day the coming Monday, the DMV was closed. Yes, DMV employees already have Monday off so when the holiday fell on a Monday they needed to take Saturday off. UGH!!! On this last attempt, we got to the DMV (first in line actually) and they opened on time. Things were starting off on the right foot this time! That is until we actually started the process. We told the man behind the counter that we were from out of state and needed a CT driver's license. He then asked for our ID and a bill or letter mailed to our address proving where we lived. SPEED BUMP. I said, "what?" He told us we had to have a piece of mail and I just about lost it. If I was a cartoon, steam would have been coming out of my ears. The very nice DMV man gave us the papers we needed to fill out and told us we would also need a passport or birth certificate as well. I was SO pissed! Of course, I had just cleaned the car out and got rid of any mail that may have been lying around. So, we drove home...me cursing, Jeremy not saying a word.
Alright, so I calmed down on the ride back to the DMV. Fourth time would be a charm, right?!? So we got there, got back in line...to our amazement there really was no line. Got all of our paperwork started and then we had to go and wait for our eye test. The only test we had to do was the eye test. Well, let me tell you....this is where all the waiting came. They only had one person doing the eye test and after he did one test, he went on a coffee break. We never saw him again and some other guy took over. After waiting a half hour, Jeremy got called up. I figured I would be next. Ten minutes later...I was still waiting, 20 minutes later...I was still waiting and Jeremy already had his new license. This sucked since we had to go wait in another line to register the car and since the car is in my name only Jeremy couldn't do it. 30 minutes later...still waiting. I actually met the girl next to me who was also from San Diego. 35 minutes later my name was finally called. Passed the eye test (guess that corrective surgery worked!) and went to sit and wait to get my picture taken. This took another 30 minutes. Just waiting while a whole line of people who were in a different line got their pictures taken. I met another girl from Hawaii. We joked about all the lines and how completely absurd this process was. She said in Hawaii they do it all in one line. So you wait and then after you get up to the counter you are done. Finally I got my ID. The girl I met from SD still wasn't done with her eye test.
Oh! I forgot the BEST part about the CT drivers license. So you pay a certain amount depending on your birthday. You either pay $66 and your license is good for 6 years or you pay $77 and the license is good for 7. Of course, Jeremy, the man who brought us here...away from everyone and everything...gets to pay the $66. I get screwed and have to pay $77. Add it to the list for ridiculous things in Connecticut. Damn nutmeggers!
When we originally came in with all of our forms we had everything for the car registration so they started processing that and we got a "jet pass". You would think having this "jet pass" would be like an express line. Maybe at Disneyland, but not at the Norwalk DMV. All this meant was that we waited in another line. It was a different line from everyone else, but as soon as we got in line, one of the 3 people working there went on break. We only had to wait about 15 minutes in this line, so I guess it wasn't that bad. walked out with our new license plates thanking the good lord that we would never need to go back there. Hopefully the Saturn makes it through this CT venture...otherwise we will have to go back.
Alright, so I calmed down on the ride back to the DMV. Fourth time would be a charm, right?!? So we got there, got back in line...to our amazement there really was no line. Got all of our paperwork started and then we had to go and wait for our eye test. The only test we had to do was the eye test. Well, let me tell you....this is where all the waiting came. They only had one person doing the eye test and after he did one test, he went on a coffee break. We never saw him again and some other guy took over. After waiting a half hour, Jeremy got called up. I figured I would be next. Ten minutes later...I was still waiting, 20 minutes later...I was still waiting and Jeremy already had his new license. This sucked since we had to go wait in another line to register the car and since the car is in my name only Jeremy couldn't do it. 30 minutes later...still waiting. I actually met the girl next to me who was also from San Diego. 35 minutes later my name was finally called. Passed the eye test (guess that corrective surgery worked!) and went to sit and wait to get my picture taken. This took another 30 minutes. Just waiting while a whole line of people who were in a different line got their pictures taken. I met another girl from Hawaii. We joked about all the lines and how completely absurd this process was. She said in Hawaii they do it all in one line. So you wait and then after you get up to the counter you are done. Finally I got my ID. The girl I met from SD still wasn't done with her eye test.
Oh! I forgot the BEST part about the CT drivers license. So you pay a certain amount depending on your birthday. You either pay $66 and your license is good for 6 years or you pay $77 and the license is good for 7. Of course, Jeremy, the man who brought us here...away from everyone and everything...gets to pay the $66. I get screwed and have to pay $77. Add it to the list for ridiculous things in Connecticut. Damn nutmeggers!
When we originally came in with all of our forms we had everything for the car registration so they started processing that and we got a "jet pass". You would think having this "jet pass" would be like an express line. Maybe at Disneyland, but not at the Norwalk DMV. All this meant was that we waited in another line. It was a different line from everyone else, but as soon as we got in line, one of the 3 people working there went on break. We only had to wait about 15 minutes in this line, so I guess it wasn't that bad. walked out with our new license plates thanking the good lord that we would never need to go back there. Hopefully the Saturn makes it through this CT venture...otherwise we will have to go back.
Monday, November 3, 2008
Our new favorite sport
Recently, Jeremy and I were introduced to the amazing sport of curling. Eh? What's that you say? What the heck is curling?
Just in case you don't know, curling is an Olympic winter sport. You know...that funny looking game where they yell and are brooming while a circle thing goes down the ice? Yep, that is curling.
Now, I know you are wondering how in the hell we discovered curling. It all started when a new post-doc (Wendy) joined Jeremy's lab. Wendy is married to Michael and they use to live in Michigan where Michael was in a curling league. Upon moving to New Haven, Michael looked up the nearest curling league and lo and behold there was one in Bridgeport. Michael then convinced Jeremy and two other guys from Jeremy's lab to join his curling team. Quickly team names were discussed, among the favorites were...Sparkle Magic, My Little Ponies, and The Sweeping Beauties. Of course, they went with Sweeping Beauties. Face it...it's an awesome name!
So the boys were all geared up to join this curling league before ever stepping foot on the ice. Then one night, Wendy, Christen and myself decided that we wanted in on the action. The Nutmeg Curlers (the league in Bridgeport) was having a learning night. You could come, learn to curl, and then decide if you wanted to join the league. We didn't have a clever name yet, but were ready to try out this strange Canadian sport.
On a Thursday evening, not long ago...the group of us headed to Bridgeport. It didn't take long for all of us to realize that the sport of curling is awesome and we were ready to join the league!
On our first night we learned the basics of curling. The round thing that slides on the ice is called a "rock". When you are sweeping with a broom that is called "sweeping" (duh). The piece of plastic that you put your right foot in when preparing to slide the rock is called "the hack". The bulls eye design where you push the rock to is called the "house". The person standing down at the house yelling is called "the skip".
The basics of curling were pretty easy to pick up, but the finesse and strategy are truly complicated. The rock flies pretty fast down the ice, so finding the perfect balance of releasing it takes a lot of time to perfect.
Of course, after our trial of curling we all decided to join the league. We are now in the Greenhorn League of the Nutmeg Curlers. On Thursday nights and Saturday mornings you will find us on the ice. I (of course) am the only one freezing my ass off! I am hoping that once we start playing games I won't be as cold.
There have been a few tumbles on the ice so far. On your shoes you wear "grippers" that keep you from falling. When you are getting ready to throw the rock you put a piece of teflon shaped like the bottom of your shoe onto the ice and then you really slide fast. I was getting use to the teflon and decided to lift my gripper foot up...let me just tell you...I saw my feet go above my head before I crashed down onto the ice. My rear was quite a bit sore the next day!
Due to work I am forced to miss my first Thursday of league play, so I will have to let you know how that goes in a couple of weeks. It is great to be a part of a team and have some fun while meeting some new people and bonding more with the people we already know. It is also pretty cool to be doing a sport that not many people can say they have tried.
So there you have it, we have a new favorite sport. Maybe we will start training for the Olympics soon! ha ha!
Just in case you don't know, curling is an Olympic winter sport. You know...that funny looking game where they yell and are brooming while a circle thing goes down the ice? Yep, that is curling.
Now, I know you are wondering how in the hell we discovered curling. It all started when a new post-doc (Wendy) joined Jeremy's lab. Wendy is married to Michael and they use to live in Michigan where Michael was in a curling league. Upon moving to New Haven, Michael looked up the nearest curling league and lo and behold there was one in Bridgeport. Michael then convinced Jeremy and two other guys from Jeremy's lab to join his curling team. Quickly team names were discussed, among the favorites were...Sparkle Magic, My Little Ponies, and The Sweeping Beauties. Of course, they went with Sweeping Beauties. Face it...it's an awesome name!
So the boys were all geared up to join this curling league before ever stepping foot on the ice. Then one night, Wendy, Christen and myself decided that we wanted in on the action. The Nutmeg Curlers (the league in Bridgeport) was having a learning night. You could come, learn to curl, and then decide if you wanted to join the league. We didn't have a clever name yet, but were ready to try out this strange Canadian sport.
On a Thursday evening, not long ago...the group of us headed to Bridgeport. It didn't take long for all of us to realize that the sport of curling is awesome and we were ready to join the league!
On our first night we learned the basics of curling. The round thing that slides on the ice is called a "rock". When you are sweeping with a broom that is called "sweeping" (duh). The piece of plastic that you put your right foot in when preparing to slide the rock is called "the hack". The bulls eye design where you push the rock to is called the "house". The person standing down at the house yelling is called "the skip".
The basics of curling were pretty easy to pick up, but the finesse and strategy are truly complicated. The rock flies pretty fast down the ice, so finding the perfect balance of releasing it takes a lot of time to perfect.
Of course, after our trial of curling we all decided to join the league. We are now in the Greenhorn League of the Nutmeg Curlers. On Thursday nights and Saturday mornings you will find us on the ice. I (of course) am the only one freezing my ass off! I am hoping that once we start playing games I won't be as cold.
There have been a few tumbles on the ice so far. On your shoes you wear "grippers" that keep you from falling. When you are getting ready to throw the rock you put a piece of teflon shaped like the bottom of your shoe onto the ice and then you really slide fast. I was getting use to the teflon and decided to lift my gripper foot up...let me just tell you...I saw my feet go above my head before I crashed down onto the ice. My rear was quite a bit sore the next day!
Due to work I am forced to miss my first Thursday of league play, so I will have to let you know how that goes in a couple of weeks. It is great to be a part of a team and have some fun while meeting some new people and bonding more with the people we already know. It is also pretty cool to be doing a sport that not many people can say they have tried.
So there you have it, we have a new favorite sport. Maybe we will start training for the Olympics soon! ha ha!
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