Frankenstein vs Ghosts: Fly on the Wall

Welcome to our monthly Fly on the Wall, a blog post written in snippets. Marcia, Diane, and I invite you to catch a glimpse of what you’d see if you were a fly on the wall in our homes, at our writing desks, and in our worlds. Come on in, buzz around, see what we've been up to. Bet you laugh!  

I guess it's fitting that it's October, because these past few weeks saw me freaking out about a ghost.

I walked into our home office one afternoon and found the printer turned on. It hadn't been on that morning, and no one had used it all day. I couldn't turn it off, which was also strange, so I unplugged it.

And didn't really think about it until a few days ago. I walked into the office and the monitor was turned on. We haven't used that monitor in at least 5 years, but there it was, the light at the bottom blinking off and on. 

I called Hubs, he unplugged it, but now I know. We have a ghost.

Are we talking Casper? Or The Shining? Stay tuned . . .

Everything was quiet on the ghost front. Which is good because, really, how many things can we unplug?

And then a few days later I was doing the laundry:

Me: Have you been sitting in the clothes dryer sneaking snacks at night?

Hubs: Huh?
Me: You can snack on anything you want, any time you want, but I'd appreciate it if you clean up after yourself.

Hubs: I wasn't snacking on anything last night. What are you talking about?

Me: I just opened the dryer to put the clothes in and there are 2 peanuts in there.

Hubs: How is that possible? Maybe the ghosts got hungry?

Me: And didn't clean up after themselves? How rude.

OK, this is getting really strange.

I guess you'd call this a Halloween story. It is, after all, about a crow. Or crowing, anyway.

First, my husband is a very conservative, traditional, conventional, color in the lines kind of guy. He doesn't put himself out there. In fact, there are times when I do and he's mortified (meh, get over it).

So, have you heard of this Aldi aisle of shame "caw caw" thing that's been going on? It's actually pretty funny. There's a whole tribe of Aldi lovers who shop there often and post about their favorite products to social media. But there's also an in-store thing this community does. When they're in the aisle of shame (the markdown aisle), if they see a great deal, they call out "caw, caw" like a crow. Those in the know will "caw, caw" back and come to see what deal they've found.

I told Hubs that we needed to go to Aldi to check out some of the shoppers' recommendations and to see what might happen to be in the aisle of shame. I explained that if we found a great deal, he had to call out "caw, caw."

There is no way he would ever do that. We talked about it a number of times, and I started taking it as a challenge, I kept telling him he was going to do it, and he kept telling me he wouldn't. 

Last night, I tried again. And again he was adamant.

Quoth my husband: Nevermore.

I thought the ghost had branched out and gotten into our cell phones, but . . .

Hubs called me from work asking if I'd tried to text him. I hadn't. He told me that he got a text from me that said "Nn9." The text had my name, and my phone number, and just that message.

This made no sense to me. Maybe I butt texted? Is that even possible? So, I grabbed my phone and, of course, there was no such text sent. How could his phone have gotten a text from me that my phone never sent?

The ghost?

He came home and I asked to see the text. There in his text messages was my name and my phone number. Next to it was, in red, the word "draft." I opened it up, backspaced on the message and it went away. I hadn't inadvertently texted him. Apparently, it was Hubs who had unintentionally started a text to me.

The ghost is off the hook for this one. But Hubs? Sometimes I really worry about that guy.

Hubs comes in the house late on a Saturday afternoon. I'm reading.

Hubs: What's smells delicious?

Me: Oh, a Dark Chocolate Raspberry Cake.

Hubs: Wow, did you make it?

Me: Well, it was either me or the ghost.

Hubs: If it was the ghost, hope he sticks around.

Did he just call me spectrally replaceable?

Dark Chocolate Raspberry Cake

I talked in my August post Pop Ups and Basal Twins about my Frankenstein makeover. I'd had an invasive Basal Cell Carcinoma removed and had a suture line up my left cheek. A week later I had a second one removed from the right side of my nose. That one required a skin graft and ended up infected.

So yeah, Frankenstein. 

Both are starting to heal but they aren't there yet. But I also have a few precancerous spots on my face. These will be frozen off with Cryotherapy. They'll blister, but that's the easiest way to deal with them.

And, trying to be a silver lining kinda person, I'm thinking if I do the Cryotherapy right before Halloween, my monster face will be at its scariest.

Completing my evil plan to scare the trick or treaters off and keep all the candy for myself.

Ah, the things I'll do for a big bowl of chocolate . . . Muah ha ha ha {{evil laugh}}.

 

Me: I have a great idea of how to get rid of our ghosts.

Hubs: Oh no, you know your great ideas usually scare me.

Me: Well, scare is actually the point.

Hubs: OK . . .

Me: But first I have a question.

Hubs: What?

Me: Do you think ghosts are afraid of Frankenstein?

I wrote a post, back when I first started this blog, about what I'd do if faced with a zombie plague. I called the piece A Sense of Balance, and if you haven't read it, you should, it's funny. 

So, in this Halloween month when I've been having my Frankenstein monster make-over, there's been a little balance around here. 

My deck had a princess make-over.

I designed it myself, picking out a plank with red overtones, going for a henna look over a dark brown or a grey. There are many options for the railing: metal, wood, glass. Of course, things are never that easy when I'm involved. I worked out a hybrid. Metal posts and top rails, but with mixed centers. I wanted the classic spindles along the sides, but didn't want my woods views hampered, so glass along the front. They were able to work that out for me.

The beauty to my beast.

Balance.

Forget Frankenstein, after this conversation (I SO love spoofing my family), they are thinking I'm more witch.

Usually, for Halloween dinner, I make my Harvest Soup and my Cinnamon Cranraisin Pumpkin Bread. It's our tradition.

But this year I have heard of a new (to me) soup, and in the name of mixing April Fools with Halloween, I thought I'd suggest it.

Me: I'm thinking of switching up soup recipes this Halloween.

Hubs: Instead of your Harvest Soup?
Me: A new recipe I saw, it's a Jamaican soup.

Hubs: Jamaican? Like your Jamaican Shrimp and Crab Chowder?
Me: Jamaican flavor profile, but I'm sure it will be quite different.

College Boy: Sounds good, I can be here to try that.

Me: Great! It's called Jamaican Chicken Foot and Cow Skin Soup. I hear it's quite popular.

Hubs: Oh wait, Halloween? I think I have a meeting that night.

College Boy: I forgot I'll be working late on Halloween.

Me: Bak, bak, bak, you chickens. I'm getting out my caldron. Careful, I may put your feet in my soup.

Witch's Caldron Giant Cookie

Truth is, Chicken Foot and Cow Skin Soup is a real dish. And if I could maybe switch out the chicken foot for wings and the cow skin for chicharrones sprinkled over the top, I bet all those island flavors would be delish.

I have a couple of favorite reading spots in the house. One is a huge overstuffed chair in the bedroom for cold winter days. The other is a recliner in the office right by the window. I like this one at this time of year.

I have bookshelves, a long desk, and little decorative pieces sprinkled around the room. On the desk is a small piece that looks like a trunk.

Lately, when I'm reading in the late morning, I hear a ping sound. It seems to be coming from the trunk. At first I ignored it, but it was happening pretty much every day. Just once, but most days.

So . . . are the ghosts maybe stuck inside? But I thought they could just go right through objects. They aren't like a genie in a bottle, right?

Or are they just trying to make a point. In a Frankenstein vs ghosts competition, I just may be losing the battle.

There may be things I don't know, but there's one thing I'm very sure of. There is no way in hell I'm opening that trunk.

 

Now click on the links below and see what my friends have to share:

Menopausal Mother 

On the Border

Dark Chocolate Raspberry Cake

                                                                       ©www.BakingInATornado.com

Printable Recipe

Ingredients:

1 cup water

1 packet (1.25 oz) raspberry chocolate cocoa mix

about 3 TBSP baking cocoa

1 box (15.25 oz) dark chocolate cake mix

1/2 cup oil

3/4 cup raspberry yogurt

4 eggs

8 oz cream cheese, room temperature

1/2 cup raspberry jam

1/4 cup powdered sugar

1 can (16 oz) dark chocolate frosting

Directions:

*Boil the water. Add the raspberry chocolate cocoa mix and stir until dissolved. Refrigerate for 20 minutes.

*Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease three 9 inch cake pans and "flour" them with the baking cocoa.

*Beat the cake mix, oil, yogurt, and eggs until smooth. Add the cooled raspberry cocoa and beat for 2 minutes. Divide evenly into the prepared baking pans.

*Bake for 15 - 20 minutes, until the center springs back to the touch. Cool in the pans for 10 minutes before removing. Trim the tops so they are flat.

*Place the bottom layer on a serving plate.

*Beat together the cream cheese, raspberry jam, and powdered sugar. Reserve 1/2 cup for decorating the top of the cake. Spread a thin layer of the remaining raspberry filling onto the bottom cake layer. Repeat with the second cake layer and remaining filling.

*Add the top layer of the cake. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.

*Frost the top and sides with the dark chocolate frosting. Decorate the top with the reserved cream cheese filling.

You Owe Me What? Fly on the Wall

Welcome to our monthly Fly on the Wall, a blog post written in snippets. Marcia, Diane, and I invite you to catch a glimpse of what you’d see if you were a fly on the wall in our homes, at our writing desks, and in our worlds. Come on in, buzz around, see what we've been up to. Bet you laugh! 

Hubs and I were in the den watching the Red Sox. It was late, I was tired in general, but I hadn't slept well the night before. Yeah, yeah, I'm making excuses. But then, I need one.

It was towards the end of the game and the game was tied. We really needed a run. I was hoping the batter would get a multi-base hit, but he walked. Which not only put him on base, but wasn't an out. 

TV announcer: Well, that wasn't exactly what they needed.

Hubs and I (at the same time): It was good enough.

Me: Jinx! You owe me a door knob!

Hubs: I owe you what?

Me: I don't know. It was the first thing that popped into my head.

Sometimes even I don't get me.

I had made an experiment for dinner. I do that often, so nothing new. Usually I have a pretty good idea of how an experiment will taste, but this time I had no idea, and I was a bit nervous about it. I had bought and grilled a rotisserie flavored turkey tenderloin and we both didn't like the flavor. There was a lot left over though, and I was determined to do something with it.

I decided to slice it, cover the slices with a smoky cheese, and bake it in a red wine sauce. I'd also make a salad and noodles. I told Hubs what I was doing and that I just wasn't sure . . .

I served dinner and we dug in. To our salads and noodles. We were both surreptitiously giving each other the eye. 

Me: Try the turkey.

Hubs: You try it.

We both went back to our noodles and salad. But inside I was laughing. He'd have to give in, because salad and noodles was plenty of dinner for me. But him? Not so much.

He tried it. And I had to stop my internal laughing, because, dammit, he didn't say a word.

He got me.

PS: He liked it. And I did too. Phew.

I've heard of some strange products, and some inventive marketing, but I was surprised and perplexed at a recent commercial.

A local supermarket was advertising a "frozen sack sale." I know these weird Midwesterners call bags "sacks." What I couldn't understand is what they were trying to sell.

Me: Frozen sacks? Like they're freezing paper bags and trying to convince people they need them?

Hubs: What would we need them for?

Me: I don't know, it's scorching hot out, maybe to put over your head to cool you off.

Hubs: That could be kinda dangerous when you're driving.

Me: Yeah, I love a good sale, but I think I'll pass.

Turns out it was a frozen food sale, a percentage off whatever you can fit in one of their bags. But, really strange marketing, if you ask me (they didn't).

I had some leftover grilled ham and asked Hubs if he wanted to put it in a sandwich for lunch this weekend. There was bread, mustard, and swiss cheese in the fridge. He thought that sounded great.

The next day, he came up from the man cave, made himself a few sandwiches and went back down. I noticed the ham was still wrapped in tin foil in the fridge.

Me: What did you have for lunch?

Hubs: A couple of peanut butter sandwiches and some chips.

Me: I thought you wanted that ham.

Hubs: Oh, I forgot.

I decided to put the ham, wrapped in tin foil, on top of the bread so he'd remember the next day. But the next day after lunch the ham was still there.

Me: I thought you were going to make a ham sandwich.

Hubs: I forgot again.

Me: I put the packet of ham right on top of the bread so you wouldn't forget.

Hubs: Oh, is that what that was?

Why do I even bother?

Speaking of food, I'd been hearing all over social media about this frozen chicken product that everyone seems to love. I had also heard that it was hard to find.

So, I was looking at all of the frozen chicken products on the grocery store website, trying to find the specific one everyone was talking about. Some were similar, but not quite right.

And then there was this one. Whatever this is, it's just wrong in all kinds of ways.

But my new Chocolate Toffee Slice and Bake Cookies? They are definitely right, in all kinds of ways.

Chocolate Toffee Slice & Bake Cookies

I went to a big box store website to see what summer merchandise might be on sale. This should be fun.

When I scroll down the home page, I'm looking at cute oven mitts, earrings, hair clips, bracelets . . . 

Then I get to a section marked "curated with you in mind." Ooh, I wonder what they've picked out just for me.

Scroll . . .

It's vacuum cleaners. Every single item. Vacuum cleaners.

I feel so judged.

 

Hubs came up from the man cave wanting me to check my laptop to see if I have internet. I did. He didn't. The basement is far from the router, and every now and then he has an issue down there so he brought his laptop up to the den to try it.

His laptop did connect up here. He left his laptop open on the ottoman, and went over to the couch to watch TV. As I was walking away from looking at his laptop, I tripped on the bottom leg of the ottoman and fell.

Hubs: Oh no, oh no, don't break my screen.

Me: Your screen is fine. I may have broken my foot, but your screen is fine . . .

I play a lot of online games and post the results to my Baking In A Tornado FB page twice a day. People who also play post their results too and we compare our games. I have a morning thread, where I post the morning games, and then an evening thread where I post the afternoon and evening games. 

For the evening games, they become available at 7:00 pm (central time), and I try to play them right away so I can get them posted to my FB page. Hubs had taken to reminding me when it's 7:00, so I know the games are live. So, I'd gotten used to not having to pay attention to the time.

Until last week.

Me (looking at my cell): It's after 7:00. You're fired.

Hubs: It's 7:01.

Me: You're still fired.

Hubs: I'm looking forward to hearing about my severance package.

I mentioned before that College Boy will often order food from one of those delivery apps. So often, they screw up his order and he ends up getting food for free. We often laugh about what they've done this time, from leaving his order at the wrong house, to bringing him someone else's order, to them just arbitrarily changing his order (and then charging him more because what they chose for him costs more). It's kind of a game, whenever he orders food, to see what he gets. Once we're done laughing, he goes on the app and gets a refund.

I came into the house one evening and he was eating a burger and fries.

Me: Did you order that to be delivered?
College Boy: Yes.

Me: So what did you actually order?
College Boy: A burger and fries.

Me: So where did they deliver it to?
College Boy: Here.

Me: You mean you're going to have to actually pay for dinner?

College Boy: Yes, can you believe it?

Actually, turns out, getting what you ordered is so much less fun than opening a surprise dinner bag.

Watching the Red Sox again, they were playing the Baltimore Orioles. There had been a rain delay so by the 8th inning, it was getting really late.

The Orioles were up and the crowd started chanting. I felt the same way so I was chanting with them.

Me: Let's go home! Let's go home!

Hubs: What are you doing? You are home.

Me: The crowd is tired and so am I. I'm chanting along with them "let's go home, let's go home."
Hubs: Umm, Os. Their team. The Orioles. They're chanting "let's go Os, let's go Os."

Me: Oh. Never mind, then.

 

Now click on the links below and see what my friends have to share:

Menopausal Mother 

On the Border

Chocolate Toffee Slice & Bake Cookies

                                                                       ©www.BakingInATornado.com

Printable Recipe

Ingredients:

1 1/2 sticks butter, softened

2 tsp chocolate syrup

3/4 cup powdered sugar

1/2 cup baking cocoa powder

1 cup flour

1/4 tsp salt

 

1 cup toffee baking bits

 

Directions:

*Cream the butter and chocolate syrup until smooth. Slowly beat in the powdered sugar until incorporated.

*Mix in the baking cocoa, flour, and salt to form a dough. Roll into a log, about 9 inches long. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for an hour, up to 2 days.

*Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cover baking sheets with parchment paper. Remove the dough from the oven and slice into about 3 dozen 1/4 inch rounds. 

*Place the baking bits on a plate, press one flat side of each round into the toffee, then place onto the baking sheets, toffee side up.

*Bake for 14 minutes. Allow to set for 2 minutes before removing from the baking sheets to cool completely.