Getting domesticated.

We have two new orange kitties: Sandy and Simon. Just absolutely precious. I've been squirting them with water lately to try to keep them from scratching and tearing up the furniture. It's a useful technique. Of course, I feel a little bit awkward spraying the things, but I guess they're domestic, so they might as well get domesticated, and they don't seem to hold a grudge. They also wrestle with each other a lot, which is pretty cute.

Other than that, it's been the same old, same old. I have a new bike that was built from scratch. I'm going to ride it for the first time tomorrow. The skinny wheels scare me a bit, but just looking at and admiring the bike doesn't burn many calories.

That's all.

is she? isn't she?

Well, now I just have to figure out how to make a boat small enough to fit in my luggage (my new small luggage that I got for a thrifty $4 and it's pink, just like this blog!). My pirate's costume is definitely small enough to fit, hehe.

So in other words, I've booked a ticket home, as I'm sure I'll be needing a vacation come boat race time. So if you're reading this blog and you're going to be in Arkansas around July 30th and you have nothing to do, then you should accompany to the 4th annual Perryville boat race (meghan, nicole, catherine, etc--this comment is directed at you).

And don't worry mom, I booked enough time so that I'll be able to spend a few days at home--in the Fort.

On a different note, I've spiffed up my apartment with some recently acquired and colorful antiques. I think my homemade hoola hoop is my prized decoration for now. And the world's tallest horse came to town the other day, but I didn't get to see it. The picture in the paper just wasn't the same as I'm sure being there would have been. And our house might be getting two short and stocky kittens that are so adorable. I've never raised kittens, but hopefully I'd figure it out!

ARGGHH.

Six boats entered the CooperRiis boat race, so I would call that a success, especially since none of them sank. Now, myself, being an experienced home-made boat racer, it's no surprise that our boat came in second--even if second to a sailboat. Can you believe a sailboat got first. But you know, simple wins the race. Our raft was just a piece of plywood on top of a tractor tire intertube, one person riding atop, and then we had three people swimming and pushing it. One of the boats tried the bike/paddlewheel thing, but it was too slow to gain any glory. A couple of nice pirate costumes. Good video footage. Now I'm just trying to decide if I should buy a plane ticket home to make it to the Perryville race in July. Two boat races in two months, would it be too much? ARGHH!

(P.S. Our boat was called hope floats--a little cheesy, but appropriate for a healing farm...)

(P.S.S. I went to like the world's hugest barbecue festival today! The cultural stuff that goes on in these parts, I'm tellin ya what.)

On the right track.

I can't believe no one has commented on the GRANOLA RECIPE. After all that begging, too.

Anyway, I decided to update my look, or my blog’s look; I pretty much look the same. I know that it's a little Victoria Secretish, but as I haven't been earning many comments, you don’t get much say.

The boat race is in two days, and of course our boat goes uncompleted. We have parts (3 tractor tire intertube and some wood and some string and some garbage bags); they have yet to come together. Like most things in life, you just never know when they'll get done, but sure hope they will.

I started listening to HOW TO LEARN GREEK CDs again. Of course I've only completed track 1, which I've completed like 5 times over the past 2 years, so I'm getting very good at saying Ohi (No!) and Signome (excuse me). Catalavente aglica (Do you understand English?)? But with the prior motto stated in the last paragraph, this too will get done, assuming I do the work.

By Gosh, it's the GRANOLA RECIPE

And now, the real thing you've all been waiting for: COOPERRIIS GRANOLA!

Ingredients and Quantities:

1 cup Toasted Coconut (spread on sheet pan, toast in 300 degree oven for 4 minutes)

7 1/2 cups Oats, Uncooked

2 cups Almonds

1/2 cup Wheat Germ

1/2 cup Sunflower Seed

1/2 cup Flax Seeds or Toasted Sesame Seed

1 teaspoon Cinnamon, ground

1/2 teaspoon Nutmeg, ground

1/2 cup + 2 1/2 Tblsp Canola Oil

1 cup Honey

1 Tblsp Vanilla

1/2 cup Dried Cranberries

1/2 cup Dried Raisins

1/2 cup Apricots, dried, diced

Directions:

1) Toast coconut and set aside.
2) Mix Oats through vanilla ingredients together.
3) Bake at 325 degrees for 25 minutes, mixing once or twice during baking.
4) Let cool.
5) Add dried cranberries, raising, apricots and toasted coconut.
6) Mix well.
7) Eat it up.

Well, besides finally getting that recipe out to you, I went to visit Trevor and Brooke in Tennesse. It was wonderful meeting Trevor's family and seeing his roots. No wonder he's such a nice kid. And it sounds like their new settlement in Batesville shall be very dynamic. Thanks to them, I got to go to a blue plum festival and see the WAYBACKS play. Although, I didn't see any blue plums.