spring showers may travel....

we woke up to our first real spring shower this morning!

this last week has been very hot & very sunny resulting in sunburned noses and bikini tan lines 

(well maybe a little rosier then tan lines)  

but its spring and its hot out and its so darn hard to not sit outside and just enjoy the lovelyness. 

we're been busy trying to get ready for our may 5th departure. we leave on tuesday for calgary, then on to regina and finely on to winnepeg where we'll be for about a week. i'm not really sure if i've mentioned it already, but we're headed to north central manitoba to work at a fishing resort for the summer. after the summer there, we'll head to the great NS for a much needed visit and bit of fabulousness! i'm not really sure which i am more excited about. 

we're keeping our place, so that's been a relief - no need to pack anything up or having to worry about, when we return, having to find a new place. we just have to pack up what we're going to take with us.  we hope to bring travis' four wheeler back so we need to keep in mind that it has to fit in the back of the truck, along with everything else. we are also taking schooner and dixie so there is not much room in the back seat. that doesn't really leave that much space at all as we are finding. but that's fine really, cause we don't need take that much stuff. clothes. books. guitar. camping stuff. 

just four little categories: clothes. books. guitar. camping stuff. it doesn't really look like its going to be that much stuff, but for some reason my head is still spinning slightly, so that makes me worried. 

my last day of work was friday & it still feels a little weird. no more getting up at 3:15, no more driving though town in the wee hours, when it feels like a whole different place. i always thought it felt like being underground. i am totally aware that that probably makes no sense what so ever. but we used to have this book when i was little, called "the wumps" or something like that. they were these little creatures that lived underground, and they all these little systems and every once in a while would climb up and check out life above the surface. 

anyway, driving through town at 4:15 just makes me think of being of being underground. especially in the winter, right after a snowfall because all of the little loaders and snowplows are all milling about in the darkness. it just has that "underground" feeling. 

call me crazy. it won't be the first time.

driving away tuesday morning will feel pretty strange. but totally lovely. it will be weird to leave everything behind. but it will be really nice to come back in the fall knowing that everything is ready to go. no house finding. just job searching. but that will be interesting enough i imagine. 

my packing motivation has had a hard time reaching it optimum level. its just hard to know where to begin. coffee was a good start this morning, but i suppose i should keep going.  

see-ya in manitoba! 

p.s. i finished my taxes!!! (a week ago, but i did nevertheless!! yay fro tax returns!!)

on a side note, i was just going over the political party's in bc. i have already voted due to my absence for the actual election as well as the advanced polling dates. but i was a little interested just now to see who was running and such. i came across the 'the sex party' and their take on global warming among other things was quite comical. 

"Hot sex will cool the planet."

 

the coming days & ones past

today we woke up to snow! 

april 13! snow! i remember when we got snow on april fools day, i thought that was a joke. but this is the middle of april,

its not funny. 

mum and dad came down for the whole easter weekend which was lots of fun. today was the last day the hill was open so we all went up yesterday for schnai dai which was a hoot. they had a slush cup and the whole shebang. 

i'm a cross country skier normally and usually go down major hills on a snowboard (with very little success mind you). dad's always been a skier and last time they were down he convinced me to try the double foot board method & so far its proven to be my first choice for speedy hill descents. i'm still pretty slow, but phenomenally good for only day two! we had a super great time - a little sun, a little snow and we went out for an awesome dinner at the end of the day! 

mum & dad left first thing this morning & travis started his course today, so i had the house to myself. i started to get stuff in order for our departure.  it seems like there is tones to do, but there’s really not that much. we're going to keep our place, so we just have to get our stuff packed up and we're good to go! i'm trying to get all my recipes all sorted out, which seems harder then the reality. its just the procrastination that i have to get past. but once i realize that its not really that hard...everything comes easier! i assume! 

no, i really did start today..so i'm on my way. :) 

my taxes on the other hand. won't go there. 

hey - i've been busy! its spring!!! 

i did make a cheese cake. which seems to have turned out totally lovely! it will sit over night and then tomorrow i'll make a sour cherry sauce for it.

i'll let ya know!

ta, ta. 

friday afternoon...

its friday afternoon

the middle of march

its almost summer

almost summer.

the blue sky has been peaking through the clouds most of the afternoon, although now its more like the clouds are peaking through the blue. 

its almost totally clear out there, just a few light and fluffy bits. 

the sun has just set behind the mountain & the light is beginning to fade. 

this week has been super busy. i've been taking a business course from 1pm-4, just after working 4:30am -12:30! its been a quick lunch and run to class, luckily class is right next door to work, so its not really that much of a hurry for me. i am just a little self conscious though. knowing i smell like a bakery. it makes me feel, well a little funny.

i was at a sports store the other day, buying a pair of running shoes. the owner had just gotten back from getting my size & he was loosening the laces. 

he turned to me, right eye squinted just enough and said, "do you work at schimmels?"

"yeah, i do" 

"i thought so, i recognised the smell"!!!!!!!!!

i almost died. i think i even cracked up laughing!! i don't mind smelling like cinnamon buns & he is a regular costumer so its not that odd that he would "recognise" the smell. but that it self is crazy, maybe even strange.

needless to say, if i ever go anywhere right after work i constantly wonder if people go "ummmm..i know that smell" 

just kinda strange.

anyway, long story short, even though i think i just told all of the story, the point i was getting at was that the week has been busy & that i'm super stoked that its friday. 

i have nothing to do. i don't have to be anywhere & i will have time to go for a run tomorrow. 

it will be fabulous! 

actually i do have one thing i have to do. i bought tickets for the hockey game tomorrow, which i am totally stoked about! its a vancouver canuck alumni vs. bc conservation game so it should be a good one. i'm not too sure who is playing as far as alumni goes, i know kirk mclean is going to be on the ice....but the rest of the team is a mystery. i'm hoping to get some good pictures though!

little bits of everything...well, mostly work.

i've decided not to talk about my car anymore...

[i'm not sure what to do now, other then get a layer, if you have an extra thousand or so, you're welcome to get a hold of me!]

the end. 

yesterday was fabulous!! my brother came up and visited me!!! he was on his way up to mum and dads & i happen to be lucky and live right in the middle :)  i haven't seen him in...well, since august! AGES as far as i'm concerned...and it was wonderful. he had some time off, and since there's umpteen number of feet of snow at home, he decided what better place to be! he made me extremely envious of his travels: lots of powder, lots of power! does it get any better?? but i have to stay here and work. why. why. why!??

yeah...that brings me to another subject. work. work is lovely... in, the worst way. i don't mind the actual work part of it, but these days it seems like there is so much more to it, then just work. its convoluted. and confusing. and every word that = doesn't make sense. and then add some. i start at 4:30am, pretty early, kinda earlier then most people should be up....so this morning, i give my brother a big hug and then we drive in opposite directions. he goes north to snow land and i go to work. i drive into town, turn onto main street and then off on to the side street, i slow down, put it into first and turn the corner into the alley. 

and there's a guy....just walkin' down the alley, at 4am. 

my first thought. "REMEMBER WHAT HE LOOKS LIKE" 

i jot down a few things to memory, pass him and drive the next 50 feet to the back door of my  work. i stop 10 feet short, so i can see if any out of the ordinary happened. and i'm just as smart as i expected. it helped that we got nice skiff of snow overnight - those foot steps to the back door were where he tried to get in were pretty dam visible! 

its really frustrating. number 1: because my boss doesn't care about us. number 2: because she doesn't live here and she doesn't care. number 3: because i have to work 2 hours by alone at 4 in the blinking morning!!!! number 4: because i don't really have a choice, i live in a small town, there just aren't many options job wise. number 5: because my boss doesn't care. 

did i say my boss doesn't care? do i sound bitter? 

[i think maybe the whole reason this blog is really here is so i don't have to complain about these things out loud, but not JUST complain, i come  to great conclusions by writing it all out... its therapeutic really, i don't even know if anyone reads this  and it doesn't really matter]

so...yeah. i wanted, so badly to put it in reverse, and peal out of there and never go back. and its really screwed up, cause there's a few people i work with that are really awesome, but it makes a huge impact on your sense of worth when your boss couldn't give a shit about you. i like what i do, i like that its getting close to easter and that i get to make lots of hot cross buns, and that i have costumers that order the same thing every week, and that i make their orders exactly to their specifications. because i care. i don't even know them, i will never even meet them, but i care about them. if i can make something for them, that will in some way make them happy - that is what makes me happy. that's just who i am. 

and what do i get for that? zip. 

one thing: i've learned that there are ways i am NEVER going to treat people. well, i've learned lots of things that i'm never going to do.

its not really as bad as i make it sound. it just really gets to me some times and the fact that i don't have any options just make it worse. but it is screwed up, there is no doubt about that. 

i did call the cops though. i'm not sure if it will do any good...it hasn't before, as far as i know...but maybe one day it will. 

when i got home around12:30, it was beautifully sunny & warm. i went for the bestest of runs - in a tank top!! it was amazing. seriously! absolutely gorgeous! that one hour after work somehow can make a whole 8 hours disappear. and for that i am truly thankful. 

"we're being sued...opps, i mean that was false..."

i realise i haven't posted for quite some time. 

i also haven't been running everyday like i used to either. 

but as far as the posting bit goes, i've been busy, and quite frankly i haven't had much steam i felt i needed to vent. as far as the running part goes, when travis comes home i take a break and we do even more exciting things, like ice fishing, and exploring... :) 

yesterday i received an email from dixie with the ministry of transportation. she sent the email to inform me that my claim had been received and forwarded, i quote: 

"With this correspondence to you, we are confirming that your claim was received and forwarded to the private contractor responsible for  maintenance in the area where your incident occurred.  The name and address of the contractor is:

Billabong Road & Bridge"

weather or not my assumption is correct i don't know. but by reading her email i had understood that the claim had been read and passed on to the appropriate person for the final decision making. this seemed a little weird to me, because billabong is who i have fighting against, so why would they be put in change of deciding weather or its my fault or theirs?

so, my mid february resolution is to become a royal pain in the ass. 

i called billabong head office in terrace this afternoon, as the ministry of transportation lady is "away from the office till the 3rd of march" . so i called the terrace office, they said it had nothing to do with them, although she did know what i was talking about (i thought that was strange). she told me that my claim would be taken care of by the smithers office, that it had "nothing to do with them"!!!!!!!!! so i called smithers, and turns out it had nothing to do with them, i was to contact the terrace office. 

i'm so tired of this. 

i make myself understood, and all of the sudden i am transferred to Dan. who proceeds to tell me, he knows nothing except that they got am email form dixie requesting more information and informing them that they were being sued. 

i was thrilled. still a little unsure, about this actual fact, but still....he sounded subdued...and it made me happy to think they were being sued. 

one hour later i get a call back. dan had contacted the president of billabong, and in fact that little suing fact he had just given me was false. he was really short with me, wouldn't really say much at all and what he did say didn't make any sense. he then told me to file a claim with icbc. 

thanks for the tip. 

this is sooo confusing.

 i am going to have to wait till monday before i can proceed with any of this, which annoys me. it always happens this way, i finally get information, and its friday!! oh well. maybe i can use these days to prepare my, stock up ammunition. 

i'm not like this. i'm not mean, i'm a kind person.

but i feel very strongly about this. they have no right running the little guy (or girl) over. 

plus, i'm feeling pretty large these days. 

strawberry smoothie therapy

i've decided that this is all getting to me, too much and i just can't take it. i've also decided that i'll survive,so today i made a strawberry almond smoothie, and i'm not going to worry about what i can't control. i'm just going keep on keepin' on, but not let it get to me, because its not worth it. 

strawberry almond smoothie

frozen strawberries

frozen banana

milk

1 tablespoon honey (to taste)

1 teaspoon almond extract

fill blender half full with strawberries, and pour in enough milk so that you're able to blend it, probably a cup or so. once blended add banana and blend again. add honey and almond extract. tweek it to your taste, pour into tall glass, find a red and white stripped straw and thoroughly enjoy!

so far, as it stands, my icbc claim is made. my claim through the ministry of transportation has been made, submitted, and then modified and submitted again and my new rad is on order. 

the ministry here decided to send pictures in with my claim that didn't really relate to my incident at all. he had taken pictures of the left hand side or the road instead of the right, and of the last intersection that you go through before the end of the road, the picture was taken after the new sign was put up. which is totally absurd, and would nullify my claim and is pretty much a slap in the face. so i went to the ministry's office after work, with my pictures (containing no signs) and they did a little "retouching" to my claim. i think a few people have been trying to cover up the placement of the new sign, but someone let it slip, and rightly so. i just want to complete the process as quickly and smoothly as possible without becoming little guy that gets run over. 

so i'm holding up a big stick above my head so i seem larger! so far so good.

i've made quiche for dinner, quiche lorraine to be exact. the steam is rising as i just pulled it from the oven. the house is warm, my dog is asleep on the floor beside me. i feel sleepy, hungry and satisfied! 

no fences make for great neighbors!

i may be lonely, but i’m definitely not without company!

all day today, there have been two moose hanging out in my back yard. its amazing. i’ve had quite the week, a rollercoaster you may say. and nothing is morning calming or grounding and nothing takes me away from whatever i may be dealing with then these two moose, just lying there.

i went to go into town today, to get some errands done, and to get dog and cat food. i ran out this morning, ironically! but last night it poured rain and this morning it was -4, so i should have put two and two together, but i hadn’t  really thought about it until i started the car and went to back up. i didn’t move. or i did, but sideways. my driveway consists of mostly hill and a little bit of flatness, but mostly hill. i had a bag of sand, which i emptied. i tried again, in reverse, but to no use. i would make it halfway up the hill and spin out. so after a couple tries i gave up and parked.

after getting my car inspected yesterday we found out that i have a cracked rad. which had yet to give me any trouble, but it was warm out today, and therefore the build up of pressure inside my rad was greater. i’ve been keeping tabs on my fluid levels and there wasn’t anything out of the ordinary until this last time. so i popped the hood and checked. i was clear out of rad fluid. not good. so between the ice on the road and my rad fluid soaking into the road, i wasn’t going anywhere. by car.

i was out of dog and cat food, remember? i had to go to town. i had to do something. i’m just kind of stewing in all this and weather or not i’m going to fight this to the bitter end or not, its still kind of depressing. kind of, is a matter of option. well, anyway…

so I walked the 4 kilometers into town. it was a totally lovely day, warm, partly sunny, breesy and every once in a while, it would snow. it was quite lovely. itook schooner, and he thought it was the coolest thing ever. so many different smells, and then when we got to town, there were people, and dogs…and oh the excitements! lovely. lovely. lovely. so dog and cat food obtained, i hailed a cab (not as romantic as it sounds) and told him to drop me off at the top of my driveway – i didn’t want to feed him dinner!

this is when i first saw the moose, for today. i walked down the driveway, animal food underarm, and up the steps and right in front ot me, there they are, two moose, just lying there enjoying the carefree afternoon. i run inside of course, shutter happy as i am to grab my camera. i snap 10’s of pictures thinking that they be gone before i know it. but this is not the case at all…there are still there now, 5 hours down the road. i just think its amazing. schooner has gone and checked them out a few times, they just lye there, he sniffs, poops and comes back to the house. mission completed i some way i imagine.

i made “baby’s got the blues brownies” its from a cookbook mum got me on a trip to idaho she took last year, and the same book the soup came from.  it’s a fabulous book, and a fabulous restaurant i am told. and if you’ve got the blues or not, these brownies definitely do the trick and paired with cup of tea and a hockey game they do well to rid the blues. 

baby’s got the blues brownies

4 oz unsweetened chocolate (or 3/4 cup cocoa)

½ cup butter ( or ¾ cup butter)

2 teaspoons vanilla

1 ¼ cup sugar

2 eggs

½ teaspoon salt

½ cup flour

preheat oven to 350. grease and flour an 8x8 square or round pan.

melt chocolate and butter together. take off heat and cool. when cool vanilla, sugar, eggs and salt to the chocolate mixture until thoroughly combined. add flour and stir until completely mixed. pour into prepared pan. bake for 40 minutes (this seemed a little long to me, i’d bake for 35 next time). cool on wire rack, then enjoy and feel the blues vanish away! 

t.h.e. jalapeno and avocado cream coup

8 jalapeno peppers, stemmed and seeded

2 tablespoons butter

1 cup finely diced onions

5 cloves minced garlic

8 cups cream* 

2 cups chopped roasted tomatoes**

1 diced hass avocado

Salt

Pepper

1 small bunch cilantro

*or whatever combination of milk and cream you want

** i roasted a few tomatoes in the oven, and then chopped them

mince jalapenos, taking care not to get the chile oil on your skin! painful later!!

melt butter in large heavy bottomed soup pot. cook onions and jalapenos together in butter over low heat for about 5 minutes, stirring frequently to avoid any scorching. add minced garlic, and continue cooking until onion is translucent and beginning to brown, 20 minutes more. 

turn heat to low and add the cream, tomatoes, and avocado. carefully bring soup to a simmer over low heat. cook it at a gentle simmer for 30 minutes. stir often to keep soup from burning and sticking. 

add generous amounts of salt. (you really have to taste for this. we add a lot, as the cream base can take it, and without salt the subtle flavors of the soup get lost.) add a good amount of cracked black pepper and most of the cilantro leaves. this soup keeps well and reheats nicely with the help of a flame tame. 

shall we say, depressing?

so i'm doing to positivity dance. or trying too. 

yesterday, after waiting too long for people to get back to me and after giving them plenty of time to do so, i decided enough was enough. i called guy at the ministry of transportation back, only to find out that i had to file a claim, now why couldn't he have just told me that a few days ago when i first called him? cause maybe my little incident wasn't important and it wasn't worth his time? well i don't give up that easy... and i'm sorry, but i'm getting to the bottom of this. you don't end a road, and not bother to warn people. signage, guys, would be great. 

yesterday, after finely being made aware that i actually had to file a claim (like hello!) to get this big nasty ball rolling, i went in to pick form up. its just like a regular form: name, address, phone #....and then this little box in the middle full of reminders, like "please remember to attach quote or estimate". well, that was something that hadn't gotten yet. so after work today i headed over to the auto body shop, partly terrified, and partly totally thrilled by the wonderfully warm sunshine. it was really an amazing day! 

so, to make a long story short, just write the check out to heidi, for $3000. its just a small amount really. just a drop in the bucket. no problem. 

how much would it have cost them to put a bloody sign up!! for freak sakes!!

i'm not bitter at all. 

i just feel like i'm getting the run around. i had called the highways guy on monday to see why there wasn't a sign up and i've been waiting for his call back all week. then today when i called him, he was well.....unavailable. no kidding! but the lady at reception told me that the file states that a sign was put up on the 27th - the day after i called him to report the lack of!!  so there was obviously supposed to be a sign there: i'm not off my rocker, and i'm not giving up. (did i say that already??)

i have decided to file an icbc claim as well, two avenues is better then one, right? but at this point i'm wishing i had never even gone down that first avenue, or should i say road, in the first place.

the positivity dance isn't really working. i'm kind of not dancing anymore. i just kind of feel like a bowl of ice cream right now. 

snow.q.drive.soup

its snowing. for the second time today. when i came home from work it was not snowing. then all of the sudden, outside my windows there was a wild and crazy blizzard with small flakes. now its a blizzard with big flakes. i like the snow, and winter in general, so i'm pleased either way, as long as i can make it out of my driveway in the morning. 

i'm sitting here inside, with a snowy blizzard out, listening to CBC radio two. which i have really only recently discovered, and i have fallen in love with drive, with rich terfry. he plays such and amazing array of music, with great commentary to boot. i've was devastated when Q switched time slots this summer. i loved to come home in the afternoon, go for a run and then lie out in the sun on the deck, jian ghomeshi's voice echoing from my speakers. now, with his brand new 10am slot, frankly i miss the guy. i'm slowly getting used to the point, but its different, its not Q. its growing on me, slowly i must say, but its still not the same. so drive in a way is filling that gap...although its so totally different. apples and oranges. 

speaking of food, i'm going to post a recipe on here, in the next little bit, today or tomorrow at the latest. for jalapeno and avocado cream soup. it is seriously one of the most amazing soups i've made, ever. and one that comes with a warning label. but don't be alarmed. the warning label only targets the making of the soup. not the consuming. i had read the recipe though, but had not thought it through. 8 jalapenos, minced. try doing that, no food processor, no gloves. i won't even dare you. next time i'll wear gloves, heavy ones. and a long sleeve shirt. if you like to cook naked, which i can admit, is pretty cool sometimes, will at this point will get pretty hot and i caution against it. but you don't even notice anything the first day, then the next, you'll come home from work, jump in the shower, and realise that you're on fire. not fun. so be careful. however, after you have simmered the soup for 30 minutes, almost all the heat is gone, and if you eat leftovers the next day, you notice even less temperature. i do find all of this quite interesting though. first of all cream soups are never simmered. you always simmer the main broth, veggies and whatever, you take off the heat, add cream/milk and slowly bring back to temperature, but there is no simmering once the cream is added. second of all, this soup has 8 jalapenos. and one would wonder how the heat in 8 jalapenos is going to take a hike?! the only liquid, is cream. 8 cups to be exact (i added 2 cups full cream, and the rest homo milk, the budget didn't like the whole cream bit). added to all this, is one avocado. so do the math, the fat content is quite high! and how do you combat heat, when you eat somthing too spicy? milk. but really its the fat content in the milk that de-activates or dissolves the capsaicin in the peppers which are used to create the heat. so in the end, you get a fabulous soup, no heat, high flavor. rather lovely actually! 

a fabulous match for a nice slice of artisan bread, toasted with butter. ummm! 

sunday morning...

i sit here with my big woolly socks and coffee freshly poured. the mountain through the window in front of me, covered in snow, white and glistening in the mid-morning sun, entices me. i would like to climb to the top of it today, and look out upon the valley, watch the train rumble on, the puffs of smoke puffing, keeping houses warm this -25 morning. 

today is sunday and i only "have" to do a couple things. none of which i feel like doing. yesterday while traveling down a road i had never been down, i rounded the corner only to find that the road came to an abrupt end. the one hundred feet the remained was glare ice, my brakes we're no good, and i am lucky that the snow bank at the end was angled, or i would have lost more then my bumper. i was pissed off. i still am. there were no signs that would have lead me to believe that the road ended, the last sign that i saw was the 50km/hour sign just a ways back. so today i have to drive back out there, again, and confirm that in fact there were no signs. doing so will give me a leg to stand on when monday morning i call that person who is responsible for things like this, and tell them them that they will pay for my new bumper. 

i don't want to go out. i don't even really want to drive my car. but whats the saying, "get right back on the horse"?. really, i came out of the whole scene rather unscathed, just missing a bumper. but i've never had anything like this happen, ever. i feel stupid, like i should have known better. but how could i? but whats done is done. 

that's really the only thing that i have to do. i would like to go out and take pictures as well. the day is lovely beyond words, and schooner would be on cloud nine. but at this point, sitting in the sun, drinking my hot coffee, listening to CBC radio is feeling pretty darn lovely. 

CBC morning fact: 95% of the worlds gum balls are made in toronto. they are environmentally friendly -no packaging! and they are brand name free! 

croissant master recipe

croissant dough

2 teaspoons yeast

2 tablespoons sugar

3 tablespoons warm water

1 teaspoons salt

2 tablespoons unsalted butter*

1 cup cold milk

2 ½ all-purpose flour

butter package

1 cup unsalted butter*

2 tablespoons flour

*I used salted butter but next I think I will use unsalted, cause they seem a little too savory.

In small bowl dissolve the yeast and a pinch of the sugar in the warm water. Let stand until foamy, about 5 minutes.

In mixer fitted with paddle, combine the remaining sugar, the salt, melted butter, milk, and the yeast mixture and mix on medium speed until combined. Gradually add the flour ½ cup at a time and mix just until the dough comes together in a sticky mass.

On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough into a rectangle about ½ inch thick. Transfer to a half-sheet pan, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate until chilled, about 40 minutes.

To make butter package, using the heal of your hand, knead the butter on a work surface to flatten it and warm it to about 60*F. Sprinkle the butter with the flour and gently knead again Shape the butter into a 6x8 rectangle. If the butter has become too warm, wrap it and put it in the fridge until its pliable.

To laminate the dough, on a lightly floured work surface, roll out the dough into a 9x13 inch rectangle. With a short side facing you, place the butter on the lower half, leaving a ½ inch border on all sides. Fold over the upper half to cover the butter and press the edges together to seal. Then, with a folded side to your left, roll out the dough into a 10x24 inch rectangle. With a short side facing you, fold the bottom third up, then fold the top third down, as if folding a letter. This completes the first turn, also known as a book turn. Return to the pan, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 45 minutes. ( I didn’t return it to the fridge, if it gets too warm then it might be a good idea, or if it needs to rest, but it just takes SO long if you chill every turn…)

Return the chilled dough to the lightly floured work surface with a folded side to your left and repeat the process to make 3 more turns, rolling, folding, and chilling the dough each time, for a totally of 4 turns. After the final turn, refrigerate the dough for at least 4 hours or for up to over night. ( I made the dough in the evening, let it sit overnight, then made the Pain au Chocolat the next morning) 

pain au chocolat

1 recipe croissant dough

6 oz bittersweet chocolate

egg wash

1 large egg

1 tablespoon milk

Using a box grater or a good processor, coarsely grate or chop the chocolate. (I melted it, and piped it into ¼ wide batons)

On a lightly floured surface, roll out the pastry into a 12x16 inch rectangle. Cut it lengthwise into 3 equal strips, then cut each strip crosswise into 4 squares, for a total of 12 squares. Sprinkle 1 teaspoon of grated chocolate in a strip in the middle of the square. Fold the bottom up a third of the way, then fold the top down so that it slightly overlaps the bottom flap. Pinch the seam to seal. 

Place, seam side down, on lightly greased pans. Repeat with remaining squares, spacing the rolls about 2-3 inches apart. Place in a warm, draft-free place to rise covered until doubled, about 1 ½ hours.

Preheat oven to 425*.

Lightly brush the tops of the rolls with the egg wash. Bake one sheet at a time until golden brown, about 15-18 minutes. (Boil water for coffee!!)  Transfer to wire rack to cool.

the beginning

i'm a baker. i wake every morning at 3:15. i push the snooze button until 3:34 and then i'm out of bed. i wet my hair. i make toast. i let my dog out. i start my car. i eat toast. i get dressed. i drive to work.

its all automatic and i'm half asleep until now. my drive to work takes about 10 minutes, unless i have trouble getting up the hill and out of my driveway. lately the weather has been funny and its been very interesting at times - i stay to the left hand side, keep my speed up, and make sure to not give to little or too much gas. its a small hill, and relatively tame, but sometimes to catches me off guard. 

i come home from work, just after noon with the whole day ahead of me it seems. for one the works a regular shift, it may seem like the day has only begun and the hours left are unless...but i can't help but keep a silent countdown of how many hours in the day i have left until i have to go to bed. it seems to come way to fast. my head hits the pillow [weather i like it or not] around 8pm. it is now, 10:30, so early really, yet, i'm nodding off, trying in vain to keep my eyes open, my brain alert....but i know sooner or later i will fall prey. 

i've lived in this house now, for just over a month. one month and one week to be exact. its little and rather cute, just the perfect size for the four of us, my boyfriend and i, and our cat and our dog. its out of town just far enough, and we're not five minutes from a lake. i'm excited to see what lies under the snow, when it melts - it will be a totally surprise! 

i've lived in this town since june of last year. i am quite and i do things that don't often involve other people, not by choice, but that’s just kind of the way it works. i like photography - i go on hikes to find the perfect shot. i like to bake, i work early hours, i go to bed early, not exactly a great way to meet new people. so in the 8 months i've lived here, i've been to a few hockey games and out for drinks once. it does bother me sometimes, i sluff it off thinking "that’s just the way it is and there’s no real way to cure it", but it still bothers me and i'm still lonely. my boyfriend works away from home and only comes home every couple of months, so i don't see him all that often either. although he is gone, and its hard on the both of us, we know its a means to an end. everyday we are closer to our dream. and that is what keeps us going.