I was at the bus stop today, waiting for the bus to take me home. A black woman and her son, who was old enough to be walking and talking but still young enough to warrant a stroller, was also there.
Unbelievable #1: She was cursing and bitching about God knows what. In front of and to her child. I understand that many parents aren't as strict about policing language in front of their children as mine were, but there is a definite difference between cursing in front of a child and cursing at your child. I glanced askance at her once, which was apparently enough of a guilt trip for her to apologize to the bus stop at large about how awful her day has been, sorry for the swearing, blah blah blah.
Unbelievable #2: About five minutes before the bus was due to arrive, the boy told his mother that he needed to use the restroom. The mother was not happy. If she took him to the restroom, they would definitely miss the bus and would have to wait another half hour before the next bus came. I expected one of two reactions: 1) the mother choosing to miss the bus and take her son to the bathroom or 2) ask if he could wait until they got (assuming home was merely a short bus ride away). I never even imagined choice 3 (the mother's choice), which involves young son peeing, not in the bushes, but
behind a garbage can. Granted, the garbage can is out of sight of the bus stop, but completely in view of the campus behind the bus stop. I can only imagine the psychological scarring on the boy.
Unbelievable #3: The boy was playing in the dirt when the bus pulls up. The mother stands up and starts pushing the
empty stroller toward the bus, saying, "Hurray up! Walk faster!" Honestly, if you're that worried about missing the bus, take the ten seconds to grab the boy and put him in the stroller.
Wow.
I went to Ikea a couple weeks ago and saw a set of animal cookie cutters. The reason I bought them was, of course, for the moose (and squirrel) forms! They were irresistible. I also had a craving for sugar cookies. Add these two factoids together and you have a recipe for deliciousness.
This is the first time I've made sugar cookies, so it was the typical Cooking With Lisa Adventure. My parents keep yellow jars of sugar and flour on the counter top. When I went to grab the required flour from the bucket, I noticed that Dad had changed the container to a clear one at some point. Not really thinking about it, I made the dough and stuck in the refrigerator to chill.
Three hours later, I pulled the dough out of the refrigerator and rolled the dough out. Or tried to, at least. The dough was moist and kind of sticky. I could roll it out but I couldn't separate the excess dough from the cookie shape. Sugar cookie dough should be firmer than that.
It was at this point that I noticed a yellow jar that looked suspiciously like the flour container. Upon closer investigation, I discovered that the flour I had thought was flour was actually... pancake mix! Oops. Since pancake mix is (apparently) mostly flour with shortening and baking powder, I decided to add in (real) flour to make up for the excess of shortening and baking powder. They actually turned out not-half-bad for being mostly pancakes. :)
