Guardian Angels

I must have a couple of Guardian Angels. I was on my way to church this morning on Highway 99. I was going about 75. I know the speed limit is only 70, and I was speeding a bit, but not much. I was in the middle lane of traffic, and we were coming up on the on-ramp for the Golden State Highway. I saw there were several cars that were going to merge onto Highway 99, but figured I was in the middle lane so I didn't have much to worry about. There was a truck with a horse trailer that had at least three horses in it. It was probably going 55-60 because I passed it. I figured the people that would be merging would most likely cut in front of the trailer. I had thought the last person merging wouldn't have enough time and so he would have to brake and then go behind the trailer. However, just as I was passing the horse trailer, I noticed that last car whip in front of the truck/trailer. At that point I realized I was probably in his blind spot. Knowing cars coming onto the 99 do not like to stay in the right lane, I kept an eye on him. Just as I was thinking he wasn't going to try to get in my lane, he veered towards me. I laid on my horn, slammed on my brakes. I went from 75 to 45 in a few seconds. However this guy didn't seem to realize I was honking at him. I could hear the truck/trailer behind me breaking. What seemed like 10 seconds, and was probably only three, I see him veer right really quick. He had been inches from my car. I was so shaken by this that when I got to my exit 1.5 miles down the road, my hands were still shaking. However, I know that I have Guardian Angels. Something prompted me to keep an eye on this vehicle and that I knew I was in his blind spot, and he was probably going to come after me. I am so blessed. :-)

Wedding Cake

Okay, so I finally did it. Friday I went home from work early to make the cake (12:30). I had thought about doing it on Thursday night and then only leaving a bit early on Friday (4:30) so I could just drop it off. However, at the last moment I decided to decorate it on Friday instead of Thursday evening. It wasn't going to be that difficult to do. The hardest part was going to be trying to get it as smooth as possible. As you can see on this picture, I came pretty close to having it really smooth. I don't like the edges, but didn't know how to do them in such a way so it would be perfect. Then I called the bride to see when I could drop the cake off. The reception was to start at 7. I thought I would drop it off around 6. I planned on then going and doing a bit of shopping since I would be in town. I did get there around 6, but the bride didn't show up until about 6:20. I hadn't finished the cake because I wanted to know where she was going to put the cake and on what she would like it on. Then I was going to put on the last ribbon, dots, and then the flowers. It was also very hot so I had to have the cake inside. I had brought a cake pedestal that I had just got at K-Mart (which, I hate K-Mart). It had been in the clearance items, and I got it for $5. It was a Martha Stewart collection, but I could care less about that. I just thought it was simple and it matched the color of the icing. She had wanted her cake to be an ivory color. So when the bride showed up, I showed her the pedestal and she said that was fine. So if put the cake on the pedestal and finished decorating. Since it was still over 100 degrees outside, I didn't want to put the cake out until about 7. Then I was going to leave. I still was waiting for the check and just after I put the cake outside, I saw the groom writing a check to the chocolate fountain lady and so I thought they would write one to me at the same time. This didn't happen.

Finally I brought out the cake. Next thing I knew, some of my friends showed up. So I got to talking to them. I was there when the cut the cake, and then I was asked if I would cut the cake for the rest of the guests. I did it for them. The bride has only been in Bakersfield for about 6 months, so she really didn't have the friend support that she would normally have had. I turned to her and asked her where the forks were. Apparently the mother-of-the-groom was in charge of this reception, so the bride asked her where the forks were. The mother-of-the-groom shot me a look (whoa!) and said she didn't know we were going to have cake and so she doesn't have any forks. The look I got was more like she expected me to have the forks. So someone ran to the grocery store that was about a block away and got some forks. No big deal. Everyone said they liked the cake.

So I woke up this morning on the wrong side of the bed. From the moment the alarm went off, I wasn't ready for the day. However, what was I to do, but get up and go to work. So, I went to work and tried to not be crabby with people.

One of the people I work with, just asks me questions and questions, and doesn't look at the notes of the training that I had done. For the most part, I can be patient and refer them back to the notes or help them through the issue. Today, that was another story. When I was asked about helping with something, I could just feel myself getting irritated. I knew it wasn't their fault I woke up on the wrong side of the bed, so I would try to smile at them, grit my teeth and nicely show them how to do it. I am bad at disguising my feelings, so they must know it wasn't a great day.

I guess the secret is that I need to go to bed early today so that I can be bright and shiny for tomorrow.

I get to work a 1/2 day tomorrow because I am coming home to make the wedding cake. This is a bit scary for me since the cake on Monday got a gas bubble from the heat. So I don't know what will happen if this cake gets a gas bubble. I would hate for the bubble to explode before they get the pictures and cut the cake, but it is hot, and I can't do anything about that.

I did the flowers for the cake the other day, and I am not too sure about them. I think I made the arrangement a bit too big for the cake. I guess I will just have to see that tomorrow when I get the cake all done and on the table. If it is too big, I will just have to make some adjustments.

Here's for a brighter, happier tomorrow! :-)

Cake Decorating III

So here are some pictures of this weeks cake.

The lesson we learned today was on making clown bodies. It was actually fun. However, I found out that there are "black-market" Wilton tips, and I actually have one. I needed to use a tip 21, which is an open star tip, and I picked out a Wilton tip 21 and was trying to use it and get the same results as the instructor. I was having a heck of a time trying to imitate her. Finally I looked at the girl next to me and noticed that her tip was open, and mine was closed. I said something to the instructor, she came over and looked at mine and declared it wasn't a Wilton tip. Then she told me that I should use the tip 22 and I would get almost the same results.

So, if you notice, this cake is a whole lot smoother thank either of last weeks two cakes. I had an easier time icing this one and getting it smooth. I think that I have finally found the trick. First, I have to ice it and let it sit for about an hour until when I touch it, it isn't tacky and doesn't stick to me. Then I use parchament paper and my metal spatula and smooth the cake with the spatula with the parchament between the cake and the spatula. After that, I then run really hot water in the sink, put the metal spatula under the water for a few seconds, shake off the excess water and take a quick swipe at the icing with the spatula. I then rinse off the spatula and repeat until it is smooth.

Also, if you can't really tell, there are some figures on this cake. We learned hot to make clowns, but I didn't want to buy 6 clown heads, so I figured I would make people on the cake. Someone said they looked like eskimos.

Carpool

So the guys at work are carpooling now. That is great. There is so much pollution here in the Valley that a every bit of conservatism helps. However, I am getting to be a bit jealous of that. There is one other person in Shafter that I possibly could carpool with. However, it just wouldn't work. I wouldn't feel right about riding alone in the car with a married man. Work has rules against that because they don't want "things" to happen. Since this is outside of work hours, the rules don't really apply, but I feel that I don't want people to think "things" are happening when they aren't.

Anyway, back to the carpooling guys. They have it great, or that is the way I feel. When one needs to leave early because this or that, they all go home early. Like three times last week they left about a 1/2 hour early. I am jealous. I have started thinking that when they leave, I am going to leave as well. However, then I remember that just because the boss is doing it, it doesn't make it right.

So I decided that I need to borrow someones bike. I have been thinking of biking to work. The gas prices are high, and yet, I know that I will always need gas. Perhaps, though, I can bike the 7.5 miles to work and then for every two days of biking to work, I have almost made up for one trip to Bakersfield. This would also help with the exercising. I have been getting pretty bored with my elliptical trainer. I am up to 2.8 miles a day, but I think the gauge lies. I was on an elliptical trainer in SLC in November, and I went easy because of the elevation. That gauge told me that I went 5 miles in the same amount of time, and with a bit less exertion. So I think my gauge at home is not accurate.

I wanted to borrow a bike from someone at work, but she hasn't been able to bring the bike yet. Hopefully she will this week, and I will be able to test it out on Saturday. I want to test it out on a day that I don't have to work. This way, if I die, I don't have to suffer through 9 hours of work before coming home and sleeping it off.

So today was Father's Day and the RS presidency had a surprise for us/the men. They purchased Big Hunk and Mr. Goodbar chocolate bars, and wanted us to go in and present them to the guys. So here I am, I can get up in front of a rather large class and teach Sunday School and not turn red or get embarrassed, but put me in a group of women in front of the guys in the Priesthood room, and I want to hide behind the person next to me. One of my friends turned to me when it was all over, and told me that I shouldn't look so pained. I can't help it. I am not someone that likes being the center of attention, and get embarrassed when I think I am.

Sunday School

So this morning I received a text message from one of the Sunday School teachers. It said he thought he had food poisoning and wondered if I would do the lesson. I am the substitute teacher. However, he texted me at 4:30 am. Thankfully I slept through that and only saw the message when I got up around 6:00 because I heard my phone beep. I decided I needed to go back to bed and worry about the lesson when I finally get up around 8:00. Now I know what you all are thinking. You are all jealous that I sleep in on Sunday morning. However, I am more jealous of all you guys that have church at 9:00 am. My starts at 1:00. Since it is the Singles Ward, this doesn't get rotated with the other wards, so we will always be at 1:00. This makes for a very long day.

So I started preparing my lesson on Alma 5-7. I read the chapters, and realized I really didn't learn much from it. So I read the lesson, and then read the chapters again. This time I did pick up some things that I needed to teach. I wrote up my lesson and finished it just in time to shower, get ready for church and run out the door.

I have to say that I really am not great at teaching Sunday School. I seem to ask a lot of questions, and feel that people just stare at me. I don't really get the feedback that I am hoping for, but am not really sure how to fix this. I am a story teller, and I can teach Relief Society well because there are stories all over the place in those lessons. However, when it comes to Sunday School, it is more and more questions with some scriptures in between. So this was my third lesson, but I can't figure out how to get people to answer the 10 million questions the lesson gives.

At one point, I stated "You all think I ask a lot of questions, right?" One guy said yes. I said that I knew I asked a lot of questions. However, in Alma 5, Alma sure asked a lot of questions as well. So I wasn't quite done asking the questions, but needed someone to read some of Alma's questions.

A lot of people came up to me after the lesson and said they enjoyed the lesson, but I don't know. I felt like I wasn't getting through to anyone, and there were only a handful of people that participated. Perhaps the lesson was more for me than anyone else.

On a lighter note, my Relief Society teacher calling was changed a couple of weeks ago. I had been the third Sunday teacher, which I liked. However, they changed me to the 4th Sunday teacher. I can't say I was thrilled about this, since I love teaching from the manual. However, the RS president came up to me and asked if I would like to take a break from teaching next Sunday. I said that was fine. They had just called another teacher for RS, and needed to work her in the schedule. So I wasn't able to teach RS in May, and I am not teaching again in June. I would rather teach in RS than in Sunday School. However, where ever I am needed I will do it.