Gluten-Free Pantry = Cornbread goodness

In buying supplies for Memorial weekend, I got my checklist all done at Sprouts.

- Brie
- Gluten-Free crackers
- Wine (I love their French bourdeaux and not because of the kitties on the label)
- Redbridge (gluten-free beer)
- gluten-free lunch meat
- gluten-free cornbread

It may sound strange, but a square of corn bread sounds great with eggs, or with grilled chorizo, or lots of different things. So if I can find a gluten-free corn bread, bake it up the night before, wrap up the squares and take camping I'm set.

I start scouring the gluten-free mixes isles. I was okay with Bob's Red Mill's version (I undercooked it so that might be the source of my "eh" feelings). Not finding Bob's at Sprouts, I began frantic "any gluten-free version of corn bread I'll take it" searching. Just resigning myself to dragging myself to Wild Oats after paying for everything, I saw a mix from Gluten-Free Pantry. I snatched it to avoid another trip.

I don't know if it was because of the buttermilk, but this was an awsome bread. Didn't have to worry about it being undercooked. The timer went off, and it was brown on the top all over.

Non-gluten friends at the camp enjoyed it with breakfasts. It got very crumby as the days went on, but it oddly enough wasn't dry.

I still have some of it in the freezer, but I haven't tried it thawed. Boyfriend suggested added Amy's corn chowder as a liquid base next time to make it even more awesome. I agree that it would bring a bit more, and might try that with the next batch.

coming up fast

Add another "almost forgot". It wasn't until I saw the two week calendar on the clinic board.

Next Friday I'll be on a jet plane. Non-stop to Honolulu, Hawaii.

Boyfriend wanted me there for his big 40th birthday. He's been kinda bummed about a lot of things, and not being near friends and family for such a milestone I think is weighing heavily on him. Yes, I still need to detail his meltdown a couple weeks ago, just trying to find the right words.

Ordered a new bikini over the weekend from a company that I've had good luck with in the past. I'm crossing my fingers it'll be just as good as others in the past. Otherwise, I have an older one I can take.

Need to find an awsome sun screen. I'm still slightly peeling from the Memorial weekend trip. The worst is over, but I still have some "alligator skin" on my right hand.

Then I just need ideas to pull off an awsome 40th birthday for boyfriend's birthday. He'll be working that day, and have an early start the next morning. So no heavy binge drinking fest of a party for sure. I suppose me in corset, garder, and stockings is all he really needs, but I'm a girl. I have to do something more than that. (No need to add whip, leather spiked heels, or bondage - they're already in the bag....)

almost forgot

We finally got some good news on my dad's cancer front.

The surgeon yesterday agreed that he was finally a good candidate for surgery. Yes, he's going to need to involve a thoracic surgeon to get the tumor near the aorta. But it seems there's enough of a margin to operate safely.

The surgeon reinforced the fact that he'd have a snowballs chance in hell if there was no surgery. The surgery will give him a snowballs chance in northern AZ in December with the surgery. Which makes me wonder how motivated the surgeon is to look after my dad's best interests. I wasn't there, but something rubbed me wrong about that.

The surgery will suck. Expect two weeks in the hospital. Expect three months of recovery. Expect nothing to touch the stomach for a long while (they'll reroute the feeding tube during surgery).

I'll have some time off by then (sometime in July). So I've already given work a heads up that I will only be there if I truly have to be there. I think my mom will need someone to keep her mind busy that day.

dumb luck or just quick to clean up?

Okay, I don't know why I didn't think of this sooner, but any two cents about why would be appreciated.

Drive in the desert parts of Arizona for any time greater than 30 minutes, and you'll come across them. A grey bird walking in front of your car. Just when you think it'll get past your car in time, it turns around and walks back towards your car.

Then at the last second it flies away. And your car doesn't have any grey feathers stuck under a tire.

We call them kamikazee quails. Stupid creatures.

And now that the babies are out and about, they do the same thing. But they are very cute little balls of fluff that I misidentified as a bit of debris blown on the street yesterday. Luckily, I didn't end up with any fluff balls stuck to my car (just bugs).

But I was wondering about these stupid creatures. I never see any quail roadkill. Sure, rabbits, coyotes, and other birds, but no quail. Are they just destined by God to NEVER to get run over. Or is there always a bigger carnivore nearby that knows how tasty quail can be and quickly takes care of the recently departed grey ball of feathers?