crooked cake, cut fingers, burned hands, I'm quite a cook.

For a day that was supposed to be easy, boring and low-key, yesterday turned out to be rather crazy. I was busy and running all day...but it was good.

I went to my appointment at my new job, signed the contracts and such and then got the first installment on the training materials. I have so much to learn. But, I also have time to do it, or at least I thought I would ---- I was supposed to spend all day today on the material I picked up yesterday and then go back in, the first thing tomorrow and get the second round. However, while cooking dinner last night for the whole clan, my step dad called and told me my mom is in the hospital once again, for pneumonia. So today I will spend my day with her, she doesn't sound good at all. I honestly don't think she has gotten over the original bout of pneumonia since she got it the first time, months ago. She has had issues all along and has had one antibiotic after another. I am quite worried about her and fear that this infection will eventually take her from us. It just always seems to be there...brewing. I will call my future manager today and tell him that I need to put the next training round off...I guess to the first of the week as tomorrow I will probably still be needed in smalltownville with my mom and on Friday, I have promised Miss Stephanie that I will take her to have her wisdom teeth pulled and then take care of her the rest of the day...

So anyway, I had all my kiddos over for dinner last evening. We had a really good time, although I must admit my cooking skills leave a lot to be desired these days. I am still having issues being able to get it together in this kitchen---I just can't find my groove. So many of my things are gone, I had to get rid of them for the sake of space, and finding an alternate way to do things is proving to be a bit of a problem. I baked a cake - my old stand by scratch chocolate cake -- and my oven is NOT level, which left a mess on the electric element and made the place smell for awhile. It had to be the worst looking cake I have made since I was in high school home economics...ugh. Mark is going to have to level the oven for me. I have no idea where my electric skillet is, and I found myself using two pans to fry the FIVE pounds of potatoes..and of course one pan got done way faster than the other...what the hell is the deal with electric stoves? I have a perfectly beautiful electric skillet somewhere, it has to still be at the old house, in the basement with the other small kitchen appliances, sitting right there on the shelf where they have always sat, how on earth did I forget to pack those things up? I have to be losing it. And when I do get it this weekend and bring it here, where on earth will I put it? I don't believe people are meant to cook for large numbers in apartments...not unless I want kitchen appliances on the shelf in my own closet, next to my shoes and suit jackets that are hanging there. Bah. I love this apartment life but if I have a gripe, it's that the kitchen is entirely too small and not user friendly. I will persevere however, I have made many a wonderful meal in crappy kitchens in my lifetime, it's just that to look at this beautiful kitchen, you would not think that it just doesn't work. Thanksgiving will certainly be a trip. And I am planning on cooking for the whole group--parents and sisters and families and of course, my own. I'll figure it out. I also managed to cut one finger and burn my left hand pretty good - oh my, I don't know if I should be left alone in the kitchen anymore. :(

I went and looked at an apartment with Craig, too. It wasn't the place for him, (ewww) but I am so excited that he will be moving up here with the rest of us! He and Janelle looked at one before they picked me up that he thought would work out well, so maybe he will be living here soon. I am really excited about the holidays this year, all of my kids will be living within minutes from here, there will be no traveling for a couple of hours on bad icy roads, etc. For the first time in several years, I am starting to get the old excitement about Christmas..it will really be fun.

I walked yesterday for more than fifty minutes--it was a long walk for me. I really felt it later in my legs, but I had fun while doing it. This morning, I don't think there will be time, I feel like I need to get moving and on the way to see my mom, it's nearly two hours from here. I pray this will be a short term hospital stay, she doesn't do well being in the hospital, she gets so down when she's really sick. She is so tired of living this way, and honestly, who can blame her? She has to fight every day just to be able to get up...it makes me sad. I am in no way ready to lose her, but I can't blame her for being ready to go. It makes my heart hurt.

Have a good Wednesday. :)