Thursday, February 26, 2009

Pancake Thursday

I woke up at 7:00am on Tuesday to make pancakes before work. Our roommates brother was staying here and sleeping on the couch, which is right beside the kitchen. Once I started clinking pots and pans around, I decided I was making too much noise and might wake up our guest, so Pancake Tuesday had to be moved to Thursday.

Well, Pancake Thursday wasn't that successful either. This morning I tried making banana pancakes in a non-stick pan that had all of the non-sticky stuff scratched off. Let's just say things got messy when it was time to flip. Next I tried a small little pot that would make a perfectly round pancake every time. That didn't work either - the edges burnt and the middle wouldn't cook. Lastly, I tried a larger pot which seemed to do the trick. The banana, however, did make for soggy - but still good tasting - pancakes!


Pancakes in a pot


Yesterday - Ash Wednesday - marked the beginning of Lent. You could tell it was a significant day for many Dubliners. I was amazed at how many people on the streets and in the stores and restaurants wore ashes on their foreheads all day long. Even talkshow hosts on TV kept it on! Matt and I have both given up something for Lent. I can't eat junk food (chocolate, candy, ice cream, chips - basically everything I love but feel bad eating) and Matt has given up Pepsi. Sundays are my new favourite day because that's when we can cheat!

Only 13 more days until my family comes to visit! Aaaaah, I'm so excited! We're renting a car for the 11 days that they're here and we have a packed itinerary full of sites to see and pubs to visit. Nicole's best friend Jennie is also coming along and arrives 2 days after my family does. Matt isn't traveling with us, but he will join us when we return to Dublin for St. Paddy's Day celebrations. Yesterday I let work know that I'll be traveling with my family. That idea didn't really fly. I have to go in tomorrow to talk with the other manager, but by the sounds of things, they can't give me the time off and I'm going to have to quit. I had a feeling this was going to happen. I decided to post some pictures of where I work, since it might be the last I see of it!


The Chester Beatty Library, the museum that the Silk Road Cafe is located in


The courtyard outside of the Library with Dublin Castle in the background


Inside the Library lobby. The entrance to the cafe is on the right, and there are a bunch of tables in the lobby on the right side as well

When I'm not working, I like to look up new recipes and spend the day cooking. I tried baking an upside down apple cake the other week and it didn't turn out so well. I blame it on the fact that we have no baking utensils or measuring devices, so it's all guesswork, which we all know is not how you're supposed to bake. I also really enjoy grocery shopping...probably all that time spent grocery shopping with my Dad (awww, I miss that) and the fact that I don't have much else to do with my spare time! We have group dinners with our friends at least once a week and we go to the cinema or rent movies pretty regularly. Oh, Matt's friend, Jeff, is coming to visit in April for 11 days. Matt is really excited - he really misses his boy friends from home. Well, that's as newsy as it gets around here these days. I'll write again soon when something interesting happens!

3 comments:

Nick Piekarz said...

Haha I Love Pancakes!

Anonymous said...

i wonder if no junk food means no baked goodies.

Anonymous said...

It certainly does - but I can still bake on Sundays!