Scene: JC Penney Fitting Room

Event: The choosing of Babygirl’s 5th Grade Graduation dress.

Props: Six or seven sundresses in varying colors and styles.

I offer to stand outside the door, but she wants me to come in, so we both cram into the fitting room and shove aside the fifteen or so bathing suits someone else had left on the floor. She sets about taking off her clothes as I begin to hang up the bathing suits.

Babygirl: (takes off bra)

Me: Don’t worry, I’m not looking.

Babygirl: Mom, it’s OK. I’ve seen your boobs a million times and mine are nothing compared to THAT!

Me: (dies laughing)

Babygirl: What? It’s true!

Anyway, like me, she is a dress person. Dresses just look good on her, particularly sundresses with empire waists. And you should have seen my little girl. She wasn’t, in that dress, a little girl anymore. I promise to share photos.

Gayle, I am totally thinking of you while writing this post because I know you love the food talk! And so do I. 

I did something new with the holy bread. If you’ve made it, you know the braiding can be a little tedious. Also, the loaf is absolutely huge.

Sooo… my lovely friend and fellow August Mom, Susan, suggested splitting the dough in half and making two smaller loaves. Brilliant! Of course you know me; I had to double the recipe and make four smaller loaves - two each of artichoke/sundried tomato and sage sausage/provolone. I have issues.

Anyway, I braided three of the loaves and they were beautiful, but then I got to the last one and figured I had three loaves already and nothing to lose, so I just rolled it up like a burrito, folding the two shorter ends in a little and wrapping the sides over the filling. I put it seam-side down on the baking sheet and baked it, and… ohmygod that was so much easier than braiding it, and just as good. It did, however, come out looking kind of like a boring, unattractive, rectangular-ish brick, so next time I will take a sharp knife and make little slices in the top (not all the way through, just surface scratches) on a diagonal to make it prettier. I also brushed the tops with butter after baking this time, because, you know, we all need more fat and calories, and it softened the crust, which is good.

And now I must go deliver two of my four loaves to friends, who will hate me forever for the addiction I am about to bestow upon them.

Also, I love Wellbutrin.

Alright. I tried to make tortillas and it was a horrendous failure.

I need a recipe for flour tortillas that works. I cannot imagine this is THAT difficult.

Lauraflea? Dre? Please send help.