Egg Love

I don't really like eating eggs.  Or should I say, I don't like eating most eggs.  It's a very strict egg approval system I have.  They can't be plain, they have to have stuff in them.  But no omelets please - because those are way too egg like.  Basically, they have to be scrambled with cheese, but in a skillet and not on a griddle.  Quiche totally gets a free pass because of the level of cheese and other yummy stuff and because it looks like pie and makes me feel fancy.  Stratta too - again, because it's fancy.  And the new McDonalds' egg white mcmuffin - totally my dream come true because trying to cut the yellow out of my previous mcmuffins was a very tricky process that I never fully mastered.

I have a reason for rambling on this, I promise.  Because while I am often suspicious of eggs, they are also a favorite symbol of love in my life.  My dad has the very best cheese eggs in the whole wide world.  They are his signature and nothing else quite matches them.  He takes the ordinary and elevates it with an iron skillet, milk, at least 2 cheeses when possible, a lot of patience, and knowing exactly when to turn off the stove.        
There is something extra special about your father cooking for you.  My mom can out cook most of the world, so I have lots of food favorites from her.  But I have a steady image of my dad, all 6 feet and 6 inches of him standing patiently at a stove because his family loves his cheese eggs and because he loves to make us smile.  His hands are rough and crooked from years of football, meat cutting, and farming but he carefully uses them to scrape the sides of the skillet just right to make sure the eggs keep the best texture.  It's a bit like the giant at the top of the beanstalk stopping to paint a tea pot.

The art of cooking scrambled eggs has eluded me, along with pancakes and the perfect grilled cheese.  I came close to getting scrambled eggs right last week.  I followed a tutorial and everything but they didn't hold a match to my daddy's.

This morning, someone asked me to use this week to think about what kind of legacy I wanted to leave.  To write it out.  I hope I leave people with something that is the best of version of a basic truth. Something simple that becomes beautiful in its truth and consistency.  Like love or mercy.  Or cheese eggs.

What I Learned In July

Another post wherein I link up with Chatting at the Sky and her "What I learned in July".  Linking up like this isn't really like me since I don't think I count as a real blogger, but I like looking back and seeing what I've learned over the past 31 days.  It's actually pretty encouraging and reflective, even if it's revelations about makeup :).

1.)  July has most certainly been a lesson for me on American materialism, what I really need in life, how I spend my money, etc.  It has also reminded me that an AC window unit can change the world if you live in a small space.

2.) Speaking of materialism and such - here was one of my few indulgences in July.  It's Maybelline's Color Tattoo cream eyeshadow in Bold Gold.  I had seen these recommended by a few beauty bloggers and they are only $6.99, so I tried it.  You can use them as an eyeshadow base and since it's a cream shadow it stays put in the summer.  They have lots of colors, but this was similar to a MAC color I needed to replace and was a cool-ish gold that doesn't make me look sick.  I put it over my whole lid, just a bit more concentrated on the eye, using it as a highlighter and an eye color.  Just add some brown to the crease if you'd like and you're done with your eye makeup for the whole day.  They also have crazy bold colors if that's what you're looking for.
**Ok, this is an edit update.  I don't have it in Bold Gold.  I have it in Barely Branded.  It's a really pretty golden champagne.  It wasn't on the Maybelline site when I wrote this so I figured it must be the gold, but it's not.  I got it at Ulta.  If they have stopped making it then I'm going to start a letter writing campaign.  Also, it's the perfect color for accentuating blue eyes.****
  

3.) Shauna Niequest is one of my new favorite authors and she makes me cry.  I can't wait to read her other books and to start cooking my way through Bread and Wine.  I may have also included this in June, I don't know.  But it's worth 2 months of mentioning.  And I read the last chapter on the very best day for it, when the only way I could help a friend was with homemade cookies.





4.) I was banned from my school library in elementary school due to my seeming inability to return a book.  I always thought it was my mother's fault.  If the Tuscaloosa Public Library and the Redbox have taught me anything its that I can no longer deny my own problem.  All of those penny pinching budget sites that recommend dollar movie rental and public libraries for cheap entertainment don't take into account that it is definitely not cheaper if you don't return things.  Not proud.  Just saying.  Might not be going back to the library.  And librarians don't think jokes about late fees are funny.

5.)  I could eat the Pioneer Woman's Penne a la Betsy every day for a week.  Please note extra poundage as proof.  And I used chicken instead of shrimp.  I love shrimp, but I do not love cooking shrimp.  Especially in my own  house.

5.) It is really intimidating and challenging to dress a brand-spanking-new-born baby.  Especially when they refuse to straighten their arms.

6.) I might not be as bad at Spades as I thought.  But it may have been pure luck.



Ok, I hope you didn't lose any brain cells reading this!  Have a great August!!