Karma: definition up to interpretation

I've mentioned before how when I'm out running I often pick up nails and screws in the road and dispose of them before someone drives on them and gets a flat tire. This week alone, I have probably picked up 6-8 of them, saving 6-8 people the dreaded fate of a flat tire away from home. It's no big deal - every runner/walker probably does that.

I always figured I was helping myself along with others and perhaps I was but I was obviously driving on roads yesterday that I don't run on because I ended up with a nail in my tire and a flat tire this morning. At least I was home.

Unfortunately I discovered it only moments before I needed to leave to go pick up Bugs from her 4 day visit to her Grandma. We were meeting 1/2 way between her house and mine, a good 45 minute drive from both our houses and she'd already left. Well, like I said earlier...nothing clears a schedule like a flat tire.

My good friend Rachel also dropped everything to come watch my kids later in the afternoon so I could take the Jeep down and get the tire properly repaired. It was such a nice gesture especially considering all going on in her own life.

Not that the day was all bad - it was actually a really good day. Just nothing what I expected it to be, that's all. I suppose it was good that I didn't have to work today and that crap falls on days that I have the time to deal with it.

On a much brighter note, I discovered that an abandoned lot here in town by the old Ace Hardware will now be turning into a Kneaders restaurant cafe. That's the best news all day. I could easily become addicted to their panini. YUM!

Oh no wait. That is NOT the best news all day. The best news all day has to be the fact that we are no longer a 1-car family. The Marshmallow finally sold his work truck to his boss, which he never wanted to take the girls anywhere in, and bought a nice king cab that will hold us all and I no longer feel like I'm leaving them all high and dry on a Saturday when I go to work. I will never ever again take for granted having my own car. I feel 16 again - it's all mine...finally.

Nothing clears one's schedule like a flat tire!

Hello...

you single and solitary reader of my blog.

My day was good today. I was up before dawn which in and of itself makes for a good day. My house was cleaned up, relatively, by 7 and I was able to sit for a moment and enjoy the peace and quiet.

I never did get a shower though unfortunately. My day sped away as usual and left me behind. No problem. I did get some visiting with several friends today and it felt good. Feels like 100 years ago that this morning I was commenting that I feel like I don't have any left. I'm such a nerd.

Don't ask me why but I signed up for a bike race today. The Tour de St. George. Why did I do this, I ask? I'm not necessarily a biker. I OWN a bike and have been in bike races (haha, A bike race - and that was a mini triathlon) before but don't consider myself a biker...at all. It's 60 miles - that's a lot. I might hate myself later but we discussed my jumping into the water thing. It's an Amy-ism.

Bugs is spending a few days with her Grandma this week which means it's just me and Tinkerpot. Quite a different dynamic having only one child - something I'd completely forgotten. Sort of nice but not nice in another way. I miss her beautiful little face prattling nonstop at me. I can tell Tink misses her too by the way she stands at my feet and whines incessantly...like she's bored. I'm not bored however. I get a lot of stuff done when I'm down to 1 kid.

Oh, if you've read this far then you can read a few lines further. I am having a little party next Friday night. You are invited solitary reader. It's the 9th at 7pm at my house. I invited a lady I met to spread out some really cute jeans on my lawn and we get to gawk at them while we visit and eat some yummy food that hopefully I can either buy or talk someone else into making for me. Just kidding - I CAN cook when I feel like it. We might play some fun games and hang out for a while. Just bring yourself and your cute hiney that you want to fit into some cute jeans - no pressure to buy please. She's coming but I'm just looking for an excuse to get my friends together in one place so I can remember what they look like. :)

See you there!

Ow.

For some reason unknown to the conscious me, I have decided to run the 24th of July 10k downtown. It's been a few years since I've done it and the race's suck factor has been forgotten and so I guess I'm up to doing it again.

Considering the fact I haven't run more than 2 miles in the past year, it's going to be a crazy month as I train to up myself to 6.5 miles. I can do it, it just won't be the awesomeness I've gotten used to.

So I got myself out this morning to run 4 miles which for the first 3 seemed like no big deal. I was doing fine, it was cool and my legs were feeling strong. And then my knees kicked in because I headed downhill. For the last mile and something, it was agony. I jacked them good. 5 hours later I seriously can't even walk. I've taken motrin, iced for hours and I still look like a gimp on both legs. It'll be a few days before I can attempt that feat again. It's what I get for pushing myself twice what I've been used to on my treadmill with no uphill or downhill. Owell, I always was a jump in and get yourself all wet at once, kind of girl.

Then...Bugs and I went yardsaling - something we've both been looking forward to all week. We hit about 7 or 8 yard sales in 2 hours and bought a whole bunch of useless crap. I found a little table, an old fashioned tin bathtub, books, toys, and lots of other fun things. I never spend a lot but it's fun to be out rummaging through other people's cast-offs. I hope to create good childhood memories of rummaging with my kids. Good times.

I'll Post The Good Stuff

because I could post about the entire day I wasted sewing what was supposed to be the cutest romper EVER but ended up looking like the cutest clown costume ever. Whatever. I'm annoyed and frustrated but am willing to try again because the end result...the one that Lesley got, is worth working for.

So I'll post about my roses because at least they look beautiful. Remember how I pruned my roses this Spring? I sort of got worried about how much I hacked them. But I diligently watered them like a river and I am happy to report that they are doing well. Especially the ones by my front door which are absolutely stunning right now. And the smell...wow!

So here it is after I pruned this particular bush...And the resulting awesomeness (my new fav word)

The lighting was the worst for this picture so it doesn't do this bush justice at all but you get the idea. It's fantastic. Can you believe how much a couple of months can do?

I Should Be On The GeekSquad

I really should because I'm a genius and I even got The Marshmallow to admit it.

I bought a new laptop yensterday because I'm pretty sure the harddrive on my other computer is quitting. No biggie. I said I was going to buy one before the end of the year anyway and now is just as good as later, probably better because it's nowhere near to Christmas.

Anyway recently I've been having a bugger of a time getting my laser printer installed. And this is important since it's WAY cheaper to run a laser printer than an inkjet. But it wouldn't install. On my old laptop it took me several weeks before I was able to get it done but I did and I knew what was up and what was going wrong. But I was surpised with a new computer to be having the same problems.

So I called the GeekSquad this afternoon and paid them $50 to just do it for me - you know, save me weeks of labor. After 2 hours, my money was reimbursed and they gave up. 4 hours after THAT, I got it installed myself people...all by myself! And I am officially giving myself a pat on the back. I'm actually so happy I could cry because now I get to keep my printer instead of junking it and buying a new one that will install.

Ahhhhh. I am feeling soooooooooooo good tonight. It's awesome living in my awesomeness.

Just Remembering

I was cleaning up a spare bedroom today when I came across my wedding dress. I've been meaning to put it on lately as I do every few years to judge how much has changed, drooped, chunked or otherwise since September 30, 2000.

I love the heavy tulle-y feeling of the gown as I pull it from its bag. It's heavy and full and absolutely the most beautiful gown I have ever seen. I'm lucky that it's mine. I hope that I get to wear it again someday to renew vows.

I put it on and this time didn't have anyone to zip it up in bag so I nearly pulled a muscle trying to do it myself. I also didn't have all the corset and slips keeping all my *ahem* parts in place. But everything fit. I'm a little less fleshy now so it fits me better than it did even back then. I wore a corset on my wedding that nearly cinched in me in half and if I wasn't drunk from all the champagne (which I was) then I was high on lack of oxygen.

I put the gown back in its bag and hung it in the back of the closet...to be tried on in another few years. It's sad that wedding dresses only get such a short viewing. Maybe I should re-invent it into some shorts or halter dress to wear over jeans. Just kidding.

Fabric Flowers Tutorial

Fabric flowers are all the rage right now and I've been experimenting with them because I've been wanting to put them on a number of my projects. There have been lots of failures and some good successes. I have a few favorites. I perfected one particular flower today and thought you might like to see...and even try one for yourself! It's so easy a caveman could do it.

I made this flower to put on the tabs of a carseat carrier I made for my sister. It turned out really cute and I especially liked how the flower added to it. Forgive my dreadful pictures. Not only did I not install Photoshop yet on my laptop from the big "virus thingamajig", I did not think through my wardrobe prior to taking these pics - and it's not easy to take pics of yourself while you're sewing.

So first things. For a flower this size, which is approximately 4", you'll want some fabric about 4" wide and about 40" long.Press. Press. Press. I've found in my years of sewing (jk, I mean days) that ironing is critical.

Now, fold under the edges on the 4" side and press, then fold it in half the long way and press. This pic is what it looks like afterward. You're really just folding it in half the long way but I like the ends to be finished so I fold them in first.Now sew the whole thing closed including those short ends.So now you have a long piece of fabric about 2" wide and about 40" long. One side is folded and the other end is raw but sewn shut. Now, set your machine on it's longest stitch length and adjust your tension all the way up. After many, many ruffles, I've learned that this is the only way to do it.
Now without locking in your first stitch (like, don't reverse your stitch) - make a basting stitch down that long edge. Without the sewing lingo, just start sewing down over top your last stitch but don't finish or start it by doing a reverse stitch. We want the string to be able to be pulled out so the ruffle can be adjusted. Within about 3" you should start seeing it bunch up under your needle. This is a good thing.Now...before you continue...right now...readjust your tension back to normal, as well as your stitch length. Or if you wanna be like me in every way, leave it and screw all of your sewing up for the next 10 minutes until you figure out what the heck you've done wrong.

So you have a beautiful ruffled thing-a-ma-jig now. Take a nice big needle and thread it using double thread (like make both ends of the thread even and tie a knot in them at the bottom so your thread is double)

BTW, forgive my "For Dummies" directions

I'm stupid enough to need these type of directions when I'm

following a tute but hopefully you're brighter than me.

k - continuing. Start rolling the ruffle. Each time around I found it helpful to sew it together or else you end up trying to sew it at the end and it all falls apart and you have to do it again. The next several pictures are just of the rolling and sewing process as the flower gets bigger. I just keeping sewing wherever I want to keep it tacked. You can alter how the flower gets rolled to make it wider, fluffier, or whatever. Along those lines, you can even shorten your length of fabric at the beginning to make a smaller flower. It's pretty flexible.

This is the back of my flower after I've finished it.

How I hold it as I'm rolling it and sewing.

So after you're done rolling and sewing, you're finished! Just fluff it up a bit and you'll have to hand sew it to whatever you're putting it onto. When you do that, you might want to spread the base out a bit onto what you're sewing it to and then be liberal with the thread and sew in lots of different places to make sure it's tacked down well.

That's it!

Eye Candy

I have memories of honeysuckle that go waaaaaay back. The smell especially but I doubt I'm alone here. So a couple of years ago when I found a proper place in my garden to plant some, I was very excited. I choose pink instead of the more fragrant yellow simply because it was prettier. And today, after two years of training it up my trellis, it is eye candy just for me here sitting at my computer...like I planned it that way. How smart am I?

A Spider In A Most Unwelcome Place

which was on my pillow at 2AM the other night. He was looking at me when I woke up to change positions. I guess The Marshmallow was awakened by my frantic flailings to get the spider off of my bed because he teased me really badly about it the next day. That was sort of embarrassing because I thought I was, in the essence of the word....alone...in my angst.

The Marshmallow's been after me for months to call in the pest control guys to spray but it's $80 - come on we can deal with a few spiders can't we? And I could...until that last straw. Needless to say I was on the phone before 10am the next day to schedule them.

And they came today thank goodness. I know that spider I pushed off my bed the other night didn't die and the thought of him lurking somewhere under my bed has really been giving me the willies. What if he climbs onto my pillow again - or worse, onto my face while I'm sleeping? I know this type of thing happens - that I wake up with spider bites is the sheer proof, but I never actually know that there is a spider in my room until later. That he's there before I go to bed really makes for restless nights - maybe that's what my dreams were made of. Though there were no spiders in them so who knows.

Anyway, so in prep for the spraying, I had to literally pull everything in my home (within reason) away from the walls. This is no easy feat under any circumstances. It took several hours to clear away the clutter to be able to do it. And I remembered why I don't do it very much - I mean, clean behind things. It's a pain! But I realized that I actually should have the house sprayed more often because it's a very good opportunity to vacuum behind all of this stuff! And it really needed it! I'm not a lousy housekeeper but when it comes to behind, well just never come to my house and check out behind my couch. So I took the opportunity to vacuum behind the big stuff today - vacuuming up LOTS of dead spiders (eww), and plenty of other random items. WHEN are they going to come out with self-cleaning houses? I mean really. Does the world really need Blackberries and all this other new-fangled electronics? Somebody needs to get to work on self-cleaning houses. That's a company worth investing in.

Dreaming of Kids

My most potent dreams are usually in the early morning hours after I have already been awakened by the alarm clock and now I'm just dozing.


This morning, during those hours, I dreamt individually of each of my kids and the dreams were awful. Scary. And so real that when I woke from each one I just breathed in relief that they were truly just dreams. That's what I hate about dreams - that sometimes while in them, they feel like true reality.


First I dreamed that I was working full time and that instead of bringing Tink in to the company-owned daycare each morning, I would leave her in the car belted up for a few hours. My rationale in my dream seemed logical...in my dream and we know how that goes. Once when I went out to my car to get something, she had pulled her carseat out of its clips and she was in the process of worming her way out of the seatbelt. She was red in the face and it was quite warm in the car. In my dream...I did this daily. What on earth?


Then in my next dream, Bugs and I were cruising on the freeway when I got into a big crash and we both went flying out the windows. I landed on the side of the road but she landed, amazingly, on both feet in the middle of traffic whizzing by her. The traffic kept failing to hit her miraculously until something that looked like a speeding woman, hit her in her leg and broke it. She was wonderously brave as the police came and took her to a hospital that interestingly, had no hospital beds but rather real beds. They took her up into an attic-like room that was outfitted sort of like a bedroom where she had to share a big comfy-looking bed with an old lady who looked like the wolf in granny's clothing in an odd sort of way. During all of this, the doctors were making Bugs walk up and down stairs in order to prove that her leg was broken.

I should have gotten up when my alarm rang.

Pretty Painless

I guess practice makes perfect because I'm back online already and most of my programs are re-installed. Best of all, my laser printer is WORKING and that is good news indeed. I'm as pleased as punch that the worst is over.

*sigh*

I'm going to bed.

I Have a Virus

or rather my laptop does. It appeared the other day when I was watching a movie. Evidently, it is affected when Windows Media starts and then it crashes the whole computer. I've done everything I can think of to fix it but nothing is working. I'm going to have to do another complete re-install. I'm so frustrated I could scream!

On the other hand, perhaps this time maybe I can actually get my laser printer working. I never could get it re-installed and it has been the world's biggest PIA.

Just another day in the neighborhood.

Downeast Ruffle Shirt a Bust

Oh my! That seems to be a little play with words. But never mind that.....the Downeast ruffle shirt didn't work out at all. It took forever and I did everything right but it was atrocious and I'll never wear the thing. O-well. Can't all be perfect. On to something else! I'm thinking that Downeast skirt might be next on my agenda. I just need to find a good pattern or tutorial.
I saw this on Controlling My Chaos the other day and had been trying to think of something cute to do for Bug's kindergarten teacher for the end of the year. I thought it was adorable and so we made it the other night and filled it up with her teacher's favorite candies.

Sewing Machines for Dummies

If this book exists, I should buy it and memorize it. It's that simple.

But a big shout-out to The Sewing Machine Doctor...a little, I guess company now that makes house calls! I've had The Sewing Machine Doctor (SMD, for short) to my house before and at the time, this little ancient man shows up and shows me the finer points of the old green machine. He told me it was a good machine, fixed the tension, gave me a few tutorials, sold me some needles, put a sticker on my machine and left. I wondered if when I ever called the number again would I be informed that he had passed on to greener pastures and that they were no longer doing business. But, it had only been two years so I gave it another try.

Now...his step-son showed up, a much younger SMD, just as nice and quite likely to carry the business into many future years. That's why I called it a company now instead of just a single man. So, I was actually relieved! I hate the idea of carrying my sewing machine to a store and leaving it for a week. This home service is a nice touch and not at all expensive!

So anyway, the nice SMD took one look at my machine, informed me that yes I was an idiot (because I used those words first) and showed me plainly what I had done wrong. My machine was not in fact broken. He even said he wasn't even going to charge me. Then, he showed me a few more things about my machine that I didn't know like another way to make ruffles (yay!), how to do a blind stitch using only the straight stitch, then put another sticker on my new machine and said good-bye.

I really heart the SMD.

I doubt I have any readers but you, single reader out there, but if I do, the SMD states he will go all over the place from Ogden to Provo. He is worth it too! Just give him a call.

The Sewing Machine Doctor
801-295-6863 Bountiful
801-399-9990 Ogden
801-599-4442 Salt Lake
801-373-3188 Provo

So, when you need the info, just return here and get his number and give him a call.

I've Discovered Nirvana...

in a cookie. I realize that everyone's tastes are different but let it be said that I whipped these up for a bbq we went to tonight and the kids never even got a taste. The adults engulfed the whole container of them and the kids got Creamies.

I found this recipe in a magazine a few months ago and cut it out waiting for the perfect time to try them. It was tonight.

Heaven.

"Cowboy Cookies" otherwise known to me as
"Delicious Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies"

Ingredients
2 cups oats
2 cups flour
3/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/8 tsp cinnamon
1 cup unsalted butter
1 cup light brown sugar
2/3 cup sugar
2 Eggs at room temperature
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
1 cup chopped walnuts

1. In a large bowl, stir together oats, flour, baking soda, baking powder,
baking soda, salt and cinnamon.

2. In a separate bowl, blend the butter and sugars until smooth. Add eggs
and continue to beat until fluffy (about 1 1/2 minutes). Blend in the
vanilla extract.

3. Using a wooden spoon, stir the dry mixture into the butter mixture one
half at a time. Mix in the chocolate chips and walnuts. Refrigerate the
dough for 1 to 2 hours.

4. Heat the oven to 350. Line a large baking sheet then grease with foil.

5. Shape the dough into balls (1/4" works well for these cookies) and place
them on the sheet about 2" apart.

6. Use your fingertip to slightly flatten each ball to 1/3" thick. Bake the
cookies in the center oven rack for 13-14 minutes, turning the sheet about
half way through. When they're done, the cookies should be very lightly
brown and still look moist. Don't over bake them.

7. Cool the cookies on the baking sheet for 2-3 minutes, then transfer to a
wire rack.

**here's where the nutrition info is supposed to go but trust me, you don't want to see it**

Cooking Tip: Variations can be: 1 cup coconut, 2 cups chocolate chips, 1 cup
chopped walnuts OR

1 cup each of white chocolate chips and dried, sweet
cranberries, OR

2 cups of peanut butter chips, or 1 cup each of peanut
butter chips and chocolate chips


You won't regret it. That's a promise.

What's Up Sunday

My house was trashed from the bbq last night and I felt bad going to church this morning and leaving the whole mess for The Marshmallow to clean up. He would have done it and not complained but why take advantage of that Goodness? I can use it a better way later, hehe.

So I stayed home. Which really wasn't that hard considering it was beautiful outside today and I had hostas that needed planted. Speaking of which, can I tell you the coolest thing ever? I ordered a combination of 25 hostas from Gilbert H. Wild and Son, a company in Missouri for about $50 (a really amazing price!). They came the other day and I was so excited to plant them in a very shady place in my side yard. I really love hostas. They just make me want to take a nap - don't ask me why. They invoke coolness on a hot day - I guess they remind me of big green fans. So I got them all planted today plus a few annuals that I've been wanting to get in the ground and the dirt under my fingernails and ground into the knees of my pants made me feel earthy.

I love annuals - the bright colors, their ability to grow so quickly in such a short amount of time only to give up the ghost a few short months later. They give it their all with nothing to lose and there must be a life lesson there. But perennials are where my heart is. I plant a few new ones every year, selected carefully. That way each year brings something new to my gardens. I love the way perennials appear to die at the end of the summer but earlier than usually expected each Spring, you can dig under the dead leaves and cast off rubble from the winter and lo, there are tiny sprouts coming through the earth. It is literal hope springing from the earth. A little green promise of coming beauty just when we need it most. My gardens are slowly turning over to perennial beds and it makes me happy to see what's coming and going next.

Later as I lay in the shady grass and stared up into the canopy of trees over me I realized why Native Americans and Aborigines believe that the earth has a Spirit. I felt it - like the earth breathing, all the life under and around me as I lay there. It was like church, only I didn't wear a dress.

On a sadder note, Betty Lou, the new sewing machine is not doing well. Please don't tell me she's a lemon because I would be extremely sad. There's a little mechanical lever that raises and lowers the feed dogs and for some reason, it isn't working. No feed dogs, no movey fabric through the presser foot, no sewey. I had sent out a message to the universe that my old green machine was Freecyclable and I got a few hits but none felt perfect to me so I still have it. And now it's out and I'm using it again. It's not as bad as I remember but it's not Betty Lou.

Regardless of which sewing machine I use, my next project is this..It's a sort of re-made DownEast Outfitters basic tee. Well actually it's two of them, one of which is cut up to make the ruffles for the other one. Mine will have a base of cream with pink ruffles or maybe I should do a pink shirt with cream ruffles. I'll decide later. This project is the one I'm going to do tonight. You know, now that I'm thinking of it, I do have two of those cream shirts and I think one color would be better than two. Hmmm. A cream ruffle shirt sounds cute. Isn't this shirt wonderful? I made a necklace last night that will be perfect with my cream shirt once it's done. I love this stuff!

6 - What Am I To Expect From You

From the age I mean. Bugs is now six. She woke up six and while I don't lament the passage of five, I have trepidation about what to expect from six. I do hope that it is less arguing and more maturity but we rarely get what we hope for, rather the wonderful changes are in new and unexpected ways that please nonetheless.We surprised Bugs this morning by taking her to the Discovery Museum at Gateway which she loves. This was Tinker's first time as well and it was good times all around. The phrase "divide and conquer" became our creed as The Marshmallow and I managed the chaos. I failed and misplaced Tinker once. The child is fast. I lost my Mommy badge and was permanently grounded from taking both children there again by myself. Not that I would anyway.We had a small family bbq in which my mom, grandma, sister and her kids came and had hamburgers and a menagerie of other fun things. I created an ice cream cake roll for dessert that is sort of a family tradition on my side and taking a bite of it tonight took me back about 20 years in time. Evidently I made the cake correctly because no one complained, especially Tinker who took matters into her own hands when my sister failed to feed her fast enough.I remembered another family tradition that we do. Bugs loves treasure hunts so I create an extensive one that places presents at various clues. She loves it and it draws out the fun of opening presents. I've decided also to take it a step further and do it with Christmas as well which will also build up the anticipation a bit. I'm looking forward to that.

Bugs was the star of the show today and I have hardly seen a more tired girl by the end of the day. She was absolutely exhausted. The day was hers from beginning to end. I just don't know how I got such a fantastic little girl to be my very own. I told her the story of her birth last night and I rehearsed it as if it happened yesterday, everything so vivid in my mind. To me, it was yesterday. And now here she is...a little friend just for me.On another note, I vow right here and now to never wear a white shirt again. As much as I love white shirts, they don't love me. You heard it here first.

Stand Up Cake Dragon Part 2

Meet Lucy, named after her friend

Wow. Definitely not an easy cake but actually not as difficult as anticipated. The "Wow" relates to the extensive amount of time I had to dedicate to this project. Well worth it in the end, and especially worth Bugs' wide eyes of pleasure as she inspected the final result.

My first project of the day was to melt some candies and form them into the scales shape. I've never even remotely worked with meltable candy so this was an experience but not bad, all in all.

frozen dragon with ears cut off and emerging tail

Then I had about 4 tons of icing to color - that was a project. My hands are stained a nice shade of pink with black tips. Goth. All I need are some black lace gloves and dreds. O, I forgot the cape.

The tail was the hardest part. I used cupcakes and large marshmallows to get the shape but had to fill in a lot with icing to make it a smoothish shape. Somebody that asks for a piece of the tail is going to be very surprised by the combination of flavors. Barf.

Some icing completed, the tail in its final state before icing

It took me about 3 hours to complete the decorating. Tink was up again...again, up to no good. Gotta love her.

Like mother, like daughter (where'd she get that?)

Bugs and her friend Lucy were in and out of the kitchen periodically checking on our progress. It was magical.What was not magical was the state of my kitchen at the end. I wished for a magic wand - and got two...my arms. Beggers can't be choosers.Oh, and thinking back about my post from the other day about birthday traditions, I guess this is ours. I do cakes. I love doing them. I love letting my kids pick out whatever they want (Tink has yet to do this of course.)

Stand Up Cake Dragon Part 1

Today was allocated to getting the cake baked. A formidable task if you ask me since the cake is thick especially around the belly and according to the directions, you need a ton of batter.

The directions start off by stating you'd be better off to use a pound cake batter and then combine it with a cake mix batter. So you need to make two mixes - one from scratch. No biggie except that I used every last egg in my house, all my flour (how did that happen?) and I had batter coming out of my ears! Not to mention all of this was going on with Tinkerpot awake and enjoying every bit of the distraction I was throwing at her. Is that batter up her nose? Ew!The cake tin was a double tin (front & back) which you grease and flour heavily, clip together and pour the batter into his nether regions. I think I filled it a little too much but it was still okay. Bake for about an hour and at this point, there's really no way to check if it's done - you can't stick a toothpick in that far and besides, the directions were specific about not overcooking.And now it's done. It's cooling on the counter and I can breathe a sign of relief because the front and the back came off without sticking and now it can just cool down and freeze to await the frosting on Wednesday. Phew! I'm glad I didn't have to do it over for some reason.