Absentee

My last post consisted of somewhat of an online existential breakdown.  Why am I here?  Does anyone like me?  WAAAAH!  I then fell off the face of the earth, likely leaving readers to think that I had committed digital suicide and was now living in a hole somewhere.

Not true.

Instead, two very significant things happened in my life that completely derailed both blogging and baking (insert sad face here).  The first distraction happened shortly after New Years.  I had just bought myself the first car I've had in over 4 years and everything was coming up Nasty.  I was finishing up at work one day when boyfriend called and said, "You need to come home.  We've been robbed."  After gathering my things, I come home to find the place completely trashed.  Both of our computers were gone, my camera, my bike, and a lot of jewelry.  Our dining room and bedroom were hit hardest with things strewn everywhere.  Through anger and tears, I did manage to crack a smile when I saw that my $400 stand mixer was still sitting under the worktable in the kitchen.

This is called perspective.

While the jewelry stings because some of it was given to me by my grandmother, it is really the bike that still hurts.  I loved and hated that bike.  I had bled and sweat on that bike.  I had felt every single bump of every road I'd traveled on its solid steel frame.  It took thighs of a similar construction, which it gave me, to get the thing uphill from a dead stop.  But it was my bike.  I had fallen and soared and smiled and cried on that bike.  It's gone and it breaks my heart.  Having said that, none of my bakeware was taken.  None of my knitting gear was taken.  Our cat was not hurt or lost.  Boyfriend's art was not touched.  Neither of us were hurt.

This is again called perspective.
The robbery did lead us to realize that, while adorable, our cat is a terrible theft deterrent.  So, we got this guy.

Meet Conjunctivitis Clyde!  Our 1 year old American Bulldog who farts and licks things incessantly.  He's perfect for our home and we're quite fond of him.  The cat is less than impressed, but she's slowly coming around to the thought of something bigger and hairier than her hanging out around the house.


Between the robbery, insurance, and a new dog, things have been hectic here at home.  But there was yet another distraction.




I WENT TO FUCKING ISTANBUL!!!!
That's right, Turkey, with lamb and Bosphorus and delight and other really fantastic Turkish things.  I had been planning this trip for work for about 2 months along with some partners connected with the government over there.  As part of my job, I lead a delegation to Istanbul Fashion Week.  Seriously.  The planning was mayhem and the trip was exhausting, but it was absolutely amazing AND I get to go back in May.  Fuckin eh, right?

So this is why I have been absent.  There has been almost no baking, but that is going to change.  I plan on making Monkey Bread this upcoming week and will update accordingly.  For all those who dealt with my digital existential issues, thank you.  It means the world to me:)