The Peanut Butter

Since I'd done most of my duties as a good responsible adult today (look for job, study for J., get some things from the store, turn on dishwasher, control chaos), I decided I'd live up to expectations for once. Boyfriend is working hard and long today, so I am left to my own devices when it comes to entertainment. And I have a blender, oh yes.

So I experimented in the kitchen.

See, a few days ago, I found this baking blog featuring lots of chocolate and peanut butter. I'd never had, bought or owned peanut butter before today, but I figured it was worth a shot. For two euros, I'd be entertained for at least half an hour. There's carnival rides that cost more and last not half as long.

I started out fairly safe. Blend some oreos, add some liquid, mix, receive delicious spread. It seemed so easy. Except my blender is not... How to put this delicately? It's not the strongest horse in the stable. And I failed to remember that and break up the cookies before I chucked them into the blender and turned it on high. There was lots of scraping, noise and poking with a fork involved, and halfway through, the kitchen work surface was covered in oreo crumbs despite the fact that I'd kept the lid on during blending. Next, I added some cream and a hint of oil. I turned the blender on again and... It didn't quite blend what I wanted. So I scraped it out into a jar and mixed it by hand with a fork. Despite my clumsiness, the result is pretty tasty. I put it in the fridge so I wouldn't wolf it all down before boyfriend arrives back.

I'm now pretty sure the blender is most suitable for making smoothies.

Next came the peanut butter. The recipe called for what passes for an entire jar of peanut butter in Germany (or at least in our supermarket). I licked the excess of the lid to see what it tastes like, and it's pretty tasty. Not something I'd have all the time, not even sure I want a sandwich of it, but it's good. So I put it all in a mixing bowl with some sugar, eggs and baking soda and mixed. Then I added chunks (and I mean CHUNKS) of chocolate. It's dough for flourless chocolate chip cookies, and it tastes wonderful! I put that in the fridge too. Partly because it's a hot day, partly because I don't trust myself around ovens and am going to ask boyfriend for help baking them, and baking trays don't fit into the fridge.

Another thing I did is buy two more drinking bottles. We're going on a trip tomorrow, it seems, and the weather calls for more than 0,7 l of water. Seeing as there's a lot of summer left, I'm assuming the situation might come up again, so now I have two bottles for use during the day and two backups in case of breakage or dishwashing occuring when in use. Oh, and I could lend people a drinking bottle, should they need it. I now have all the colors the supermarket offers and am only missing the black/grey one to complete the set. I don't really like that color, but who knows. With the things costing only four euros each, I might just let my inner perfectionist out and buy the grey one somewhere in the next few months. Yes, I am very much in love with my bottles.

Things I still need to do? Uhm... Write two application letters, get my picture taken, print out and send the application letters with my CV attached, study some more for J. and, of course, drag my butt across the street for some bike chain oil.

Why the last one? My bike chain is dry as the desert. The chain jumps and creaks and so far has embarrassed me once in public by locking up and nearly catapulting me into a bus stop. Luckily, my previous bike occasionally threw off its chain, it was so well lubed up, so I was raised, bike-wise, to always be paranoid prepared. My bike bag always has a fluorescent vest in it and always, always, always has disposable gloves in stock. They're a small investment that goes a long way and saves you from looking like you dug out mutant entrails on your way to your destination. I'm still on my first package, which cost me a grand total of one euro. Boyfriend even seemed slightly impressed with my ability to not stand around looking hopeless when I asked him to lift my bike up by the back and wriggled the chain back into position. I'm not a mechanic, but bike chains are fairly simple mechanisms.

And now I'm going to lie in wait at the door until Boyfriend comes back and tries some of my cookie dough.