When Blenders Attack!

I wanted to call this post "When Blenders Attack My Husband's Cooking Utensils!", but finally decided like it sounded like a bad comeback attempt by Bryan Adams, so I went with the condensed title. A good alternate would have been, "It all started at Wal-Mart." Either way, the story is the same.

It all started at Wal-Mart. (I know I already said that, but it did.) My niece and I took a quick trip to buy generic Oreos and ice cream so I could make milk shakes for a special treat. We ended up buying fake Oreos with chocolate frosting, chocolate ice cream, and caramel topping. It was only after we returned home that I realized that I was wearing a shirt that said, "A balanced diet is a piece of chocolate in each hand." Fitting.

As I started making über-chocolate caramel milk shakes, I searched for the little plastic pokey tool (that's the technical term) that pushes the food down into the blades of the blender, but to no avail. (It's hiding in a cupboard, not the drawer.). Instead, I settled on a rubber spatula. All was going along smoothly until I came across one lone chunk of ice cream that would not be blended. In an attempt to make a creamy milk shake, I pushed the ice cream down into the blades of the blender.

Let me insert here that I am thankful that my husband bought the nice blender. Sharp blades. Optional drink dispensing spout. Pokey tool. It's a high quality piece of kitchen gadgetry. This fact was also the downfall of milk shake attempt #1.

As I pushed the ice cream down, I misjudged the distance and also pushed the spatula into the blades. The sharp blades grabbed that rubber spatula like a mother grizzly protecting her cubs! Imagine my surprise as I pulled up a half shredded rubber spatula. For several seconds I actually debated in my head whether I should dump it, or keep it as my own to avoid wasting enough milk shake for an adult and three kids. In the end, I figured I'd better go with my logical self and dump it all. It was a very sad occasion watching the chocolatey fake-oreo stream running down the drain. I definitely had second thoughts while washing the sweet treat out of the sink and blender.

Takes two and three were executed with more care and turned out delicious. Now I just have to decide what to do with the thoroughly gnawed up spatula.

One thing Garth Brooks and I have in common

I know it's just a song, but I too am much too young to feel this damn old. When did it happen? I seem to have lost all the muscle, energy, and drive that I had in my 20's. Are the 30's really that different?

As you know, we just bought a house and have been moving. I'd just like to say that I feel lucky to have survived the last 48 hours. In the last two days we have moved all of our furniture and heavy stuff. I have muscle aches in places that I didn't know could hurt. And to top it all off, I'm sweaty and out of breath as well.

I guess if I needed a wake-up call concerning my health and weight, this week has done it. There is no good reason for me to feel this horrible in my early 30's! I'm thinking I should start walking in the morning after my husband gets up. It's low impact enough that even I can handle it. Now if I can just stay away from the ice cream and Mountain Dew as rewards...