SylviaVargas's Blog

Birthdays are not the same since Mami gone. The last few years we had a contest who would call first on my birthday. I would call her on my B-day to thank her, as should all children.
I wouldn’t be me without her.

Miss her dearly..

A bright but drizzly day in Seattle in the mid 50s on this Easter Sunday.  Since the wet weather was not conducive to our a normal 40 mile bike ride, Robert and I decided to partake in a little science experiment in the kitchen: baking cookies. 

The specific cookie challenge: Oatmeal-Raisin Chocolate Chip Cookies.  Here’s my recipe modeled after a recipe from MyRecipes version.

Servings: about 28 cookies.

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup butter, softened
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 3/4 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 cup uncooked quick-cooking oats
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 6-ounce  semisweet chocolate morsels
• 1/2 cup raisins (Suggestion: if raisins are very dry, soak in a little liquid like rum to hydrate).

Preparation

1. Flour mixture: Combine flour, baking soda, oats and salt in a small bowl.  Set aside.

2. Butter mixture: Beat softened butter, granulated sugar and brown sugar with an electric mixer until creamy.  Add eggs and vanilla.  Beat until blended.

3. Gradually add butter mixture to flour mixture. (I mixed with a large spoon).

4. Stir in chocolate morsels and raisins.

5. Lightly grease baking sheet with butter or Pam Cooking Spray

6. Drop cookie dough in tablespoons about 1 inch apart on baking sheet.

7. Bake at 350 degree for 8 to 14 minutes or until golden brown and slightly crunchy.

8.  Remove to wire rack to completely cool

Enjoy!

There is a difference between old and precious. They are not alway synonymous.

After the passing of my maternal grandmother, my mom gave each one of us a wooden figurine of a Three Kings nativity set. They are hand carved and have been handed down for at least 3 generations from the Ramos-Munoz family.

The ability to touch something that has such emotional value for a number of generations is precious.

My crocuses have died a few weeks ago and the leaves of the tulips are popping up everywhere. To me spring is almost over once I see the tulips flowering in their full glory.

I have been spring cleaning since January, in hopes it would lead to sunnier if not warmer days.

My spring to-do/wish list? No rain weekends so I can ride on my new bike!

[Portrait of Ralph Burns, Edwin A. Finckel, George Handy, Neal Hefti, Johnny Richards, and Eddie Sauter, Museum of Modern Art, New York, N.Y., ca. Mar. 1947] (LOC)

The Louve in Paris is one of my favorites as is the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City. I love the variety as well as the various masters they house. When living in Manhattan I would spend an afternoon just wandering around and soaking all the beauty and diversity of the various collections. I always admire people's ability to express their creative gifts.

My favorite way of connecting with family and friends is email and Facebook. Although seen impersonal by some/many, the timezone difference between me in the West Coast and most everyone else on the East Coast, makes electronic communication a solution for me. I prefer face to face communications, but I have come to enjoy the richness of words and pictures to connect.
If an important issue arises, short of a quick flight east, a phone call or text message to connect for a phone is a must.

My resolutions to be healthier, happier and improving my work/life balance has been doing well so far. I guess the progress that is most impressive for me is listening to how I feel. If I am frustrated I talk to myself why and what I can do to change the situation or my perception of the situation.

I can only change my behavior or reactions to others.

This simple little fact has made most of the difference.