What is He Thinking?

How many women have gone out with a man, gotten closer to him, thought he was everything she'd ever hoped for only to be highly disappointed when he changes?

Believe it or not, a man has a process to dating. They are as slow as molasses when it comes to commitment.

When a man goes out with you for the first time he may asks for a second date. This means he likes you enough to want to get to know you better. He IS NOT thinking of commitment at this point. He is still in the "I wanna have fun" stage. However, as women, we may be thinking of seeing this man exclusively. This is where women bomb and can easily get hurt.

The answer is, "Go slow if you want him." Whether you know he's the one or not, don't allow him into your every thought. Don't add any pressure. Men already feel pressured when they meet someone they "like." And whatever you do, don't assume he's ready after a week or two to give up his Saturday night's with his buddies. Although you may hope he'll take you out for dinner, if he doesn't, don't let him see this bothers you. Go out and have fun with the girls. You'll become more attractive to him, much like the cat and the mouse game.

Any relationship that has chemistry will naturally escalate to the next level, without pressure. 

Jake Castle's Recipe

Jake Castle: Hero in Castle’s Fortress   

Occupation: Owner of a Castle Security

Fave food: Salmon en Croute

Preparation and cooking time:35 minutes
Cooking a whole salmon in puff pastry is a classic party dish. This is a scaled down version for individual servings. For a dinner party they can be assembled ahead and baked at the last minute. The salmon stays moist and perfectly flaky. I've given the dimensions used in the photos. If your salmon is a different shape, you need enough pastry to cover it. Trim any excess.
Yes, It's a bit indulgent - but we all need that occasionally

Ingredients:

• 2 pieces of salmon, skinned - about 3" wide by 4" long by 1" thick (5cm X 10cm x 2.5 cm), 350gr, 12.5oz
• 1 large or 2 small sheets of puff pastry, 246gr, 8.7oz
• 2 tsp dried or fresh dill weed
• 4 tsp whole grain mustard, 20gr, .7oz
• Tarragon Cream Sauce
• 1/3 cup chicken stock less 2 tbs, 75gr, 2.65oz
• 1/3 cup white wine, 75gr, 2.65oz
• 1 shallot, 45gr, 1.6oz
• 1 tbs butter, 14.2gr, .5oz
• 1 1/2 tsp dried tarragon substitute 1 tbs fresh
• 1 tbs cornstarch (maizena) dissolved in 2 tbs stock, 8gr, .3oz
• 1/3 cup Greek yogurt, crème fraiche or sour cream, 100gr, 3.5oz Greek Yogurt

Instructions:

• Lightly roll puff pastry dough if needed. It needs to be just large enough to cover the salmon with an overlap of 1/2 - 1 inch (1.25 - 2.5cm).
• Lightly cover an area roughly the size of the salmon with dill.
• Skin salmon if needed, and cut/trim.
• Place salmon on top of dill.
• Spread 2 tsp mustard on the salmon.
• Depending on the shape of your fish you can bring opposite corners together (if it's square-ish) or fold over (if it's long-ish).
• Press the meeting edges of the puff pastry together to seal. It's okay if there are gaps in the 'package' as long as the pastry is sealed together enough to hold it's shape as it bakes.
• Repeat with the other piece of salmon.
• Bake at 400F (200C) for 15 - 25 minutes, until the pastry is golden brown.
• Remove and serve with Tarragon Cream Sauce on the side.
• Tarragon Cream Sauce
• Finely chop shallots.
• In small saucepan over medium heat sauté shallots in butter until tender.
• Add tarragon, wine and stock and bring to a boil. Simmer 5 minutes.
• Mix cornstarch in 2 tbs stock and stir into simmering stock. Cook until thickened - should be quite thick.
• Remove from heat and stir in yogurt.
• Cover and keep warm until serving.

Note: Puff pastry can be found in either the refrigerator or freezer section. You will want 2 sheets about 9 inches square. If they are not big enough you can roll them out a bit (using a rolling pin).

recipe can be found at http://easygourmetdinners.com/recipe/fish/salmon_en_croute.html

My Crazy Life...Kids, work, pets, vomit...oh my

How do I juggle a career as writer, a dirty day job, kids, pets, household....?!?

The answer is, "I don't."  This is a day in the crazy life of a writing mom...

Friday, December 9, 2011

6:30  My cell alarms. It's time to get up. Ughh...I snuggle deeper into the warmth of my blankets. Can I just sleep longer? No... I crawl out of bed and sleepily find my way down the hall, into the bathroom and lazily get into the shower. I slowly start to arouse.

6:50 First wake-up call for the kids.

6:55 Second wake-up call for the kids.

7:00 Third wake up call for the kids. This time my tone alerts them that there won't be a fourth call...

7:15 I stand in the kitchen and debate breakfast. I could make french toast, but I don't. I choose the simpler way...Poptarts. Okay, I add a fruit cup for nutritional reasons.

7:20 Coffee...I need coffee. When I say need, trust me, I do mean NEED. 

7:21 I hear arguing from the bathroom. I put on my selective hearing ability (Come on, we all have it). My capability is lacking this morning because I still hear the bickering between the girls. What are they arguing about? Who knows...probably who will get to brush their teeth first. I know it's coming...and then it does..."Mooooooom." It cuts through me like a razer blade as I take my first sip of strong instant coffee. I go in and break up an argument which I have no clue what it's about.

7:30 Every morning I have to hurry the girls along or they will miss the bus. I find I could just record my directions, "Get your socks, brush your hair, your hair will never dry if you have the dryer on your face and
not your hair, you're not wearing that !"

8:00 We pile into the vehicle and we wait for the bus. One daughter asks, "Call the doc. I want  braces." I tell her, "It's not so simple. Your mouth must be ready for braces." She rolls her eyes. "My mouth is ready." I sigh. "I'll call the doc then." There is a moment of hesitation, "You say that everyday."  In my defense, I don't say it everyday, but I find I fall into the robotic answers way too often because we seem to have the same discussions. I add calling the dentist to my already way-too-long mental list.

8:01 My wee one looks at me and says, "Why do you have to work?"  Me, "Because I have to earn a paycheck." Wee one, "Maybe I won't have to work when I'm older." Me, "Good luck with that. In the meantime, get an education." Wee one, "Huh?"  Me, "Exactly."

8:05 The bus rolls up. As my wee one climbs the too tall stairs that she can barely manage, she falls flat on her face. I wait, holding my breath. She gets up, I see her nod and the driver sends me an assured smile. I start breathing again.

8:15 I arrive at the dirty day job. No, it's not really "dirty." This is what writers call those places we go for 8 hours that keep us from what we love--writing.  Luckily, my day job isn't so bad.

12:00 I take one bit of my lunch and my cell rings. It's the school. My wee one is sick. I drive to the school and pick her up. Sure enough, she is sick. I take her with me to my office, fix her a bed on the floor and tell her she must drink and rest. It wasn't happening. 

2:30 Wee one decides she wants to sit at my desk and fall asleep. Ten minutes later her eyes come open and there is a look of fear on her face. She vomits. And guess where? Sure enough...all over my desk. Thankfully, I saved my cell and she missed the computer. However, she did get my fave gloves :( I threw them away. Unfortunately, she didn't miss herself either. She was covered.

3:30 Vomit is gone. Child is sleeping. I am working.

4:10 Home now. But a mother's work is never done. I have cleaning to do. Good times, good times on a Friday night !!!

5:00 I'm single. I hear more BS stories than I can stand. I won't go into detail. Really...I won't...

6:00 Dinner time. I tried out my culinary skills. Haha...I ordered pizza to be delivered. Pretty gourmet, eh?

7:00 Laptop is on. I'm prepared to work on my newest erotica. One hand hovered over keyboard when I heard, "Mom...I don't feel good." Bathroom issues for the wee one take priority over a love scene between my patient hero and heroine.

8:00 I sit down with my girls and we watch a Christmas movie. I tell myself to get back to the scene...I've made my hero wait long enough. But I was exhausted. Really exhausted. And my girls look so sweet. Neither is complaining or arguing. Precious moments, I say. Gotta take them while we have them.

9:30 I actually get to have adult conversation. I'm excited. A friend calls and we discuss political topics. Certainly not a fave Friday night chit-chat, but I won't complain.

12:30 I hear the wee one's soft footsteps as she comes up to my bed... "Mommy, I think I'm going to...." Me, "Run, child, run !!!!" We make a mad dash to the bathroom. We didn't make it in time. She missed the toilet by two feet. Pizza wasn't such a good idea after all.

1:00 The house is quiet. My eyelids are heavy. Sleep is on its way. Then I remember...I didn't call the dentist.

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