Wow, it's been nearly two months since I posted anything. At least a few weeks of that I have an excuse. I had an Ulnar Nerve Transposition on my primary arm. That is to say that the major nerve running through my right elbow was being heartily abused, so they removed it from the tunnel it ran through and put it where it couldn't be squished anymore. The problem is that I'm severely right handed. Like, I can barely open a door with my left hand, let alone eat or cook or do DIYs. Sad, but true. So, I've done little else but play the role of supervisor at work and watch cartoons at home.
There were some notable exceptions, however. I had locked myself into making a few cakes prior to my rather quickly scheduled surgery, so with my mother's help (THANKS, MOM!!) and my husband's supervision I managed to turn out three decorated cakes, two pound cakes, and a glazed rum cake. They aren't my best work, but considering the proximity to my convalescence, I'm pretty proud.
First up came literally two days after my surgery. We were hosting a party for the 50th anniversary of our beloved Doctor Who. I'd been talking up the cake I was going to make without thinking about the date. Doh! It turned out a little short (two more layers wouldn't have been amiss) and in the end I didn't get the electronics to work ($13 down the drain at Radio Shack), but the entire thing was eaten in less than 36 hours and a month later people are still mentioning it to me. What was it?
That's right. I did. Be jelly.
It's nine layers of tender white cake, filled with fudge, and decorated with whipped vanilla icing and a few strips of fondant. I don't really like fondant unless I make it myself, otherwise I would have done the whole thing in it for a smoother finish. For a first try on a 3D cake, though, and only my second TARDIS cake ever, I think it came out exceptionally well.
Next up was a birthday cake for my darling Elisabeth from work. She's my little high school protege and I love her to bits. She was turning 17, which is a simultaneously frustrating and splendid age to be! She picked out everything from the shape of the layers to the colors of the icing. The only thing I picked was the flavors of said frosting.
It's red velvet with cream cheese filling and piping, but ermine icing for the outer surfaces. I adore ermine icing. It was the traditional red velvet icing before cream cheese came in and stole the show. It takes more work, but it you once have red velvet cake with ermine frosting you will never be satisfied with another.
Lastly -- for the ones with pictures at least -- was my beloved John's birthday cake. Let's start off with a story: I make cakes for people. That's what I do. If you get a promotion at work, I make you a cake. If you graduate from college, I make you a cake. If it's your birthday, I make you a cake. When I ask what you want for said birthday in the context of food, I am asking what kind of cake you want.
Me: What do you want me to make for your birthday?
John: Something that goes good with gravy.
Me: ... ... ... I'll see what I can do.
Ladies and gentlemen of the internet, I ask of you, do I not love my husband? Do I not listen to his wants and try to ascertain what would best suit his desires? I assert that I do. As proof, I submit to you my crowning achievement of 2013:
Yes, that's right. I made a four layer meatloaf cake, filled with Jack Daniels barbecue sauce, iced in mashed potatoes and decorated with bacon roses. For reference: That's 10 pounds of meat, six eggs, half a bottle of barbecue sauce, a whole box of potato flakes, and an entire pack of bacon. He has subsequently shared it with all his friends and I have been declared best wife ever.
Back on track with the updates, my arm is healing well for the most part, but not where we thought it would be. I was supposed to start work at a bakery at the beginning of the year, but it doesn't look like it's going to work out. I can't lift over a certain poundage, my range of motion is much more limited than before, and I still have shooting pains at the incision site. To top it off, I'm starting to have symptoms in my other arm since I've started relying on it more heavily. Until I know whether I'll need another surgery and until I can frost a cake without having to take a break between layers, it looks I'll continue slogging away in retail and building up my personal ventures.
In less self-centered news, John's new job seems to be going really well. We're keeping our fingers crossed that things continue to work out. We've also made some decisions about house renovation that will hopefully unfold over the next six months or so. Aaaand I have a few furniture projects lined up, as well as a bunch of recipes, and maybe a surprise or three.
All in all, it's been a crazy-crazy 2013, but 2014 is sure to be even crazier. Stay tuned!
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