Because of my recent tomato explosion, I feel the need to cook, bake or do something with all of the tomatoes I have on my kitchen table.  So Ben and I made salsa and also a tomato pie for True Blood Sunday.  I wasn’t really happy with my tomato pie but I tried it again last night and will post about it tomorrow.  I have been waiting to make my own salsa from my own tomatoes and bell peppers since we planted our garden.  I don’t care that the rest of the ingredients came from the grocery store because the tomatoes were so great and my bell peppers look fake because they are so beautiful.  For whatever reason, bugs don’t nimble on bell peppers and I like that.  We don’t use any pesticides in our garden.  So I am aware that insects and worms like tomatoes just as much as I do, but for whatever reason they are not into bell peppers.

For True Blood Sundays, my friends and I usually make Louisiana or vampire inspired dishes.  Although salsa isn’t really  a Louisiana or vampire inspired dish, making salsa from your own vegetables is a very southern thing to do.

Overall I thought our salsa was really good.   I love how fresh it tasted!  While making salsa for the first time I also learned how to peel a tomato.   Peeling tomatoes is actually really easy and I had no idea.

Peeling a Tomato

1. Wash your tomatoes and take the stems off.
2. Cut an X on the end without the stem.
3. Boil enough water to submerse your tomatoes.  Once the water starts boiling place them into the water.
4. After a few minutes, use a slotted spoon to place your tomatoes into a bowl of cold water.
5. Let them sit a minute or so then pull the skins right off.

Check back tomorrow for my tomato pie!

In order to get to know the other students in the class, one of the students suggested in our class forum to post a 5 things list.  I agree with her.

5 Things I am looking forward to:

1. Planting my vegetable garden
2. Growing old with my husband
3. The next project in Indie Biz
4. My trip to Atlanta this weekend
5. Having children

5 Things I did yesterday:

1. I went to a Garden Expo with my husband.
2. I potted the new plants we bought and re-potted my airplane plant.
3. I worked on a journal/planner that I am making for myself.
4. I brainstormed ideas for my first Indie Biz assignment.
5. I snuggled on the couch with my husband and watched the Oscars.

5 Things I wish I could do:

1. I wish I could spend my days crafting instead of working.
2. I wish I could be sitting on the beach on Tybee Island right now.
3. I wish I could understand what is happening on Lost.
4. I wish I could adopt every stray animal that comes near my house.
5. I wish I could play an instrument well.

5 Places I’d like to travel to:

1. The Grand Canyon
2. Niagara Falls
3. Italy
4. Alaska
5. The Galapagos Islands

I thought about what was new in my life for a minute and I said, “Oh well I started a blog, so that is new.”  Then she asked me really normal follow up questions from people who don’t stay on the internet 24/7 such as:  “What is a blog?”  “What is it for?”  Defining a blog was easy but explaining its purpose was a little tricky.   As I hesitated while thinking of what to say to her, she said “Well what do you write about?”

Maybe my niche is about the process.  I’m not good at cooking but I’m learning and I enjoy it for the most part.  I’m not good at gardening but I love plants and flowers.  I fail sometimes, but at least I try to be creative and try new things.  The quarter life crisis is real and I am still trying to figure out some things,  but I know for sure that everyone either has or will go through some type of transitional phase of life plagued by self doubt and unreal expectations. Sure, some people are really talented, beautiful, creative people who get a job right after college and make $100,000 a year but some people have a very different reality.  Some people maybe made straight A’s their entire life (including college) but had no idea that their Communication degree wouldn’t land them a stellar job, and their joy comes from married life or learning to cook at 28 or painting cheap furniture to make it seem nice, or thrift store shopping or finding out why their toilet gurgles, or anything else that makes their life seem more fun.

Note to self:  Enjoy the process.

Our water bill will suck this month.

This can't be good.

This is the part of the pipe that the plumber fixed.

Avoid a not fun Saturday by letting your hot and cold water run from your faucets and showers at night when the temperatures drop below freezing.

Despite starting my morning cussing and freaking out, I can honestly say that the situation could have been worse and our plumber is a really nice guy.  I appreciate good customer service.  I know I can be a lot to deal with when I am upset but our plumber Randy Wofford diffused the situation like a professional.  He was really nice to me, came to my house within ten minutes and explained everything to me as he repaired the pipe without acting like I was bothering him.  I told him that we left the water running last night and he asked if we left both the hot and cold water running.  I told him I wasn’t sure.  He said that you have to leave both on and that the hot water will actually burst faster.

Good to know, lesson learned.

(If you live in the Starkville, MS area and need a plumber, comment on this post and I will email you his phone number.)