Cat vs Dog

After the passing of my last cat I vowed never to own another animal as it was too hard when the end came, but after a year my feelings quickly changed as I missed coming home to a little furry face staring at me and then giving me the riot act about where I have been..but only after his copious amounts of loving.

So after convincing my then boyfriend, now husband, that the only thing I wanted for my birthday was another cat. (Narrowing down the gift option to only one works!) So in we walk to the "cat room". This brown tabby looks suspiciously at us and jumps down from his window ledge walks right over to us and howls to be patted, then turns around to return to his perch after he has successfully roped us in. Thinking this was cute I went back over to pat him, but he was done with affection and turned around to bite me. Two days later we came home with (renamed from Utah) Oscar.

A year went by where Oscar happily laid around the house, looked out the window and sometimes became the "Dartmouth Jungle Kitty" as he stalked his way through the grass to pounce upon an unsuspecting leaf...and sometimes a neighbours cat. (hehehe) Our little family was happy but we decided that maybe we should get a shhhh ....dog.

We researched breeds and breeders and settled on an English Springer (renamed from Nyles) we named Reno..after a coffee place (Steve-O Renos). The day we brought home Reno was the day Oscar decided, with disgust, that we were dog people too. He sat pearched on the counter like a vulture with his eyes wide wondering what he was going to do with this creature we had brought into his life. Reno had grown up with a cat who liked to play with him so he set out on getting to know Oscar. Each time Oscar would stalk around Reno sleeping, Reno would slowly open his eyes and then take off down the hallway after him.

Eventually Oscar began to understand the dog wasn't going anywhere and would get really happy when Reno left the house for walks but his disgust soon returned when the dog came back home. I am sure he was plotting two cement blocks and the nearest river for the dog. As time passed Reno became more brazen with the cat trying to sniff his bum and at one point licked it...which is also the reason Reno has a scar on his nose from a big swipe from Oscar's claw.

Now after almost two years together the two co-habitat, they are not friends but have learned to coexist. Reno still chases Oscar down the hall and has gone in for big sniffs which always result in a quick swat. But when night time comes and everyone settles into their respected places on the bed, our family is happy for the next eight hours until the cat jumps off the bed and the fun begins. But as I sit here writing with the cat curled up on the couch and the dog gone back for his morning nap I wouldn't have it any other way.

Made with Love

I decided to take a cake decorating class in hopes of learning more about the construction of cakes as well as looking for an educational tax credit. So I convinced a friend of mine to join up to a Topsy turvey cake class at a local community college. For four weeks (one class per week) we learnt how to bake a cake, cut a cake on an angle, make butter cream and roll fondant. Nothing fancy, but the basics.

I posted some pictures each week of my proudly accomplished cakes. They may not have been perfect but I thought they were much better than the Duncan Hines cakes I was better known for.

My soon to be sister in law saw these said cakes and decided I was talented enough to make their wedding cake and I had six months to practice. Being the crazy fool I am, I somehow agreed to this. It must have been after the copious amounts of food and cocktails had. On my next visit to their house they presented me with a picture of what they were hoping the cake would look like. I was now thinking I should not have gone to Cuba and missed a class. It was elaborate four tiered cake with floral piping and black ribbon. It was a beautiful cake and with the hope in her eyes how could I say no.

I studied the picture and decided I could do three layers with the black ribbon and all was agreed. Until the net month when she decided she really wanted dots on the cake.

Being the procrastinator I am, I decided I didn't need a trial run on the cake that my talents ran deep (as well as my ego) and the first cake I made in six months would be the finale. Four days before the wedding I decided I should start this venture by making fondant. Yes, you can buy fondant at the Bulk Barn but I decided that since this was my first time I should earn what goes into it...and how hard could it be...it's technically icing. So I researched on line and decided the rolled fondant was the way to go. Found a recipe and off I went. Until I realized I would need to make a double batch and did not buy enough icing sugar to make the recipe. So off to the grocery store I went only to come home and realize we did not have glucose...but was quite proud of myself when I remembered you can substitute corn syrup for glucose. Research paid off. Also, during my research I discovered to only use clear products to make white fondant..while this makes sense, I am glad I did my homework.

After mixing all of the ingredients and putting my poor mixer through the clay like material I proudly produced 4lbs of fondant...half of what I would need...so off to the grocery store once again.

Day 2 I decided to make the butter cream and after two failed attempts I discovered my simple sugar was too hot and went and bought a candy thermometer and Wilton butter cream which I adapted to taste good.

Day 3 I started making the cakes.Not only did I agree to this venture I agreed to make three types of cake. Vanilla, Chocolate and lemon. Sounds easy, except the pans I bought were 3" high and apparently required a double batch of batter to fill it...found this out after it was all cooked....soo off to the grocery store I went to buy more eggs, butter and sugar to make another cake. Luckily the "trial" run of the vanilla worked out and tasted good....and my work was not disappointed at my failure as there is nothing like cake for breakfast.

I did finish baking all of the cakes that night at 11pm as the 3" cakes take about two hours to bake each! This does not also include the hour it took to clean the kitchen and the flour I had from one end to the other as I had the dropseys on this day. When you are dealing with the amount of ingredients it takes to make three 3" cakes..it is not a good day to have the dropseys!

Day 4 I butter creamed the cakes, rolled out the fondant and put on the ribbon. I was so proud of my accomplishment and tried to decide whether or not I could make dots. In theory they sound easy...one dot of royal icing around the cake....no problem...except when you have never piped a single thing in your life.

Day 5 the piping begins. (Also the day of the wedding) I get up at 6am to start making the icing and the dots..and after eating as many mistakes as dots I finished the cake by 8am in time to get ready and head up to the wedding which was an hour away on the hottest day we had this summer. I decided to assemble all of the layers for transport and have my husband st in the backseat to hold the cake while the AC blasted all the way to keep the cake cool and protected. The cake made it without incident and the bride was happy I gave her her dots...so all ended well.

Things I have learnt:
1. Buy fondant as well as other easily prepared pieces else it will take 5lbs of butter and 5 dozen eggs to make these cakes...not including mistakes
2. Start small..do not make the first adventure a wedding cake..no one needs this kind of stress
3. Do not throw a rehearsal dinner for 30 people the day before the wedding when you are not finished the cake

4. In the end, when it is made with love, the look on your brother and (now) sister in laws face was priceless and worth the effort, time and 12 trips to the grocery store.