1. Making granola cereal.
Just about everything is more expensive than it is in Louisiana, including granola. Even the cheap granola isn't cheap and it's too sweet. I decided to try my hand at granola. Here is the recipe if you're interested...
Recipe- 4 cups rolled oats, 1/2 cup flax seed, 1/2 cup rice krispies, 1/2 cup sunflower seeds (unsalted), 2 teaspoons cinnamon, 1/4 cup brown sugar, 3 tablespoons of honey, 1/2 cup water, 1/3 cup canola oil. Mix dry ingredients and wet ingredients separately. Add two mixes together and stir well. Spread onto a large cookie sheet. Bake at 250 degrees F for 1 hour stirring every 15 minutes. Add raisins the last 15 minutes.
2. Cleaning my bicycle.
A couple of years ago, Jon gave me the coolest bike ever for my birthday, a blue '70s Schwinn Breeze. It unfortunately spent too many days outside and ended up moving to California looking like rusty old bike. With the help of vinegar, WD-40, aluminum foil, and brillo pads, it is approaching it's former days of glory.
3. Painting a Van Gogh (that doesn't look anything like the original).
I've always wanted to try out painting. This past summer I took a 10 week painting class with UL continuing education. I had no idea of where to begin and the class provided just that. The last assignment for the class was to pick a Van Gogh and replicate it. I chose an edlerly lady sitting at table reading. I chose this painting for obvious reason...reading is pretty much my favorite thing to do. The painting came out nothing like the original, but I had fun doing it. Her face actually resembles Michael Jackson in his later years, not intentionally of course. I just hung it in my kitchen. I have mixed feelings about it. I'm proud to have completed a painting for one, but on the other hand I'm a little embarrassed that it's not as awesome as I envisioned. We'll see how long it last on the wall in the kitchen.
4. Building a compost bin.
We had a compost bin in our back yard on oakcrest. The first day we arrived, the apartment coordinators had us over for dinner. They told us about the recycle bins, ect. available and we gathered that they were from Portland thus evironmentally sensitive. I asked them about the possibility of composting. They were excited about the idea. I built a compost bin just like the ones we had back home. I just set it up today. We'll see how it works. They climate here is a little different so I may have to adjust my protocol accordingly.
5. Reading my Kindle.I wasn't sure how I would like the electronic book experience, but it is great. I carry my Kindle with me everywhere I go. It's like my new best friend. My parents gave it to me for christmas. I keep texting them thanks because I love it so much. One cool thing about it is that it give the percent of progress you have made in a book. I am 65% complete with the Brothers of Karamazov, which is an exceptional book by the way. Thanks Mom and Dad! I have a 45 minute Metro ride to work starting tomorrow, so it will definitely come in handy.
