If You Can Read This

I spotted a girl wearing a shirt with something printed on the back.

The top line said, 

'IF YOU CAN READ THIS'

She was walking ahead of me and I was curious to know what the rest of her shirt said.

I thought it would say,

'IF YOU CAN READ THIS THEN YOU ARE TOO CLOSE.'

When we were stopped by the pedestrian light, I got a chance to read the rest.

(Clever!)

It said,

'IF YOU CAN READ THIS

I'VE LOST MY BACKPACK.'

Just a Fraction

We had a Christmas in July celebration at the office last Thursday.

People were asked to bring a plate to share.

I brought home two chocolate cookies which I placed on the table after dinner.

RD was ready for dessert but seeing only two cookies 

(and knowing that two is not a factor of five),

he asked. "How many pieces should divide the cookies into?"

We would typically divide goodies into five so that everyone can have a taste.

When MacGyver said he didn't want any, I asked RD to divide them into four.

RD got up to get a glass of milk, all set to have half a cookie.

Then MyGirl said she just wanted a fraction.

 And I changed my mind and announced that I also just wanted a fraction.

 RD joined in and declared, 

"One over one is also a fraction."

Smart cookie.  He got his fraction.

Iboz, The New Measure of Weight

We've been using this $1 weighing scale since we got it from a garage sale about 4 years ago.  

I struggled with the analog reading of this old model and contemplated getting a digital one.  I would check out the digital weighing scales in the stores when window-shopping but often find them over my budget considering the one I had at home still served its purpose.  

Then one day, I saw a closing down sale sign on the housewares store in the nearby mall.   Those two magic words -- housewares and sale -- were calling me.  I had to check out the store.

There were a lot of items on sale but there wasn't anything I really needed or wanted.  I spotted the digital scale and checked the price.  They were giving a 20% discount so I eventually gave in and  bought the scale during one of my weekend mall trips with MyGirl.

I was quite impressed with the tare weight feature of the scale where the scale sets to zero even if there is an empty container on it.  This meant I didn't have to do the mental subtraction of the weight of the container. It made weighing things easier.

I pulled out the new weighing scale to measure the pork mince for our breakfast sausage MyGirl was going to mix up for me. We needed half a kilo for the recipe and I was not sure how much pork mince was in the bag.  

I put a bowl on the scale before turning it on and measured out about 500 grams.  Having tested the tare weight function, I decided to check out the various weight equivalents.

(Photos are for illustration only.)

I pushed the button on the right and read the weights out loud,  "504 grams ... 504 ml ... 1 17 iboz, whatever that is."

Right after I called out the last reading, MyGirl shot me a quizzical look.  "What was that, Mom?"

"I don't know.  It said, Iboz."

MyGirl gave the whole thing a moment's thought then exclaimed, "MOM!  That's pounds and ounces!"

I burst out in laughter when I realised the hilarity of the situation.  I could not believe I did not recognise the lb oz unit staring me in the face.   

MyGirl couldn't stop teasing me, "Iboz, Mom?  Really?"

We laughed until our sides hurt.  In my defence, I think I've only used pounds and ounces for the weight of newborn babies.

Two Peas from Different Pods

You probably read the article about The Mixed-Up Brothers of Bogota.  Carlos and Jorge Castro and William and Wilbur Velasco, two pairs of identical twins from Columbia that ended up being raised as a pair of fraternal twins because of a mix-up at the hospital in 1988.  It's all over the news.   

RD mentioned the story during lunch and I admitted to the kids that the thought of having one of my babies swapped at the hospital at birth was one of my worst nightmares.  "In fact,"  I told them,  "I cried when I had to leave GI at the hospital when he was born. They would not let us bring him home with us because he still had some jaundice."

My mind ran through their birth stories then it dawned on me, "I also had to leave MyGirl at the hospital.  We were only checked in for a half-day when MyGirl was born.  I went home the next day but she had to stay at the hospital for 24 hours."  And I concluded with, "Oh, but you RD, I brought you home with me the day after you were born.  It was New Year's Eve, the hospital had a very lean staff and we didn't want to stay there.  So we went home."

This bit of information made RD crow, "Yes!  You guys might have been swapped.  I'm legit."

Despite the fact I look so much like my sisters and that MacGyver resemble his brothers (even if he denies it), the three kids don't look like each other at all.  It is understandable that MyGirl doesn't look like her brothers but with the boys not looking like each other, that makes the three of them look like a bag of mixed nuts.

 (BTW, I love mixed nuts, especially if they look like these.)

I teased RD that if there was anyone that didn't look like anyone in our family, it would be him (although we all know that he does look like Father). GI looks so much like his dad and his paternal cousins. MyGirl looks like me; everyone, including Facebook, thinks so. But RD is really combination of both parents and does not distinctly look like one or the other.  I teased RD but I reassured him that I was 100% certain he was ours.   

So is it nature or nurture?  There will always be a debate.  The reality is that two of these boys were dealt a different set of cards having been "adopted" by accident.  It is comforting to know that although they were not related by blood, Wilber told William, "I don't care who they are.  You're my brother, and you'll be my brother until the day I die."  And in a similar token, to prove how much he cared for his sibling,  Jorge had the face of his fraternal twin Carlos tattooed on his chest.  

For the twins in the NY Times story, their lives will continue but it will never quite be the same.  The movie Big Business, revolving around this theme, was made in 1988, the year these twins were born. But life is not always the same as seen on the big screen.  Let's just hope these Columbian twins also have a happy ending.  

Donut Mix and Match

I had brought out the doughnut maker this morning and was all set to sell it in Gumtree.  Then MacGyver came downstairs and asked if we were having doughnuts for breakfast.  I told him I was about to dispose of it because we hardly used it.  He said we hardly use it because I refused to have him buy the pre-made doughnut mix from the grocery. 

It's true.  I absolutely refuse to let him buy the mixes because I could get a whole kilo of flour at the same cost of that tiny single packet of cake mix.  

He said he'd make doughnuts if I prepared the mix, so I put the doughnut maker back in its place and set out to make a batch of mix.

I had the perfect container for my doughnut mix.  It was one of those nesting plastic Tupperware bowls.  We use the pink one for soup mix.  The blue one would be perfect for the doughnut mix.

After I had combined the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt.  I put a copy of the recipe on the lid.

I decided to make a matching label for the soup mix although we'd been using the soup mix for years without it having a label and instructions.

When I was done, I walked over to RD and showed him the containers and explained, "Soup mix.  Donut mix."  He laughed out loud.  It was only when I saw his reaction that I realised that there was a (big) possibility that the someone (probably one of the boys) would mix up the mixes if the containers were not labelled.

I decided to show them to MyGirl so that she'd be aware of the added homemade mix in the pantry. When she saw them she smiled and said, "Everyone knows that the pink container has soup."  After I explained the possibility of a mix-up as expressed in RD's laughter, she remarked, "It would be better if you just keep it away from them or don't let them make it without us around."

I have to admit, that was sound advice.

P.S.  After going through several websites looking for recipes, I am actually excited to make these doughnuts.  We have a small packet of sprinkles (hundreds and thousands) that we've had for several years.  Each time I'd brought the packet when we have ice cream to serve, I just ended up bringing the sprinkles home. I think this the perfect opportunity to use up the sprinkles. OK. maybe I am just looking for a good excuse to make the glaze.

DONUT RECIPE 

1 1/2 c flour
1/2 c   sugar
1 1/2 t baking powder
1/2 t   salt
1/2  c butter, melted
1 egg, beaten
3/4 c   milk (or water) 

Combine dry ingredients in a large bowl.Combine wet ingredients in a separate bowl.Beat until thick, smooth and creamy.Use approximately 2 T /moldBake in doughnut makerBrush with melted butter and sprinkle with cinnamon sugar when done.Or glaze when cool.  

 GLAZE

1 c icing sugar
2 t cocoa powder (optional)
1 t butter, softened
1 T hot water
1/2 t vanilla

Mix until smooth