Return of the Great Haboob

We're having dust storms aplenty this season. What is it like to be in the middle of one? Fancy you should ask. I just drove through one on my way home from Sunday dinner.

The Great Haboob

Dad flew into town yesterday on yogurt business. After dinner last night we decided the temperature had dropped enough—from 119 to a more tolerable 100—to venture out on a walk. Dad kept glancing over in the southern sky so I finally asked him what he kept looking at. He said there was a cloud that looked funny. I dismissed it as a rain cloud and we kept walking. Just a few minutes later the cloud seemed much larger and much closer… and orange. It wasn’t a rain cloud at all. It was the great haboob!

I recently learned that the mega sandstorms—mostly found in movies that take place somewhere in the Sahara just when the bad guys are about to overtake the good guys—are called haboobs. They can overtake you pretty quickly and we were no exception.

We stopped for a few minutes to watch the huge cloud roll towards us, and then decided we’d better pick up the pace. We scampered back to the condo just in time to watch the cloud roll right over the top of us, unleashing sand and dust in a blinding fury. The entire sky went dark. We peered at it through the glass for a few minutes, but finally relegated ourselves to the couch. Dust masks in place, we spent the rest of the evening listening to the wind rattle the patio furniture while we watched Machu Picchu documentaries in preparation for our next adventure.

This morning there was a thick layer of dust over the whole city, but we survived the first haboob of the season!

Katharine Hepburn Brownies

As a teenager I was fascinated by Katharine Hepburn. I still am. It must have something to do with our mutual distaste for wearing skirts and dresses. In 1993, Ladies’ Home Journal interviewed Kate-the-Great and subsequently published a special edition magazine all about her. The magazine included Katharine Hepburn’s brownie recipe. Naturally, I gave it a try and promptly fell in love with the rich, gooey bits of dark chocolate heaven. Tonight, with no Halloween candy in sight, I seized the moment to make a batch of these delicious treats. Still heavenly! This recipe has most definitely earned its place on my list of favorite things. So, without further ado, here is the recipe for Katharine Hepburn’s brownies (in her own words).

* * *

Kate’s Super-Fudge Brownies

First, melt two squares of unsweetened chocolate and ¼ pound sweet butter (1stick) in a heavy saucepan. Remove from heat and stir in 1 cup sugar. Add 2 eggs along with ½ teaspoon vanilla and beat like mad. Stir in ¼ cup flour, ¼ teaspoon salt and a cup of chopped walnuts—not smashed up, you know, just chopped into fairly good-size pieces.

Now mix all that up. Then you butter a square tin (8x8 inches) and dump the whole thing quickly into the pan. Stuff this pan into a preheated 325F. oven for 40 minutes. After that, take out the pan and let it cool for a while. Then cut into 1 ½-inch squares and dive right in.

Editor’s Note: This recipe was tested in the Ladies’ Home Journal kitchens, and it received accolades all around. Since you use only ¼ cup flour (rather than ½ cup or ¾ cup ordinarily called for), the brownies have a wonderful puddinglike texture. In fact, if they’re cut warm, you could almost eat them with a fork (which is no draw-back, we assure you).

Ladies' Home Journal, Katharine Hepburn: American Classic, Nov. 1993, p. 87

Snorkeling Scenes

I'm surprised none of us choked laughing at our amazing snorkel faces.


Dave sports the fins


Looks like Nicole fell off the boat.


After the do-not-touch-the-turtles lecture from our boat captain, I was a little paranoid the turtle would suddenly turn and veer into me.


Dave was clearly not worried... as the turtle gives him a pat on the back.


Coral at Molokini crater


Flash finally kicks in so we can catch a little color down there. Amazing underwater world!






Jason swimming with the turtles camped out by our condo.

Maui 2010

My first trip to Hawaii! I had a few firsts on this trip. Not only was it my first trip to an off-continent state, it was also the first time I was able to go swimming since my diagnosis several years ago. As a dyed-in-the-scales water bug it has been more than a little frustrating to not be allowed to swim for so long. I have always lived partially under water and it was thrilling to sink my gills into such amazing water!

We found some last minute deals and booked our flights just a few days before we left.


Our condo... crazy amazing view!


Great view, tiny beach... but at least it was secluded. I'll take deserted tiny beach over big crowded beach every time!




Dave joined our last-minute trip at the very last minute.


Driving through the clouds


Haleakala Volcano


Summer, Moi, and Nicole ...Summer clearly has the most polished pose.


Dave, Summer, Jason, Nicole, Yo


Prepping for a little snorkeling at Molokini crater

Up next... the underwater pix...

Movies

Another Work "Party"

I hate work parties. I’d rather work. It’s not that I’m a scrooge because I love the holidays. I just love celebrating with family and friends. Perhaps I’ve always been blessed with so many family and friends that “hanging out” with coworkers has never been high (or low) on my list. It’s just another work obligation like sitting in meetings or driving in traffic. Despite my scrooginess I did take some pleasure in watching our teams compete in a snowman building contest. We hired a guy to come in and make snow and there is nothing funnier than a bunch of Arizona natives donning boots, hats, scarves, and gloves to stand in a tiny pile of snow and build a snowman before the 75-degree sun burning down carves right through the snow and converts it into a puddle of dirty water. I was wearing sandals and may have been the most comfortable person there.

Perhaps when it comes to cold I have been jaded for growing up in the arctic tundra of Wisconsin because I think Arizonans have the most bizarre winter habits. As soon as the temperature dips down into the 70s it seems that folks start digging out their great hooded parkas to get ready for the cold spell. Nobody is stuck unprepared when those frosty winter days strike and the temperature drops to the mid-50s.

Not to be unfair, Wisconsinites can be equally strange in their weather perceptions. I remember standing outside waiting for the bus in the dead of winter, in temperatures well into the negative numbers, and there would be some insane group of girls standing there in mini-skirts and unbuttoned coats. When the weather climbed up into the toasty double digits people were already digging out their shorts.

Most of my team (I think we're missing a designer.)