Tis the Season

It is officially King Cake season in New Orleans! I make no secret of the fact that I LOVE King Cake. I love it so much I'm having King Cake instead of Wedding Cake at my wedding. However, my office tends to have 3-5 King Cakes a week in the breakroom and I really don't need to eat a slice of cake every day from now until Mardi Gras (March 8, this year).
Over the years, I've learned that the best way to curb my King Cake consumption without feeling deprived is to make a few rules for myself.

1. I can have a slice of the first King Cake of the season if I want to, regardless of what flavor it is. (If the first king cake that comes into my office is from some place like Winn Dixie, I tend to pass and hold out for a nicer first taste).
2. After my first slice of King Cake, I will only eat filled cakes in flavors that I really like- apple, praline, and cream cheese. Since the filled cakes are more expensive, people usually buy plain, which means I'm eating cake maybe once a week or once every other week by instituting this rule.
3. I'll also try specialty cakes (goat cheese and apple my friend Sarah got at Cake Cafe was the highlight of last year's cake season for me) and plain cakes from the really good bakeries (Haydel's, Randazzo's, and Gambino's) the first time they show up at the office.

It's much easier to pass up a mediocre slice of cake when I know I'm holding out for the good stuff. I will add that I'm still debating whether or not I want to try a Hubig's Pies King Cake...

Who makes your favorite King Cake?

Playing Catch Up

I'm briefly diverting my attention away from the million things I have to do, to write a recap post before I forget everything I wanted to write about.
First, Pancake! I got a call back from the vet saying he tested positive for Toxoplasmosis which could explain why he had the seizure. They want to put him on a month of antibiotics to knock out the infection. We still have some questions: Cats get it from eating dead prey- and he hasn't been outside since Nov., but he tested positive for IgM antibodies which is indicative of a recent infection (versus IgG which is indicative of an older infection) so we're not sure how long ago he would have gotten it. But overall, I hope that this is the problem- because I would love to give him a course of antibiotics and then have him be seizure free! Overall though he is doing well and hasn't had any seizures since we brought him back from the vet, so that's good news!
Second, Mardi Gras! Mardi Gras was a ton of fun this year. We went to the Arthurian's ball on Friday night, which is always a great time. On Saturday, we hung out at the Endymion parade with our friends, and on Sunday we went to the Bacchus Ball and had a great time. I'll do a more detailed Mardi Gras post with some cute pictures soon, I promise!
Up next, Work! Tuesday (Mardi Gras day) was a vacation day for my office- and yet somehow I spent it flying to Houston for work. Boo! I thought that meant that I could take Monday off completely to recover from the Bacchus Ball (we rolled in around 3 or 3:30, as I recall) but I had to work about 4 hours on Monday to prep for my work trip. Fortunately, my boss let me work from home. I wish I could wear PJ's to work every day! Anyway, I worked a 10 hour day on Tuesday and a 12 hour day yesterday (which included 10 hours spent in a meeting- ugh!) . I thought yesterday was going to be a 15 hour day, but I managed to catch an earlier flight (which involved running to the gate- who needs dignity?) and got home around 7:30. I was exhausted, but a 12 hour day is so much better than a 15 hour day!
Which bring me to, sickness! I think I am getting sick again. Last night I had a low grade fever and a horrible sore throat and this morning I'm coughing and stuffy. I think I'm having a relapse of the cold that I just got over, so hopefully my immune system will kick into gear and get rid of it quickly this time.
Because I miss running!! I think it has literally been a month since I've run. Having managed to get two (or more) colds in the past two months has really put a damper on my exercise. And whenever I'm well, it has either been cold, raining, or both. Fortunately, my running buddy got in touch with me this week. She's been out of town for med school this month and is eager to get back into our workout schedule. So hopefully I will be feeling better and we can get back into our routine next week! I will give myself credit though because I have actually been going to the gym as much as possible. When I'm feeling pretty good, I've been doing a workout inspired by Angela at Oh She Glows. I crank the treadmill up to an incline of 15% and walk at 4 km/hr for half an hour. (I usually follow that up with some abs work and 20 pushups.) When I'm not feeling so well, I just hop on the elliptical and watch TV. But I've been making it to the gym 2-4 times a week, with the exception of one week when my cold was particularly chesty, so I'm pretty proud of myself for maintaining my good habits! I also rode my bike for the first time in literally a year on Sunday. I needed to get to my friend Sarah's house but couldn't drive there because of parades. I biked there and back home, for a total of 6 miles. I enjoyed the ride, but I definitely remember why I don't ride my bike very often- it bruises my rear! :( I guess it's something you get used to over time, but I hate that about biking! (And yet somehow running induced foot blisters don't bother me....)
Finally, I want to say that I got a shout out on another blog. I tried Smitten Kitchen's Tomato Sauce with Butter and Onions (and so should everyone because it is easy and amazing!) and suggested that Heather at Heather Eat's Almond Butter should try it, and when she did, she mentioned me in her post. So, thanks, Heather! :) I'm glad you loved the sauce!
Okay I think that's all I planned to talk about for now. I hope everyone is having a good week!

Quick Update

Pancake came back from the vet last night. He hasn't had any seizures (knock on wood) and his physical exam was perfect. We're waiting to hear back about his blood work. But his vet suspects that the seizure is just a result of the head trauma he got when he was run over. Poor Kitty. I have been told to keep a seizure journal because if he starts having seizures more than once a month, we'll have to put him on medicine. Hopefully there won't be many entries in his journal!
In other news I just wanted to post a picture from the first Mardi Gras ball we attended last Friday. This was Cripple Creek's Ball and production of Ubu Roi. We got a lot of compliments on our outfits. :) Tomorrow night is our second ball of the year- the Arthurians Ball and we'll be going to the Bacchus Ball on Sunday night.

Having a Ball

I will technically be going to three balls this Mardi Gras Season. The first, on Friday, is not actually associated with a krewe. It is the Cripple Creek Theater's Masked Mardi Gras Ball. They are also performing Ubu Roi. So I get to dress up, wear a mask, have wine and cheese and enjoy a play all in one evening! :)
Next weekend I have two balls. I'm going to Arthurians again, and I'm also going to the Bacchus ball this year. Arthurians is Friday and Bacchus is Sunday. I am going to feel seriously awful on Monday! Fortunately (or unfortunately) I am going to take Monday off instead of Fat Tuesday (an office holiday)- because I have to fly to Houston for work on Mardi Gras day! (I still think this is an injustice, although I am bending it to my advantage.)
The other big event for New Orleans coming up is, obviously, the Superbowl. I'm not sure what I'm going to do on Sunday night. I don't have TV in the apartment, and I've only watched one game this year (I may not be a fan of football, but at least I'm not a fair-weather fan either!) but I think I would like to watch the game on Sunday. I don't want to go downtown though. I may go watch it in Metairie with my friend Steph and her game watching group. We'll see. I'm also going to go to the Barkus parade on Sunday afternoon. I think I'll be leaving my dogs at home though- they are a handful around other doggies.
Prior to the Masked Ball tomorrow, I am going to check out Calcasieu because I want to have our rehearsal dinner there. I don't have a lot planned for Saturday, but I do want to go to Magazine St. to find a Valentine's gift for my darling fiance. This could be dangerous b/c I am really good at finding things for myself on Magazine St. :)

Glass Slippers

I went to a ball masque on Friday night. I had a wonderful time until I got home and realized I'd lost my cocktail ring, which has a real diamond in the center, and previously belonged to my maternal grandmother. I went back to the site of the ball and looked all through the trash can in the lady's room (I really think it must have slipped off my hand when I dried my hands with a paper towel) but I couldn't find it. I got really upset that I couldn't find the ring, to the point of crying myself to sleep and dreaming repeatedly that I'd found it. (I got up several times and, still half asleep, looked around the house for the ring.)
After I woke up on Saturday and had time to talk to my parents about it, I felt much better. My mother and I share a philosophy that its better to use the things you love and risk breaking or losing them rather than keeping them locked away where they are safe but neglected. Its just surprising how poorly I can react to sudden things like losing something valuable or receiving unexpected news.
Other than that, my weekend was very nice. I went to a lot of parades and had a good time, although I am really tired today. I'm going to the parades tonight, but hope to stay home and make cabbage soup and get my house in order on my day off tomorrow.