Time ...

has definitely gotten away with me. This weekend was supposed to be my first attempt (scratch that, second) at baking bread. The flour was purchased, the ratio studied, and I even planned out what to add, and wondered if I should use some great little mini loaf pans a friend had gifted me.

Instead I spent Friday running around the city, working out at the gym, shopping at Whole Foods, making strawberry hazelnut bars (see below), and watching two thirds of "Rendition." I thought to myself it was fine if the bread had yet to be realized. I still had Sunday off from work. And if that failed. I had Monday. Sunday failed. Not as a day but for its bread baking moments. In its stead I had brunch with my family to celebrate Dad's day. There was dinner with Keith, a free performance of 80+ trombones in the Rotunda of the Guggenheim, and a viewing of Summer Hours. Hardly a bad exchange.

Monday brought with it a lazy start to the day. The gym class hoped for did not happen. But there was lounging, and laughing, and talking, and cuddling. Again, hardly what anyone in their right mind would call a bad exchange. A few hours for me existed between errands (a quick trip to the gym and a return to Whole Foods ... I should buy stock in it) and I quickly filled it with a red velvet cake and cream cheese frosting. The gifting of which would take place the next day for a friend/colleague.

Again, hardly a wasted day or wasted time or wasted efforts. I learn every time I bake anything. For one, if one wants red velvet instead of mauve velvet, one should have trekked a little further downtown to get that perfect shade of Christmas Red food coloring instead of hiking all of five feet to the local grocers for a generic watered down red. But one was apparently a little lazy that evening. Or maybe one did not want to walk into said store where one could procure said food coloring because one would fall victim to purchasing baking and kitchen items one does not need but always wants (6-inch cake pans, anyone? how about mini bundt pans? what about cute cupcake liners?).

There was, however, still no bread. And in looking at the coming weekend (Saturday is a day off but that is already planned out ... Happy Birthday, Marisol!) I cannot see any moment to begin my experiments. I long for the summer. I long for a full two days off together. I long for moments in which I have absolutely no responsibility so I can step into my kitchen and bake. So I can crack open eggs, make a mess of my apron, grease cake pans, and look at the things I do have in my pantry that can come together for a treat to give to someone else.

I long for summer!