I want to learn how to make custards. There are a lot of Vietnamese deserts that are basically custards. And I want to learn to make them all!

What equipment do you need to make custards?
What's the basic principle of making them?

Fourth day away from Drew was a breeze because I had friends over for dinner. I always try to plan something with friends the week that Drew is gone. I think its really pathetic when people's worlds come to an end because their significant other is out of town. Or those people who turn down a party invitation because their significant can't go. Drew and I have even celebrated New Years Eve separately one year when he wanted to party with his redneck friends in DC and I wanted to pary with my friends in Philly. That's the extent to which we are separate human beings. At this point I probably offended someone so, anyway....

I had friends over for dinner. Jen, Bill and (e:Jbeatty). I fixed a Vietnamese dinner for them.

• Vietnamese tomato egg drop soup garnished with cilantro
  
• Chicken cooked in caramel sauce (sugar caramelized in water) with ginger.
  
• Blanched broccoli and cauliflower with sliced cucumbers.
  
• Dipping sauce for vegetables.
  
• Mandarin oranges and bananas for desert.
  
• Vietnamese coffee with cardamom

Pictures to come later.

I think this article is kind of funny...I deal with a lot of people at work who live in the suburbs and look down their noses at the city because of all the "crime". And here we have the classic example of how crime exists in the city because the person in the suburb wants the service....except this person had it kind of turned on their head.

Day three without Drew was hunky dory! I got home and discovered in the mail an invitation to the group I want to join.
Sweet, sweet taste of social success. I started prepping for a dinner I'm having on Wednesday. The menu is Vietnamese tomato egg drop soup; chicken with ginger cooked in caramel sauce; blanched vegetables with Vietnamese basic dipping sauce; and bananas and mandarin oranges for dessert and Vietnamese coffee. See the theme? I'm making a Vietnamese dinner. I prepped the soup so all I have to do tonight is heat it up, add the eggs and garnish it with cilantro and black pepper. Yummy goodness.
I aso worked on my rice making skills. I'm not bragging or anything, but I was able to make rice just like you get in the restaurants. All fluffy and stuff. I strutted around the house for a bit enjoying my success.
I also chose to have some coffee last night. Not a good choice normally, but (e:drew) wasn't there to stop me. Bwah, ha, ha. So I was totally wired by the time he called last night and I was a little giggly and slap happy on the phone.
Last night was trash night/recycling night. That's a dilemma, because trash/recycling is the husband's job; not the Janelle's job. I settled on just taking the recycling out because it's easy and the bin was full, but the garbage can wasn't full. It can wait until the husband gets home.
This morning the recycling bin was missing. I don't think it blew away. I think someone lost theirs and dumped out my recycling and stole mine. All my recycling was laying in a neat little pile. Seems like it would have been strewn if the wind blew the bin away. So I'm feeling a little salty about that and I had to go out and pick up all the recyling and throw it in the trash can. And so was the start of Day four without Drew.

I finally had a mildly good day at work, but no husband waiting at home to hear about my good day. Sad. Made dinner for myself. Without Drew at home, I actually have leftovers for work. Ran out to Home Depot to think of home improvement jobs for Drew to do when he gets back from Louisiana. Just kidding, I do most of the home improvement jobs around our place. I'm looking at putting some vinyl tiles down on the steps and landing going down to the basement in the back stairwell. It's going to be a bigger project than I thought. The last owners glued pieces of felt on the steps and landing and called it a day. I peeled back the felt and realized the steps have to be scrubbed (very, very filthy), sanded and wood spackled in spots before I can even prime the floor to put the vinyl tiles down. My goal is to get the steps done before Drew gets home.

In the spring I want to start fixing the walls of the back stairwell. It has the old nasty thick white wallpaper on the walls which is clearly holding the plaster together in parts. There are a few rips or holes in the wallpaper with some crumbling plaster peaking through. My temptation is to spackle over the rips and holes; sand; and paint over. Would that do the job? The other recommendation given to us was to put up wood paneling, but spackling and painting seems easier. Any thoughts?

Anyway, on day two, I started to miss Drew. Onto day three.

Oh, yeah, I'm going to join Mr. Deadlier in the weigh in. Weighed in at 127 this morning. Before the holidays I lost 5 lbs to hit 125. So I gained a couple over the holiday. Ultimately I want the end point to be between 115 and 120.