My Assistant Baker

John is not much of a climber. He has yet to even try to climb onto the couch, so, I was impressed today when he climbed onto his toy box via the windowsill.
Well, I'm feeling improved today! By late afternoon yesterday I actually felt a burst of energy, so I left the house for the first time in seven days! It was wonderful just to visit the grocery store. What did I do today while I was feeling more myself? Did I catch up on housework? No, I cooked things! I had three apples that had become too soft for my eating preference, so I decided rather than waste a dollar's worth of apples that I should make apple sauce.

I also tried my hand at oat bran apple muffins, which sounded good: oat bran, brown sugar, shredded apples, a few raisins, some other basic ingredients. Unfortunately, with no other finer flour to cut the oat bran, the muffins reminded me of horse feed. John liked the flavor of the muffin, but the oat bran just shredded in his hands and afterward I remarked to myself that I might as well have just given my 13-month-old a half cup of raw oat bran and let him spread it all over the wood floors.

When I set out to bake the muffins, John was intrigued and demanding attention. He simply must know what is happening on those high-up counter tops. I have realized that I have four options: lock John in something like a playpen (where he will cry and wail), let him stand on the ground crying and wailing, wear him in my Ergo, or try to find another way to let him watch. Today I tried the latter option for the first time. I set him up on a chair, which I pushed into the corner and my body acted as the fourth wall. John loved watching me bake up close and personal. And, yes, I removed the dangerously sharp cheese grater out of John's reach about two seconds after I shot this photo and realized it was there.


Lastly, I baked some rye bread, which I've just pulled out of the bread machine. It smells fantastic! I plan to have hot bread smothered in melty butter before going to sleep . . .