Nelson’s Weblog

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A few weeks ago, I made Banana Blueberry muffins, inspired by this recipe for Blueberry Pecan Banana muffins. Not as cool as Totoro cream puffs (amazing, right?), but still yummy. Here’s a picture followed by the recipe:

Banana Blueberry Muffin Recipe | makes 12 — (I did 3x this)

Ingedients:

• 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
• 2/3 cup sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup mashed ripe bananas (about 2 large)
• 1 large egg
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
• 1/4 cup milk
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup fresh blueberries
• muffin baking liners

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350°F. Line twelve muffin cups with muffin liners. Sprinkle the blueberries with a little of the flour so that they don’t sink to the bottom during baking. Mix the rest of the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt in large bowl. Combine mashed bananas, egg, melted butter, milk and vanilla in a smaller bowl. Stir banana mixture into dry ingredients just until blended (do not overmix).

Divide batter among prepared muffin cups, filling each about 3/4 full. Bake muffins until tops are pale golden and a toothpick inserted into center comes out moist, but with no crumbs, about 30 minutes. Transfer muffins to rack, cool. (They’re really good freshly out of the oven too though)

(click for full-size)

Hopefully, the royalties from these end up paying off Michael’s mountain of debt.

There has been a heat wave in the bay area this weekend. Today, it was 97°F in Cupertino. But, I’m training for a 10-mile race this coming weekend when I visit my sister in Chicago, so I decided to brave the warmth and run my usual 4-mile loop around Cupertino. Henri came along. Here he is after the run:

Inspired by Mike, I just added my current Google Latitude location to my site: http://www.nelsonbradley.com/location/

There’s also a small version on my about page if you’re interested. I’m not sure if I’ll keep it around forever, but it was really easy to add using the embed code from here. I used to be paranoid about people knowing exactly where I was using Latitude, and I still am to some degree. But, I think it’s too cool not to have. Plus, there’s no reason to stalk me when it is just as easy to stalk Mike Leotta!

Last Friday was my 25th birthday. Yay. Three days earlier though, Gmail introduced a new labs feature that two of my friends quickly put to good use:

On the subject of Gmail labs, if you’re not using them yet, you should click the * in Gmail, wade through, and add a bunch — they can make a huge difference in your email productivity and enjoyment. I use 23 of them right now. My current favorite is Search Autocomplete, which will finish a lot of the searches you make within Gmail. If you’re like me and your memory is only as good as your ability to search your inbox, it’s really useful. It comes in especially handy while searching your email for those sent from a friend whose username you always blank on or when you don’t know the exact search operator to use. Autocomplete is also great when you’re just too lazy to type everything out!

*note: if you don’t have labs enabled, you might have to go enable them in settings first before you’ll see the green flask ()

My grandparents say a lot of funny things. Recently, my sister went to Israel with them for our cousin Meira’s wedding. While she was there, she kept a notepad to write down some of the gems.

Marilyn and Manny Sklar (with Becca)

On Grandpa closing his eyes mid-conversation (a very regular occurrence):

Grandma: I think he indulges himself too much.

Grandpa (eyes closed): What do you mean, indulge myself? With what?

Grandma: Closing your eyes.

Grandpa: I’m just resting.

Grandma: What do you mean, resting? Give it about ten years and you’ll be in a perpetual state of rest.

Grandpa: I can hear everything.

Grandma: I don’t care if you can hear – PARTICIPATE!

——-

On birthday gifts:

Grandma: He once gave me a broom so I don’t have to bend down. I gave it back to him in the head.

——

On pastimes in Florida:

Grandma: I used to play bridge but I don’t have a partner and he won’t play with me.

Grandpa: I don’t like bridge. You have to concentrate.

Grandma: That’s the POINT!

Grandpa: If I concentrate too smartly, I get a headache.

——

During an argument about Grandma getting lost on a walk from the hotel when Grandpa had given her clear directions:

Grandma: Manny, most people go from A to B and have a boring life. I don’t do that.

——

My Favorite:

Grandpa (to Grandma): You’ll be alive when the martians come to earth because only the good die young.

——

Speaking about a waiter who was shelving some bottles of wine and not responding to her while she was trying to ask for a to-go container for the breakfast buffet (which, of course, isn’t allowed):

Grandma: He’s one of those one-thing-at-a-time kind of people.

——

On feeling badly when I (my sister) wouldn’t accept money:

Grandma: It’s one of my pleasures — that and worrying.

——

Discussing the long trip to/from Israel:

Sister: Does Grandpa sleep on the airplane?
Grandma: He says no. I say yes.

——

On noticing Grandpa’s complexion:

Sister: Grandpa, your skin looks so nice, you have a really nice tan.

Grandpa: Smiles.

Grandma: Of course he has a tan. I made him sit outside for awhile before we left Florida. You can’t come from Florida and not have a tan.

Grandpa: Stops smiling.

——

I love them so much.