Would you like some brownie with your garlic?

Yesterday, I bought box brownies to make for Mr. Wonderful and me to enjoy during our approaching adventure. I'm not much of a cook and while I enjoy baking, I still didn't have time or energy to make brownies (or anything for that matter) from scratch. So I found a box of mix for $1.25 and was so proud of myself for finding one on sale.

I went home and eventually remembered I had to still put them in the oven before they'd turn to real brownies. I dumped in the water and the egg(white)s with the powder, and then saw that it called for 1/4c. of oil. I don't have oil because as I already mentioned, I don't cook. Then I recalled I had bought (bought'n) extra virgin olive oil when I attempted cooking dinner for Mr. Wonderful on his first day in his new classroom (for the record that meal turned out pretty fantastic if I do say so myself). "Oil is oil, right?" I reasoned. So I dumped it in and started mixing. I wasn't totally mentally present, not paying 100% attention to the task at hand. However, I couldn't help but observe Man, it smells like garlic... (stir stir stir) ...maybe it's this spoon.. maybe it held on to something garlic-y... (stir stir stir)...it is REALLY strong though! And then it hit me. When I bought that damned olive oil, I mistakenly got the garlic flavored version. Ah crap.

Maybe it won't be noticeable enough to make a difference... I taste tested. So wrong! Oh my goodness it was AWFUL. I couldn't get that garlic chocolate taste out of my mouth to save my life. And to make matters worse, I had a huge bowl of the stuff just SITTING there! I had to walk away and regain my composure. I eventually made it back (clothes pin plugging my nose, I kid you not-- the whole kitchen reeked of garlic!) and scooped all that brownie batter into the garbage. Yuck. What a waste! Maybe once or twice a year do I encounter brownie batter and to waste it on garlic is just a shame.

You would think that I immediately took the garbage out to the dumpster, but you would be mistaken. It still sits in the can, and every time the lid flips open I am slapped in the face by the hand of garlic brownies once again. Another kitchen adventure for me. Aye carumba.

In other news: I'm getting cut! I have an insanely huge (20cm, ~8inches!) ovarian cyst (or that's what they're "assuming" anyway... ugh). So they're cutting me open and getting it out. Too big to be done laparoscopically which means I'm out of work for 4 weeks minimum, potentially 6! (but if I have anything to say about it, it will NOT be 6.) No driving for two weeks and I will probably never ever be able to run again which is high on the scale of unfortunate because while my running progress has been PAINFULLY SLOW, progress is progress and I am doing better now than I was a few months ago. While being sliced and diced is never an ideal activity, I have to admit how insanely fortunate I am. I have great medical insurance. I have an employer that won't fire me for needing 4 weeks off (they won't give me short term disability or FMLA... but they'll gladly let me use my vacation time or take an unpaid leave...) but the take home point is that I will have a JOB to go back to, for which I'm insanely grateful. I don't have kids or anybody that is dependent upon me for their daily care. I am not in school or anything that will take a hit from my insanely long recovery period. I will miss coaching and that does bum me out. But I think I'll be able to get to it quickly so long as I don't go chasing any stray balls or jump in a scrimmage.. hmm.
I'm also grateful for my family and the handful of friends I've got up here that are willing to jump and help out in whatever way they can. I'm seriously blessed. So while I'll admit being scared spitless for all this to go down, I totally recognize that I'm not doing it alone and there are some solid people who will walk beside me. Very very very grateful.
Shoutout to my parents who heard the news and dropped everything in their ridiculously busy lives to make plans to be here the day of and several days after I'm cut. They're kind of rockstar parents, but keep it quiet. I don't want them getting a big head. :)