Eat, Drink and Pay Late Fees

October 28th, 2009 | Posted by Alison Spath in Dinner Time

I shed my yoga pants this evening in honor of the ribbon cutting ceremony being held at the library. (There’s no better reason to shed your pants if you ask me.)

Library After All

A new wing was unveiled at the library today! And it was named after me! Just a little “thank you” from the library to me for all the overdue fines I’ve paid.

I gave a speech after they listed all the new books, equipment and monuments they’ve purchased with my overdue fines. You’re welcome Library – it’s been my pleasure.

OK, so that’s not exactly how this went down but it’s more interesting if you ask me. And besides, I don’t pay that many late fines. I pay fees for putting books on hold as well.

Motivating Email

It was actually an email from my automated library pen pal who gave me the good news that my book was ready and waiting to be retrieved (with a big ol’ hand out for the hold fee before they were going to hand over the goods, I might add).

After reading more than one rave review of Eat, Drink and Be Vegan by a few of my fellow mama bloggers – namely Mama Pea, Mama Westford and Mama Averie Harmony – I had to see what all the fuss was about.

I like to say “I take my children to the library!” and lead you to believe I’m a doting mother who reads her to children almost every waking hour of the day.

But really it’s just a cover up to go and sit on the little couch and read to myself (not out loud – I don’t even move my lips) while they play My Little Pony on the library computer and I get to read without feeling guilty about laundry I should be folding or a phone I should be answering.

It's All for Show

I enjoyed my new book with an ocean view.

New Book with Ocean View

At some point Maxine was allowed to take over and drive and I peeked in to watch her add ingredients for a wondrous My Little Pony cake.

Maxine at the Helm

Her recipe…. hmmm. I think she could be on to something here.

Maxine's Cake Recipe

Mushrooms? Not what I would have picked but what the hell. I’ll try it. Gimme a bite.

Library hour over, it was time to head home to Eat, Drink and Be Inspired to make a cup of vegan hot chocolate.

I whipped up my own version of Dreena’s vegan hot cocoa to make do with what I had on hand. (Note to Maxine: no mushrooms were used in this recipe – just an FYI.)

Vegan Hot Chocolate

1 1/2 cups of unsweetened chocolate almond milk
1 heaping tsp unsweetened cocoa powder
2 tsp of agave nectar (to negate all the unsweetening of the ingredients above)

Hot Chocolate with Chocolate

Heat on the stove on medium-high heat. Add cocoa powder and whisk until smooth. Add agave and whisk some more.

Whisking

Whisk a little more – just because whisking is fun. Pour into your favorite over sized mug.

Enjoy at your Desk

To be enjoyed at your desk while reading email, blogging and your children watch a movie they got at the library tonight. OK yes, we DID get some books out too, don’t look at me like that. I guess that’s what we’ll go do now – read or something *wink wink*


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21 Responses

  • Bernadette says:

    This my dear is why I love you so…. you make me feel so “normal”. I do the very same thing at the library, swing by mommy’s area to grab armful of books I’ve already had in mind before arriving, take books and child to children’s area, and well you know how this is going to end.

    Have a great evening reading *wink wink*

    xoxo
    Berni

  • i heart the library, and new library sections make me way too excited. ESPECIALLY ones that have kiddie books.

  • Leianna says:

    I love going to the library and just reading lots, especially new recipes and food books/magazines!

  • Rebecca says:

    I definitely think the library ribbon cutting ceremony was reason enough for you to shed your pajamas. That’s a party if you ask me!

    Love your ocean view. :-)

  • That book is pretty fantastic! Even my meat loving husband loves the recipes we’ve tried out.

  • Mama Pea says:

    So you get my very favorite book of all time (sorry God, I like the Bible and all…) and you are all set to try out a recipe and…..YOU MAKE HOT CHOCOLATE?!? Oh, honey, we need to talk. How about mid morning? Sounds good? Talk to you then.

  • maria says:

    The library was one of my favorite places to go as a kid. It always seemed so magical and fun. I loved to read and any place I could get my hands on books for free was good by me! Glad to see your kids get to experience this same joy. If I ever reproduce (and that probably won’t happen on purpose) I’ll take my kids to the library.

  • I am loving the Hot Chocolate “recipe” . That will come in handy this winter for sure. Thanks!

  • Thanks for the shout out. And yes, I love that book. And no, I didnt even know there was hot chocolate in it! Or anything even close! The funny thing about that book, and I’ve said it to other people, is that there are soooo many recipes in it and until someone makes something, and they say, oh I got the recipe from ED&BV, and I’m like huh??!!! THAT was in there??!! All dumbfounded. It really is a great book. I have 2 complaints…she does use soy & gluten (yes, spelt flour still has gluten in it and lots of her stuff calls for it, and although I can sub out with oat flour or almond meal sometimes it’s a PITA) and she also uses soy. I think you’re ok with both gluten and soy so you’ll probably be an ED &BV convert by tomorrrow. Oh and clearly she’s not raw, or even close, but again, I dont think you’re hell bent on raw either.

    I love your sweetened hot choc and I will likely be making it tomorrow…with vanilla almnd milk and extra cocoa to make up for it :)

  • Erica says:

    I’ve heard so many good things about that cookbook- can’t wait to get your thoughts

  • Lizzy says:

    isn’t the library just the best! :) can’t wait to hear how you like the book!

  • Erin says:

    Ooo yet another cookbook I’ve added to my list. I think your mini couch reading sessions are the best kind of multitasking!

    I used to play library when I was a little kid – I was THAT obsessed. I would use my mom’s hair dryer as the scanner, and a block of wood as the book binder scan thingy. And a stamp for the date. I would make my sister check out our books and she would get so mad when I kept trying to show her the books we had “on shelf.” She would always yell I LIVE IN HERE, I KNOW.

    Hilarious.

  • Holly says:

    i think i may have to make a mama alison trip to the library for that book. all i hear is amazing things about it, and i think its about time i also give it a whirl. ummm, could i get a transcript of your library speech? i am sure you had some wonderful things to say :)

  • Cindy says:

    OHHHHHHHHHHHHHH i love the library. we have a GREAT one nearby. one of the SAHM things I can’t do from work.
    gaw

    soon. very soon.
    I am one of those future grannies that is going to get a job on Tuesday nights READING to the kiddies…I LOVE READING STORIES… I do story time while JJ is in the tub (captive audience)

    so so so fun.

    so FUN

    I should go request some books from the library I want to read…like THRIVE.

    I have the internet…okay.
    I will!

    congrats on shedding your pants for your library opening!
    I shed my yoga pants for Best Buy and electronics

    to each his/her own!

    xoxoxoxoxox
    you kill me…did ya know?

  • Jennifer says:

    Do they really charge you for putting books on hold???? Wow. At least they don’t charge you for sitting there and reading. (haha)

    That hot chocolate looks SO yummy! I could use a cup right now because I’m freezing.

    Love the picture of the girls at the computer. :) So cute!

  • Lainie says:

    Hey Mama! Just wanted to say hi – I am finally back to blogging…Yeah!! Your blog has always been one of my faves, so I have A LOT of posts to get caught up on. Can’t wait :)

  • Jane/you-know-who says:

    You haven’t delivered a judgement on the vegan hot chocolate………well?