New beginnings

Unlike most of the country last week. We were blessed with gorgeous, sunny, spring like weather for most of the week. Unfortunately for us it disappeared in time for the weekend and drizzly cold rain came in it's place. Now I know those of you that are buried in snow really don't care. And I don't blame you. I've been there in the snowy northeast. But I live in California now. Home of sunshine and palm trees.

It doesn't feel like winter. More like fall in the northeast. Which reminds me of pumpkin, and pumpkin muffins which I just so happen to have in the freezer.

See? You don't even have to wrap them very well. I made these weeks ago and froze them individually for times like this - when you want something sweet but the cupboards are bare. Well not really bare. But it doesn't feel like there is anything good in there.

Pumpkin Muffin

I plan to go shopping tomorrow after I get my last pay check. Holy cow. As of tomorrow I'm a free agent. Unemployed. Free to do as I please - as long as it doesn't cost any money. Free to help out Don at the store. Free to pick Elli up early from school. Free to work out at 10am. Free to cook and blog. Oh, and free to spend all day on the computer looking for work. Ugh.

Last week was an emotional one. It was my last full week at Hoffman Lewis. Today is actually my last day - one last meeting to attend and I'm done. It's a weird feeling ending one thing without a new thing lined up. Kind of exciting. If you like living on the edge like we do here in the Mulkey household.

Now I couldn't leave H/L without one last happy hour. So a few of us organized a farewell party at Sens Restaurant in San Francisco last Thursday. The party was for four of us and we had a pretty good crowd show up. I'm going to miss all my friends. Especially my buddy James. We shared a lot of laughs and tears over the years. Together we worked on one of the hardest pieces of business I've ever worked on. It was quite a journey for us.

My buddy James and Me

Melissa, Kris, Camille, Anne, Melissa, Brandy, Martha, Erika, Sachi

So tomorrow I start fresh. A new chapter. What it's going to bring, I don't know. But I'm excited about a new opportunity. Woo hoo!

And here's the pumpkin muffin recipe in case you're in a fall/pumpkin mood too.

Pumpkin Muffins

1 2/3 cup flour

3/4 t. salt

1/4 t. baking powder

1 t. baking soda

1/2 t. cinnamon

1/2 t. ground cloves

1/2 t. allspice

1 1/2 cups sugar
1 cup pureed canned pumpkin
1/3 cup water
2 eggs, beaten
1/2 cup vegetable oil

1. Preheat the oven to 350º
2. Line a cupcake tin with liners or, grease the bottom and sides of a 5 x 9" loaf pan.
3. Sift the flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves and allspice together.
4. Combine the sugar, pumpkin, water, eggs and oil in a bowl; mix well.
5. Add the flour mixture gradually, mixing well after each addition.
6. Spoon the batter into the prepared pan.
7. Cupcakes: Bake 20-25 minutes or until toothpick inserted comes out clean.
8. Loaf: Bake for 1 hour or until loaf tests done.
9. Remove to a wire rack to cool.