Duci had run into Xenia on her way out to the market, and the diminutive woman told the blonde about how someone new had moved in. "Oh?" Duci responded, Cheshire grin curving of its own accord.
——
The following morning, Duci rolled out of bed groggily, and far earlier than normal. Yawning, she shrugged into a silken robe and stumbled sleepily for the kitchen. Her palm slammed down on a button, and the coffee began to prepare and brew itself on its own. Yaaaawn.
Duci began to fumble loudly through the cabinets and refrigerator, making all sorts of a racket as she sifted around for the ingredients she saw in her head.
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces and chilled
2 tablespoons cold vegetable shortening
A cool glass of ice water
Once satisfied that she had everything she needed, she moved to grab her oversized Cheshire cat mug of steaming coffee. It wasn't complete without 5 teaspoons of sugar and a hefty dose of vanilla creamer. "Mmm," she murmured, lifting the mug to her lips as her eyes closed in ecstasy. Her nostrils flared as she inhaled the intoxicating aroma of the coffee; a total Folgers commercial moment. Stifling another yawn with the back of her hand, she set the mug down on the counter, rinsed her hands, and set to work.
She sifted the flour, sugar and salt into a large bowl. Then, she added the butter and shortening. The fats were rubbed between her fingertips and thumbs until the mixture resembled coarse crumbs. One tablespoon at a time, she worked in enough ice water so that the dough came together. She was being careful not to over mix, as she did not want the crust to be tough. Periodically, she'd yawn, giving pause to her work.
Then, Duci shape it into a smooth ball of dough before flattening it into a disk. She pawed at it a moment longer before wrapping in plastic wrap and storing it in the refrigerator. "I'll come back at lunchtime to finish it," she murmured into her mug as she retrieved en route to the closet in her room.
Still sipping from the mug, she fought through her yellow section. Several times she removed a dress, pressed up tight against her body as she looked in the mirror, sighed irritably, then stuffed it back in. After the dozenth time, she was finally satisfied. "This'll do," she sighed, twirling in front of the mirror with a thigh-length yellow dress. Setting the mug down, she hung the dress up on a rack and began to paw through her lingerie drawer. Shrugging off her robe and tossing it onto the pole hanger, she slid into a lacy pair of yellow panties and a bra and then her dress. Fingertips soothed down the fabric as she twirled in front of the mirror. "Pretty," she cooed at herself.
Retrieving her mug again, she sauntered off for her shoe shelves. Staring up at the rows of heels, she lifted her mug with both hands to her lips for a contemplative sip. "Hmm." Then her eyes lit up. "Oh!" she squealed, removing one hand to stretch out for a grey pair of heels with yellow along the back. "Perfect!? Duci beamed, lowering the shoes onto the floor and gingerly stepping into them. Humming happily to herself, she headed for the bathroom.
A brush was quickly sent through blonde curls, and lipstick and mascara applied with painstaking effort after brushing her teeth. Fingers sought out the jewelry box, several pairs of earrings held up before she selected a dangling black set. A black beaded necklace was taken from the necklace hangers and pulled over her head. After a moment of fiddling with it, she slid her hand into a gray bracelet and found herself set. She circled this way and that, watching the way the lights hit her attire.
It was purely by coincidence that Duci had dressed in yellows and blacks: a busy little bee she was today.
She was beaming with productivity as she lifted her mug again and headed for the closet again. Abandoning her mug, she sought out a black, yellow and gray clutch. All of her belongings, some lipstick, credit stick, gold pieces, keys, were exchanged out of the previous clutch and into the new one. Umber glanced up briefly, espying her white jacket, and she shrugged it on before grabbing her clutch and heading out with mug in hand, her own smile matching that of the Cheshire cat emblazoned upon the ceramic.
____________ Pie Dough Recipe by Emeril Lagasse
——
The following morning, Duci rolled out of bed groggily, and far earlier than normal. Yawning, she shrugged into a silken robe and stumbled sleepily for the kitchen. Her palm slammed down on a button, and the coffee began to prepare and brew itself on its own. Yaaaawn.
Duci began to fumble loudly through the cabinets and refrigerator, making all sorts of a racket as she sifted around for the ingredients she saw in her head.
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces and chilled
2 tablespoons cold vegetable shortening
A cool glass of ice water
Once satisfied that she had everything she needed, she moved to grab her oversized Cheshire cat mug of steaming coffee. It wasn't complete without 5 teaspoons of sugar and a hefty dose of vanilla creamer. "Mmm," she murmured, lifting the mug to her lips as her eyes closed in ecstasy. Her nostrils flared as she inhaled the intoxicating aroma of the coffee; a total Folgers commercial moment. Stifling another yawn with the back of her hand, she set the mug down on the counter, rinsed her hands, and set to work.
She sifted the flour, sugar and salt into a large bowl. Then, she added the butter and shortening. The fats were rubbed between her fingertips and thumbs until the mixture resembled coarse crumbs. One tablespoon at a time, she worked in enough ice water so that the dough came together. She was being careful not to over mix, as she did not want the crust to be tough. Periodically, she'd yawn, giving pause to her work.
Then, Duci shape it into a smooth ball of dough before flattening it into a disk. She pawed at it a moment longer before wrapping in plastic wrap and storing it in the refrigerator. "I'll come back at lunchtime to finish it," she murmured into her mug as she retrieved en route to the closet in her room.
Still sipping from the mug, she fought through her yellow section. Several times she removed a dress, pressed up tight against her body as she looked in the mirror, sighed irritably, then stuffed it back in. After the dozenth time, she was finally satisfied. "This'll do," she sighed, twirling in front of the mirror with a thigh-length yellow dress. Setting the mug down, she hung the dress up on a rack and began to paw through her lingerie drawer. Shrugging off her robe and tossing it onto the pole hanger, she slid into a lacy pair of yellow panties and a bra and then her dress. Fingertips soothed down the fabric as she twirled in front of the mirror. "Pretty," she cooed at herself.
Retrieving her mug again, she sauntered off for her shoe shelves. Staring up at the rows of heels, she lifted her mug with both hands to her lips for a contemplative sip. "Hmm." Then her eyes lit up. "Oh!" she squealed, removing one hand to stretch out for a grey pair of heels with yellow along the back. "Perfect!? Duci beamed, lowering the shoes onto the floor and gingerly stepping into them. Humming happily to herself, she headed for the bathroom.
A brush was quickly sent through blonde curls, and lipstick and mascara applied with painstaking effort after brushing her teeth. Fingers sought out the jewelry box, several pairs of earrings held up before she selected a dangling black set. A black beaded necklace was taken from the necklace hangers and pulled over her head. After a moment of fiddling with it, she slid her hand into a gray bracelet and found herself set. She circled this way and that, watching the way the lights hit her attire.
It was purely by coincidence that Duci had dressed in yellows and blacks: a busy little bee she was today.
She was beaming with productivity as she lifted her mug again and headed for the closet again. Abandoning her mug, she sought out a black, yellow and gray clutch. All of her belongings, some lipstick, credit stick, gold pieces, keys, were exchanged out of the previous clutch and into the new one. Umber glanced up briefly, espying her white jacket, and she shrugged it on before grabbing her clutch and heading out with mug in hand, her own smile matching that of the Cheshire cat emblazoned upon the ceramic.
____________ Pie Dough Recipe by Emeril Lagasse