About

After ten years of software development, working more than half of them in Silicon Valley, I began to commonly refer to my job as “soul-sucking”, and I had developed a perma-scowl. It was about that time I began to wonder if I could leave… I mean, I needed to leave before the wrinkles in my forehead truly became permanent. Just say no to wrinkles!

So I quit. No more daily grind. No more bureaucracy. No more Silicon Valley salary… which sometimes scares the bejesus out of me, but now that I’m free I wouldn’t go back if they tripled my salary because it isn’t about the money… I am happier and healthier than I’ve felt in years. And I can finally breathe without a ball of stress blocking my trachea.

I don’t yet know what my next step will be, but I am savoring each bite along the way. Right now, I spend my days making up reasons to bake, writing, working on crafts, and generally enjoying the lack of cubicle walls.

This blog is a chronicle of my experiments and adventures.

Let’s stay in touch:

Feel like a chat? Send me an email…
patricia [at] browniesfordinner.com

Press and other places to find Brownies for dinner:

• Dan Lepard’s Word of Mouth blog on the Guardian
• Slashfood
• My photos on Foodgawker and Tastespotting

Dan (aka D.)… He is my one and only. My best friend, and #1 taste tester. We were friends for several years before we started dating almost two years ago. I used to tell him about all of my boy problems and he would give me sound advice that I never did take. Then again he never took any of mine either (so there!). One day, we found ourselves single at the same time. He told me he was going to ask me out… in two weeks. Say what?
Fast forward almost two years and he has his own “favorites” corner on my blog. It must be love…

Dan has two sons. They are characters. I sometimes refer to them as “the boys”. They are both spitting images of their dad but each has his own flair. [btw – Did you know “boy energy” is really different from “girl energy”? Before Dan and I started dating, I had no clue… I mean, I grew up as a quiet girl with just enough energy to eat cake while watching I Dream of Jeannie reruns. But these boys… whew. I wish I could bottle it).

Raven is my OCD cat with intimacy issues. She can’t seem to relax enough to cuddle up so instead she will sit next to me, staring at me for an hour at a time, slowly inching closer until her nose is almost touching my arm. Raven doesn’t know how to take over someone’s lap. She should take lessons from Cookie…

Cookie is my fifteen year old lap warmer. She has a permanent milk mustache and a constant purr. While Raven cannot figure out how to snuggle, Cookie has a black belt in cuddling. She loves Dan more than me, but then she’s always had a thing for men… the little tramp.