Charlie is quite sick.  He has a massive infection.  They had him in for intervenes antibiotics on Thursday and Friday and he’s still not feeling any better.  He’s calling them back today.

We were going to go to the costuming symposium in Philly last weekend, but that was flat out.  We were going to stay with Chagan (Karen Humes) and she picked up the handouts for classes we were going to take.  We owe her at least a basket of scones.

This weekend we were headed for Shrine Mount for the church retreat.  We had such a good time last year and I’ve been looking forward to it.  Some things are just out of our control.   Oh, well, there’s always next year.

But people will be disappointed.  They’ve been asking for the last three weeks if we were coming and if I was bringing the loom again.

I’ve got a baby blanket on the loom for my boss, Lina.  Little Niko is two months old now.  I must get it off the loom and finished this weekend.  My next project is a stole for the church – the Earl of the Isle St Andrew tartan.

At TAG on Sunday the 4th, I got some bad news – some very bad news. I screamed, I wailed, I shouted denials. But it’s true. Brace yourself

It is no longer necessary to live in the Barony to be Baron. My wails still echoed as Charlie started planning his campaign to become Baron with Lady Wynn as his Baroness. On the way home I told him I didn’t want him to baron with out me.

We are trying to talk to past baronesses to determine the duties, responsibilities, time and money commitments involved before making any final decision. But with Charlie being so ill it’s been hard to make appointments.

But wait – it gets worst. On Friday afternoon, Hawk called Jonathon and me into a meeting with Robin and told us that we were being transferred to the new 311 program. Well, first off, they scared me half to death, because 4.00 meetings are about being fired.

The news wasn’t completely unexpected, 311 has been the subject of many meetings around here, but that didn’t make it any more welcome. I thought I would retire from this office.

311 is open 6 days a week, 13 hours a day. Now I would not be working any 13 hours a day, or 6 days a week, but it will be December before I know my new hours. That will make it hard to make a decision about being baroness until I know my schedule. I certainly can’t perform the duties if I have to work every Saturday.

Tuesday, cloudy, expecting rain

It was a beautiful weekend and I didn’t make it to Chalice of the Sun God – my stomach was full of gas to the point that I had trouble breathing. So Traveler and I stayed home.

Charlie went and had a good time. He says the feast was well planned and well executed with homemade venison sausages. I wish I could have gone.

I did get quite a bit of weaving done despite all the time I spent on the computer and in front of the TV. 

The leaves are turning already and it made me think about the fall shawls. One year I went to New Hampshire in October. I was riding down the road with my sister-in-law going “look at that red, look at that yellow, look at that green.” And all she said was “look at the road.” I was driving.

When I got home I put those colors on the loom and the resulting shawl came out beautifully.

I think we will have a hard winter this year. The last several have been mild so we are about due for some real snow.

An Echo in the Bone is released today. Charlie and I are going to the book store after dinner. I’ve been waiting for that book ever since I finish A Breath of Snow and Ashes. That’s what, 2-3 years now?

I am very excited.

The yarn I ordered for the stole came on Friday, but only half of it. I need to call them tonight and find out when the rest is coming.

Friday, cloudy, but clearing.

It’s supposed to be nice tomorrow. I plan to take Traveler to Chalice of the Sun God. I should be able to get a good bit done there.

I ordered the cotton for the plaid stole yesterday. It should come early next week. 

We will be going to Shine Mount – there had been some question about it. Traveler will be going with us and I want the stoles on him. People at church have been asking if I was bringing the loom. I had great fun there last year, even though the food was terrible and I don’t expect it to be any better this year.

I’ll pack accordingly.

Tuesday, clear, cool and dry

Thank heavens the installation is over. If St Andrew’s ever does this again, I’m going to New Hampshire to hiding under the bed in my old bedroom.

The whole thing has been exhausting. But the food was great, everything went very well, and we won’t have to do that again for a long time – if ever.

Poor Jim was bored stiff and cross from being dragged to church three times in three days, but behaved well enough.

I’ve had requests for recipes, which always means something was good.

I’ve finished the purifiers. They need to be washed, pressed and presented, but the work is done.

The baby blanket is not going very quickly and I need to get the next project on the loom. I’m hoping to carry it to Chalice of the Sun God this weekend. It depends on the weather. Traveler doesn’t like the rain.  

Thursday – cloudy, but not raining

Well, I didn’t get the chicken breasts poached last night, the chicken had gone bad. So that’s one more thing I need to worry about tonight.

The maple sugar short bread is aging nicely. They just keep getting more and more maplely.

Charlie has invited Jim over for the weekend – well, really we’re baby setting the kid. I really wish he hadn’t, but… We will survive.

This whole installation thingy will be over on Saturday. Only two more days.

I’ve been working the purificators and have finished 3 out of 4. they look pretty good and I may just get the last one done this weekend.

I’m hoping to get to the loom on Sunday.

My knee is not bothering me at all any more. That’s good.

Wednesday – rainy

It’s funny – when I was reading a book about a woman writing a blog, I blogged every day. (My computer says that’s not a word. The heck with it, I like it.)

Now, I’ve finish the book and I don’t want to be bothered with this.

I got some weaving done on Monday, I was happy to find the weaving did not hurt my knee. 

I didn’t compete in TBF, I didn’t find out until Saturday evening that if I warped my leg just below the knee, the pain dropped from a 10 to a 2 and the knee no longer felt as if it would buckle with every third step. Of course, by then it was too late to make the broth I needed for TBF.

Charlie and I dropped in for a few moments and picked up the trays I had asked to barrow for the installation this weekend.

I’m down to the sandwiches now – I need to poach the chicken tonight. Tomorrow night, I make up the two spreads and the chicken salad. I also need to go to the grocery store and pick up the last of the stuff.

Soon I will be able to get back to weaving.

I broke down and decided not to go to Trial by Fire on Sunday. My knew hurts to badly and no one who feels as if her leg will collapse under her has any right playing with fire and knives. Charlie and I will go to TAG instead.

I finally got a second batch of cookies done for the Installation. Another batch tonight and one tomorrow and I’ll be done with the cookies.

I’ve got gravlox in the refrigerator, “cooking,” although we never promised or even mentioned it to them. I think it will go over big.

Monday I do the mini pumpkin pies and Thursday the spreads for the bread.

Things are going quite well, all things considered. I may even get some weaving done tomorrow.

I’m reading Barbara Hambly’s new book, Homeland. It tells the American Civil War form the view points of two young women. The major battles get barely a foot note, except for the Battle of Vicksburg. That one only gets any details because one of the heroines is trapped inside the city during its bombardment.

It puts things in a very different perspective. I recommend it to anyone who’s interested in a good story or the Civil War.

Tuesday – sunny and cool.

Coronation was a bust – many people seemed to have a good time, but I didn’t. I spent the day setting with Claudia who was completely out of it. I’m very worried about her.

And the feast was nothing to write home about, so, of course, I’m going to tell you what was wrong with it in great detail.

The first remove was beef with three sauces and bread with sage and very thin, very salty Italian ham. There’s a name for it and I can say it, but I can’t spell it.

The bread was wonderful. The only complaint there is that it wasn’t cut in the kitchen. This made getting a piece while leaving enough for your neighbor difficult to say the least. The beef was suppose to be in think slices, but was too well done to be cut that thin, it crumbled. And there wasn’t enough of it. We were eating the sauce by the tablespoonful, because there was nothing to eat it on. The sauces were good, but we needed something to eat them with. A salad would have been good at this point as well.

Then came the spare ribs with cauliflower. This remove was great. The ribs were tasty and tender and the cauliflower cooked in orange juice was a delight, but nothing was cut and everything had to be fought with using table knives.

The third remove as a charcoal duck served with raw onions. Let us not dwell upon it. Those ducks should never have hit the tables.

The last remove was lamb – the best that can be said for it was that it was not as well done as the ducks. I know there was a side dish with the lamb, but I can’t remember what it was.

The desert was an astonishingly good rustic apple pie. It was a little dry, but good. I think that the almond sauce served with the non-existent beef in the first remove would have gone very well with the pie. 

Sunday I finally got the candy thermometer and finished the spiced nuts. I made a double batch of cookies to try out the recipe. They are very good. I sent half of that batch off to Charlie’s game night and brought half in to the office. They went over very well indeed.

Last night I made cookies in earnest, and found that by carefully measuring I could get 7 dozen cookies from each batch.

I also found that my knee wants to collapse. Not good.

Oh, so that’s what you call it!

My candy thermometer is broken. Last night, Charlie asked me how it goes together. Well, it doesn’t come apart! We’ll never know and it really doesn’t matter which of us broke it. I could put off making spiced nuts for another couple of days with out feeling guilt and that made me happy.

I also haven’t dealt with the creamed corn yet. Must do that tonight before fighter practice or after.

I think this has turned into a food blog for the moment because of the book I’m reading and the movies I’ve seen. Although, I don’t understand why I want to cook all the dishes the author is fighting with. They seem to be winning.

Never-the-less, I keep trying to decide who I can invite to dinner when I make boeuf bourguignon. I may change my mind when I see the recipe.

I found the recipe – 45 steps, at least seven of which can be summed up with with: brown every thing and put it in a Dutch oven.

I plan to wind off bobbins sometime this week end. My token weaving for the week.

Experience is what you get when you didn't get what you want. - Italian Proverb

There are worse crimes than burning books. One of them is not reading them. - Joseph Brodsky

Right now I’m reading Julie/Julia by Julie Powell. Sarah and I went to the movie while I was in Tennessee. I think I told you that already. It’s a great movie, and the book is even better.

This may be why I feel I must do an entry today when I have nothing to say. I didn’t even make the spiced nuts last night, I was just too tired.

I have not been afraid of excess. Excess on occasion is exhilarating. It prevents moderation from acquiring the deadening effect of a habit. - William Somerset Maugham

Odd trivia for today:

Julia Child’s Mastering the Art of France Cooking is number 1 on the New York Times best selling list thanks to the movie Julie/Julia.

At work we now have ticket numbers in the millions. I wrote ticket #1,000,000.  Of course, that and 5 bucks will get me a cup of latte at Starbucks. But it is something.

I had to go home early yesterday; I just couldn’t keep my eyes open any longer. I slept for a couple of hours, got up, made spiced nuts, cooked dinner and went back to bed. I’m feeling a little better today.

I don’t think there is enough pressure on my C-PAP machine. On Tuesday I get a self-regulating machine to use for a week and then they will adjust mine. Then I will be able to sleep at night and all will be well.

In the meanwhile, I’m eating too much chocolate to keep awake and making a lot of foolish mistakes. Like forgetting to sign on the phones.

I have one more batch of spiced nuts to make this week and then I’m free until Sunday. Next week I make maple sugar short bread cookies. The maple sugar came yesterday.  I’ll do an extra batch and bring them into work.

I’ve been wondering about my blog. How do I know if anyone’s reading it or if I’m just talking to myself?

I got the cakes done yesterday as planned – of course, dinner was very late but the cakes are done.

Charlie will take them and the finished nuts to the church on Wednesday – we just don’t have storage space for all these goodies. Especially since Giant had legs of lamb on sale this week.

I’m still hoping to have a venison roast for Trail by Fire, but lamb has always been my fall back position. But we have a very small freezer (said in a wail).

At least I know how to treat a leg of lamb.

Charlie went to see Barb and Heinrick yesterday. Heinrick will be out of work at the end of the month, but Barb has a new job doing what she did for the state for a private company and getting more money for doing it.

Heinrick sent Charlie home with a circle of metal that will do just what I need for the tri-legged pot at TBF. Now if the furmenty comes out, I may be in the running. 

I’m picturing a pile of steaming grains, cooked in meat broth and golden with saffron, with sliced meat arranged neatly across the top, garnished with fresh herbs. Now we will see if I can do it.

I just checked with Pat – that source of venison is a dead end.

Monday, August 24, 2009 – clear and sunny, lot humidity

Beware, my children, of the dreaded helium hand. It can get you into more trouble than almost anything else.

I’m now in charge of the food for the installation reception.

I spent the weekend cooking – 6 pound cakes and a batch of spice nuts. I burned 3 of the pound cakes because I was too tired. Tonight I’m picking up more cake mixes and trying it again.

These are the pistachio pound cakes – a yellow cake mix, a pistachio pudding mix and ¼ cup of chopped pistachios. Super easy – if you don’t get over tired and forget to turn the timer on.

Tomorrow and Wednesday, I’m making double batches of spiced nuts. That’s enough for this week.

I got a little weaving done on Saturday, but I was so tired that I spent more time taking it out then putting it in.

I started the embroidery on the holy napkins on Friday and finished it during services on Sunday. I estimate that it took me four hours to do one napkin. That’s not so bad.

Well, August is half over and I don’t think I’ve said a single word here. 

I went to Tennessee on the 30^th of July to see Sarah. We had a good time but didn’t do anything of note. Shelly went with me, but Saber stayed at the vet’s. 

Sarah made a trip to New England and so drove back to Maryland with me. It was a good drive and Shelly was a lot calmer with Buster in the car. We kept Buster while she flew to New Hampshire to pick up a car and then drove back to pick him up and visit before driving home.

Traveler stayed at home as well, so no weaving was done during my vacation.

Lina had her baby – a really cute little boy. Of course, where they are new born, they look like unbaked bread. 

The baby blanket is just over a ¼ done and still on the loom. I worked on it last Saturday and plan to work on it again next Saturday.

Things are going be hairy for the next couple of weeks. This week end I start cooking for Carol’s installation (I wished they called it something else, installation makes her sound like an air conditioner.)

Next week end is Coronation, Charlie and I will be out of town. I’m tempted to take the loom, but no. That would be too much like work, and it will be too hot.

Trial by Fire is the first weekend in September – I’m making furmenty and need to make broth on Saturday to use at the competition on Sunday. Monday, Labor Day, will be devoted to more pre cooking for the installation. 

September 12^th is the installation with the reception at noon. I’m taking Friday off to cook. I’ll need to make the tea sandwiches that day.

Tuesday – clear and sunny, not too hot. What a beautiful day!

I’ve been looking for the Earl of St Andrew tartan for a commission for church for the last month.

I've finally found it - the site is http://www.houseoftartan.co.uk/index.htm and they have all kinds of tartans. They don't have the setts, but you can blow the pictures up big enough to count the threads. It’ll make you cross eyed, but it can be done. They also have a lovely tool that will let you design your own plaid. 

I designed one for Charlie using his colors – gold, purple and green. Mr Mardi Gras – that’s him. What a fun toy.

The phones are slower today, in case you hadn’t guessed. 

Lina’s baby blanket is on the loom; I’m winding bobbins tonight and will start weaving in the morning, if I don’t get caught by my book again. I must have the blanket for Lina before I leave on vacation. I need to start on the tartan stole as soon as I get back.

Monday, July 13 – sunny and not too hot

I finished warping the baby blanket on Saturday. I plan the start weaving in the morning.

17 days until I leave on vacation and I want to have this done, fulled and to Lina by then.

I’m looking forward to my vacation in Tennessee.

I’d like to say more, but the phones are going crazy.

A committee is a cul-de-sac down which ideas are lured and then quietly strangled.

Barnett Cocks

Thursday, June 25, 2009 – sunny and warm.  I hope to grill a steak tonight.

I threaded heddles yesterday morning and was so proud of my progress. (I’m a quarter finished.) This morning I over slept and didn’t get anything done. Maybe this evening.