Meatballs

My usual method of learning a recipe is by teaching it to myself by trial and error. If I had someone to show me this would be a lot easier. I'm looking forward to cooking with Peat and picking up a few recipes.

Today I tried meatballs for a second time and I think it was an improvement on the last time.
They still cooked for longer than they should and I think I'll try 50 minutes instead of an hour next time. I made a nice puttanesca for dinner and the rest are freezing for future use. I like to toss one or two in my miso soup.
Here's a random photo of Eli sprawled out on the floor. Wednesday I start one of my student teaching experiences and am looking forward to it.

~Eikon

Something Positive

I Love the reference to a metric ton of fan fiction and Choo Choo Bear's ( the cat) frantic note.

~Eikon

Chicken Pot Pie

I tried to make squished chicken today but accidentally put the chicken skin down first instead of skin with the result that some of the breast meat didn't cook. Quickly averting culinary calamity I cut up the chicken and began making pot pie using the pan juices and a highly suspicious bottle of cheap wine that appeared in my kitchen a few weeks ago for the gravy. Add some onions and carrots and the meal is saved.
I've become convinced that the secret to a good pie crust is to touch it as little as humanely possible when mixing in the water. I use a fork and add water a palm full at a time and then toss it in the freezer in a ball for half an hour.
I doused this pie in a liberal amount of sumac; one of my favorite spices. Sumac turns everything purple but that doesn't matter in a pie.
Just seal it up and toss it in the oven for an hour on 330.
I'm going to eat some and take a shower and nap before work at midnight tonight. Tommorrow it's off to Minneapolis again for the day. I'll take pictures of something interesting.

~Eikon

New Bike Lock

My bike is easily most prized possession. If I could lump my "kitchen" or my "library" as a single items they would rank higher but as far as a single thing is concerned my bike is it. It's also the most expensive thing I own. Needless to say I'm a bit protective of it and so when I bought my bike 3 years ago I bought the most expensive lock I could.

The Kryptonite New York Lock ( I love when people market with New York; it's such a scary place ) complete with a 3000 dollar warranty which I never bothered to fill out. They now have an even thicker lock but I can't help but feel this one is sufficient.

After three years the lock cylinder dissappeared. I have no idea where it went. So I went out and bought a cheaper lock as I am not in the position to drop 90 dollars at the moment on anything but clothes. Flopper told me I should send it so on a whim I e-mailed customer service and they confirmed that they would replace the lock. So I crammed it into a flat rate priority mail envelope a few weeks ago and was met with a new bike lock when I got home.


Complete with overly complex mounting apparatus. I just toss the lock in my basket.

My favorite feature is the LED equipped key. The last key with a light in it was absolutely pointless for the most part but still fun. This one in kind of clunky but could double as a small flashlight it is so bright.

So my bike is well protected from ravaging thieves once more which isn't a problem in Saint Cloud (not nearly as much as DC) but it will make me less aprehensive when I lock it up in Minneapolis.

~Eikon

The long lost first fantasy book

When I was in third grade a relative (I think my Aunt Linda) gave me a gift certificate to Waldenbooks for ten dollars for my birthday. I remember being thrilled about this and wandering into the bookstore with my mother. My eyes were caught by the fantasy section and despite Mom's attempts to guide me back into the children's section I bought two books completely at random that were grossly above my reading level.

The first book was the Guns of Avalon the second book of Roger Zelaznys The Blood of Amber

series. It was an amazing book and I have subsequently bought it numerous times and read the whole series five or six time. Fantasy at its finest.

The second book I totally forgot about. It vaguely involved a magic cloak and space ships and there was a hunted hero forced from his homeworld. Specifically I remembered a passage about the cloak having an invisible pattern of flowers woven into it. The book was not very good and until Saturday the title completely escaped me.

Then as I was reading Into the Void, part of the Spelljammer series (which I had purchased on Friday at DreamHaven in Minneapolis), I came across the passage describing the pattern in the cloak and I found my lost book. It is as bad as I remember but I am happy to have in my library as a memory.

~Eikon

Danica in daylight and Eli in the wind.

It a brisk blustery day outside so I thought I'd take Eli to play in the park across the street and maybe Knit some of my Danica scarf while sitting under a tree.
I don't let Eli off leash unless I'm paying attention to him and since I was busy picking up stitches I had him tied to my foot.
I looked up and was getting the "If you loved me you'd let me run around" look.
I persevered in my knitting and then he started tugging to get the point across.
He then decided to take out the source of my preoccupation and flopped on top of my balls of yarn.
I admitted defeat and left him to run around the field with his favorite glow ball. Doesn't he just look much happier?

~Eikon

October Knitting

I have been knitting this month. I finished two hats last week and am making good progress on the inordinately long Gentleman's Half Hose for Dan.

Today when I looked at my google reader I saw the Danica Scarf that fine gentleman over at cashmere blend is making. The I found out it was designed by Yarn Boy and promptly rooted through my stash and cast on . This is the progress I made tonight at knitting circle and I am amazed at how fast it's coming together. Rowan Aran on #9 needles ; I love my Lantern Moons.
It's sloppy but I'm sure that will improve with time and blocking covers a multitude of sins.

~Eikon