I hate pollen.

I'm pretty sure the problem with the laptop is the ribbon cable for the LCD... I think we'll probably send it to Apple, though, for various reasons. The guarantee is part of it, the other is that they have a flat fee, which includes shipping it back to me via Airborne Express. This way, I don't have to find the cable, wait for it to be shipped, then sweet-talk a friend into replacing it for me, since I am fearful of tiny laptop screws. Also, if the problem is NOT the cable, most parts places won't accept returns. I'd be out 150-180 bucks and STILL have a Mac in need of repair. If I go with Apple's service, I'm only out 250 and EVERYTHING gets fixed and I get my machine back within 10 days.

So, I need to go buy some Zip disks to back up the data we've accumulated since the repair we had done last year (power port, CD drive, etc). I'll drive up to the Mac store in Tyson's (nearest mac store) on Thursday. Anyone up for a road trip? I plan on hitting at least one Trader Joe's and a Whole Foods (the local one doesn't carry my brand of seitan). I'm not going to hang around, though, I want to drive up and be out before rush hour starts.

Those in DC who want to see me--we'll be up Memorial Day weekend. Offer us a place to crash and we'll come up as early as Friday. ;) We're coming up for a show at the 930 club on Sunday of that weekend.

(no subject)

It's time for the Annual Goth Victorian Cemetery Picnic in DC!

I'm tempted to go, but we'll have to wait and see what we're up to that weekend. I love Congressional Cemetery, it's beautiful and the picnics are fun.

(no subject)

I want to make a strawberry cake. All the recipes I keep running across, however, call for strawberry gelatin (which I can replace with Strawberry Superfruits or strawberry juice + agar) and white cake mix (I can't replace that as easily, as all the commercial mixes contain soy).

I don't want to experiment, as cake making is more chemistry than cooking. I don't want to go buy strawberries and end up with an inedible sludgey or inedible dry mess.

Does anyone have any *truly* homemade recipes that don't rely on package mixes?

If I can find kosher for passover pudding, I can make this one.
Just how much is the average "punnet"? pint? quart? quarter bushel? Ah, approximately 20 ounces, so a Guinness pint. ;)

h, or i can be sneaky and use the google cache for this one.

Spring officially sucks

I can't wear my contacts. Why? My eyes won't stop burning.
( allergy vent )

(no subject)

I haven't been cooking much during the move, but I keep buying greens when I do the weekly shopping for boy's lunchmeat, greens, and cheese. So we had a few bunches of greens that needed to be used pronto.

Last night, I asked boy to wash and tear the kale, red chard, and dandelion greens. In a big pot, I sauteed some garlic, crushed red pepper, and onions in olive oil. Then I added blanched almonds and dried currants. First in--dandelion greens. Let those simmer for a minute or three (with the water still on them from washing), then added the rest, along with a splash of water and a good toss of white balsamic vinegar. Let cook, let cook, let cook (on medium low)... then I decided it needed beans. I found a can of Amy's lentil soup and added that. Next time, I need to remember to add some roasted pepper and a bay leaf.

Wow. It's really good. We ate nearly *all* of it last night. *three bunches* of greens is a LOT.

Tonight's meal was even simpler. Bring water to a boil, toss in a couple servings of pesto tortellini. In a small saucepan, combine pepper and garlic in olive oil, then add a can of contadina's tomato sauce and some salt... bring to a slow boil, remove from heat, then slowly pour in heavy cream and add some basil. *perfect* we're using it as sauce, but it could honestly serve as a rich soup.

yum.

almost time to go flyering. looks like we'll have to drive down since i got a late start to dinner.

(no subject)

When I eat leafy greens at *least* four times a week (every other day, though I usually eat them more often), I don't get cracks at the corners of my lips. If I go less often, my lips crack. I'm also more susceptible to skin irritations (eczema and a nasty allergic-dermatitis type of reaction on my hands) during the lack-of-greens time.

Due to the move/cleaning spree, I'd not had greens in a week or more before last night. My lips started cracking last week and my hands were upset before than, though I've been working with cleaners, bleach, etc, and they're drier than usual.

After another couple meals of leafy greens (dandelions, chard, kale, mustard, spinach, etc), the cracks will heal. I know this from repeated experience.

What nutrient is responsible for this? I can't figure it out. I do know that I'll also have deep dips in my fingernails/toenails because of this (lateral ridges), too. Not sure if it's the same nutrient or another one, but it will show up there, too.