Dance, dance, oh thou neurons - dance!

I'm in that happy state where the codeine is still working but I'm almost - almost - able to function. A few hours ago I would not have felt out of place having an earnest conversation with cottage cheese.

This is not all bad, though. I've found some lovely resources, inspirations and have decided what to do for Practical Brother's birthday. Now to Expand My Thread Stash! Yay!

Man of Wonder phoned to check up on me - am I lucky or what? - as he has done since the kidney infection was confirmed. Wednesday, or Thursday. Can't remember. But just the sound of his voice - just thinking of having heard his voice today - somehow manages to make it all okay, and if not okay, then not that important. One day, I will find out what I have done to earn love like this.

So. I'm delirious, and I'm so very screwed for the exams next week, but hey! - I'm still in love! It can't all be that bad!

Hot Water Bottle

Yesterday was the first exam: genetics. It was very long, and I'm not happy with how I wrote, but I think I may have got 50 - 60% so thumbs are held. Next week will be Statistics and Ecology.

Man of Wonder and I had a lovely, long, no doubt expensive chat last night. Hearing his voice always makes me feel better. I miss him enormously.

And winter has arrived with a whump. I am walking around (and studying) with a hot water bottle permanently attached to my middle. It is helping my back immensely. I'm too young to feel this old!

It's still better than Johannesburg. I'm only wearing 4 layers so far, including jacket, and there's only 2 blankets on the bed plus duvet and sleeping bag.

I am so not made for European weather. I would never be able to survive there!

*later* It would appear that my stiff back is actually something squiffy going on in my pee system. So utterly what I needed right now. So I am dividing my time between woozy dreams and blearily reading up on statistics and ecology in bed, with the hot water bottle trying to work its magic. When I have money again I am going to head in medicine's direction.

Giveaway!

Robin McKinley has a giveaway on her blog. Go look! Her writing is beautiful: lyrical, intelligent and she assumes her readers are intelligent.

I love fantasy that makes me reach for the dictionary!

Also, if you're on Facebook, Exclusive Books is running a competition every day this week. It's here.

Mother's Day

I feel really, really lucky to have the family and friends that I do. Especially my mom. This family spins so hard and fast that if she wasn't there, holding on to routine & what matters, we'd have spun to opposite ends of the galaxy by now.

She's witty, and creative, and good with her hands, and kind, and patient, and an awesome gardener, and saintfully competent, and generous...

If ever (gods forbid, spitspit) I became a parent, I'd want to be like her.

So, because I am broke, and it was the only thing I could do with the stash I had, I made her a spice mix and embroidered a cover thingy to go on top.

I also phoned Technical Mother In Law, which is good anyway - she's an awesome woman. It's really tough that all her children have moved away.

Sometimes, living in the real world and real economy sucks toxic kali pond slime. As Robin McKinley says.

ETA: Cover thingy photo!  which I'm really rather proud of, all things considered.  Love you, Ma.

… hilarity ensued

Patently, I got something horribly wrong. The cookies melted. I had to use rollertowel to soak off the fat. Ewwww.

…and the worst part? I couldn't stop munching them. It went something like this:

ME: Urgh. These look like those dreadful ginger snaps I made when I was 12. Dammit.
NOSE: Hmmmmm.

*a few minutes as they cool*

*I try one*
ME: Dammit. It's like eating golden syrup. Dang.
TEETH: With oil. Ew. We're all coated!
STOMACH: Nom. More.
ME: No way! They don't even taste like custard!
STOMACH: More!
ME: Uh-HUH! Bad stomach! I don't like these!

*I get busy with making sure the oven's off (three times), tidying up, washing up…*
ME: Wow, these silicone baking sheets are really hard to clean.
*Tidies up some more*
STOMACH: Nom.
ME: HEY! I said no more! Where did you get that, anyway?
STOMACH: Mphmffnomnomfff
ME: Dangit.

This was just rude.

An Important question

When using chain stitch to fill a shape, what kind? Ordinary chain stitch or detatched? What's the difference?

This calls for an experiment.

Because, frankly, the less satin stitch I have to do, the better. Mine can be most charitably called hessian stitch.

But I will improve, eventually. In the meantime, because I am crazy and want to actually make useable items that won't make anyone's eyes bleed, I'm investigating other options.

(edited to remove really annoying typos)

Project COOKIES!

*this is a test on pre-emptive posting*

I got this recipe for custard creams and tried it out last weekend. It wasn't bad - and the timing was excellent as Arty Sister came visiting - but I wasn't happy. It had the same reason I hardly have scones at coffee shops anymore - that aftertaste of baking powder that is just offputting to my jaded palate. Especially if you're tempted to scoff a lot. (By the way, you're more likely to get about 20 single biscuits if you make them about the size of a teaspoon)

So I'm going to try again, but with a few changes.

Equal parts custard and flour, to half parts butter & icing sugar. One teaspoon vanilla dust. Will keep youse posted.