It's finally raining

That fits my mood today.

We got a phone call from R & M last night. R's been activated again, and this time, he is going overseas, Saudi or Iraq, he doesn't know which yet. He leaves for training Dec 1, spends a month training in the US, then off he goes for a year.

R's stayed in the reserves because he's got 16 years in, and 4 years (before the war started) didn't seem like a big deal, for the pension. Lady, keep him safe so he can collect that pension.


Other than that, yesterday was cheerful and productive. The first batch of coal candy burnt, and the anise didn't cover the burnt sugar flavor. A call to Donna established that the glass saucepan I'd used to cook it in was the culprit; a second batch (in a heavy metal pan) took half the time and poured out neat as you please.

I also made a mustache wax for Byron, since he hadn't found any except to mail order, and he wanted it sooner than that. And I made plaiting soap, which is used to smooth and lubricate and condition leather as you braid it--it's a whipmaking thing. Basicly, it's soap and fat (I used lard, figured critter fat would work better on critter skins) and some beeswax. He seemed happy with it last night.

A second batch of what was going to be mustache wax, of a different formula, got turned into a rosemary-mint-honey lip balm for me when he said he really like the first wax recipe.

Today, I think I'm going to try a candy recipe I found on the LorAnn Oils website. It's for icicle candy--clear, pale blue hard candy strips twisted into icicles. And it's done in the microwave--how cool is that?


The Unsock Report: got a little done on the maple leaf shawl last night, in between projects. And I started a "just to see if I could" project--I've been wondering for a while how the 50/2 weaving cotton I have would knit, so I tried it. Six size 0 needles and 2 hours later, I have the center of a lace shawl pattern, about 5" across, very very fine, very fragile looking. I love it. Doubt I'll do the full shawl pattern in the superfine lace, probably just enough to make a nice doily. But still.....woo hoo!

hey, classics_cat

Remember that cobweb yarn I was fondly at The Studio? I was putting some stuff in my new yarn shelving, and lo and behold, there in the back of a cabinet was a pound-plus cone of a very very fine 2-ply wool, 20/2 size (just a little larger than the fine stuff I like to crochet with). So, I have almost everything I need to do one of those gossamer shawls.....

Can we say "addidct", boys and girls?


Annual Show Countdown: 3 days!!!!!