Hrm.

So, Russia is supplying Iran with materials and technology to start their own nuclear program and re-starting their bomber patrols, and threatening to aim nukes at European targets if America doesn't get its imperialistic tendencies under control. And France of all people is threatening to strike at Iran. Greenspan is apparently trying to rescue his legacy after a disastrous marriage with the Bush Administration. This is all news to me, as I've been off in Donnland for half a year.

Loafalicious

The bread turned out quite well. Needed some salt but other than that, it looked just like a loaf of bread. Next of course is the fusion of yeast and hot oil.

The Yeast

A new era begins in cooking. A yeasty loaf is rising in the kitchen - room temperature isn't ideal but I'm going to let it rise overnight, then brush it down with butter and pop it in the oven in the morning. I have definitely overdone it with the espresso. My mind and hands are jittery and my head hurts, probably from dehydration. Anyways.

Homespresso

So, noticing that there was usually a krups machine at the Brown Elephant that looked like it would make espresso I ventured over today and, lo and behold, there was one. The coffee that comes out isn't espresso at all - hardly any crema. The steam nozzle does seem to do an okay job of whipping up milk into fluff, and it's kind of convenient to be able to make two cups at a time rather than the normal twelve. I'll try out some different techniques but all in all for $2.50, not a bad deal.

Back!

And back home again. Rose reports Mr. Fergus and Isaac were chasing after each other - "frolicking" even. It is, I'd imagine, a better life for him.

Coming home I spent forty minutes on Bart, two hours and twenty minutes waiting for the plane to take off, four hours in the air, forty minutes getting off the plane and getting my luggage, and then two hours taking the blue line downtown to take the red line to Jarvis. I caught the tail end of the Wednesday night Halo 2 session and then did a bit of "reading" - slate, cnn. Catching up on the news and current events.

I learned a few things on this trip, one of which is marijuana is referred to as "nuggets". Entering Golden Gate park on the east side every couple of minutes someone approached me offering "nuggets", "bud", and "drops". I was walking from McDonalds when someone walking the other way said "you need some nuggets." A couple of gals (also out of towners) explained that he was not in fact talking about McNuggets, but mara-juh-wanna nuggets.

Tuesday night at Simple Pleasures Cafe on Balboa a group of folk musicians were playing. It reminded me of my dear Roe Family Singers in Minneapolis, whom I shan't be seeing at the 331 for a while owing to circumstances. Before stopping there I biked to the beach and stood for about five minutes before heading the other direction. This seems to be a motif in my life.

All in all it was a good trip, much better than last time when I was rushing about seeing landmarks. And now, with a renewed sense of purpose. Show no mercy, do not hesitate, as the saying goes.

Fergus Has Left Home

Mr. Fergus, Fergus Theodore Lannin-Cat, is now at his new home. He seemed a bit jumpy but his new pal was friendly and welcoming, and you couldn't ask for a better new parent. I don't think he ever adjusted to Rufus' absence - he would every so often run back and forth meowling out as if he thought the brown turd was hiding. Hopefully in time he will become fast friends with Isaac the Cat.

Labor Day!

By some odd coincidence, Labor Day marked the six month anniversary of my having left Ham in the Fridge. It also seems like about the right time to close my goofing about exploratory phase and start being serious-ish again... right after I attend to all the mosquito bites I got yesterday.

More Skills Retuning

So... getting my drawing/illustrating skills back up to snuff. Just a general type of cartoon inked and colored in illustrator - my hands are just not steady enough for inking on paper (much like good ol' Charlie Brown). Now on to making funny stuff.