Another random collection (infertility, autism, Christmas pudding, and corrugated aluminum)
* Grandchildlessness - an interesting conversation on BBC Women's Hour last week about how women deal with infertility throughout life, including when their friends start having grandchildren. I was particularly interested in one woman's description of how she deals with the subject of her infertility in conversation with people who aren't aware. It can be awkward particularly when people are unknowingly insensitive.
* I'm not excited about anything in the theaters, but I really want to see this film.
The Horse Boy does more than chronicle Rowan and his parents' journey across the vast, wild landscape of Mongolia. It delves into the strange world of autism itself, the relationship between humans and animals and between different cultures and different ways of being (autistic vs. normal, or "neuro-typical"), and the nature of healing.
* I may try to make a Christmas pudding this year, if I can figure out what to use for a "pudding basin." Apparently this Sunday was "stir up Sunday" when you're supposed to make them so they can age for a few weeks before Christmas.
I have no idea if we'll like it, but it sounds better than fruitcake, mainly because it sounds moist and it has real fruit and not the candied stuff. The ingredients are expensive, though, and I don't even know what some of them are. Spelt flour I've heard of, but never used. Muscovado sugar? I found it at the whole foods store -- I think it's just really dark brown sugar. Smyrna figs? I found something called Calimyrna figs, which I hope are like the Smyrna ones, just grown in California. They are very tasty, regardless. And I don't think sultanas or suet (other than the birdfeeder kind) can be found around here. I'm going to use extra raisins and substitute Crisco, if I can find any. (We avoid it these days because it's pure trans fat, but I read that butter will not work as a substitute for suet.) The only way I could get a single bottle of ale, or any ale for that matter, was to buy a 22-oz bottle of Fat Tire from the refrigerated section of the store. I guess I should invite my brother over so he and my dad can share the rest of the bottle after I use the 3 1/2 oz the recipe calls for.
Tomorrow is a busy day in my family for various reasons, and with end-of-semester work and preparing for the holiday (which we'll celebrate Friday or Saturday) I'm not sure I'll be online consistently. I hope everyone has a good week. ::hugs:: Here's an autumnish photo of the train station roof and a Japanese maple at the zoo.
* I'm not excited about anything in the theaters, but I really want to see this film.
The Horse Boy does more than chronicle Rowan and his parents' journey across the vast, wild landscape of Mongolia. It delves into the strange world of autism itself, the relationship between humans and animals and between different cultures and different ways of being (autistic vs. normal, or "neuro-typical"), and the nature of healing.
* I may try to make a Christmas pudding this year, if I can figure out what to use for a "pudding basin." Apparently this Sunday was "stir up Sunday" when you're supposed to make them so they can age for a few weeks before Christmas.
I have no idea if we'll like it, but it sounds better than fruitcake, mainly because it sounds moist and it has real fruit and not the candied stuff. The ingredients are expensive, though, and I don't even know what some of them are. Spelt flour I've heard of, but never used. Muscovado sugar? I found it at the whole foods store -- I think it's just really dark brown sugar. Smyrna figs? I found something called Calimyrna figs, which I hope are like the Smyrna ones, just grown in California. They are very tasty, regardless. And I don't think sultanas or suet (other than the birdfeeder kind) can be found around here. I'm going to use extra raisins and substitute Crisco, if I can find any. (We avoid it these days because it's pure trans fat, but I read that butter will not work as a substitute for suet.) The only way I could get a single bottle of ale, or any ale for that matter, was to buy a 22-oz bottle of Fat Tire from the refrigerated section of the store. I guess I should invite my brother over so he and my dad can share the rest of the bottle after I use the 3 1/2 oz the recipe calls for.
Tomorrow is a busy day in my family for various reasons, and with end-of-semester work and preparing for the holiday (which we'll celebrate Friday or Saturday) I'm not sure I'll be online consistently. I hope everyone has a good week. ::hugs:: Here's an autumnish photo of the train station roof and a Japanese maple at the zoo.