Rhode Island Scottish Highland Festival

We went out here yesterday, and although it was two hours of driving each way I think it was worth it. We got to look at a lot of venders, see some SCA folks from the Barony of the Bridge, taste some white honey mead, and look at clan tents. We watched a sheep herding demo, caber toss, hammer throw, and weight for height. We listened to a harp demo, fiddlers, and a couple pipe and drum bands. It was an all-around good time, except for the insufficient number of smoked turkey legs (which has actually plagued Banik on many such occasions). Below is a clip of one of the pipe and drum bands- sadly I don't know their name.

On the way home we also stopped in Mystic, CT to walked around and then stopped in Hamden, CT for sushi. It was a good day.

Chewbacca is most easily photographed when asleep

because my mom will think it's cool

This is the sort of thing you see every day in the parking lot behind my office- clunkers mixed with sports cars. My well-loved teal Ford is in the foreground, and there's a Corvette two spaces away.

I know you really just want to see the Corvette.

I still maintain that the back ends look dumb.

And this is the part for Mom. No, it's not just any old Corvette. Yes, when it's warm and relatively dry someone drives this to work every day.

employment causes abandonment issues

Banik has been a stay-at-home dad ever since we got the kittens. Sure we do stuff on weekends or evenings, and he had evening classes for a while- but he was always home all day.
But he's been gone all day. And now all they're doing is watching the window and running around looking for him.

They're probably blaming me for this. When he's not here and I come home without him, the cats act like I forgot him some place. Apparently I'm careless with their human.

this is what my mom wanted for Mother's Day

handpies

We did an SCA workshop yesterday and took four kinds of handpies to share. The savory ones were filled with beef pot roast or chicken molé (which used the leftover sauce from the burritos). One type of fruit pie contained sweet potatoes with toasted pecans and coconut; the other had a mixed berry filling. We used Alton Brown's recipe for the pastry (weighed the flour and shortening, used skim milk), and got a good 15-16 per batch. All were well received, but since it was all rather rushed we forgot to take pictures. I'm sure there will be more later.

why we can't go into wholefoods to "just see what they have"

"oh look, they have sample sizes of cheese..."
and so we ended up having an improntu cheese tasting

The results:

**** We both ranked the Drunken Goat at the top; it was mild,

rather soft, and not overly salty.

**** Banik's other favourite was the Pyrennes, which I also liked.

**** My other favourite was the Hoch Ybrig, which smells

questionable but tastes good.

*** The Aussie Jack is a good, versatile Jack that we might use

in other things.

*** The Cotswold has chives in it, and might be good in something.

* The Habanero Cheddar was mostly just hot and didn't taste

particularly awesome.

* The Sottocenere has a nasty rind, and although Banik is fine

the cheese itself with it I think it just tastes like mold.

-

The sourdough is good. Maybe we'll have to try making a starter again...