What Life Gives You
04/25/2011
Status Quo is a myth in life. You can't have things the same way, all the time. It's just not how life operates. And even if it takes you along kicking & screaming sometimes, it's really a good thing.
Because, when you try to not make decisions, well, they'll be made for you. Regardless. Call it a side-effect, or a real bitch. The real difficult thing is to realize it is happening.
Then sometimes you can't wait for change, or it happens, and you embrace it. And your old normal is never the same, it turns into your "new" normal. Which is so much better.
And life changes completely.
I just found something that was given to me over twenty years ago, my friend knew I was moving far away and she wrote: " To live is to leave behind". Is that too harsh? Or is that just how it is. Or is it ok when you are ready? How do you know?
It's pretty damn difficult to look at this glass jar of lemon rind & vodka goodness, and not open it. In spite of my dislike of Facebook, sometimes it is truly fantastic. How else would I have thought to make limoncello with some of the 7+ lbs of lemons I got on Saturday?! After research I found that the common ingredient in all recipes is Patience. Right. Me & Patience.
Research notes & sources:
1. Cut the rind, leave the pith. It is a painstaking process, I went over my lemon rinds three times. Some people zest it.
2. Steep it in vodka, between 4 days - 2 month (seriously, that was the discrepancy in the recipes. Some people left it longer than that, but patience like that is inhumane.)
3. Make simple syrup and mix with vodka+lemon rinds. Steep overnight or up to two weeks.
4. Filter the liquid and bottle it and let it sit for a week-months.
5. Store finished limoncello in your freezer.
Will try to let it steep for 2 weeks, then bottle and let it sit for another 2 weeks. Please, don't laugh. I managed to not drink coffee for 6 weeks, nobody thought I could do that! (Or wanted to be around me, whatever, I don't remember.)
Lemon juice ice cubes with the left overs (also Facebook suggestion). Doesn't it make you feel so self sufficient & frugal & most of all GROWN UP??
We made chicken stock the other day. And I swear, it is the best ever. About 8 pints for $7. And that includes one chicken dinner too. Seriously grown up & responsible & shit. & good. Did I mention good? Always use Zuni's recipe, which isn't really a recipe, it's more of a three page essay on how to do it. With five ingredients, where two are chicken & water.
We also "test baked" some peanut butter cookies. Two separate sources told me they were the best they had ever had. Passing that on to the secret baker!
However, these were my favorite. Yes, there are raspberry preserves inside of them. Bring on more test baking.
We are never without excellent help. Excellent.
Look what else got finished, the Albino Octopus. She's cute though.
Even crocheters are obsessed with these guys.
And then came Easter.
Elliott is only pretending to look put out.
All this yarn was retrieved from storage, where the red is being used for Mr Greenjeans. But what about the rest?