Pilot's Log

Sagittarius Horoscope for week of October 3, 2013

To give you the oracle that best matches your current astrological omens, I've borrowed from "Sweetness," a poem by Stephen Dunn. I urge you to memorize it or write it on a piece of paper that you will carry around with you everywhere you go. Say Dunn's words as if they were your own: "Often a sweetness comes / as if on loan, stays just long enough // to make sense of what it means to be alive, / then returns to its dark / source. As for me, I don’t care // where it’s been, or what bitter road / it’s traveled / to come so far, to taste so good."

Dad bought us a bag of Cinnamon Mini-Donuts this morning. I'm wondering if I should have a couple with my next cup of tea.

I seem to be practicing good temperance everywhere else today.

Last night I finished off a box of my usual store-brand frosted shreded wheat cereal, and we needed other foodstuffs in the house, so I went to a grocer in the course of my errands today.

I gave the cereal aisle some very close scrutiny, as I don't often do the food shopping myself and because things have changed since it was that Mum and I would go to the stores together. Anyway, I was about to give up when one of my favorites from my high school and college years, Kellogg's Cracklin' Oat Bran, was shown to be close-out priced at half of retail...or about what we paid every week or so for the store brand cereal I usually eat. So I got a box.

I ate about half a cup of it dry as I awaited this computer booting up. The smell reminds me of the sorghum-delivery vehicle stuff I used to throw in the feed buckets for my sister's horses thirty years ago. I guess I really am born Sagittarius/Year of the Horse.

Nobody, as yet, has uploaded to YouTube Susan Lucci's TV commercial for Sweet One from 1989.

This is cultural injustice. Really now.

*) All-Seeing Eye just heard back from the camera repair shop in Asheville. Olympus has been repaired, with a new part, and will be shipped back. Dad is paying the bill. Need to do something nice for him for Father's Day...so I'm open to suggestions.

*) The above is also good for my Reviewer Corps project because now I don't have to borrow somebody else's camera to photograph my work.

*) Sweet Tooth adores the Russell Stover Chocolate Sauce. It on bread is too decadent for breakfast...you might get away with it on a coffee break, but only if you've done something important that morning first.

*) I just inflated a 16" royal blue balloon for Inner Child.

Mum's been working towards the climax of her latest book that she's writing. So today I bought a dozen at Dunkin Donuts, and told her that with a week's supply she should have the energy she needs to finish the book and get it ready to submit to her publisher.

Ah, she's enjoying a strawberry donut now.

She will be so inspired, I know it.

Nephew is here so...

1) I can't work on much in the way of models as the guest room is also my workshop.

2) I had to get up early (in my terms) so he could have breakfast.

3) Had to get him playing the Wii so he wouldn't gorge himself on Easter candy. The incidental music for Legend of Zelda is looping in my head.

More to come.

Yesterday I got up in the morning, went to the kitchen pantry and found that Dad had purchased for me a two-week supply of Kellogg's Pop Tarts. And I noticed that all the boxtops had already been cut off.

ME (to DAD): Did you send for the Indiana Jones canteen or the backpack?

DAD (very smug): Both.

No doubt, I was born to be a dork. I came from the best bloodline for that possibility.

*Noshes a S'Mores Pop Tart, washes it down with coffee*

My folks bought the household supply of Halloween candy overday. No matter that for the last couple years or so, nobody has shown up at our place for Trick-or-Treat.

Well, we also have the additional excuse of Mom's birthday on Sunday. So we have to have treats around.

Finding the willpower to avoid nomming on the profits is difficult. And I'm UNDERWEIGHT. I can't imagine how bad it must be for somebody with real nutritional issues.

FP

And no, I don't have a costume. Tho' I suppose I could fake it if I really had to.

Hey.

Sunday, the following whim hit my brain: Brownies, with almond slivers and coconut pressed into the top of the batter, so that when it baked it would get all crunchy on top.

This whim persisted. It found its way into conversation. It was sparked by familial doings and even the evening news (the California almond heists a.k.a. "nut jobs").

Today, my parents made the brownies. With Chocolate CHUNK brownie mix and the almond slivers crunched a little to make the brownies easier to eat.

Just tried a sample thirty minutes ago. It's a winner!

Put a sheet of plastic wrap over the pan so I wouldn't just dig into the stuff. Have to share with the folks. I hope there'll be some left over for when my sister and nephew (and maybe niece) come over this weekend.

FP