update on many fronts

1 (and most important at the moment): Sir Charles is doing much better. He has stopped vomiting, much to the relief of both me and the carpeting. We are limiting his food and water intake to help his digestive system get back on track, and he has definitely perked up.


The diagnosis was: he ate a hot dog. You must understand that Charlie is a garbage hound of epic proportions. He has eaten, among other things:

• an entire pepper and pepperoni pizza,
• a blueberry pie,
• a rotisserie chicken carcass,
• the contents of our kitchen garbage (on numerous occasions when we forgot to shut the pantry door),
• easter chocolate bunnies,
• baby diapers....

You get the picture. He has never suffered the slightest consequence of this gross gluttony.

I guess age takes its toll on all of us.

2: Midge is on the mend as well and worming her way into the hearts of all but my LSH, who is resisting mightily.


3: The spinning is back on track after fair week, and I am plying the Coopworth roving.


With any luck I will be able to finish and wash the skeins tomorrow.

Funnily enough, my family is now avidly watching the Tour de France. We have never watched it before, and it has nothing to do with my participation in the Tour de Fleece, but everyone is addicted. It is great to spin to! What a brilliant idea.

Even though we don't get the most basic rules of the competition. After a week, the boys were still working out the significance of the yellow jersey.

4: We have ripe tomatoes in our garden!!!!


These are a heirloom variety (I think Amish Paste, but it's too dark to go out and check the marker) which we picked up at Maryland Sheep & Wool Festival this year.

I know it sounds odd, buying plants at a sheep festival. But this farm is great! Very healthy starts of heirloom varieties at reasonable prices. I plan to get all my tomatoes from them next year, despite the slight difficulties with keeping the plants alive while camping.

(Mrs. C., I haven't forgotten your request. I will try to get a picture of the garden tomorrow.)

I diced them along with fresh bell pepper, sliced fresh basil leaves very thin, and added the lot to a cheap store-bought sauce. (We are out of the homemade sauce we canned last year. When boys can tell the difference, and request the homemade, you know you are onto something good).

Cooked for a little bit with some basic dried herbs, topped with parmesan and here's the result:


Mangia!