i was born. i bet you're as excited as i am about it.
i'm not one for a bunch of hullabaloo on my birthday. most times, you go out, try to make a big deal out of it- then you go home, sleep and wake up the next day to the rest of your day to day life. i am inclined to just go about the daily life stuff on this day- i will be making a batch of pepper jam, grabbing produce from the market, and going to the beachland for a show.
i'm not completely curmudgeonly about it. i am taking time today to go to the spa and get a massage, i'll be buying myself some flowers, and i do intend to maybe even allow myself to buy a new pair of shoes. that about as celebratory as i get, however.
i came home from work last night and chris left me a beautfiul letter and a small white rose bud (the first rose from my rose bush might i add), along with subscription cards to my favorite magazines. it amazes me sometimes how well that guy knows me. although some may argue that my severe magazine addiction should not be encouraged, he knows how happy it makes me to sit in the backyard and reading articles in stay free. so today, kudos to christopher for his thoughtfulness and beautifully written letter. hell, i'll even ignore the fact that he pulled the first bloom from my fledgling rosebush.
so we're all going to the beachland to see richard buckner. my wonderful friends who really don't want to see the show are accompanying me because i'd like to, and they are wonderful. it's good to feel loved.
now if i can ever detach myself from my keyboard and listening to brendan perry maybe i will actually accomplish something today.

monday morning brings the end of an absolutely wonderful weekend.
today i am going to the market for serrano and bell peppers and making an enormous batch of chili jam. i wanted to get down to public square for a show this afternoon- but it is either go to that and blow off some things that i really must get done- or stay home and work on the business. translation: no public square for me today.
the tomato and cucumber plants are huge. my scotch bonnets and poblanos are really doing well, also.
jack crashed on my futon last night- so i am waiting for him to wake and then i will be starting my day. until then i am working out the details of the first of hopefully many conviviums. the set date is july 25th. i am so excited about it. i just hope that a decent amount of people would like to participate.

the 4th was fun. we all went to erich's house for dinner. i managed to get myself all stressed out trying to cook 800 things that morning- but like all things, it went smoothly and hitch free. (well, except for the 2 lbs of curried couscous i had to sweep off of my kitchen floor yesterday.) later that night, jack, lisa and i went up to edison's and just hung out on the patio awhile.

Kitchen wish list

 

Mortar & pestle

Recipe box & cards

Pressure canner

Home canning kit w/ jar grabbers and racks

Jars, jars, jars

Shelving for jars

New pots & stock pots

New pans

Hanging pot rack

One kick ass all- purpose Japanese steel chef knife

Hand juicer

New Zester

Cherry pitter

Wall mounted spice shelves

Curtains that aren’t hideous

New espresso maker

Metal grill skewers

Blender

Decanter

pink flowers from the orange girl
look strange in the streetlights
stuck in a door, once red,
now dented and rustmarked
the handle held them just so, upright, they'd
grown into a nice bunch,
ripe for picking.
once inside, the flowers threw off their

a short list of the worst things that have come out of 2000 years of human civlization:

1. parking tickets.
2. neighbors with fireworks
3. cell phones that only get a signal if you're standing in the middle of lake erie
4. car tires and their habit of going flat at the most imopportune times
5. companies that go out of business, and don't take care of their employees
6. liquid pectin that doesn't enable you to reduce the sugar in a recipe
7. deodorant with aluminum in it
8. ronald mcdonald is creepy
9. whiskey hangovers
10. computers that will not stay connected to the network
11. parking tickets.
12. mispelled words on menus
13. light beer
14. processed foods
15. natural and articifial flavorings
16. red dye is made from insects.
17. cd's are too easily damaged.
18. health care is sick care.
19. george bush and the rest of his monkeys.
20. parking tickets.

so tomorrow is the coventry road farmer's market. i was up until 5 am making jam last night, and putting the final touches on the the packaging. the labels and the jars are beautiful. last night i made wild blueberry preserves, peach pie jam, and tonight (after work- this may be a lofty plan) i intend to make a kiwi preserves and sweet cherry jam.
i have to get ready for work now.

so last night there was leftover pizza that chris had ordered in the fridge. i noticed on the box today was a sticker whose sole purpose was state:
your pizza experience managed by keith.

my pizza experience? keith? what the fuck do i care who managed the damn thing as long as it shows up? and can putting a pizza in a box really be considered managing something?

hilarious.

might i add also that the only reason chris orders from this particular company is they have online ordering. how nice. no body even has to talk to each other anymore.

last night i had a dinner prepared from the first harvest of my garden. i waited a little too long to harvest my mesculin mix, and the greens were very large, with a strong bitter and spicy flavor. it's strange that they become so strong tasting as they grow- given that most vegetables are at their most flavorful when small. strange.
so i'm still trying to get people going on the idea of starting a local convivium. i have posted on craigslist and cleveland events website, as well as all the normal channels. we'll see what happens. even if it starts small- at least we'll get an idea of how it works. i'm really excited.

rooting around on the net today, i found a webring of 100 things about me lists. i thought it'd be funny to write one. here goes.

100 things about me

 

1. the expression “sweet jesus on a stick” makes me laugh, a lot.
2. I often use the phrase “times two” in response to I love you- even though I know it doesn’t make sense.
3. I swear like a sailor while driving
4. I am a very thorough mopper, sweeper, and ironer.
5. I often call bumbling or silly people “tobies”
6. I remember my dreams nearly every night
7. I cannot sleep without a sheet or blanket covering my feet
8. I am terribly afraid of drowning
9. I would rather eat avocado than anything else in the world.
10. I like to brew beer
11. I am most happy while working in the garden
12. I like to dance in my pj’s first thing in the morning
13. I like it when guys open the doors for other people, esp. old ladies
14. I always open the door for other people, esp. old ladies.
15. I often wait until the very last minute to refill the gas tank.
16. I often drive out of my way to hear the ends of cd’s
17. I think that nothing feels better than a good cd on a long road trip.
18. I am a great camp fire builder.
19. I am irritated when people do not say please and thank you.
20. I think a good sense of humor is the most attractive quality one can possess.
21. I hate it when people abbreviate other people’s names
22. I like it when people give me nicknames or silly pet names
23. I am not offended by slang words for a vagina.
24. I am offended by dumbed down television programming.
25. I do not listen to the radio very often.
26. I never know when labor or memorial day is
27. I drink far too much coffee.
28. I think it is ridiculous to ask waitresses “how’s the chicken?”
29. I get very sad when I see lonely old guys at the bar.
30. I generally make a point of making conversation with lonely old guys at the bar.
31. I try to make conversation with clerks in stores and people on the bus.
32. I love the smell of fresh basil
33. I am critical of poor hand holding.
34. I love looking through other’s cd collections.
35. I don’t think the ocean is all that pretty.
36. I’d rather live in Yellowstone than anywhere else in the United States.
37. I know an awful lot about beer, wine, and assorted food trivia.
38. I often dream I am losing my teeth.
39. I love to prepare desserts and baked goods- but rarely eat them.
40. Pancakes are my favorite guilty pleasure.
41. I often call my friends “chumley”
42. I hate wearing shoes that have laces.
43. I hate wearing shoes.
44. If I am driving, I like reading all the street signs backwards.
45. I will never be any good at parallel parking
46. I am okay with that.
47. I think paying for parking is absurd.
48. I prefer to buy from local businesses.
49. I think ears are my favorite physical attribute.
50. I think splitting checks is in poor taste. I’d rather pay it myself.
51. I walk on my tiptoes most of the time.
52. I hate it when people drop by unannounced.
53. I cringe when people use catch phrases like “it’s all about the Benjamin’s”
54. I love going to the market and talking to the vendors.
55. I do not like to shop at chain grocery stores.
56. I’d rather be outside.
57. I never remember anyone’s birthday.
58. I think giving a gift certificate as a gift completely negates the point of giving a gift at all.
59. I am a very thoughtful gifter.
60. I prefer anything handmade.
61. I spill drinks often. Specifically red wine. Specifically on myself.
62. I am very critical of other people’s tattoos.
63. I like it when guys kiss my forehead or fingers.
64. I have never used a lawnmower.
65. I hate the taste of fried foods.
66. I love the texture of pears.
67. I love watching television about do it yourself projects. Even if I never do them
68. I love the sound of windchimes late at night in winter.
69. I think pastel colors are nauseating to look at.
70. I think that long fingernails are pointless.
71. I love receiving hand written letters.
72. I am terrible at capitalization.
73. I like coming up with strange and unusual “date” activites.
74. I hate it when people give me any form of advice.
75. I equally hate it when someone tells me gossip about another.
76. I am most excited to find out how things work.
77. I prefer to sew by hand.
78. I could listen to Tom Waits’ “Rain Dogs” every day.
79. I like seeing old people hold hands.
80. I like making small children laugh.
81. I never cry at movies.
82. I love the way a knife feels slicing cucumbers
83. I look terrible in hats
84. I love it when people leave really long voice mail messages.
85. I wonder a lot about where people in their cars are going.
86. I think vanity plates are a sure indication of a fairly stupid person.
87. I hope someday to own a small craft brewery.
88. I like talking with people that are avid readers.
89. I tend to scoff at people who say they never read.
90. I think it is rude to touch someone else’s car stereo.
91. I take baths when I am upset.
92. I hate it when people bastardize good beverage by putting fruit in it.
93. I am irritated by people who are closed minded about food.
94. I notice when people say they are doing “well” instead of “good”.
95. I get very nervous on the phone.
96. I tend to talk too much if I am nervous.
97. I give nicknames to everyone that I feel really comfortable with.
98. I think the word “sparkly” has a nice ring to it.
99. I hate the sound of clackity shoes on hardwood floors.
100. I never thought I’d have a hundred things to say about myself.