Good day

So far, anyway. The snow falling this morning was light, dry, fluffy, perfect for sliding on, if it lasts long enough (after Arisia). It was impressive watching the weather change as I was heading down the hightway, the sun becoming stronger through the snowclouds, breaking through completely now, though there's still some snow falling.

One of the radio reporters used "kerfuffle" this morning. (How can the day go wrong now? :-)

Arisia starting this afternoon. Mostly packed, I think, few last things to be packed, schlepped. It feels under control, though, which is nice. I realized this morning that I have a really cool bird mask that has a tiny problem with it. I may have partly fixed it with a bit of wire, though perhaps reinforcing it with tape wouldn't be a bad idea. The great part about the mask is that it fits over glasses (ok, plus it has moving parts, and bright colors.)

I tried a variation on the bread routine I hadn't used before. I gave it a first rise until just before going to bed, then lef t the rolls in the oven for a long second rise leading into baking (on time bake). It worked: the rolls are a bit flatter than they would've been had they baked earlier (this facilitates sandwiches), and both the crust and the crumb are really good. I won der if it was the longer second rise, or this particular dough permutation (white, rye, and kamut flours, crushed flaxseed, and multigrain cereal), or what? Plus I woke to the aroma of bread baking.

Still haven't been sleeping well, though. Wish I knew why.

[addendum: I finally realized that although I like mint, and I like chocolate, and having them together is grand (Peppermint B/Patties, After Eights, all those things), mint chocolate is not so lovely. ]
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Total penguin control

I just hate when I lose it. You know, my penguin becomes uncontrolled, and I have to leave the room suddenly, even in the middle of conversations. I know they whisper about me, but I think they still suspect something less embarrassing than my penguin incontinence problem.

"Ma'am, is this penguin under your control? It seems to have swallowed the famous Meisterschmeister diamond necklace, so I'm going to have to bring you in for questioning. You have the right to remain silent. Anything your penguin says may be used against you..."

Joe looked like an average guy, but looks are deceiving. On his last trip to the Antarctic, he became snow-dazzled, lost in the featureless icy landscape, totally disoriented. When he was finally found, he was a slightly different person. No one was quite able to put a finger on how he had changed. Of course, none of them knew that the penguins kept his mind on a tight leash, though some wondered why he kept trying to put eggs on his feet.

The spectre of nuclear war was becoming more substantial. Before the world could be destroyed, there was the Change, and Earth entered into an enlightened era. Yes, humans were no longer the dominant species, but under the Penguin Patriarchy, the world became peaceful. The famous Egg and Ice epics were written, and white on white art rose to prominence.