Random

I just read about a universal remote to turn TVs off, developed by Mitch Altman, letting people be TV-free in more places. Though he points out that it shouldn't be used maliciously, I can picture someone walking the streets of Boston tonight, randomly clicking other people's TVs off during the game. Or going to sports bars and wreaking havoc. Or messing with the displays in an appliance store. Etc. In fact, I can imagine far more ways to be a nuisance than to use this as it's intended.

Shabbat has been getting earlier fast, the fastest it does during the year, about 15 minutes/week. I just realized it's Ramadan this (lunar) month, and I wonder if the time shifts make it significantly easier or not.

There's a mailbox just outside the Harvard T station with a leg bent under, no longer touching the ground. Another leg is also partly bent. I keep wondering when it will finally run off, rather than just looking poised for flight.

I brought chocolate-dipped things to the bake sale at work yesterday. The ginger vanished, while there were lots of peanut-butter-filled pretzels and almond clusters left. Next time, more ginger for work. It's my favorite, too.

Being Julia

is absolutely lovely.

Farm share, week 18

We now distract you from the frustrations of the game with a list of very calm vegetables. Oh, and fruits.

• a half peck of apples, many of them Delicious (no longer my favorite variety)
  
• a bunch of kale
  
• a large leek
  
• four largish carrots (a pound?)
  
• five red onions
  
• a mini-pumpkin
  
• a carnival squash
  
• two beets
  
• about ten potatoes (a couple of pounds)
  
• an acorn squash

With all the apple inundation, I've been making applesauce. First it was apple-pear sauce, the remains of which were canned (a pint and two minis). Last night it was cran-rhubarb applesauce, which I think is quite excellent (four pints canned). And tonight, using Bbbsg's suggestion, it was gingered applesauce (three pints in the canner). It starts appley, and ends with the heat. Yum. There's still enough apples for another batch, and cinnamon's sounding far too run of the mill now. Other ideas?