Yes! In addition to Landlady’s normal infusion of dog food and good coffee, I got care packages from three different readers, counting my brother.
Canned goods and more canned goods! Mostly canned meat, which will be most welcome this winter. Also somebody sent me what appear to be the fixings for pizza. I must research how to make pizza dough without delay.
Somebody checked out my Amazon wishlist. One can never have too much long underwear, and a couple of pairs of mine will be ready for retirement before this winter is done. Much appreciated.
Private joke: when my friends at my mail drop get a package for me from something calling itself “NY Lingerie” – and it has happened twice now – they just determine not to judge. And I hasten to display the very non-kinky contents.
Among the things my brother sent me were two non-standard items…
First, a shiteload of AA batteries, ever so useful. Timely, too, because…
…I was out, and didn’t buy any because he warned me this was coming, and I really wanted to change the battery in my pocket flash. I’ve got flashlights squirreled away all over the place, of course, but other than my floodlight which is rechargeable this is the only one I ever use. I tend to change batteries in it before it starts to go dim, because doing the other thing would be embarrassing. This little thing gets used several times a day, most days.
And one other thing, which came as a bit of a disturbing surprise at first…
Um…
Okay, if a total stranger gave me one of these, I’d smile, say thanks, and sidle away as politely as possible. When it comes from family…
Look, our roots are strictly Michigan Redneck. To the extent that my recent ancestors had religion at all it was distinctly Protestant. The chances of one of us catching the Islam bug are … well, it’s not very likely. And my older brother is the most nearly normal person in my generation. This came as a bit of a surprise. I wondered how I would ever arrange an intervention.
Fortunately there was an accompanying note…
You are perhaps wondering about the Quran? Opened my car door this morning in a shopping center to find it laying on the tarmac at my feet. There was rain on the way, so I rescued the book from a soaking. I had been looking for something to fill that particular void in the box, so I guess it was meant to be. Read it if you wish, but resist any sudden impulses toward fashion changes (IE: turbans, explosive vests, burqa etc.)
So that’s okay then. He just shares my attitude toward books.
Actually, believe it not I’ve been wanting one of these, though not badly enough to buy one. Now and then some article I read will quote a verse, and I’ve wished I could look up the context. Hey, I’ve got a Pearl of Great Price, too, and I definitely won’t convert to Mormonism. They don’t drink coffee.
Oh, hey, one other thing – Somebody hit my tip jar for $50 bucks a couple weeks ago, and I totally neglected to acknowledge it. Thanks much, it’s been kind of a lean month.
Anyway, thanks very much all. You made my day.
I have wind-up flashlights because I don’t trust batteries.
kentmcmanigal – I can’t seem to get the ones we have to hold a charge. What’s the key to getting them charged? Winding until I’m bored doesn’t seem to be long enough. (short attention span possible)
I use my regular bread dough for pizza. No one complains.
Bread dough will work fine. Just don’t let it rise… the pizza sauce and cheese tends to run off the high spot in the middle. 🙂
Re the K’ran: at least you won’t get door-to-door proselytizers.
Re AAs: I’ve been recharging Acculoop AAs for a few years and I’m impressed with their continued performance with no diminished capacity. I’ve run the charger directly from a solar panel without problem, though I suspect the charger gets frustrated when the sun plays peekaboo with the clouds.
Believe it or not I’ve had JW’s find the place. No Mormon missionaries, though, and there are more of them.
I have some wind-up flashlights that don’t hold a charge. But I have 2 made by Energizer that hold a charge really well- they do need to be wound for about 2 minutes when they run down. This is one of them: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B002MFK7BS/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pd_nS_ttl?_encoding=UTF8&colid=1QMXXGQZRV4FF&coliid=I27D020GEH07NQ
Got one of the windup flashlights some time ago. It was quite expensive, but I figured it would be good for an emergency. Never was able to crank it long enough for it to give more than a feeble glow, and I suspect any emergency would be long over and done with before I could work up any kind of respectable light. I gave it away… The whole battery thing makes me crazy sometimes, so I’d love to have something like this that actually worked.
That was me at the tip jar! You are very welcome!
I’ve got a pretty good pizza-dough recipe, but it’s designed for a bread machine. It at least uses AP flour instead of bread flour. Don’t know how much you’d have to adjust it for climate–I’m sure it would be rather different from the dough I make at 1k elevation & TN humidity. If you want it, I’ll send it, Uncle Joel.
Screw that, I ain’t busy for a few minutes:
3/4 to 7/8 cup water
3/4 tsp salt
2 T olive oil or other grease
2.5 c AP flour
2 t sugar
2 t yeast
Go from there.I suspect most bread doughs would work fairly well. If you’re making a pizza, it’s in how you shape it & bake it. I guess I don’t make pizza pies; all my pizza has been rectangular ( I make mine on a cookie sheet).