Day 3.a

2nd starter attempt was also a bust. It's a hard, congealed mass of milk and corn meal with nary a 'bubble' nor 'pungent smell' in sight. Drat! I don't think it had enough liquid in it - though I followed the recipe.

So, I'm switching to a new recipe. And going out to look for an electric skillet because that's the most commonly recommended method of keeping it warm - an electric skillet water bath. The crockpot is definitely keeping it warm...maybe too warm. It's on just the 'warm' setting but it still gets pretty darn hot and I think it's just killing the bacteria instead of encouraging it to grow. Is bread that rises because of fermented bacteria really worth all this effort? Yes, it really is - and you'll just have to trust me on that 'cuz I can't send samples to the entire planet. If I ever get this right, I might be able to send samples, but not today. Not in the forseeable future.

I totally brain faded and forgot I had a hair appointment yesterday. I took the kids to the movies and totally forgot that because I was going to be off, I made a mid-day appointment. Thankfully, I have the most flexible hair stylist in the world and she left a message saying 'I'm sure you're doing something fun - so come at 2PM tomorrow'. So now I have a 2PM appointment. My feeble brain is getting so bad. I never even put that appointment on my calendar! Dweeb!

My wonderful hubby got Chloe to do ALL her businesses before he left for work, so she's quietly in her kennel taking her early morning snooze and giving me some quiet time before she begs me to get her up and play, play, play! Good thing she's so cute 'cuz otherwise, she'd be in constant trouble. Yesterday, while I went to the kitchen to get a cup of coffee, she tore into the bag of trash I had in here [waiting for a kid to take it out], and pulled out as much as she could in the 90 seconds I was out of the room. And that was a LOT. Tissues, papers, the wrapper from a tube of Thin Mint cookies - did I panic that she was licking chocolate? No. It wasn't enough to do anything to her and I'm pretty sure she'd just found it when I re-entered the room. She was scolded and 'sent to her room' while I cleaned up. Little twit. She's a trash freak!

B. is already up and moving 'cuz he's heading to the golf course this morning. Then band practice this afternoon. He's hardly ever home - which I used to think would be great, but it's not. I rarely see him these days. He's out and about. Glad he's keeping busy - he's working out everyday, playing a lot of golf (the monthly pass was the best bargain EVER). He wants for us to get a gym membership, and while I've considered it, I'm afraid we'll never see him if we do that. He'll be living at the gym, working on his abs and his biceps.

H. is still snoozing and I won't bother him until 10. 10 is my limit. 10 is plenty of sleep. And if it isn't, it's because you stayed up all night which you shouldn't - lights out is midnight during the summer months. They frequently aren't out at midnight, which neither J. nor I can check on because we ARE asleep well before midnight.

They both have their summer reading assignments. H. swears he has started - but I don't think B. has. They are not the kind of assignments that can be put off for the week before school starts (which is only seven weeks away). There are essays and notes and observations, etc. that have to be carefully compiled. You'd think that given the severity of the abysmall disappointment we expressed in their year-end grades, they'd be all over working hard. But no, sadly, they are as unmotivated as ever. Boys.

Heading off to get showered and ready for the day. I'll try to update later....