otterwort

For anyone out there wondering where I'm at - and you know who you are - I irresponsibly picked up a malware on the laptop.  At about the same time I knew I'd be extra busy for a few days.  So, the computer just sort of sat there for...wow, two weeks, apparently.  Which I think is an indicator of what life's been like:  it's almost unthinkable for me to go two weeks without the laptop, but it just sort of rolled past/over me.   

Anyway, it's fixed now (and full of anti-badstuff programs), and waiting for me to tackle a backlog of things. 

In other words, I'm not intentionally ignoring anyone; stuff is just taking even longer than it should.

It is theoretically possible that we have finally settled the scope and rough timeline for the project thingy at work.  Which is good because if this particular timeline holds, we start testing Monday afternoon.

It was supposed to be a small&simple IS-side test, basically to expand on some implementation tests that were done earlier.
What it ended up being is a highly visible endeavor, involving managers-of-managers, some irate folks from the sibling company, and Internal Audit, among others.  Sheesh.

What happened was, while we were dotting 'i''s and crossing 't''s, we discovered a hole in pre-existing testing procedures - one that causes test accounts to be tallied up in SAP just as if they were actual customers.  Which means we're over-paying on tax, screwing up the churn stats, etc.

So the accounting people are understandably agitated by this.  They got involved in our testing and have been planting feet.  The argument of "everyone's doing it - they've been doing it for a decade" - didn't help much.

Scope was pared down to the bare bones, to avoid financial impacts.  Now, the Business is agitated because we aren't dong a proper end-to-end test.  Everyone is confused...and the time window is running out.

Still kicking.  But yes, mostly kicking elsewhere these days....

The current work project is...well, thankfully, it won't last as  long as the previous one.  Yet again, the timeline came before the project scope was defined, and the timeline has very little budge.  And once again, they're absolutely certain they need this thing, but have no idea what it is.  So we're iteratively re-defining it.  Basically, about a month was allocated to define and coordinate a new variety of testing, and then 5 days to execute it.  We're finally pretty close to the definition of what needs to be done - which is good, because we start doing it Monday.  Now if only they would define who's doing the actual test steps. 

Despite all that, and me getting a little tetchy at times, they seem happy enough with what I'm doing.  Although I did have the weirdest meeting with someone from sibling company, last week.  He's knowledgeable, but also a self-important climber.  A person who likes to dispense wisdom.  Anyway, I now know a lot more about supply chain, and I only rolled my eyes once.

I had good luck at Shopko today.  Bunch of stuff on half price.  Twin bed comforter (handy for winter huddling, and small enough to fit easily in the dryer).  Set of sheets.  Blackout curtains - big enough and the right color - for the bedroom.

Sambucol was on clearance for $3.xx, which is something like 75% off.  Unexpired.  Go figure.  This is an elderberry syrup that's supposed to help boost the immune system.  It seems to do...a little bit of something, at least for me.  Hard to put my finger on it.  But for $3/bottle, I'm willing to stock up a bit.

Vet called back with the results of Dory's latest bloodwork (to check her med levels).

Dead center of therapeutic.  This is a half-pill of phenobarb in the morning and 3/4 pill at night. 

On that level, if I adhere to it religiously, she's alert - even playful - and does not have any grand mal seizures.  Still some facial tics, but those don't bother me as much:  they won't make her fall off the cat tower or something nasty like that.

Miss a dose, and good odds for a big seizure.
Keep to the regimen perfectly for a number of months in a row, and she seems to get the slightest bit over-groggy.

Anyway, I seem to have a pretty good bead on what her med level is, based on her behavior.  Which is useful to know.

Had a very enjoyable dinner with friends I don't see enough of.  Legos at the table.  Leftover bhindi masala too.

The current work project is reminding me of the last work project:  I was brought in too late, timeline's been set in stone even though the scope hasn't, and they're sure they need this done even though they haven't yet clearly defined what 'this' is.  And same as before, one of my half-bosses is irksome, while the other is actually fairly helpful; I guess it evens out.

Got my dates mixed up (I'm pretty sure she said "Monday", not "next Monday") and accidentally took Dory to the vet a week early.

They were swamped - someone had overbooked the afternoon - but they shoehorned me into the schedule, which was appreciated.  While waiting, I met many nice dogs and chatted with their owners.  Someone had a Coton de Tulears - stunningly soft&silky fur, and apparently hypo-allergenic too.

Dory was stunningly well-behaved, despite the parade of dogs.  Well, hissy for the blood draw, but who wouldn't be.  This was just the standard test for her med levels - results Wednesday.

I talked with the staff about glucosamine/chondroitin supplements for her.  It can be hard to tell if a cat is in pain, but she seems scrunchy and agitated when cold, even just when the A/C is on, and so much happier when very warm:  in the sunroom on a 90-degree day, on top of the stove after the oven's been on (oof).  I can't help but wonder if the heat-seeking behavior is a form of pain management.

Anyway, I got a bag of treats with glucosamine/chondroitin; if they seem to have an effect then there's a more therapeutic-level supplement that I can try. 

Picasso, for some reason, has climbed into the cat carrier and fallen asleep.  Go figure.  The thing must reek of dogs and vet, and if I were actually going to the vet and I shut the door on him, he'd claw himself bloody within 5 minutes. 

Work's gearing up again - I'll be busy for a while.  There are pro's and con's to this.  I'm tired and not all that interested in another "big push".  On the other hand, I tend to be more productive - at work and at home - when slightly overworked. 

I finally dug up the shallots.  They're spread out in the sunroom (not in the sun, and not currently accessible to the cats) to cure/dry in peace.

Today's harvest was ~255 shallots.  I've been digging up fistfuls here and there for some time now, so I'd say the total harvest is at least 300.

I'd planted about 70 shallots (3 lbs) this spring.  So, the math is roughly 4.5 shallots per bulb planted.  That's the size of the harvest after months of benign neglect:  weeded once, maybe twice, no watering, and no additional fertilizing after planting.  Crabgrass everywhere.

The clumps that grew well had 6-8 nice-size bulbs.  Websites imply that 6-10 shallots per bulb planted is what I should be seeing, or even more.  In other words, with better care, I could have doubled the harvest, and probably managed a better average bulb size.  That said, I'm quite pleased with the results of virtually no effort at all.  I'm not aiming for perfection, rather I want a garden that is sustainable despite a full-time (or more) day job.  Crops that can get by on their own if the need arises are much appreciated.

The shallots have a convenient bit of topknot.  Last year the topknot was less pronounced; I'm not sure if this means they didn't grow to full maturity and won't keep as well.  Time will tell.  Once they're dry I'll pretty them up by gently removing dirt and any loose bits of papery outer skin, and then I'll use the topknots to braid some nice little ristras.  A number of which I intend to give away.

Home yesterday, after a visit to Mom's.  Drove her around to places a bit - she doesn't drive as far as she used to.  Got in some nice chats.  Ate lots of food, and brought baked goods home with me.

Also brought home the 2-volume World Book Encyclopedia Dictionary (1964 version) that I recall from childhood.  Mom wants a proper modern dictionary.  I kind of like the older ones:  they're like snapshots of cultural history.  Anyway, I'll find her a newer dictionary.

Mom had a gift card for a Christian bookstore, so that's one of the places we went.  Gotta say that was a new experience for me.  There were things there that...well, perhaps I did know they existed, but I still held out hope that no one took them seriously.

Vacation ends soon.  Bummer.  I snuck a peek at my work email last week, so I kind of know what awaits me (I don't like surprises).

Will I have accomplished what I need/want during my precious vacation?  Not all of it, certainly.  Enough?  Well, we always find a way to make things seem like "enough" and continue on, don't we?  Unfortunately, I think I was on vacation just long enough to notice how much things get postponed so I can work instead.  Which allows certain things to occur that would otherwise not - like paying the mortgage - but it can feel mighty indirect, fulfillment-wise.  

Apparently I have been on vacation long enough to wax maudlin.  But that doesn't take much.

Anyway, the break in the weather is restorative.  Harvesting and weeding were done today...well, along with sleeping, dozing, and finishing a book.  Good sleeping weather, finally.  Garden continues to produce well over a gallon ziploc of green beans each week.   

Yesterday afternoon Z. and I went to the state fair.  There was a breeze, which made the otherwise oppressive heat&humidity bearable.

The state fair is...interesting.  I don't know as it does much for my opinion of humanity.  People don't participate in the classic stuff the way they used to, so the baked goods and crafts and such are often questionable.  People do participate in excessive eating and drinking, excessive hawking of questionable wares, etc.  

Not that I was immune to that; I did plenty of excessive eating.  Duck fajita (very tasty), venison burger, bison burrito, reuben-on-a-stick, chocolate malt eggnog, lemonade....  Up-ended the last of my money at the cherry-growers booth and got a pound of dark chocolate-covered dried cherries. 

I did not, however, get this year's big draw:  the cheeseburger with a Krispy Kreme donut for a bun.  That sounds like it would go over better on some dreary winter day.  

Z. bought a stunning - in every sense of the word - purse:  upholstery fabric, pink ribbon roses, lace that reminds one of metallic green beetles, a couple of tassels.... 

Seems we came on the wrong day to see most of the rabbits and chickens, nor did I see the pygmy goats that I so adored last year.  

Looks like the economy has taken its toll on the state fair too.  A much smaller variety of people selling things - presumably only the ones who can afford it. 

It was a good afternoon, though, and a good - if sweaty - stroll. 

K. brought me a gallon ziploc nearly full of Michigan blueberries, fresh-picked this morning.  I dutifully sorted through them, putting the unbroken/unsquishy ones in the special container that's supposed to keep fruit longer.  The rest went either directly into my mouth or into a bowl for further consideration.

I ended up making blueberry custard.  Which turned out pretty well, although it could have been a bit sweeter.

The main rule for custards is x cups of milk to 2x eggs.  I used 1.5 C milk, so 3 eggs...but the blueberries had a lot of liquid so I added a 4th egg.  Also honey, ginger, lemon extract, a pinch of salt, and nutmeg.  Bake in water bath at about 350 for about half an hour.

Meanwhile I still had 2 ataulfo mangoes staring at me.  I'd intended to use them with red lentils, but had used green tomatoes instead.

So, I'm trying to make mango frozen yogurt.  Sort of.  2 mangoes, nutmeg, maldon salt, and Greek yogurt, pureed and frozen.  Every once in a while I'll take it out and stir.  I've tasted it - a little sweet-tart, but that's what I was going for. 

(No special reason for using Maldon salt, except that I have this "salts of the world" sampler pack, and it seems time to start making more use of them.)