I don't know why but it seems that when I don't post on my journal I somehow am neglectful and must do penance for ignoring it. Bless me interwebz for I haz sinned - it has been 2 weeks since my last posting!

On the Weight Watcher front I declared "I'm at goal" and now am into week 4 of trying to maintain for my lifetime membership where I can go for free ad infinitum if I stay here. Let me tell you, it seems just easier to lose than to try to keep at a +/-2 pound variance, especially as I generally weigh up to 7 pounds more at night than in the morning thanks to lovely water retention. I just wish I could be "normal" but I think my metabolic weirdness is just a fact of life for me. One good note is that my WW Leader says I look like I weigh a lot less than I really do. That's always been true because my family is built dense. Total loss to date is 151 pounds. That's more than I currently weigh and sometimes I don't recognize myself, but the attitude is still there though.

Lately I have been really been a Flylady devotee and my house is looking fabulous. I am all about the dinner table currently and have bought a new set (well several new sets) of dishes including the Target majolica pattern "Medallion". Loves it. And am fired up for square plates and chargers. The harvest table is looking splendiferous and this next weekend I'm changing over to Yule design which is cobalt blue and white. Too bad most cobalt holiday dishware features childlike snowmen. Not into that. Today I hustled down to Williams & Sonoma to buy a new mold that is totally over the top - thanks mistresshuette ! I don't know that I have ever baked a bundt type cake, but I am envisioning a lemon jello mousse with some green jello for the decor on the top. The Mr. will roll his eyes, no doubt, to learn that I bought it so I think I will surprise him (with a low sugar version) of said dessert. Speaking of mousse - Jello Temptations sugar free Chocolate Indulgence Mousse is my new crack. Low carbers - find it at Safeway/Thriftway/Fred Meyer in the chilled jello section.

Also I am all excited to be trying my hand at advanced cookie crafting. I have a beautiful snowflake cutter I got from Sur La Table (that Southpark episode about the Margaritaville - it's real - notwithstanding). Meringue powder is lined up for the royal icing, Today at Williams Sonoma I also scored some pearl colored dragees and blue sugar. The sugar is the same color as the blue raspberry Jolly Rancher candies I picked out of the bin to do the stained glass cutouts. To be fair to myself, I bought a bag of mixed Jolly Ranchers first, and when I opened them and counted I got 1, count it, 1 blue candy - they were mostly cherry. My last choice about the cookies is to make gingerbread or sugar cookies. Gingerbread is okay to eat, but not something I'm crazy for like sugar cookies. If I make "sugar chooks" they may OWN me like the last batch of oatmeal cookies that issued forth after the symposium. shadowdryad gifted some (ok lots) of oatmeal that inspired that. They were too good with the real butter.

Music - I saw a t-shirt I must have because for me it is definitive - it says "My heart belongs to music". Pretty much sez it all. Yep. The new music in the house are Celtic holiday music CD's. Again I say, with fervor, that this style is the "one true music" but don't tell Todd. Aside - found a place called dirtyhippie.com that will do a custom long-sleeved t-shirt with great retro Todd art - the dood proprietor is Moondog. I think I'm going for the B/W Todd on the front and the new Runt on the back louchette - good to see you back on in your Gackt splendor. Locals look for me sporting planned garment sometime after I figure out how to get a certain someone to gift it to me in my stocking. Back to the music, nothing moves me as much as the beauty of celtic phrasing and rhythm. My soul dances to it, no I think worships to it might be a better description of the inner experience.

I volunteerd to teach at the next Culinary Symposium. I am going to focus on the Weckerin (not Welserin) cookbook which I have been working from in its facsimile form. I've never taught an SCA cooking type class but here is what I intend:
*History of the cookbook and it's author.
*Composition of the cookbook.
*Comparison with the other German cookbooks of the 16th Century (Welserin/Rumpolt primarily)
*Since the cookbook is very specific about type of vessel I'd like to produce an illustrative glossary of these. Especially since I have a learning curve for myself. I'd like to peruse bildindex for extant stuff, and would love any links to good reference material about this.
*Transcribe and translate the Index/Table of Contents
*Redact some recipes - waffles for sure, some torten and anything else that looks interesting too me. Probably some of the more interesting "for pregnant women" or for "children" type recipes too.
*Still unclear about how, but maybe try to make something in class. I'll have to think on it some and do more reading.
Does this sound like an okay class? From what I am reading so far, the baked goods are mostly almonds a-go-go, but then I love the taste of almonds.

I am also fascinated with "Calendarium Oeconomicum" by Joannes Coler. It's a month by month almanac written in 1591. I think it might be fun to go through month by month. Did you know that there is a German version of the 12 Days of Christmas, but it isn't about love. It's fortune telling for the following year by the weather (during the day) or wind (during the night) during each of the 12 days. Who knew? Then there appears to be a method of knowing what's coming for the following year by what day of the week Christmas falls on. Each month has a calendar that shows major feast days and the length of every day and night is given in hours and minutes. Equinoxes are noted, and there are interesting rhymes to illustrate points. Attention is given to health, clothing and foods. Should be interesting!

Work on the embellishment of the 12th Night bliaut has commenced and will be in full swing after I recover from the damage I did to my fingers by stripping the floors without gloves a few weeks ago. Out of commission I am and for teh dumb to boot. And painful too, but healing. I need to figure out what to wear to Yule if I'm going to go. I'm going to work with Gungreda while on our enforced govmint furlough on the 21st to make her a GFD (gothic fitted dress for non-costumy types). I think it will be beautiful. And it will hopefully inspire me to make a black velvet one of my own next year which I will sprinkle with the gross of golden Catherine Wheels I bought for the conceptualized outfit.

Okay, enough bout me for now.

I have 2 costumed events to go to - dinner dressed in witchly wear on Friday and as a Voodoo Vampire to the Zombie Ball on Saturday.  Both outfits are totally hot.  I don't even recognize myself.  Whoot!

I was asked to go "witch casual" to dinner - I have an Oleg Cassini fitted skirt that flares at the hemline from some inserted gores ala Morticia.  I've pinned it up with a flashy pin in blues and purples, am wearing granny boots and purple and black thigh highs (J said to watch out for the house falling!).  The top is a long tight criss-crossed stretch top with a sheer black silk jacket embroidered in the same colors as the pin.  I decided to wear my silver cuff bracelets and am still thinking through a necklace piece.  I'll probably wear my wrap with my celtic crescent shaped pin for warmth outside.  And I have a black velvet witch's hat studded with crystal stars and finished with a mask pin.  It has a different shape, with the point going to the back like a cartoon or flying witch.  I've attached jingle bells to it!

The vampire outfit is a black body suit of lace spiderwebs underneath, a very low cut and tight size 4 dress over the top with a wrap around belt dipping to a v in the front.  Jewelry - multiple skull bracelets and anklets, a big skull rosary of sorts, a big and gaudy purple stoned collar necklace and finished with a long black braided necklace with teeth and amulets hanging from it.  On my head is a voluminous black wig topped with my "bad fairy" headdress which is kind of black twigs, a crescent, shells, crystals and now a couple of skeletons hanging from it and finally a veil.  I wish I had some killer high heels, but that would probably kill me - so I have on about 2" platform goth sandals finished with little silver crosses.  I am amazed at the difference black hair makes on me.  I think I like it!  Oh yeah, and vampire fangs too :)

Swiss Guard in 1512

The front waffenrock is the one I was thinking of as sleeveless.  It looks like it has a black velvet doublet underneath.

mistresshuetteloves German Renaissance cookery.  And she has shared some waffle pix:

http://mistresshuette.livejournal.com/67931.html

Nom...

This is the first column of the table of contents.  I am still learning vocabulary - the pots/pans/vessels will be challenging until I figure them out.  If anyone knows of a resource I'd love to hear about it!

Mostly these recipes in this column are for different kinds of puddings - mostly bread based - and milk prep.  So far, rectangularcat there are no actual bread recipes but there is much more for me to look over.  Found a reference to a 16th century Dutch cookbook though (left it at home), so I'll post it for you later.  I need a fuudie ikon for LJ!  Maybe waffle woman?

Transcription of Print	Translation	Page #
Erster Theil	Part I
Ein Mandelmilch zu machen	An Almond-milk to make	1
Ein Breu für Krancke	A Brew for the sick	3 4.
Ein Essen vom selben Zeug	A Dish of the same thing	5.6.7
Eine Gersten	A Barley	8.9
Eine Gersten mit Milch	A Barley with milk	10.11
Ein gantze Gersten	A complete Barley	12
Ein kalt Milchmuß von Gersten	A cold Milkmush from Barley	13
Ein essen von Mandeln	A dish from almonds	13.2
Essen von Reiß	Dish from Rice	14.16
Dorten von Reiß	Torte from Rice	15
Fladen	Flat dough-cake	16
Gedeckter Fladen	Covered flat Dough-Cake	ibid
Kuchen	Cake	17
Mörseltäß	A Mörsel (a kind of pan) cup	18
Essen für Schwangere und alte Leute	Dish for pregnant and old people	ibid
Ein Kinderbreu	A Child's brew	19
Kinderessen	Child's dish	ibid
Ein Freytags Kalbstopff	A Friday's Calfpot (meatless)	ibid
Kalt Kinderessen von Reiz	Cold Child's-dish from rice	20
Ein gute Milch	A good Milk	21.22
Gesetzte Milch	Settle Milk	23
Steinmilch	Stonemilk	ibid
Ein Igel	A Hedgehog (meatless)	24.25
Ein Kräfftig essen	A Nourishing dish	26.27.28
Ein subtile Milch	A subtle milk	29 30
Ein Mandelburg	An Almond-castle	31
Ein Mandelzüger	An Almond- bowl	32
Ein Mayenmuß von Züger	A May pudding in a bowl	33
Mayenmilch für Krancke	Maymilk for the Sick	ibid
Bereitung der Züger	Preparation of the Züger	34
Eyerzüger	Egg-bowl	35.36
Dorten von eim Züger	Torte from a bowl	36
Brotfladen	Bread Flat-Cake	37
Kroßener von Mandeln	Flat cake from Almonds	38
Gefüllte Wecken	Filled Wedge-shaped wheat bread	39
Köstlich Brot für Krancke	Tasty Bread for the Sick	40.41
Essen von Eyern und Mandeln	Dish from Eggs and Almonds	42.43
Essen für ein Krancken	Dish for the Sick	34.44.45
Ein Schüffelmuß	A Ladle mush	45
Ein Mandelsuppen	An Almond soup	46
End of Column One

My latest German dress Made this for September Crown.

I had a great time at the Honor Feast today.  The Barony of Three Mountains hosts a feast every year in honor of one of the citizens. This year it was held in conjunction with the Baronial Arts and Sciences Competition.  I think the Honor Feast it is a marvelous idea.  Today Aleyn the Younger was the honoree.  They sit at the head table and the folk in the room toast and praise them.  It could have been a roast too, but this person is such a gentleman...

My apprentice Geoffry Albryght competed in the contest with his entries of a 16th century flat cap, a reproduction of one of the lanterns found on the Mary Rose and a meat pie from a 16th century cookbook,  "A Proper New Book of Cokery".  While he didn't prevail as champion, he did very well and I am most pleased and proud to have seen him at work today. 

I met several new people and judged a Henrician gown and French Hood made by someone in the SCA for less than a year and just beginning to learn to sew.  Kimiko - she referenced your work for the French Hood - thought you might like to know that you influence people for the good :-)

There was much excitement among the foodies about the cookbook - not the least Countess Morwyn - who said that they would make a foodie out of me yet.  Again, someone stop me.  There was also much anticipatory talk about the waffle planz.

Above is the photo of my latest German effort made from wool that cost $1.50 from the thrift store.  I think I like the price best!

1567 - Interior of a kitchen by Pieter van der Heyden, after Hieronymus Bosch Woman Cooking Waffles

Clickie to enbiggen

Lookie see what Katrine will try to do for her breakfast contribution next year at camping events.  I think I'll even try making the special "waffle making hood" to cover the morning bed head.  I think it should be red for some reason...  Now to find some of these irons and try them out over coals.  I heard Fjorleif say she had one of these last Wednesday, so I definitely need to go look.  How about serving them with fresh strawberries and some cream (whipped if I can figure out how to do it in a period way)?  If not with whipped cream, maybe  some fresh yogurt I make up the night before!

New book just in on ILL:

Loan Title: Ein köstlich new Kochbuch : von allerhand Speisen, an Gemüsen, Obs, Fleisch, Geflügel, Wildpret, Fischen und Gebachens ... /
Loan Author: Weckerin, Anna.

It's a 16th century German cookbook.  I only found part III on-line.  I wouldn't be surprised if someone had done more work on this, but I couldn't necessarily find it right away.  Anyone know?  I'll bring it to the Honor Feast tomorrow.  I'm excited about the baking part.

It's almost WW weigh-in time!

Loaded some new tunes on the I-todd for the exercise and dancing.  To wit:

Jordin Sparks - S.O.S (Let the Music Play) - Techno pop interesting mix of combo and disco era remix
Three 6 Mafia - Shake My - Techno/hip hop fusion - was a wee bit more explicit than I remembered hearing on TV (tee hee)
Nelly Furtado - Say It Right - my current earworm :)

Let's just say the songs are a lot of fun on the bouncy rubber ball UNTIL you get a bit carried away and roll backwards uncontrolled.  Smack-slam went my newly bony rear into the loom.  When did I get a bony caboose? I didn't realize I had bones there! I didn't before .>-> What's going on?  Age most likely - but I started to work on increasing muscle tone and endurance in cardio is definitely up.

In other news down another 2.5 pounds at the Weight Watchers meeting today.  I'm within 5 pounds of officially not being overweight.  I probably screwed up by having Doritos for dinner.  The ebul salt will get me   They tasted good going down, but my tummy wasn't so thrilled :p   The leader at the meeting pulled me aside to ask me to come to a special banquet where they ask people who have lost more than 100 pounds to come.  I'm half embarrassed and half excited.  I have to come up with some sort of decent "after" picture.  It's a bit tough because I just plain old don't like having my picture taken.  The leader got a little misty and said "it's really motivational and moving".  I can get behind that I think, but it is at the Spaghetti Factory (though catered).  Nothing like being in a WW crowd staring down your favorite food in a battle of will vs. hedonism.  I better buy something tight!

Halloween - I'm going to Baron Samedi's Zombie Ball set in n'ohleans.  I am not so much into the zombie look.  I think I will go vampire.  Okay, it's slightly off theme or maybe not, but I'll look much better in the goth style.  Unless I turn up as a zombie Natchez ante bellum belle who maybe drowned in the mighty Mississip.  I think though, I'd rather vamp it up.  Mebbe I should do a poll!

I have really always loved this song (it's by James Taylor for you younglings).   Even despite its almost painful naiveté - although babies smile and animals respond when one sings it to them!  Perhaps too it is that near naughty memory of making out only once with this guy in one of the dark music rooms with this playing in the background.  It made me suspiciously and uncharacteristically late to AP Chem on organic chemistry test day...

Now that I think about it, I've always been a sucker for silly love songs except for ones by McCartney, and they set my teeth on edge!  My most favorite songs are about love, so when Shower the People issued forth from my friend's stereo this weekend I knew I had to put it on the i-Todd for additional listening. 

I'm going to have to stop walking on Broadway at lunch time, because I seem to be connecting with the divine too easily there.  Strolling along in the bright sunshine, singing along  to the descant of the above song to myself, I carefully and seriously was considering a question that has been bugging me for some time.  I know in my soul that I am and have been a great champion of free will my entire existence.  And I also try very hard to practice unconditional love.  But I could never decide which was most important after decades of meditation on the subject.  And yet, here on Broadway came the epiphany that I have been hoping for all my life.

The revelation may be a surprise to no one else, but I felt it run through me like a strong current.  Basically, because I felt it more than heard it, true unconditional love can not exist without free will.  The higher love can only exist if your eyes are wide open and understand consequence and repurcussion can hurt you, but direct an answer of love in purity anyway.  Free will can only be controlled correctly through love, or chaos ensues.  Love can only be controlled correctly through the use of free will.  One completes the other.

Such a light flooded in that I found myself thinking, holy moly, I grok it!  I grok it!  Can I transcend now?!?

And god laughed at the infant who wanted to walk the earth the instant after she took her first wobbly baby step.  And I laughed back and continued on down Broadway.

I've taken on studying up for the create a dish(es) appropriate to your persona challenge.  I went with the 16th century because it is so much easier to find stuff without writing a dissertation IYKWIM.  I ordered Sabrina Welserin's Kochbuch from the library  (yay! Equivalencies!) and someone has thoughtfully translated it on-line.  I've found some things - mostly ebul custardy things that look intriguing and some bratwurst especially.  I don't have the slightest clue how to get sausage casings though.  I was thinking that it would be really nice  to make sausage for myself without all the salt!  I'm sure someone has clues for me. 

And parmesan cheese in the 16th century - similar to modern?

Just rummaging through some very old notes in my dayplanner and ran across this little reminder that I had written to myself:

honorificabilitudinitatibus

Who knows when or  why I copied this down, but it travelled to the present to remind me of something I needed to contemplate...

From tudorlady 

What time did you get up this morning? 5:30

2. Diamonds or pearls? Pearls

3. What was the last film you saw at the cinema?  Bolt

4. What is your favorite TV show?  Ghost Hunters

5. What do you usually have for breakfast? Yogurt and fruit of some sort.

6. What is your middle name? Ann

7. What food do you dislike?  Mayonnaise and fish - about equally detested.

8. What is your favorite CD at moment? CD's are now replaced by the I-Todd of awesomeness. 

9. What kind of car do you drive? An Impala

10. Favorite sandwich? Patty Melt with BBQ sauce 

11. What characteristic do you despise?  I despise my tendency to procrastinate.

12. Favorite item of clothing?  It depends, but this summer it has been a blouse of deepest purple.

13. If you could go anywhere in the world on vacation, where would you go?  A beautiful crystal beach in the Aegean.

14. Favorite brand of clothing? I collect pieces that match my personality so I don't follow one brand.

15. Where would you retire to?  Seattle

16. What was your most memorable birthday? Turning 11, I think.

17. What is your favorite sport to watch? Olympic woman's gymnastics.

18. Furthest place you are sending this? Dunno

19, Person you expect to send it back first? Dunno.

20. When is your birthday? June 3

21. Are you a morning person or a night person? Vampiric late night person

23. Pets?  2 weasel-like critters

24. Any new and exciting news you'd like to share with us?  I'm changing.

25. What did you want to be when you grow up?  A translator at the United Nations.

26. How are you today?  Glowing.

27. What is your favorite candy?  It's a toss-up between real pralines, Jolly Rancher watermelon candies and peanut M&M's. 

28. What is your favorite flower? Lily of the Valley

29. What is a day on the calendar you are looking forward to?  Halloween

30. What are you listening to right now? Cobra Starship - Good Girls Go Bad

31. What was the last thing you ate? A Golden Delicious Apple.

32. Do you wish on stars? Yes.  And the Moon.  And the Sun.

33. If you were a crayon, what color would you be? Blue Violet.

34. How is the weather right now? Cloudy

35. The first person you spoke to on the phone today? A student.

36. Favorite soft drink?  Diet Coke

37. Favorite restaurant?  Currently Bugatti's.

38. Real hair color? What you see is what you get - blond.

39. What was your favorite toy as a child? My microscope or my chemistry set.

40. Summer or winter? Winter

41. Hugs or kisses? Yes, please.

42. Chocolate or Vanilla? Vanilla is the finest of the flavors.

43. Coffee or tea? Tea.  Black.

44. Do you want your friends to email you back? Always

45. When was the last time you cried?  Yesterday

46. What is under your bed? Ferret treasures

47. What did you do last night? Cut out and did the machine assembly of the sleeves to my new German gown.  Resized some clothing.  Went shopping.

48. What are you afraid of? Changing (See 24)

49. Salty or sweet? Yes please.  Both are bad for my health.

50. How many keys on your key ring? 11

51. How many years at your current job? 5

52. Favorite day of the week? Thursday.  Maybe it's the Thor connection 

53. How many towns have you lived in? 15

54. Do you make friends easily? Yes.

55. How many people will you send this to? On the blog 

56. How many will respond? Dunno

Yesterday at the state fair I bought a cute little Peruvian style alpaca wool cap with llama llama ding dong designs and a tassle at the top.  I thought it looked pretty cute, but I was going to shop some more when the little Peruvian lady told me I looked like one of the Inca princesses that were sacrificed by the Incan kings.  I pulled out my money.  At least I wasn't sucked in by the Sham Wow presentation since Vince was not presenting.  Although I was quite tempted by the glass cutter tool I saw demonstrated.

On another note, there is nothing like a dressing room mirror to keep you humble.  But I did rock the size 6 (!) skirt I tried on and it came home with me.

I have removed 127 pounds from my body.  Only about 15 more or so until I reach a BMI of 25. I'm at 27.5 BMI - so I'm still technically overweight.  I'm sure this number is a bit arbitrary as my family is densely built - heavy bones and lots of muscle mass - but I know that a weight in the vicinity of 24 or 25 BMI number is probably pretty close to ideal for me.  Wish me luck because as for everyone else, the last widdle bit is the hardest!

In a sublime form of self-torture, I volunteered to help a_pink_monkey with an all-day bake sale gig AND bake something.  My personal rule is never to make something you don't love for others, so I opted for lemon bars - I adore the cookie with lemon goo and in this Mrs. Field's recipe there is a middle layer of  lemony cheesecakey goodness.  With wrought-iron self control I washed the shortbread beaters (inset whimper of sugar lust here).  If anyone knew what I would actually do for warm sugar cookies and milk I'd be in big, big trouble :-D I just pulled the shortbread out of the oven and I am nearly outta my mind from the smell because I used my primo Mexican vanilla in it!  The devious wheezul plan is not to cut them until tomorrow when others are around so as to avoid secretive consumption.

Oh, and I am getting tired of hassle at stores.  In two separate incidents this week young helpers at establishments have been way off base and have had to have a smack down.  Today for example, in a weird discriminatory move, the young Subway clerk told me he wouldn't sell me a kid's meal because I wasn't a kid!  This after months of eating them at multiple locations.  Don't get between a dieting woman and her weekly processed food treat!!!  Needless to say there was a rapid resolution and production of my order as I approached growly belligerence after politeness and wheedling had no effect.  I don't want a 6" sandwich, I want a 3" one and they sell them.  If I have to hire a kid to get what I need to be healthy I will do it.  It's not even about the money - the 6" sub and the kid's meal are close to the same price.  I could order the bigger one and have done, but I don't want the other half later so it ends up being a waste which is really stupid.  If this continues to be such a production I will just switch back to my regular lunch plan.  Maybe it is a sign that those processed sodium rich meats are really of the debul anyway.   Well I've got that out of my system.  Those that read, thank you for listening. 

Off to make the lemon curd for the lemon bars now and the final baking!

So I was working on the meme that skaldic posted yesterday about favorite song lines.  I soon abandoned the project because I could think of a gazillion favorite lines and was overwhelmed.

But in my hunt for lyrics of one of my favorite Todd songs Influenza I ran across this cover of the song:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xmD_itYvw6A (sorry no embed available)

I have NO idea who Charly Garcia is, but he totally has Todd-head.  Not only is he exhibiting TEPTAE (that's The Ever Popular Tortured Artist Effect for the uninitiated) including the kewl rock duds, Costello-esque glasses and "this is how I am mad in private" visuals, he translated the whole thing into another language and culture.  He groks it and I wanna hang out with him to feel his energy.  His skin and body look so lived in - a characteristic I am starting to really appreciate.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/david-wild/hello-its-me-todd-rundgre_b_266585.html


All true disciples are flying to the AWATS show.  How cool it would be to go to Amsterdam and see it.  No doubt it will be one of those bragging rights at shows for years to come, and maybe only second to the Hawaii par-tay (although the Ra show still is also up there).  If I went to Amsterdam it might be years before I found my way home!  Ah yes, a dream goes on forever.

Faerieworlds was a blast.  I got on my Galadriel full tilt.  Just like a Laurel gone wild, I wore tie-dyed satin, lace, aurora borealis sequins, glitter, crystals, a modified mini disco ball, led lights along with some Viking & Celtic bling.  It rawked - you guys should all be thankful I got it out of my system (for now, neways).  If pictures I like surface, I shall link - it seems like someone was taking my picture all the time.

Next year, for bad fairies day, I am going to construct a persona that represents the Queen (or princess) of the Elves of the Black Forest.  She needs an ominous Germanic name, but the ideas for the outfit are percolating already.

The best part, as always, was dancing in the fairy mosh pit to the bands.  It was hot as hades though, but the sunset on Lughnasadh was beautiful and sang to my spirit.