things to do while wating to knock yourself up

1. try again to make sourdough starter
2. have drinks with friends
3. herd some cats, I mean, corral your class of 2 year olds for a class picture

1. In the vein of trying not to buy shit I can make several months ago, I thought, "Starrhillgirl, why the hell are you buying yeast, when there are millions of micro-organisms out there just waiting to leaven your bread?" And so I read the sourdough section in The Tassajara Cookbook, consulted Teh Internets and threw together some flour and water. It was not such a success. Check it out. It worked once. And then, for a couple reasons (namely, throwing out those batches that didn't work hurt me - wasting food is the worst), I quit and went back to my old friend, Red Star yeast. It was so familiar, I could make bread with my eyes closed. But I've been hit with the itch again. So the other day, I mixed up some flour and water. And a pinch of yeast. Yes, I cheated. This is not San Francisco, so I feel somewhat justified. Somewhat. I'll be sure to keep you posted, because I *know* y'all are on the edges of your proverbial seats, waiting to see what happens with my sourdough. Bonus points if you caught the Ramblers reference in there.

2. Tonight, that is. Shortly, in fact. With folks I know, and then some. The some being one of cho-girl's new Waldorf friends! Waldorf and Montessori at the same table? With fancy drinks? Ack! What will happen?

3. HA.


Also, because what's a Caved post without reference to ttc, I did 2 different kinds of OPKs today. At the same time! With 2 different results! The Answer one (courtesy of K) gave me a very faint line, very faint. The internet cheepie (found courtesy of The Obsessors) had nothing. Hmmm. And old Clear Blue gave me a low reading today. So to summerize: CD 10, no nothing from the various tests, plus no CM. Yet.

With a nod to Cali, here's the October horoscope for us Libras, from Free Will Astrology, my favorite kind:

Here's a brief mythic history of the birch tree, according to Philip Carr-Gomm's book, Druid Mysteries. The birch used to be called the pioneer tree because it was often the first tree planted on virgin soil, and so in a sense gave birth to the forest. The word "birch" is derived from a root meaning "bright" or "shining" in Indo-European languages. In Britian, birches were made into maypoles, which celebrants danced around during the fertility feast of Bletane. Siberian shamans, at the climax of their initiation ceremonies, climbed a birch tree, circling its trunk nine times. In the spirit of this rich folklore, Libra, I nominate the birch to be your tree of power as you begin a phase of bright beginnings and exuberant fertility.

"Tree of power"? "Exuberant fertility"? I'll take whatever help I can get, y'all.