Well this is new. I was chopping onions and it didn't bother my eyes at all but instead has sent me into sneezing fits.

ita, I think that's a Bottle episode.

What exactly was a "gentleman" in 17th century England? Not a noble, right? But you could be prosperous, and still "no gentleman", true?

True, Typo Boy.

we have a tree. mac was enticed by the larger girth but less full trees. The Douglas Firs were clearly better looking, tight and dense, but thanks fully - what he chose was $10 cheaper. Now I have to do the dance of getting it in the stand and up - always tricky with a 7 footer by myself.

In fact just getting it home is probably something that should be filmed and shown for comic relief somewhere. me in a hot pink puffy coat, swerving on the sidewalk with the tree in a granny cart. mac walking beside carrying a large plastic tub.

Thanks, dcp. That's exactly what I was thinking of.

Can anyone guide to further readings. I'd like to be able identify social and economic class in the 17th century, how they intersected, and the grey areas. That is I'd like to figure out what would put someone in a position where there could be doubts and disputes over whether they were a gentleman. Alternatively what would make someone a gentleman, but barely so that other gentleman would think of him as "one of us, but not quite". Or what would make someone "not a gentleman, but almost". In other words what could put people close to the line, on either side, and what would put people in a gray area where you really were not sure which side of the line they were on.

New contender in the easy bread sweepstakes: [link] This was linked in Suela's lj the other day. I think the flavor is better than that NY Times one, but what really got me is you mix up the dough but then can do the final rise and bake loaf by loaf over a few days - so, more fresh bread and less of it thrown away stale. Win!

Instead of writing, I have sorted through mail, filed paperwork, paid bills, written checks for charity, added a bunch of stuff to my Amazon shopping list while waiting to hear back from my family on what they've already purchased for Christmas, and I think cleaning the bathroom is next up on the list.

Edit: Oh, and I did the dishes.

Productive! You need to not write more often! And then later, you can procrastinate about doing the chores by writing FTW.

I'm getting stuff done, but am cranky about it. Still, I'm about halfway through swapping out the winter clothes. It's like shopping for free! I always have stuff I didn't remember, or stuff I bought off-season that I haven't worn yet.

Loaded out the van, but still have to put the gear away, and move stuff out into the woodshed. And clear the deck. And stack the firewood. And move firewood from the woodshed to the deck. And finish the dishes.

Damn. I need to stop wathching this football game, huh?

Anyway, you'll all be happy to know that I have the doors locked Right Now AIFG. Dave will be baffled when he gets home and has to undo the locks. I still don't feel like it's particularly safe; both front & back doors have significant glass, not to mention our extensive windows for solar gain. If someone really wanted in, all they'd need is a nice rock. Like the ones we use in our landscaping.

It's funny I still don't at this point in time, because I'm the one that had that drunk and bloody trio stumble in the house back in NM.