msbelle, I'm sorry Mac is being such a pill. Poor kid: I do wonder what's going on in his head.

shrift, travel safe! The weather in Chicago is warmer than the Bay Area right now, oddly enough.

I got home from my vacation last night, and this morning discovered that I had only gained a pound, despite getting very little exercise (other than walking) and eating tons of enormous meals in restaurants (my brother & SIL do not eat at home, basically). That was good, and totally worth it for the beer-battered cheese curds alone.

Also, I got a lead on a job which might be really interesting: doing environmental work in-house for a big solar company. Sounds cool, less stressful than consulting, and less ridiculous than federal work.

Today I have a crazy long to-do list, including watching the Red Sox game with my dad. I really thought that unemployment was supposed to involve lying around watching tv and eating bonbons, but that's really not happening. Sort of frustrating.

I asked the Magic 8-Ball if I would get a lot accomplished this weekend, and he said, Very Doubtful. Hmpf. Mr. 8-Ball knows me a little too well.

I was happy to find out today that I've lost 2 pounds since going off the low-carb diet. (Well, actually I've lost 8 lbs. in the past three weeks, after regaining 6 thanks to that ginormous meal at Commander's Palace and adjusting to a wider range of food over the next week.) So, 33 down from my blubbery post-holidays high, and it looks like walking 2 miles every morning + eating lots of fruit is working well.

Also good this morning, my parents' neighbors told Mom we could have any figs we wanted from the tree in their front yard. I picked a double handful of beautiful just-ripe figs (brown turkey variety, I think) and will have them as dessert with lunch. And I'm planning to go see Reefer Madness tonight at the Circuit Playhouse in Memphis, which should be lots of fun.

I went by Jesse's yardsale and got a bunch of useful gadgets. It seemed to be going well, they were selling steadily while I was there, some of the furniture was already gone!

I'm envious. I love yard sales!

Today I have a crazy long to-do list, including watching the Red Sox game with my dad. I really thought that unemployment was supposed to involve lying around watching tv and eating bonbons, but that's really not happening. Sort of frustrating.

Consuela, if you want to come over to the Golden Gate Park area tonight, we are having a wee shindig around 7.

Sounds like a good vacation, Consuela.

33 pounds lost, Matt, that's really good!

Cookery question: I am looking at a recipe with 1/4 cup of cornstarch as a soup thickener. It's way too highon the glycerin load and inflammatory blah blah for me to want to play with. Arrowroot is less bad, but not good. What other options should I explore?

Frustrating computer service yesterday. Apple didn't call me back Thursday like they said, So I called them, and they told me it was nearly ready - that they had done the same replacement that hadn't worked the first time. l asked for assurance that they'd verify the specific symptoms were resolved, and they said yes. l asked if they had written down the tests in question during this call and I got put on hold for a technician who promised they always do that.

Except for last time, I asked? Apology. THESE TWO TESTS, OKAY? Sure, almost done. That was yesterday at noon. Haven't heard from them since.

I get that every diagnosis repeats the tests I ran as if I hadn't run them. l do wish they wouldn't do it while l'M waiting there, though. Also, don't make me sit through IGNORING or CONTRADICTING tests the other support people have run. They are canon, or at least internal conflict only. Don't waste my time. But I've watched them do the same thing 3 times now, and they still come to the conclusion that hasn't worked yet...

Would tapioca flour work, ita? I have not a clue about its glycemic load.