Looks like a nice day here. Danced the night away at the Otter Lake fire department annual Labor Day bash. They do hats and noise makers and new years stuff since no one is around on NYE. Today is a family picnic.

Good day for exploring, but the bulk of the tourist crowd will be gone tomorrow so that makes more sense.

Are yard long beans actually a yard long or is that just a kind of bean?

I had much better luck with directions (even randomly picking the correct of six exits from the metro!) this afternoon. Went to a Benedictine monastery started in the 1300s. Very neat (also, only $2.50 to enter). Now having a slice of cake and hot chocolate back at the hotel (yay executive floor lounge!)

Class in the pool for the next 45 minutes. Let's see how long I can spend in the shower, sauna, and steam room...

Good lap times despite my shoulder being pissed with me. And now I'm going to make it really angry. Grinding will commence shortly.

Colin's son turns 1 soon. Went to a no-kid birthday party. Pizza and beer and fruit salad. Bundles had a great time running around and growling in his diaper and they figure next year they'll involve things for him. I get to make the cake!

Kat, would K be able to help me with a female self defense session? I really can't get banged around, but she'd be a great example saving herself. I don't have a date yet--it's a request from a former co worker.

BTW, ita, your box was sent out on Friday, look for it Tuesday or Wednesday.

Need to do:

vacuum living rooms - 1 done by me
mop kitchen
clean my bathroom - floor and toilet done
do a load of laundry
vacuum mac's room - by mac
measure some clothes - measured 1
go through some papers - clear off at least one side table - by me
clean off dresser
wash car
vacuum car

Hooray for flexible plans -- the beach this morning was perfect. And we got fried clams AND swung by the one place that sells Utz cheese popcorn, the perfect snack food.

Yard long beans can grow to over a yard long. Usually they're picked at ~18" as they get tough when they're longer.

Today I'm hoping to get some yard-long beans from my CSA into a salt solution for fermenting,

OK, the directions for fermenting yard-long beans are notably flawed. After the beans are covered by brine I'm supposed to put the remaining brine in a gallon plastic bag and use it to keep the floaty beans submerged. Bah! The beans come up around the bag. It's not like it makes a tight seal with the container or anything. I wrestled with it until the bag unzipped, drenching my shirt and making me jump back. At which time I spilled half the beans. Screw it. Today I'm making pound cake and a mid-afternoon cheap-ass margarita.

Yeah, but now you've literally spilled the beans.

I'm easily amused.

Swam and went to the grocery store and have done nothing else. Kinda ready for a nap, though. C'mon, self, the to do list is still long.