Summer. Really?

I get two summers this year. I keep interpretting spring as Autumn. My biological calander is doing a double take. I am happy to report that I am wrapping up a quarter at Evergreen and planning the next ome. The next contract which will start in January and end at the end of March is a challenging prospect. It involves writerly deeds, not just talking about them or reading about them. It involves publishing. Here we go.

I have been on an herbal detox diet. I take 40 capsles a day and have restricted my diet to fruits, vegetables (no Bananas and potatoes)plain yogurt, cold pressed oils and herbs, spices, and vinegars. I'm on day 7. I feel great. I do get grouchy in the morning if someone is cooking bacon, though.

I think that even more than the herbal aspects of the clense, the fact that I have made a plan to do this and even though the urge is stronge to eat things I have enjoyed for decades, I have control over myself. I think this is the bigger progress.

I still cook with relish (the feeling, not the ingredient)and my family gets to enjoy the foods by tasting them, I only get to smell and feel and create. Jordan says we have better meals when I am on this regime, which I find funny. One problem is I don't taste my breads. I just have to hope they are up to snuff.
I have been making a lot of progress on the bakery, or as we now call it: the baking studio. It turns out to be better to use it as a teaching facility instead of a "bakery". that is because of council restrictions. Financial comparison shows that the classes are a better business than selling 5 dollar loaves of bread, as well. I will still bake for my neighbors, especially the ones who come and get it at my house and trade me cool stuff for it. I am thinking about coordinating a culinary weekend retreat out here in Karekare.

Gem, the wonder dog is under fire (literally) from a neighbor who saw her 'worrying" sheep. I now worry, myself. She is very curious about other animals. Being part standard poodle and part lab, she loves to chase birds (including the same neighbor's chicken ($77 dollar vet bill, but bird did survive, whew) She was eagerly chasing the young cows a while back, but got kicked very near the eye and that showed her. She hasnt looked at them since. I just hope I can infuse the message about the sheep in her, myself. It would be heartbreaking to the kids, to us all to lose her. I have her in my presence all the time, now. She's smart, we'll see. I must resume my fiction now. Enough of real life for a while. May your smile be on duty.