Catch up

Lately, I've had less time to participate in all the baking events I would like. Mostly, it's due to a heavy work load. I have my own freelance business, which is bustling, thankfully, but I also have a part-time job at the local public library so I can have access to various health benefits.



I few weeks ago, I went on a week-long cruise with my daughter. However, apparently, I was a day or so shy of having enough vacation time accrued. I received a 'thinly veiled threat' from the HR person, saying that if I didn't make up the hours in the correct time period, all my benefits would be canceled. Really? All? (If you wouldn't keep stealing them for holiday time, I'd have had enough. Harrumph.)



So, yesterday (Friday), I worked all day -- my detention time, as I like to say. Ironically, the server for the entire library system crashed for the whole day.


The whole day.



There was no check-in. All check-outs were done manually. (Just love the mom with 40+ picture books.) No fines were paid.



Just think, I could have been home being productive: baking, and freelancing.




Grrrrr.




Along with second-job detention, I had fun dealing with this event this week:


Yep. That's my front door.



My daughter and I had the good fortune to watch the crash happen. Sure made exiting and entering a challenge.



Two of my nice neighbors came to the rescue with their chain saws, unasked. In return, they can have free firewood.



Oh, and remember the 'drug house' episode from a year ago? I am pleased to report that the For Sale sign went up on Tuesday! We all persevered, and, in return, our neighborhood has returned to its normal calm state, free of drug dealers and questionable characters.


Finally, one of the joys of my freelancing business is having the opportunity to see new books before they are published. While I'm at the tail end of the publishing process, I provide a much-needed and much-used part of the book (the index). Over the summer, I had the great fortune to work on a new bread cookbook:


I would encourage everyone to rush out and buy a copy. There are some great recipes, using a variety of grains, fruits, and vegetables. There are even gluten-free breads to be found. A Google Group has been set up as well, to go through the cookbook and bake all these delicious breads.

(I succeeded in keeping quiet about this, no easy task I assure you!)


So, with all my looming deadlines, I will do my best to bake and cook along with all my blog groups, but if I'm a bit tardy, you'll at least know why.