by jphilo | Nov 12, 2021 | Book Updates
Excuses and updates from See Jane Run! HQ are in order after close to a 2 month silence. They run the gamut from pathetic to praiseworthy. You can decide which ones belong in which categories as you run through my list.
- House construction contractor woes. Specifically, the lack of a functioning heating system after months of repeated promises from the heating/cooling contractor that he would send someone “tomorrow.” Well, tomorrow stretched well into October. Cold weather was breathing down our neck, and I can’t write with someone breathing down my neck. Tomorrow arrived on November 9, when the work was finally completed to our satisfaction with the warranty filed and in effect. Wahoo!
- The Great British Baking Show. Netflix began broadcasting Season 12 several weeks ago, so I had to rewatch the previous seasons to prepare for the momentous event. Kind of like having to rewatch previous seasons of Downton Abbey before a new season came out. Loyalty is a virtue, right?
- Airplane travel. Hiram and I flew to Idaho for a week in October. After 2 1/2 years with my feet planted on terra firma, I underestimated the time involved in packing 3.5 ounce containers of liquids in quart zip lock bags, recovering from jet lag, and unpacking afterwards.
- Online teaching. I have thoroughly enjoyed every minute of the online college class I’m teaching. It’s just that it’s taking more minutes to do a good job on behalf of my students than anticipated, so there’s less time to write than anticipated.
- West River Mystery Series progress. Stuff is starting to happen as the publication date for See Jane Run! inches closer. The first proof of the book cover arrived, and it makes me laugh. Marketing details like designing business cards (see above) and developing a marketing plan eat up hours and hours. Writing the first draft of See Jane Dance!, book 3 in the series, devours entire mornings and afternoons. I’ve reached chapter 5 of 50, which means much devouring remains to be done.
If you want more excuses and updates from See Jane Run! HQ, leave a comment below and I’ll try to oblige. Please indicate if you want a real or imaginary excuse and/or update. Fiction writers often struggle with that differentiation, so your guidance is appreciated.
by jphilo | Mar 18, 2016 | Recipes
This Fantastic Friday post is an homage to last Sunday’s Downton Abbey finale. The recipe’s posting today so fans can whip up a batch of scones, make a pot of tea, put on their best English accents, and be jolly good sports all weekend long.
Downton Abbey Dairy-Free Scones
Between yesterday’s top ten list and today’s recipe, it feels like Downton Abbey Week along our gravel road. Today’s recipe comes compliments of Downton Abbey Cooks, the brainchild of food historian Pamela Foster. You can find Foster’s original recipe, along with many other Edwardian England dishes, in her post about guilt-free scones.
I spotted the recipe while sitting under the dryer and reading the paper at the hair dresser’s. It sounded so good, I came home and created my own dairy-free version. The scones were an immediate winner, receiving the coveted Hiram seal of approval. They were light, crispy, and flavorful. They will be a staple at our house, even though we don’t have a kitchen maid to sift the flour 3 times!
1 cup unnbleached flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 tablespoon sugar
2 tablespoons frozen lard
1/4 cup almond milk
1/4 cup dried fruit (I used dried cranberries)
Heat oven to 450°. Mix together flour, salt, and baking powder. Sift three times. (Or have Daisy the kitchen maid do that part.) Add sugar and mix in well. Grate frozen lard (another job for Daisy) and add to dry ingredients. Lightly cut in by hand until mixture has the consistency of sand. Stir in dried fruit. Add almond milk, a tablespoon at a time, mixing dough with a fork after each addition. Stop when dough holds together, but before it gets sticky.
Kneed dough gently a few times. Do not overwork! Form dough into a circle and place on a cookie sheet or heated baking stone. Press dough until it’s a circle 1/3 inch thick. With a knife, cut into 8 wedges.* Separate them slightly. Bake for 5–7 minutes.
by jphilo | Mar 10, 2016 | Three Thoughts for Thursday
- The Downton Abbey finale was perfect. After Nurse Jackie ended with a drug overdose and the mysterious Don Draper as mysterious as ever in the last episode of Mad Men, Downton Abbey’s finale where love and compassion make it possible to face changing times with hope and strength made it a story worth watching.
- After the Man of Steel repaired a little guitar for a six-year-old boy, the first grader’s music teacher* sent a thank you with the following message: “My student’s first goal is to pick out the tune to Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star. After that, he wants to learn the Smoke on the Water riff.” The Man of Steel’s been smiling since the email arrived.
- Our grandkids will all be together this weekend. I bought Easter props in hopes of getting some fun pictures of the 3 of them. The 3 1/2-year-old will cooperate, but does anyone have suggestions about how to keep bunny ears on a 14-month-old and 11-month-old long enough to take a picture?
*The music teacher is giving this little guy lessons on her own time. For free.
by jphilo | Feb 4, 2016 | Three Thoughts for Thursday
- Unless Julian Fellows has something up his sleeves, there’s no way Isobel Crawley can pull ahead of Lady Violet in their zinger contest before the series ends.
- At the end of my last visit with Mom–after I’d taken her to the doctor, squired her to lunch, and restocked her supply of library books–she said, “You’re so good to me, Jolene. Don’t change, okay?” That’s as close as she gets to “I love you” without coaching.
- Melvin Aspengren, the most outstanding elementary school janitor I ever worked with, died earlier this week. He took pride in his work, cared about kids, and was a role model to children and adults alike. Oh, Mel, you will be fondly remembered and dearly missed.
Who are you missing today? Leave a comment.
by jphilo | Jan 14, 2016 | Three Thoughts for Thursday
- Note to self: Do not allow glittery Christmas cards anywhere near your work area unless you like holiday sparkle on all surfaces, including your laptop keyboard and your favorite pens for days and weeks to come.
- David McCullough’s The Wright Brothers is a fascinating book and the audio version is read by the author. I highly recommend it.
- Rumor has it a Downtown Abbey movie is in the works. I’m in.
What rumored movie sequel has you turning cartwheels? Leave a comment.
