The beer I brewed yesterday now has white stuff growing on the surface.  That is not normal, and is not good.  I am not happy about this, but considering I've brewed probably a dozen or more batches of beer, it is probably lucky that this is the first one that has been contaminated.

Bollocks, as they say.

I was going to write more, but I think my brain is shutting down, so I'm just gonna go to bed.

Unbollocks, as I may start saying.

Simple pleasure - a nighttime bike ride with Joe
Peace

There are two Halloween parties that I have been invited to tonight, one from LJ and one from a former camp person.  I thought about going, but since Sarah's folks were here all last week having a quiet evening in sounds pretty nice.  Not that we've even been doing the same thing for most of the day, but just being in the same place is all I need right now.

After throwing disc golf at Acorn this afternoon I came home to Sarah making some pretty good carrot cake.  Then I got started brewing my first batch of beer in over a year (cherry stout).  Now she's reading her new book and watching the World Series.  I'll find something to do I suppose, maybe just laze a bit.

I suppose I could write more, butt lazing seems a little more attractive at the moment.

Simple pleasure - passing on a hand-me-down when someone else could use it
Peace

I wouldn't say that I went on a cooking bender this weekend since I didn't make bread like I wanted to, but I still did a bunch of cooking.  Saturday evening I made wild rice stuffed acorn squash and rhubarb applesauce.  This evening I made stuffed peppers.  Cooking bender, no.  Stuffed bender, maybe.

Besides cooking, I did a little beer work too.  I finally got Sarah's vanilla porter out of primary and into secondary.  We tasted it and I think it'll be ok.  I'll just let it sit in secondary for a week or so to let things settle a little bit and then rack it.  I hope it still turns out ok.  A good porter would be nice to have on hand for the winter.

It wound up being a pretty good weekend overall.  Yeah, I was crabby at REI, but that didn't last long.  We also went to an apple orchard, and a Gopher volleyball match later that evening.  We've been to a few other volleyball matches at the U, and we always have a good time.  Lots of fun, that.  Afterwards we went to Wilde Roast for coffee/hot chocolate, creme brulee, and bread pudding. 

Today Sarah went to church and I went to the Zen center.  I've gone two weeks in a row now, and it feels pretty good especially since I haven't gone in probably over a year.  The teacher was talking about committing yourself to practice in however each individual feels would benefit themselves.  I've been wanting to do more zazen, but just have never done it.  I figure I can sit for ten minutes pretty easily during my breaks at work a few times per week.  I will make it my goal to sit for even ten minutes, three times each week.  I can do that. 

I also went for a ride this afternoon, for the first time since I started my temp job.  It felt really good to get out and put on some miles, but I could tell that I haven't been training.  I couldn't climb quite as well as I could this summer, and I tired more quickly.  I did hit a new high speed (on my road bike) of 42.8 miles per hour on one descent though.  Woo-hoo!  One tenth of a mile per hour faster than my previous high.  I think I might have been able to hit 45, or at least 44 had I started pushing down the hill earlier.

Oooh!  I just got a call from my newly married little sister.  A wedding on the beach at sunset.  Sounds pretty nice.  I can't wait to see pictures.

Simple pleasure - a room lit with candles
Peace

Sarah and I brewed a stout last fall after our wedding to give to Joe's ex-girlfriend as a thank-you gift for helping out so much on the wedding day.  Shortly after the wedding, she and Joe split up and despite trying to get in touch with her repeatedly, she has pretty much dropped off the face of the earth.  She was cool, but not without a fair amount of passive aggression and some issues.  So... whatever.

Anyway, I am finally getting around to bottling this beer.  It should have been done probably 8 months ago.  After I pull it out of the secondary fermenter I'll taste it.  If there aren't any funny flavors it should still be good.  So, with a lack of motivation, and much putting it off, Rip Van Winkle Stout is reborn.

*sip sip*

Tastes pretty good, actually.  Bottling will continue and in a few weeks we'll have a pretty decent stout on our hands.  Woo-woo.

Simple pleasure - the smell of clean laundry
Peace