First person

Oh the words! Stumbling, trying to put them out, raising something from the ashes.

I have been changing the way I use the computer. This is one good thing that has come out of all the troubles these recent weeks. I was away from home, and for days on end couldn't play the computer games I habitually use to console myself. It shook me out of my rut routine. Now I am following news feeds, beginning again to keep current about what's happening in the world. Not so much the front headline news that I hear on the car radio anyway. It's science and environment that has always interested me, and interests me now.

But how do you teach an old dog new tricks? I have been so thoroughly self-absorbed for so long that my mind is utterly saturated. How does one get self out of the way so new ideas can infuse and begin to create the undercurrent of new endeavour?

One of the hardest writing challenges in the world is to free-write a few paragraphs without using first person pronouns.

3 bread machine recipes

Many people consider bread machines a waste of space, but I've had several and made good use of them over the years. Unfortunately the blade of the best one went missing. Then Mom and Dad gave me their old one, but it promptly broke. So I have gone without for several years.

A few days before the flood I saw a Black & Decker model on sale at Canadian Tire for about $65, and purchased it. Of course I didn't have an opportunity to try it out for some time. Finally, I was preparing to bake the first loaf on Monday evening when the second flood hit. I was seriously pissed, but refused to be deterred. After the water had been turned off and the firefighters had left, I finished assembling the ingredients in the pan, hefted the machine to Sylvie and Sarah's place, and baked it there.

( three recipes )