Deadline? What deadline?

I eat deadlines for breakfast. and lunch. and dinner. and midnight snack. and the next day's breakfast...

I've been working more or less straight through since Wednesday to get this chapter finished up for the intro astronomy text. It took for flippin' ever (and much longer than expected) to straighten out all the details, like making sure the figure numbers were actually, you know, sequential. That's probably kind of important. And that the reference went to the correct figure. And so on.

But it's done. And I think it's really improved. Certainly, it's more fun and interesting. And the problems are much improved. I love writing problems. No, really. I do. I like to write problems that say 'Ok, now we've told you how it is. How would things be if it wasn't that way? What if I moved you over THERE? What if I change this one thing---how would the universe be different?' Maybe I read too much science fiction, but I just love figuring out how to get people to stretch beyond reality so they can look back and see how cool it is.

Keep your fingers crossed, because in spite of the stress of SO MANY details, I really had a blast working on it, and would like to get the contract.

Good Dogs!

An update about doggie boot camp, now that Smokey is well, and can actually leave the property... Dinner last night and breakfast this morning were not delivered until they were polite. Such a shock! Their little faces when I kept putting their dinner back in the pantry as soon as they broke their 'wait' were hilarious. This is not the way they expect things to go...

This morning, I walked the two-headed monster down to the pond and back. By the end of the walk, I had TWO slack leashes, and could just look around at the birds and the sunshine. Our "meet and greets" need practice, though. Poor Smokey is just so interested in people! He breaks his "sit, wait" as soon as they speak to him. But, given that we are now convinced that he was only about 7 months old when we got him, I am pleased with his progress. He only jumps up in front of people about half the time now (and rarely actually on them).

They are back to only being allowed out in the backyard one at a time, unless I'm right there with nothing to do but pay attention to them! While on the one hand, their running around kills some energy, on the other hand, they just get more hyped up. Not to mention completely filthy. Good thing we have a porch we can close them into!

I'm pondering some agility training for both of them. They could use a job where they can learn to work together... at something besides stealing my sandwiches off of the counter!

Perfecting New Mexico Green Chile

So here's what we've learned so far...

Anaheim peppers ARE the correct variety.
They grow just fine here in Utah, and they are always available at Carlos'.

Once you've got some in your hand, here's what you do:
Fire up the grill, as hot as you can make it.
Layer the chiles on the lowest rack.
Close the grill, and wait patiently.
Turn them when they start to blacken and blister.
Then turn them again.
Keep doing that, until they are totally black and blistered all over. It will look like you did it wrong, and you'll be nervous.

Dump the hot chiles into a heavy paper or plastic bag, and close it up tight.
Then leave them there. Once they are cool, you can put them in the fridge, but don't peel them yet.
Wait a couple of days. (This is very hard, because you want to eat them right away. But they need time for the roasted flavor to get into the 'meat' of the chile.)
Open 'em up and slip off the peel, which should just fall right off, practically.
Enjoy deeeeee-licious NMGC goodness, layered into everything humans can consume. Especially green chile-goat cheese-breakfast burritos. And cheeseburgers. And ham sandwiches. Who'm I kidding? I'd just about eat the plastic bag, and call it a sandwich!

Oh, BTW, don't let the dog get them off the counter while your back is turned. BAD DOG.

Sorry!

Sorry, all, that I left you with that last, discouraged post! I'm feeling much more upbeat now, mostly because I've been busy playing outside in the bright Utah sunshine.

The new garden is in (almost 150 square feet!), the dog has recovered from his pneumonia, I've been building things, and making things, and learning things, and starting new projects (including, possibly, a new textbook project).

And our boy Barack has been busy making me proud. The new fuel efficiency standards are just a kick in the pants. And I can't believe he goes and watches his girls play soccer. The leader of the free world makes time for his children. It almost makes me want to have some. Almost. ; )

It probably helps that I've limited my NPR consumption in recent weeks. It's all very informative, but I'm feeling a little jaded about having too much information that you can't do anything about.