quincy

Grete and I have been taking Agility classes for a while now. We blog about our experiences and more at http://metagrete.blogspot.com. (This entry posted via www.43things.com)

Once in a while, I get discouraged because it seems like we have so far to go before we can even think about entering a trial. (We’re just learning 2 on the floor and 2 on the board contacts right now, and we’re only doing a single 2×2 of the weave poles.)

At that point, I take a step back and realize that it isn’t about getting to the point of running at trials. It’s about how happy we are together working out puzzles together. “Shaping” is a form of puzzle for her. Figuring out the optimal path through a sequence is a form of puzzle for me. In the end, we’re just having fun together. It’s totally worth doing!

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Now, granted, I’ve been using a bread machine most of the time, but you have to understand that, as silly as it sounds, it was a pretty big step for me to realize that I didn’t have to buy a box mix to use the bread maker. It was a hand-me-down from a co-worker because he never used it, and I simply assumed there was something magical about the box mixes that worked with the magical bread maker. However, I eventually stumbled across the fact that I could use something as simple as what CodeOptimist does here, and I’ve haven’t gone back yet. Most of the time, I use this King Arthur recipe minus the dry milk, and it turns out great every time. I love how simple it is, and I love that I can throw in whatever spices, seeds, nuts, etc. I want. I also love that I don’t waste as much bread. If I buy a loaf of non-preservative filled sliced bread from the store, it always goes stale or gets moldy before I finish it. The smaller bread loafs I make suit my single gal lifestyle much better. :-)

In any event, I’ve been meaning to pick up some ascorbic acid to try making French bread. After that, I might eventually try keeping a sourdough starter alive, but that’s another big step for me.

The No-Knead recipe looks really interesting to try. It makes me a little sad though. Even when I use the bread maker, I still dote on my little dough ball. I like showering it with love during the kneading cycles, adding a little more flour or a little more water or just watching it get exercised. When I make bread by hand or with a mixer for help, there’s some amount of goodness in the kneading. However, since I have yet to make a loaf that looks nearly as pretty as that—it’s definitely worth a shot.