Wow, time has flown by. Only a week and a half to go before we head back to the mountains. We are semi-frantically trying to fit in a bunch of last-minute social engagements to see everyone one last time before we go. Other than that, not much is going on. The past three months have turned out different than I was expecting. I had every intention of having a job and making money...but it seems it wasn't meant to be. People often ask me what I am doing with myself. My main focus has been providing my husband and beagle with a quality of life that not many husbands, and even fewer beagles, get to enjoy. (Foxy's quality of life has remained about the same if not decreased slightly due to the lack of a cat door) As if that wasn't enough, I've even managed to become a Master Chef of Friendship Bread. Yes, it's true. I have just pulled from the oven what may be the best batch yet -- Pineapple Banana Apple Oatmeal Raisin Friendship Bread!!

My friend (and gracious surrogate goat mom) Robyn gave me my starter mix as an infant quite a few months ago. Since then, the starter has matured and become such a part of our family that I am thinking of giving it a name. The traditional friendship bread recipe and starter care regimen could be the script of a bad soap opera, full of junk food and constantly spawning illigetimate babies to be pushed off on unsuspecting bystanders. I am always testing the limits, though, and have successfully converted the recipe to be completely oil free, sugar free, pudding-mix free, and often even egg free with no delitirious effects. Quite the contrary. We have been on a steady diet of two loaves a week, and usually run out before the next scheduled baking. (At least half of one loaf is gone within minutes of coming out of the oven due to all the "quality control taste testing" that goes on.) Thank goodness for all of the applesauce, blackberries and jam we canned last summer! Lest you think it is possible to have too much applesauce (I won't name names, but you know who you are), it is not. I now see we will be needing 3-4 times as much next year.

Due to concerns of over-population (we do live in a one-room shanty you know), I have put our starter on birth control so it is not producing 3 babies a week. This does kinda kill the whole "friendship" aspect of it, but if after reading this you become inspired to adopt a starter of your own, let me know. I will be happy to do some selective friendship bread breeding to be given to good homes only. References are required. :)