Lock-down Day 128

Phew! Almost eleven and I've just finished chopping most of the leaves! Enough to smoke for another week - and I also still have a good amount left from last weekend. So I've spent three hours maintaining my head-start on tobacco. On a positive note, this last batch seems to finally be light enough for me! Now I just have to use up what I made before ... and this is why I'm not processing big batches, because I'm still learning to get it right!

Drying overnight is not a good idea anymore, as it was all too dry ... so, next time I have to dry it while I can keep an eye on it and take it off when it is just ready. Learning ...

I'm now trying to decide whether I should wash laundry now or leave it for tomorrow?

Okay, so I put the laundry in the machine and started it. Then I swept the shower ... Mini came to watch what I was doing with her feathers! Mippies also brought in another pigeon - dead, I'm afraid. I fear it may be the one they mauled earlier ... it's under my desk in the lounge. I've swept the tobacco off the bedroom floor and the lounge. Then I started washing dishes ... when suddenly I had Mewthos on my back! Yeah, that was not a good idea, as I was standing upright. Of course, I immediately bent forward, as he had no intention of jumping off again - he was close to mommy and that's where he'll stay! Awkward! But I got him off, then picked him up for a major cuddle session. What a goofball!

I see my landlord is busy in my garden ... I think he's spreading fertiliser everywhere ... no clue what for.

Just gone past noon and the dishes are done. I still need to make a batch of cookie dough, bake a batch of cookies, bake bread, cook food for myself ... and I'll need to wash the floors as well, because Mr Piddles has been busy this week again!

Half past twelve, laundry is hanging outside to dry, food is on the stove - I'll just need to add potatoes and veggies later ... aaaaand the internet is wonky again! Down to 1 bar right now!

Half past one, internet still wonky. Can't do anything - just typing and ignoring the 'update failed' popping up, when this page is trying to auto-save.

First batch of cookies is in the oven, second batch is on the next tray, ready to be baked, chocolates are cut so that I can squish them into the cookies as soon as they finished baking. The margarine and egg are warming up for the next batch of dough - I still have to measure the dry ingredients for that, though. Pigeon is buried ... in my trash bin ... sigh. I'm going to have to take the bag to work again on Monday.

Two o'clock, sixty cookies cooling on the trays.

Half past two, cookie dough is mixed and in the fridge. Veggies and rice added to the stew - cooking now. Internet looks like it's back in full action - but now I'm hungry, so I'll give the game a chance AFTER I've eaten.

Dinner was delicious, just not quite enough - because the meat still needs to stew some more before it's tender enough. No problem, though. Well, not a big one.

Mippies came home very early! I took advantage, gave them their treat, sat with them then came here to write ... only ... silly me, I forgot about the kitchen window! The one Mewthos used to launch himself onto my back, when I was washing dishes! Well, he now used it to go back outside ... as did Ziva! Janey and Mini sat on the sleeper couch ... when I went to check on them, wondering why it's so quiet, I saw the outside light coming on ... only Mewthos triggers that one! Yup! There he was! And no, he's not coming in ... he's trying to go off again! So I close the kitchen window, push Janey and Mini through the passage and get ready to go after Mewthos ... only he comes inside, followed by Ziva! Silly mips think that coming inside AGAIN means they get a treat AGAIN! Uhm ... nope!

After a second outdoor excursion, they're now all settled down and quiet - no games, no mewling, no mipping. Well, Ziva is under the duvet and just enjoyed a prolonged ear scratching session, ha ha ha! She's still there ... patiently waiting for me to come back and continue.

Well, tomorrow I only have to bake bread - I've taken out salami slices, I want to try folding them into rolls - and wash the floors. I'm finally caught up and should have some time to relax and enjoy this weekend!

Well, I haven't prepared any tubes. But I did ask a colleague to buy me filters this weekend - I'm sort of counting on that. He found out that rolling machines are sold out - so that isn't going to happen. But if I can get filters - that'll be better than the cotton wool squished into hard paper rolls, which I've been using until now. Slight problem with the cigarette papers as well, they are too long. So I need to fill them somewhat differently - looser than the shorter tubes I had been using until now. I tried cutting them in half - which works just fine ... only ... I'm wasting twice as much tobacco in the stub. As I make progress, I reach more challenges!

Well, Ziva has finally come out from under the duvet and is mipping at me to come back and scratch her ears. I guess I had better do so ... the other three are spread over the duvet, Mewthos curled up with Mini and Janey a bit further, on her own. Cuddle time!