Rhyme and reason ice cream

[the_benj]

In non-chronological order!:

I went on a tour into the bowels of the State Library this evening.
Awesome, but it's left me feeling extra disappointed that I didn't get the job. :(
Hot damn, but the Mitchell is gorgeous. Doesn't cease to be impressive.

Next week: City of Sydney, at Customs House. Look out, Mary! (kalenture)

Went and did the bridal registry gift-buying thing for K&K's (malinari86 and thebluefairy) upcoming nuptuals.
Discovered that the candlesticks I'd been eyeing had already been liberated for the cause. After a little grumbling, I chose something else (pondered the ice cream maker, but decided it was slightly outside my price range).

Finally managed to catch my course supervisor and ask about exemptions/recognition of prior learning.
Huzzah!
Now I just need to catch my manager and get a letter from her, saying I rock. Shouldn't be a huge challenge, as she wrote me a similar item to apply for the course in the first place.

Began new ice bean project. I've been experimenting with mixing ingredients for a little while.
My new project: Soy rum and raisin. Or "Rhyme and reason", as my Health-conscious tangent-mind has dubbed it.
So, ice bean, I have a bottle of dark and a kilo of raisins with your name on them!
Dry run with unsteeped raisins and a shot of rum, mixed directly:
Surprisingly tasty. Good overall texture, rum taste too strong.

I have more confidence in the steeped raisins, but I thought I should try it with unsteeped, just to be sure my thoughts on this weren't "superstitious" or otherwise unfounded.

So, next dose -

1. Use steeped raisins (I have two batches soaking already)
   
2. Chop raisins. Dose A too chunky.
   

My biggest obstacle here: Trying to acquire normal rum and raisin ice cream, for comparison testing.
I've now been to three supermarkets, none of which had any such thing. Not in "normal" big tubs, not in small "connoisseur"-style tubs. Nothing.
The closest I've come is Jamaican gold chocolate.
Which is rather good, mind you.

Tom (furpants_tom) has suggested - in his post thesis-composition clarity of being - that I should try Wendy's or New Zealand ice cream. Seems like my only real option.
Even when (when, damn you!) I do track some down for cross-testing, I'll then have all this ice cream I need to use up.

For that matter, I'm going to have all this rum left over from soaking raisins, too...

Went to Jenn's (astridthemighty) birthday party on Saturday. Was roped into helping set up, run and clean up. Gosh, what a nice man.
Blew up many, many balloons. Arranged balloons decoratively. This is still slightly new to me; I seldom had balloons around, as a child, because mum was morbidly phobic of them.
I kid you not.

Jenn got some good presents and had some cool people in attendance (madame_wolf, I'm looking at you...).
Also some not so cool people. There was some screaming and stomping and stupid leaping up and down fruitlessly, crashing against the floor. Jenn has pondered the purpose of inviting this particular person.

I was feeling pretty tired by the end, as I'd gone to mum (gytha_ogg) and Jenn's pretty much directly from work.
But all in all, not too bad.

Spent Sunday afternoon and evening with the frabjous Rhiannon (regency_rhi). She had work to do on her dress for Age of Aquarius (aoa_freeform), this coming weekend, so she sewed and I researched Imperial Russia, for my new Worlds apart spin-off.
It was good. Comfort in her presence = tops.
Very good.

Made lots of progress with mum on my costume for Age of Aquarius. Wanting to feel like I was actually doing something apart from being served, I did my own ribboning. I am very pleased with the results of my design. I get leg-bows, which is a plus.
Now we just need to sort this doublet out and I'm dressed.
I've already helped sort out the pattern and prepared the fabric (it was too stiff, so I've beaten it into submission). My further involvement in this shall be in the form of lacing and rivets.

I think you're pretty much caught up, now.

"I like to wear white in the Winter time
Pay my penance before the crime
Have my reason without the rhyme"
-How do y'all know?, Harry Connick, Jr.

Comments

[furpants-tom.livejournal.com]

I'm famous!

[madame-wolf.livejournal.com]

Your company and the balloons were very much appreciated!

Love the fact you talked about rum and then about Jenn. She *is* very piratey, after all.

[sam-sonite.livejournal.com]

Your best bet on the raisins front is to go to a place that supplies restaurants. You will most likely end up buying a larger container than you would have normally, but you are also more likely to get what you want. I remember going into an excellent place with my father when he was visiting (and was still running his baking business). It was in Surry Hills near the city and I want to say the street was called Riley Street, but I could be wrong. The 303 and 304 stop nearby.

[thebenj.livejournal.com]

1. It took me a little digging to figure out who you were.
Amusement.
I hope your new identity is effective catharsis.

2. Your best bet on the raisins front is to go to a place that supplies restaurants.

My best bet for what?
I already have all the raisins I need.