I concur about chicken and clay bakers. I have recipes for other things, but mine is used pretty much just for chicken. And I can understand Charmion's kitchen gadget surplus issue - my dad had a lot more kitchen stuff than he ever could use and it was divided out between four of us, resulting in well-stocked kitchens for all.

I'm awaiting my order of a new pair of Gingher knife edge dressmaker shears. After knocking my original pair off of the table they now have a notch knocked into both halves that awkwardly snag when I get to within an inch of the point. The guy who sharpens stuff will be at my local craft store on the first Friday of the month so in a week and a half I'll take the old pair in for sharpening and I hope that takes care of it. This is how we end up with more than one of many things around the house, I can get a new pair in two days from Amazon and don't have to wait 10 days to keep doing my sewing projects.

Jennie, how is the pantry work coming along? I imagine you'll find all sorts of stuff you forgot about in there. I'm sure I have lost track of many items stored in the small closet I converted into a pantry several years ago.

I'm reminded by Charmion's remarks to keep eating my oatmeal for breakfast, for digestive and cholesterol-reducing benefits. The kidney beans I'll be cooking this afternoon have the same benefits.

I'm feeling out-of-sorts about all of the stuff sitting around today; I think the sunshine is reminding me that spring is nearby and spring cleaning is a thing I need to do. Today I should start with a run over to the village recycle bins; there are a lot of cardboard boxes that have reproduced like bunnies lately and need flattening and deposit in the bins. And the den floor - such a mass of muddy dog prints. One more day of drying in the yard and I think I can successfully mop without more being tracked in. And once the turf starts growing then there's a lot less mud available for tracking.