Last week I managed to make my first camemberts - they are ripening in the kitchen as we speak, and so far they're looking good. It was a really interesting process to prepare it, cutting the curd, stirring it, and putting it in hoops turning it every few hours. I felt I should be wearing my witches hat but couldn't find it :) I have to turn it tomorrow, then again on Friday and Sunday, and then on Tuesday it should be covered in white mould and then I have to wait a few weeks. So far it's all looking healthy, but I'm keeping my eye out for anything suspicious. Yesterday we visited Zlatty and Laura, and Laura was telling me about her experience with camembert-making. Hers turned black and blue (hmmm perhaps blue cheese?) in any case, the cheese was covered in anything but white mould. She ended up having to throw it all away. Of course, when we got home I had to check my little cheeses but... no blue so far, so I'm keeping my fingers crossed.
I'm getting used to Rufus. I tried to give him an apple yesterday, but he was scared of me (!?!) so as Emma was impatiently tugging my sleeve I gave it to her instead. Emma is the favourite at the moment, Rufus can't get enough of her. She doesn't seem too fussed, and seems to prefer spending time with us rather than with him, which he gets very frustrated about. It's still quite fascinating observing nature in action. He licks Em's backside which makes her pee, and then he sticks his nose in, after which he sort of 'samples' it. It really isn't a good look. Maybe that's why there aren't many cow porn movies. Yesterday he got so excited after doing this, he squatted and as I thought he was going for a big poo, all of a sudden his willy shot out, and my God was it long. PJ and I fell over laughing because it all happened so fast - which is when we found that poor Rufus is suffering from Performance Anxiety. He kept on looking at us, and eventually put everything away. Emma just stood there, rather uninterested by it all. We then left them alone - but all these things make me a little less scared of him which makes it easier dealing with him as he is prancing around in the field. But I do want Emma pregnant. If she gets a girl next year, it'll be a mix of Jersey with Dexter, so that can definitely be a second milker. Then we can have milk all year round.
Spring is in the air here, and it is promising to be a lovely time of the year. One of the things Ian told me was that come Spring, Emma's milk production would go up. As I already get between 6-7 litres per milking (and I only milk for 20 minutes to save my fingers and wrists - and of course to give Porter his share as well) I didnt' think I'd really be noticing it. But low and behold, this morning I got more than 8 litres in 20 minutes sharp, it was just gushing out. More cheesemaking ahead I guess! It's easier getting Porter in these days - his balls have finally dropped off, it's all looking clean and healthy and he is actually calming down a bit, and turning into quite a sweet kind of boy. But, not as sweet as Muddy who follows us around like a oversized woolly dog. He's so cute, and I'm looking forward to being able to train him.
Friday night we went to the Book Club in Franklin. David (whom we met during one of the gigs) had been asking us for months. He is a bit older than PJ, so it was a bit of a surprise to find out that this group is really rather old, most of them even older than my parents. I don't think it's my thing - the age gap is too great and after going around the circle talking about happiness I was amazed by the majority meeting my stereotypical ideas about babyboomers. They are totally unaware and have such different values from me, that I found it quite hard listening to all of the dribble. They are all quite to extremely well off. The house where this event was held was lit up like a christmas tree - I think they must have used half of all the electricity in Tasmania. On top of that they had the absolutely biggest woodfire I have seen, which must take a forest a day to keep going. PJ had brought his book 'Six Degrees' along - he was going to say that it made him quite happy that we will soon be forced to change because nature will make us - and the fact that we will be stopped in our tracks in our relentless destruction of the planet is quite a happy thing for the rest of the living beings on earth anyway. But he chickened out after everybody was discussing self help books and children and what not. I guess it would have been a bit out there, but hey, maybe it would have made them think a bit more. Still, they were all very nice people in their own ways, just on a very different path from ours.
Saturday was really good on the other hand. Steve and Marjorie had asked me to play in a gig with them, so apparently I am now in a band called Das Swing, consisting of 3 guitars, bass, 2 violins, and a singer/accordeon player. We played some swing jazz and gypsy tunes. Then we had a few sub groups, where Marjorie, Nigel and I played my favourite Milonga del Angel. Throughout the evening we had some happy hippies that had come down from the trees who were dancing to everything as if it was a rave of some kind, it was quite surreal to observe, especially as not all of it was particularly danceable. We finished off with La Bamba which I got to sing, which I enjoy a lot as well. Cheesy as it is, La Bamba seems to always be a crowd pleaser - with Farol we played it many times as it got everybody on the dance floor - and it had the same effect here. It was a long gig though, and after practising all day and then being on stage for two and a half hours I was completely knackered by the time we got home. Steve had also told me that there was an article in the Huon Valley newspaper about Das Swing - so PJ of course got it on Sunday morning, and I was very surprised to read such a glowing report about myself - and that I am apparently a band member :) But it's good, as I was deep down quite concerned about not being able to find anybody to play music with.
Sunday we wanted to go for a walk in Hartz Mountains, apparently it was covered in snow the week before but alas, not this week. It was pouring with rain, so we ended up walking down to Arve Falls which was still very beautiful, and then going on to Zlatty and Laura.
In the house, we have now practically finished the main room - PJ has put the second coat on, and put gloss on the woodwork. It's looking beautiful. Next he will rent a sander, and then the kitchen, main room, and music room will all be sanded. Then varnish, and then we're a whole lot closer again.
And so we're plodding along, but it's all good fun. Anyway... it's time for me to make some dinner, and then we can relax.
Here is some light reading if you're interested:
- Illusions of inclusivity in the culture of "whatever"
from Carolyn Baker's website. - GM pines for Electric Car
(Richard Heinberg) If you haven't yet, see the movie 'Who killed the electric car' please do - it's a real eye opener. - Survival Topics
I want one of them Swedish fire sticks!
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