Surprised.

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When I went to put the sun and wind screen frame together, I had done a couple of days worth of research for elbows and joints.  I would say three, and had done some research previously.  Once in a while in the interim I have done spot checks for specific pieces.  There were workarounds, but not that were great for quick setup and takedown, reasonable strength, and compact storage.  So I was planning on a week of searching, and hopefully just putting in the right parameters and finding some off brand, hoping it would do, and hitting the order button.  As it turns out, this time, amazon had it right on the top of the list.  I actually, initially, ignored amazon's ad in the search engine.  So often they have become a junk seller.  You type in a request and whatever it is, they'll have some, often, poorly matched sale on offer.  For steins, they kept trying to sell me those crap 2 liter glass boots, for example.  So, when I read the seeming advert after looking at a few other sites, I was surprised.  It sure looked right.  And, there it was.  I thought about ordering two packs of eight, but... I think I really, honestly, only need five.

Since that frame will be going up, I went ahead and ordered the sun shade tarp.  They also had better attachments, so I ordered those.  And, though I am keeping my accounts low these days, I have need to smaller non-metalic strainers for the kefir.  I ordered two type.  Yeah, I know.  But I know I need at least one, and which will actually work is another matter.  They need to be small, and the pictures just weren't good enough to tell.  I suppose I could have gone shopping, but even then... I'm not going to know until I try it whether it will work.  Plus, driving around town, and probably still buying two, would save me in no way.  All should be here Thursday.  I might get that thing together by the end of the week still.  The shade tarp should be in before next week, if the advertising was true.  So... Perhaps by next week I can finally get the kayak out.  Swimming, boys and girls,  And fishing.  I will have my license by then.

I have a very large plastic strainer.  Now, it, mostly, works.  But it is really sloppy and doesn't get all of the grains.  I actually was going to just use it until I realized how poorly it functions.  Look, there is some room for slop in life, but you really should attempt to keep it to a minimum.  I do, if in a disorganized, bumbling, manner, I do make the effort.  Still, it mostly worked.  I set up another pint to sour, after sorting the goop out.  I was a bit suspicious of the kefir, at room temperature.  I figured, though, that if I try it raw, room temp, I would get over any distaste, so that for sure cold would be better.  Oh?  Okay.  That was delicious.  I really wanted to slug the rest down.  But I also wanted to test what it tastes like cold.  So I put one of the plastic lids on it and put it in the fridge.

Right then I decided a pint simply will not do.  I washed the quart jars I had been about to use the other day, and got them ready.  I took the pint I had just reset and dumped it's contents, and more milk, into the quart jar.  When the other pint is finished double souring, I will put up another quart jar.  This stuff is pretty snappy just as is.  At least the single fermentation stage.  Probably the double too.  The profile might take some getting used to, but it's a form that I like.  I can see keeping two courts of this stuff around, in various stages of readiness, pretty much as an ongoing thing.  On some days, the weaker, on some days the stronger.  To me, it reminded me of a dairy based slug of... say... a thick tomato juice.  Not exactly, but the idea is there.  I wonder if this makes milk good for the lactose intolerant?  Let me check...  ~  Yep.  Now, it isn't perfectly without lactose.  But those who have lactose intolerance seem to be able to handle kefir with only half as much extra gas, and no other side effects.  Since it is drinkable, unlike yogurt which is also tolerated better by those with l.i., it can be used on cereal or used as a drink.

Yeah, I like this stuff a lot.  I don't mind milk, and will drink that too.  But I have been, sort of, drinking two to three gallons of whole milk for the last... well... for a very long time.  This would just offer another way to drink half of that.  Truly good.  I really feel bad that I didn't take Desert Cat and Desert Mom(?) up on that.  I just... didn't know... too tired to think to have it explained... scaredy cat... and tired from a very long travel.  However, it should be noted, it was their offer that lead me to look the stuff up, as a diy project (extremely easy by the way, and safe).  A definite thanks to the Desert family.  I feel rude now, if I am almost sure they didn't take it that way.  Probably just saw me as chicken, but... more for them!  :p

Not sure about tonight.  I could, technically, do more work on the boat.  Cut the height pipes, and basically have the "walls" together and ready for the roofing.  But, to be honest, the little bit I am doing, and the heat... I'll take today off.  Music, reading, blogging, and just trying to stay cool.  Hmm... and... nope, I already had the last of the kefir.  Gah!  I'd love to have a whole quart of that, cold, right now.  So much better than store-bought, and that without any fruit or sweetener.  Later.