Chop wood, carry water, cook barley

Sad morning in the US. But we're not defeated. We'll find a way to protect the vote.

Meanwhile, in case anyone else is wondering how to order the at home test kits from the feds

The address is at the top there.

Yesterday friend Mike across the street was knocking down an enormous paper wasp nest which the landscapers have been pretending not to notice for months. The debris on the sidewalk is it. It was easily eighteen inches in  diameter. 

Just seemed symbolic of our times.

Speaking of times, here are the highest grossing movies of my birth year four million dollars, wow. The juxtaposition is funny.

Back to the barley. The Bob's Red Mill package arrived yesterday, a day ahead of time, very well boxed.

And in good condition.

Much bigger bag of barley than I can get locally, which is why I included it in the order. 

And I made last night's snack and today's breakfast, barley pudding.

I followed their proportions on the liquid ratio, a bit too much liquid. So I saved the extra and have a nice container of sweetened barley milk.

Earlier I had made a pot of leek, celery, potato soup, finally using the last of the leeks I bought too many of way back.  

The color is a lovely pale green, from the green part of the leeks, and the celery.

And this morning, raining, so I ran out, raincoat over night clothes, to make sure the car window was shut. 

The damp in there, I found yesterday, not as bad as feared. I did a bit of blotting with towels and since most of the area is plastic and metal, i hope not to get a mildew smell. The seats aren't fabric, for which I'm glad. First world problem.

So there we are, a bit damp, our spirits also, from yesterday's disgraceful showing in the Senate, but we will prevail. 

Meanwhile there's barley pudding.