Blueberry Corn Muffins

I had so many exclamations of "I've never heard of blueberry corn muffins!" at the tea party, that I thought I'd post the recipe here for anyone interested:

Blueberry Corn Muffins:

Makes 12
Preheat oven to 400 degrees

1-1/3 C all-purpose white flour
2/3 C yellow cornmeal
1 T baking powder
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp salt
1 C blueberries, washed and stemmed
1 egg
2/3 C skim milk
1/2 C honey
3 T vegetable oil
1 tsp sugar

Spray muffin tins with nonstick cooking spray.

In large bowl, stir or whisk together the flour, cornmeal, baking powder, cinnamon and salt. Add the blueberries and toss to coat with flour mixture.

In smaller bowl, lightly beat the egg. Add the milk, honey, and oil, whisking until well combined.

Add the liquid mixture to the dry ingredients, stirring until just combined. Do NOT over-mix!

Divide the batter equally between the 12 muffin cups, filling each about 2/3 full. Sprinkle the tops with sugar.

Bake 18-22 minutes, until risen and golden. Turn onto a baking rack to cool.

169 calories
4 grams fat
143 mg sodium
18 mgs cholesterol

Note: If using frozen blueberries, don't thaw them. Just rinse off ice crystals and pat dry. Toss separately with 3 T of the flour and stir in after liquid is added.

**These muffins go stale very quickly, but then taste fabulous cut in half, toasted, and spread with some sweet butter.

What Do I Want?

So. I've been writing in this blog now for about 2 years, seriously for 1 year. My posts range form serious to downright silly and I can't decide if that's a good thing or not. On the one hand, I want to discuss/document my art, which means serious posts, and on the other hand, I want to express myself, which means funny and silly - that's how I roll.

Is there a downside to mixing it up and posting regardless of my mood? Or, if people are looking here to learn about my artistic process, am I shooting myself in the business foot by including personal reflections? Please let me know what you think.

What do you out there try to do with your blogs? Do you use it for a single purpose, or is it an online journal for everyday happenings?

And the Winners Are...

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I've just completed the name-drawing for the pink flower earrings giveaway contest and we have some winners: (drumroll please... and perhaps a flourish of trumpets)

somepinkflowers

Fete et Fleur

Rochambeau

Congratulations All! What I need from you now is your snail mail addresses so these little beauties can start their adventures.

Thanks to all who participated.

1:00PM Follow-up:

I thank all of you for getting your mailing info to me so super-quick! I'm sending them this afternoon.

Be sure to tell all your friends where you got the earrings when they "ooh" and "ahh" over them!

Virtual Partying is Hard Work!

So much revelry! After twirling, moon dancing, slurping tea, eating nibbles, schmoozing with my new friends all day, and pedaling my tricycle around the garden, I'm exhausted. I had a sugar crash and slept just like our old pooch here - dead to the world.

This morning, I think I still have stardust in my eyes (no, wait, it's glitter! I'm never gonna be able to clean it all up. How did it get THERE?! And there, and there...??? Hey, what the... it's even in my underwear!).

I sure hope my new friends out there in Blogland felt welcome and will come back again. Thank you, Vanessa, for organizing this fancy event. I had a fabulous time.

It's Party Day!

I just snuck around the garden gate to peek at Vanessa's party preparations only to find she's all set up and full-out spectacularly wild over there. Happy 200th post, Vanessa! I had hoped to have something a little lavish to celebrate the occasion, but, alas, managed only a small tea party. I look forward to seeing all who feel like having a cookie and slurping a cup of tea (make mine iced, please - it's HOT here!) to celebrate Vanessa. (This is a wild party; slurping is allowed.)

First off - I apologize for some of the photography. My camera just had to pick this week to die, forcing me to borrow a video camera which did not take very good stills. The food is much better tasting than it looks, I promise!

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I made some blueberry corn muffins. Delicious!

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I picked out my frilliest tea pot - the one with the bas relief roses all over it.

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And I put out the pretty decorated sugar cubes that Sis-in-law Paula Mandel gave me.

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My little leather friend, Roo is sporting her favorite garden party hat, waiting for y'all to help yourself to some treats , and wants to hear about your day.

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My own favorite garden hat with my handmade vintage ribbon cabbage roses and tulle.

And here's a surprise: I'm giving one pair of these handmade earrings to three randomly picked people who leave comments today! Yay! I will put your names into my fab garden hat and pick three winners on Monday morning. I'll advertise the winners here and leave you a note on your blogsite Monday afternoon. Cross your fingers!

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So, come on in, set a while, have some nibbles and celebrate Vanessa's special day.

The Challenge of Earrings

I've discovered through my Etsy experience that people are mostly interested in earrings right now. I guess it's 'cuz they're in that affordable "under $30" price range. The trouble is, I find earrings the most difficult to make, not because they are technically difficult (although they can be), but because they are so small, creatively they are a challenge. Each bead's relationship to the others is so important. How do you make a beautiful pair that will not overwhelm the wearer ("Hey! Look at those earrings wearing that person!"), but not so skimpy as to be uninteresting or cheap-looking? Quite the conundrum.

(Click the images to see the Etsy listings)



I made this first pair using carnelian beads throughout the design. I loved the different sizes and shapes of the different beads. By using all the same color, I could concentrate the viewer's eye on the large oval bead and use the smaller rounds beads to complement that oval. But when I showed them to Marble Man, he piped up and said they needed contrast.

I changed out the larger round bead for a black porcelain one, and "POP"! The earrings came alive. I still like the all-red ones, and have them listed for sale. I will list the red and black pair tomorrow.

To satisfy demand, I'll make more earrings, but I still enjoy creating necklaces the most. I make those to feed my soul.

Vanessa's Having a Tea Party!

Vanessa is having a tea party on June 28th to celebrate her 200th blog post. Congratulations, Vanessa!

It looks like it will be lots of fun with stories and fanciful party hats and masks. You can find out more about it at her blogsite: A Fanciful Twist

Time to have some fun and celebrate Vanessa's success! Don't be late.

By the way, for those of you who haven't visited her blog, Vanessa's site is full of her creativity. I visit often ever hopeful that some will rub off on me! You can also find her fabulous work for sale at her Etsy site

New Work, New Pictures

Summer is here and my new work seems to reflect the lighter, softer mood of the season:

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(Click the pictures below to see Etsy listings)

texture and color evoke memories of the beach...

A beautiful lampwork bead by RB Glass (also at Etsy) is the focus of this ocean jasper and labradorite necklace.

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a chunky, fun necklace...

What an amazing find! Gasperite faceted barrel beads and desert jasper faceted ovals were on sale at my favorite bead shop. Mix with deep red and brown jasper rounds, coffee brown jasper rondelles, add a fancy sterling silver box clasp...

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One of the great things about Etsy, is there are people selling craft supplies too. These antiqued brass filigree bead caps and ear wires were perfect for making some old fashioned, inexpensive earrings to sell.

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sweet summer romance...

Creamy pale green amazonite round beads and vintage styled brass bead caps and Lucite flower beads come together in a budget-friendly pair of earrings.

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how to look like a 1950's movie star...

One of my extra long shibori dyed chiffon silk scarves gets a romantic, yet chic, makeover on a summer hat.

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modern, yet classic...

Another wonderful find at my local bead store: purplish brown muscovite ovals were also on sale. Strung with freshwater pearls, gold-filled beads, and faceted red jasper rounds, this necklace makes a dramatic statement.

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I'm so grateful to Marble Man for helping me get some studio time in the last couple of weeks. I've had a blast.

A Really Slow Learning Curve...

...and an obsessive attention to detail means I spend most of each day thinking of ways to improve my Etsy.com listings.

At first, I shot pieces on plaster mannequins. The display forms stay where you put them, don't chew gum, talk, or play with their hair while I'm pointing the camera at them. After experimenting, I found the best time of day for optimum daylight, the best room to use, etc. And I took an insane number of pictures.

Now to publish. I was happy with the individual pictures. But, as a whole, apparently people felt they're boring: row after row of white mannequins. The only thing that changes is the piece they are wearing. Potential customers would veer away from my shop without interesting images.

*Sigh* They're right. After several days perusing other sites, I knew the direction I would take. I ransacked the house, collecting all the funky demitasses, plates, wine glasses, and other chtatchkas that would be useful and started again. MUUUUuuuuch better!

before...

...and after shots of yellow turquoise earrings

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Last weekend, Dear Ya-ya Debbie, came over to model my yummy silk scarves (Stock whose pictures badly needed spicing up). She did an amazing job. What a creative mind!

before and after shots of a scarflet

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a beautiful scarf becomes a chic belt

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a chiffon scarf becomes a floaty little overskirt

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Debbie modeled for a couple of hours on Saturday. There were MANY pieces still to photograph after she left, so I thought of other ways to hook people into viewing. I raided my shoe collection for some sexy little numbers. Artful draping, crazy gorgeous shoes, result: a high "wow" factor.

My favorite pair of beaded and ruffled taffeta shoes
are a fab display base

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quilted violet suede and patent leather:
a great contrast to blue silk

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Debbie hard at work



FINALLY! Time to goof off a little

Surprise!

Suzette in photo booth having her portrait taken

Last night, as we walked Pooch for his evening Business Trip, Marble Man noticed a box on the porch. The UPS driver often doesn't ring the doorbell when he delivers a package, so I was surprised to find there was something up there. The label told me it was from my friend, Constance, from Rochambeau: an amazing creator of beautiful handbags. I opened up the box, and lost my breath when I found inside one of her gorgeous floralina doll purses! She has a hidden zipper in the back of her skirt, and a little beveled mirror inside. Looks like I need to talk Marble Man into taking me out on the town so I can get all girlied up and take Suzette out to show her off!

Thank you, dear friend. I'm on my way to being a Rochambeau collector!

Lelani at rest

Another Year Older

Yesterday was my birthday. I had a wonderful surprise when the doorbell rang early in the morning: there on the doorstep was a florist, a lovely man holding a gorgeous bouquet of flowers. I almost never get flowers! I thanked him and went to the kitchen, searching for the card on the way. I'd assumed they were from Marble Man, but lo and behold, this was not so. "Happy birthday from W & J", Marble Man's brother and sister-in-law. How lovely! Peonies, lilies, foxgloves, and roses - all my top faves. They smell heavenly and I'm sure I'll get many days of enjoyment from them being near. Thank you so much!

Since we don't go out to eat anymore, we celebrated this past weekend so Marble Man could make a scrumptious dinner for me on Saturday (Wiener schnitzel, roasted veggies and sweet potatoes, with an apple cranberry-galette for dessert). Wowie, zowie, it was amazing. I'm so lucky I married someone who likes to cook (and eat!).

All this care and attention has me thinking about how lucky I am in general. I have a nice home, a job I love, and a man who cares enough to make every day special. I've had to make many choices in my life, some really smart, some questionable, even downright poor. But my lucky choice of husband set the tone for the rest of my life. I am ever grateful for the way the stars aligned on that particularly magical night we met. Thank you, Marble Man, for making every day a celebration.

Photographing Frenzy

A week after starting my new Etsy.com store, I'm still photographing all the merchandise I've stockpiled over the years. I have 40 new listings at the store with about 21 more queued up to add next week. Over the past 2 years I haven't focused on the selling aspect of making art, just the creative process. I'm frankly a little shocked by how much I've made. With Mother's Day around the corner, hopefully someone will browse the shop and feel their Mom can't live without a necklace or scarf.

I've transformed the living room into a temporary photo booth. The furniture in front of the picture window is shoved back and I hauled out some grids from my craft show booth structure for a three-sided booth. Add a bolt of black silk, another of white, and "voila!" Instant photo shoot. Depending on the item being shot, I flip the black fabric back to expose the white, or vice a versa. It's not perfect, but it's the only spot in the house that gets a decent amount of light. Seems to be working out OK.

Photo booth set up to shoot a scarflet

Since the exposures aren't ideal, I spend a bit of time with iphoto and Gimp manipulating the shots. I'm getting pretty good at it. Marble Man and I are competing for computer time now. Hey...this is FUN!

The 2nd day of my store being open, I got a love note from Etsy.com congratulating me on my sale. (What? I got a sale already?!? Let's go to Disney World!) Hugely excited, I contacted the buyer, thanked her and explained when I'd ship her purchase. Then she emailed me back to say she'd clicked on "BUY" by mistake; she thought the item was beautiful, but she didn't want it. Bummer, man! After that I decided I won't get that excited again. What a let-down. In the meantime, I click "refresh" and enjoy seeing the number of hits climbing upward. At least people are looking.

Trying Something New

I'm now a member of the Etsy.com community, a website devoted to handmade art and art supplies. I thought this would be a great way to market my jewelry and scarves to people who are looking for such items. My address is http://www.ktracton.etsy.com. Stop on by and see what's what. I've only got a few things listed to date, mostly because each listing takes so darned long to enter. A friend told me before I started getting set up that if I list a new item each day, my work will come up at the top of a search page. That sounds good, so I'll pace myself.

I've spent the better part of today tweaking the site, adding a picture here, changing wording there. I can see this being a huge procrastination device if I'm not careful!

New piece soon to be seen on Etsy.com

Love Is In The Air...

Unrequited plant love, that is. Pollen. Great swirling yellow-green clouds of pine pollen that gets into, and onto, everything. The bane of my (and MarbleMan's) existence at this time every year. I know the pollen you can see is not what causes allergic reaction, but the stuff you can't see that causes my baby blues to itch and swell, and my schnoz to drip like a faulty faucet. I never had allergy issues until we moved South. I vividly remember the first Spring we spent here - I thought I had the flu it was so bad. So while I revel in the burgeoning beauty of early flowers, I pop a Claritin and prepare for the ensuing discomfort. Luckily I only resemble a troll for a week or two.

Pine pollen settles on a puddle surface

The pollen issue has put my outdoor walking plans on hold for the next two weeks. This is a great time to head back to the gym for a walk on the treadmill to nowhere.

The good news is my garden is showing early signs of life after several months of extreme drought conditions. We weren't allowed to water outside at all during this time, and I despaired to see so many plants wither. Thankfully, many seem to be rebounding. Makes me want to go out and frolic!

The Incredible Lightness of Being (Bread)

I'm pleased to report The Great Sourdough Debacle is at an end. I went back to the directions that came with the starter, and found I'd been skipping an important step during the feeding process. I'd been giving the starter it's weekly rations of flour and water, then popping it right back into the fridge. I forgot the step of leaving it out for a couple of hours to get good and bubbly. After it has a good burp, then I'm supposed to park it back in the fridge. I fed it several times this week to build it back up again, and... Voila! A couple of gorgeous, light, well-risen loaves. They're baking as I type (Hurry up, hurry up, HURRY UP!). This weekend: sourdough pancakes. How many do you want?

As I made the bread today, I took the time to really enjoy the zen of the process. I made the sponge last night so it could do it's thing. When I woke up, I peeked under the towel and felt thrilled by how much it had grown, and the smell! God, the smell. Pure heaven. Now for the fun part: As I mix in the final ingredients, I watch my new KitchenAid mixer do all that muscle work I used to resent. Technology working for me. Yay! Then, I turn the dough out onto the floured counter and get down to kneading. I love the feel of the dough, silky and elastic, as I turn and press. I know it's alive under my hands - I can see bubbles coming to the surface with each turn. After it's risen and been divided, I pop it into the oven and the exquisite torture of smelling freshly baking bread sets in.

I don't take the time to enjoy getting from Point A to Point B very often. So many things in life are on autopilot these days. I need to remember to find roses on each of life's paths and take the time to smell them. Especially if they smell like bread.

Bread, or Doorstop?

For Christmas, MarbleMan gave me a bit of sourdough starter from a 250 year-old batch he'd found through a catalog. Mmmmmmmm. The first several batches of bread were fantastic! Great crumb, easy recipe (found on-line), and it made wonderful French toast when a few days old. But lately, something's gone awry. I can't figure it out. The starter bubbles nicely when fed, the sponge is very light and bubbly, but after kneading, these last two batches of loaves refused to rise, and they came out so dense they were actually hard to slice. Now today, I'm baking another batch and I think they'll make fabulous doorstops. This week I'll try feeding it a few times to strengthen the starter. Then I think it's time to go back to basics to see what happens when I make a plain recipe - no whole wheat, no raisins, olives, or any other additives.

The good news is that since I'm on a perpetual diet, no sourdough in the house will help me out a lot. Bread is my nemesis - I can never have just one slice. And it calls my name at 3 in the morning, whispering "Yoooo-hoooooo. I taste really good toasted and spread with butter and honey". Or maybe that's MarbleMan calling... :)

Muffin Tops

Spring has officially Sprung here in the South. The days are getting longer and warmer, the apple and plum trees are in full flower while the dogwoods are budding and just beginning to blossom. This time of year marks the point at which I try on my summer clothes from the previous year and realize, with shock, that my muffin top is back. NNNNOOoooo! My favorite crop pants will need a button extender, and the world will just have to see flab rolls under my shirts while I whip my butt into gear and get back to my daily walks.

Today Marble Man is home sick with a cold and Pooch is snuggling with him for change. I peeled on my Nike walking clothes and girlie Adidas sneakers with the cute hot-pink details, grabbed my pedometer and ipod, and hit the road for a nice moderate 30 minute walk. A couple of easy, slow songs ran while I did my ten minute warm-up, and then I got down to business. I'm so out of shape, I felt like Tin Man moaning for his oil can. My hips and knees were creaking until well past my halfway point. But, I cruised along on my way home and then reached "The Hill": this steep short hill to my street which totally kicked my butt. I felt as though my heart popped right out of my chest. I looked back when I reached the top to see if it was laying by the side of the road. Thankfully it wasn't so I assume it's right where it's supposed to be.

Now we're in Daylight Saving Time, and I'm fully committed to walking every day after dinner (unless it's raining). If I can keep it up, I should be able to shed the final 25 pounds to reach the goal my doctor set for me last year. I'll also give up eating muffins for breakfast - no more eating a part to strengthen a part!

This is the Life

I am in the midst of a perfect moment in a perfect day.

The day started out with a visit from my Ya-ya's - the closest friends I have ever had. We drank coffee, schmoozed, and got caught up with all our news. We haven't been together in over a month so there was much to share over muffins and coffeecake.

When they left, I was over-caffeinated and took the dog for a mini walk. I was struck by the beauty of the day: The air was warm, very windy and full of birdsong. The daffodils, forsythia, and camellias are blooming, basking in the sunshine. Bluebirds and cardinals were at the birdbath. I felt like I'd just walked into a Disney movie. (For a moment I was afraid to look down in case I had unbeknownst acquired a princess gown and might suddenly burst into a trilling song.) I needed to take a moment to breathe and admire what was going on around me.

Now, hours later, here I sit in the den with the window open, listening to the wind and watching the pines swaying above. The dog gave up begging me to pick him up and went to sleep on the rug at my feet. He alternates between periods of snuffling and snoring, and currently chases dream rabbits with his entire body running, twitching and dream-barking. To tell you the truth I envy his ability to sleep with such abandon. Maybe I'll sign off now and join him in an afternoon nap.

Hey! Check Out Those Beady little eyes!

OK, now that I have had some time to reflect over the past four months, I realize I've done way more work than I thought! In late October, I was in my studio doing bead stringing, and did some yummy stuff. Here's the photographic proof (Keep in mind this is amateur photography here.):

(I've been incorporating some of my beautiful buttons in my necklaces. - check out the amazing gold and red one above.)

Then, at Christmas time, I couldn't get to the studio with any predictable regularity. This is when I started experimenting with bead-woven spiral ropes. I love this technique! I've amassed so many spirals that they need their own storage box. I'd say it's time to start looking for a way to sell some pieces. I mean, how'm I going to pay for more beads when I use up my (considerable) stash? Here are some pictures of those:

I should point out that the display stand I used is smaller than the average person. The necklaces are all between 16 and 18 inches long. So, they fall just below the hollow of the throat - not as far down the chest as they look here.

So far, I'm doing OK with teeny tiny seed beads, but I'm a little worried that my eyes are going to squint up and then I really will have "beady little eyes"! Not a look I'm going for. Yet.

Beaded, Roped, and Tied

After a year of puppysitting our sick dog, I finally snapped and declared I'm taking back my life to a small degree. The only way the pooch is happy is when I am on the sofa, watching tv, and he is in my lap (or at least, off to my side). This makes it tough to get any work done.

I recently taught myself how to do a spiral rope bead weaving technique which is very do-able while sitting on the sofa with a dog in my lap. Yay! (I was starting to feel my brain slowly leaking out my eyeballs from watching so much television.) I use a tray in which I have all my little sushi dipping dishes full of beads. This sits on the sofa next to me within easy reach.

Now I'm heavily stocked with spiral ropes in beautiful colors. I need to get into the studio to put the finishing touches on, like clasps and pendants. After all these years of working as an artist I still have these narcissistic moments when I finish something. I drape it on a display and leave it out so I can look at it and admire while I finish up the next one. I can't help it - I work hard at what I do and take great pride in doing fine and delicate pieces.

Yay for Girl Power!

I have just finished watching The Prize Winner of Defiance, Ohio. I came away with two thoughts: 1) Julianne Moore is one heck of an actress, and 2) thank the Lord for the times we live in now!! It's based on a true story of an overworked and under-appreciated housewife with ten kids and a hapless alcoholic husband during the late 50's and early 60's. She never learned to drive, and had to beg her husband for money to pay the milkman each week. At one point she gets a call from the bank telling her the second mortgage on their house ($4000) is due in 30 days, to which she responds "what second mortgage?" She kept the family going by entering contests and winning prizes, cash and/or goods, which she would sell to pay the bills. I think all women today need to get on their knees and send a prayer of thanks to Gloria Steinem and all the others who started the feminist movement.

I am so grateful to be living in this enlightened time when women are independent with jobs, families, political careers, and the freedom to choose whatever they want in life.

Bead Extravaganza

Things have been really quiet around here the past couple of months. We've been nursing a sick dog, and kept homebound since the Boston wedding back in October. When I learned the Intergalactic Bead Show was coming to Durham in January, I started having hot flashes of beady desire. I arranged with Marbleman to dog sit so I could spend a day at the show. I'd never been to an expo like this before and man, I really wanted to go. I talked a friend into going with me and "Awaa-ay we went!"

I plopped down my entry fee and walked through the door. Oh..My..God! There were a lot of beads in there! I stopped at the first vendor and my brain short-circuited. An hour later, my little tray was full, and I realized I needed to pace myself, or I'd blow my whole budget at this one table. But with the hot little jewelry lights, all those little shiny sparkly things had me hypnotized. I actually went through and put some things back (What?!?).

I made my way around the room in a very organized way after that, keeping an eye to the unusual, or fabulously priced strands and came home with a tote bag so heavy I had a sore shoulder for four days. I was told this was a fairly small show, as shows go. I think that's a good thing. I managed to get what I needed in a single exhausting day and had the time of my life in the process. I've heard the Tuscon, AZ show is the place to go - that it's a week-long event. Holy Cow. I don't think I'd have the stamina for something like that.

Now I really have to get into the studio to work! Mostly I just want to spread all those lovelies out on the floor and roll around in them, but I think it would hurt.

A Comedy of Travel Errors

Friday was travel day. Do you know that Orbitz calls you 3 hours before your flight's due to take off?!?!? Great service... except if you're on the 6:30 AM flight. Not only does the caller stutter but it's a computer so there's no one to hear you yelling! Marbleman got that call and never did get back to sleep. I was up at 4 AM - that should give us plenty of time to park and shuttle to our terminal an hour early. It was 5:30 in the morning when only insomniacs are up, and the lines aren't more than a few minutes long, so let's all take our time, right? Wrong! We got lost finding the parking lot in the dark and finally got to the terminal 30 minutes before the flight.

Why are we in this mess? Marbleman and I flew to Boston this weekend for his brother's wedding. We've heard about the woes that fliers encounter & so followed travel advisors who said we should buy tickets for the first flight of the day to avoid delays. Soooo.... four weeks ago we fired up the trusty iMac and noodled around Orbitz to snag tickets for the 6:30 AM flight.

Boarding passes in hand (Waddaya mean I need to request a seat? We requested seats a month ago!), we're off to the security check point. Oh... my...GOD: The line was at least 30 minutes long. Now what? An airport official told us about another line at the other end of the terminal, just a two minute walk. We jogged to the end of the terminal, and nuts! That line was even longer than the first one. Finally, we followed the other sheep through the line with a minimum of trouble, even had the time to engage the TSA people in some easy banter (don't want to look too nervous right?).

OK, sneakers on, laces retied, luggage in tow, we RAN to the gate and got there 5 minutes before take-off time. The airline person appeared to expect us and had my seat assignment in a couple of key clicks. Whew. We staggered onto the plane, flopped in our seats, only to hear the flight attendant say they were holding the flight for some people still stuck in the security line. We didn't need to run after all! The rest of the the trip was easy, even though it took 25 minutes to shuttle our way to the car rental place. Add another 20 minutes waiting in line, and 20 minutes to actually rent the car, and the fun begins. We did make mental notes to get to Logan 2 hours early for the return trip - surely their security is much tighter.

(We had a marvelous time in Boston, I'll post about that later.) Back to that return trip. OK, the flight out of Logan is at noon. We were in Natick, about 30 minutes outside Boston, so if we left there at 9 AM, returned the rental car, and took the 25 minute shuttle ride to the terminal, we should be there 2 hours early. Plenty of time for that long security line.

So, we got to Hertz in perfect time, and hopped onto the shuttle. Two minutes later (!) we were at at the terminal. Apparently we got the shuttle at the beginning of it's loop around Logan when we arrived. That's OK, we're in good shape. Let's hit the security line. Wait, what line? There was no one ahead of us. *sigh* Now we have to sit at the gate for the rest of the 2 hours until take-off. The flight took off without incident, maybe 25 minutes delayed. Again, easy peasy flight. This is good, since I hate to fly.

We took the shuttle back to the long-term parking lot, got in the car, turned the key in the ignition, and *click*. Nothing. Dead battery. Shoot. A really nice shuttle driver gave us a jump, and off we went. "Hey! Who turned on the passenger overhead light in the daytime?" Oh. OK, rephrase, "Who's the dumbass who left the overhead passenger light on over the weekend and drained the battery?" Oops, that would be me. Sorry!

Lessons learned: If you hear you should take the earliest flight to avoid delays? Assume other travelers had the same advice. Also, assume that things will go wrong. If they do, don't sweat it, they'll also turn out alright.