aristophanes

Almost all of my Christmas shopping is now done. I just need to think of something to get for my grandmother's 34 year old non-English-speaking husband, which is a chore as you can imagine. He likes, as far as I can tell, beer and cigarettes. Unfortunately I do not think there is time before Christmas for me to brew for him cigarette flavored beer (I bet it would be easy though, just soak some tobacco leaves in it while it ferments, and maybe a dash of that Liquid Smoke. Tasty!) Cockale* took a month for me to brew, I doubt straight beer is any swifter.

*Cockale is a chicken-based beer-like drink which, oddly given that description, tastes mostly of fruit.

I also got a semi-early Christmas gift. Disappointed as my aunt was that I didn't ask for anything that could be found at her beloved Wal-Mart, she came through, and I got an early delivery of "Shakespeare's Songbook." My mom encouraged me to put a ribbon on it and leave it under the tree till Christmas, but I did give it a flip-through and was very excited! It has the Ballad of Titus Andronicus, and both versions of Greensleeves among many other things.

Otherwise, I am working on the art of making my own incense. Unfortunately, I tend to be stingy with the fragrance and so am not terribly fond of my own work so far. (I can see how this makes more sense if you do it as a business, you need to buy essential oil by the gallon for it to be cost effective.) So far my best formula is for Double-Action incense, with one half red and one half black. Today I made Wealthy Way incense, and next I will probably make John the Conqueror or Florida Water scent.