h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Hello all. Back from a quick trip out of town.

Can I get a cup of coffee, Lil? Also, do we have any pain au chocolat today? There was some the other day, and I'm kind of addicted to it.

Joanna... you realize that if you make your donuts kosher, you won't be able to make any of those bacon and cream cheese donuts.

I'm sure I have enough room to prepare Kosher and non-Kosher donuts completely separately.....


I still don't see the appeal of savoury donuts. but there you are.

bacon and cream cheese DONUTS???

redbeards brew ---------> |~|r

I'm afraid the teenagers invaded the counter last night and et up the template pain du chocolat. Joanna, could I order a template for the IIEM for tomorrow, please? I'm afraid the IIEM needs the templates to generate fresh "instantiations" ... we have everything else, though, including Australian cinnamon buns.

Cool, okay, it'll be in tomorrows delivery.

Not that I would eat a bacon and cream cheese donut, or that anyone else would.. On second thought, I wonder what it would taste like? ... just pointing out that it requires more than just a blessing to be kosher... no mixing of meat and dairy products.. but as long as you don't use animal fat or gelatin, you're probably in no trouble with donuts.

Cinnnamon bun is fine, thanks Lil.

Well, it would be a sort of really really soft bagel, wouldn't it...
quite correct observation about the ingredients, though.

cinnamon buns -----> ##

Well I do, by popular demand I hasten to add, cheese donuts. With vegetarian cheeses. And I use don't use animal fat or gelatin to make the donuts suitable for vegetarians like Demon Drawer.

Greebo is another vegetarian. She won't eat marshmallows unless they are picked off the local mallow plants.

*puts IIEM on autopilot*
I must be off and deal with things IRL. See you all later on.

*waves 'bye to Lil*

We had a marsh mallow plant at our old house. I wonder if a) we can get a new one and then b) attempt to make marshmallows...

Do these plants only grow in marshes?

Not unless our garden was a marsh... It wasn't well drained, but marshy it was not.

It would be great at campfires. Break off a branch and the marshmallow's already on the stick!

Lol Would that it were that simple... I'm sure theres a bit more to it than that...

Hmmm... I'll have to have a chat with John-the-Gardner. Maybe he can find a way to grow them like that.

So how's summer treating you, Joanna?

Summer's treating me good... well, its very very hot here, lovely and sunny.... and lots of people have gone home until such time as they need to register for next year's courses, so its nice and quiet.

How're you doing?

Working hard on the annual Illinois Shakespeare Festival, which opens in two weeks in our brand new gorgeous outdoor theatre. It's great fun, but I'm looking forward to when things are up and running so I can take some time off and go camping.

The quiet thing is nice too. At the University where I work, the summer is calmer in some way... traffic is lighter... until move-in day in August when they all descend again.

How long is the vacation for american students? I get from July first until October 3rd or something.- 3 months.

At my university, graduation was May 13, and first day of classes is August 21 this year, which is also around 3 months. Some colleges get out a little later and may not start until early September. Most colleges have one full semester in the fall, completely ending before Christmas, then about 3 weeks off and a full semester in the Spring running mid-January to May. The actual dates change slightly each year due to calendar considerations.

Some of, well most, probably, our unis here have semesters rather than terms. We get 3 in Durham- Michaelmas - October to christmas, Epiphany from Christmas to Easter, and Easter from Easter to July. We had six weeks off at Easter this year 'cause it was so late, but my uni didn't want to have the actual festival itself during termtime,