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

Well, today's my company's Halloween pot luck. Several people are wearing really awesome costumes. Not much so far, foodwise, for me, but lots of holiday-themed stuff. Someone made meatballs with noodles wrapped around them to look like mummy heads.

I've got my end of month stuff mostly caught up- just waiting for some signatures so I can release some payments. No one's doing any work today anyway- they never do on pot luck days, and the Friday after is almost as bad.

K's still deejaying tomorrow night at his friends' bar, and then other friends of ours are having a party Saturday- or we might go to a New Wave masquerade ball at a local club if K decides he's not in the mood for a party with small children. I'm more partial to the party with kids than a crowded bar two nights in a row.

I'm one of the costume judges and I've already picked my winners.

This autumn really has seemed like an ending sort of season- autumn is always my favorite season, but this month has been a bit weird, with one of our friends passing away last week, a couple of friends leaving the country to travel for several months or more, and another couple of friends leaving tomorrow so their band can tour in Asia.

Sorry to hear that, PC. Hope you've had a chance to have fun at work though. Here it's predictably mental for the time of year.

gawd I wish our lot would cancel month end for a party!

Yeah... I am so fortunate to have such a nice boss. We still have to have our month end stuff done- and most of us are right on time. But he's not a jerk about it, which is maybe what keeps us all motivated.

Most of my hootoo friends are dealing with jerky co-workers, busy times, or idiot bosses at the moment. I'm sending some your ways in hopes it catches!

That said, I ate so much I could throw up. And apparently my tamales were good. Would you believe I filled up on salad and fried rice and could barely eat anything else?

I still have no idea what a tamale is.

And I love to hear about your place - it gives me hope that my lot are an aberration. A pimple on the backside of society.

How does one fill up on salad? It doesn't seem right somehow. Rice I can understand. I've done that often enough.

Thanks for the thoughts. I need all the I can get right now.

I usually hate to post W*k* links here, but their entry on tamales is a good one: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tamale

To make them I soaked flat, dry corn husks in hot water for about an hour. In the meantime, I prepared a stock from water, tomato juice, cilantro (coriander leaves) and diced pickled jalapeno peppers. Basically I add 1 1/2 cups corn flour (masa harina, a special kind designed for making tamales and tortillas) and then knead into a spongy dough. Then, using a spoon, I smear a little into the wider half of each corn husk, fold one side over and then the other, then fold the narrower end of the husk toward the other to seal off the bottom. Tie a strip of corn husk around, repeat until out of husks/ dough. Stand them all on end in a steamer and steam for anywhere from two to six hours.

I normally don't get that full on salad. I only had a small spoonful each of bowtie pasta and the veggie rice. Oh, and six blackeyes (balls of peanut butter wrapped in chocolate). Maybe that's what filled me up...

oh they sound good.

I deffo have to try those

My condolences on your friend that passed away, and I'm sorry so many of your other friends will be out of touch for a while.

PS The food does sound good.

Mmmm, you're making me even hungrier!

Don't forget to nail them to the church door when you're done. After all, it's Reformation Day on the 31st

Well I can get dried corn husks dirt cheap around here if anyone needs any. I've made batches for K and myself using polenta in place of masa, and they turned out fine, if not as firm in texture.

K's already told me I should take tomorrow off and tell my boss I'm observing Reformation Day. K was raised Lutheran so he knows about these things.

I'm almost too full from pot luck to eat any dinner, so we're just having a bit of baked sliced squash.

Fortunately, the 1st is Saturday, so you don't have to turn Catholic

Thanks, JEllen. He wasn't someone I knew really well, but K had known him for several years, and it was very sudden.

K went to the record shop last night to pick up a CD he'd ordered, and found me another 10 of the old Target novelizations of the old Dr Who episodes. So I'm as happy as a clam today!