Today was the day. Two weeks after the sweet and spicy pickles were canned. Today was the day I got to taste them.

Interestingly enough, a friend of mine, to whom I’d gifted a jar of homemade pickles, called me at 7:24 this morning, sing-songing, “Do you know what today is?” My answer? “Pickle day?” I was correct–this was precisely what she’d been calling for. Her son had been counting down the days before she could try a pickle…”One more day, mom, and you can open those pickles.” But rather than try one, she wanted me to go first. She wanted me to guinea pig the pickles before she opened hers. Then, if I didn’t think they’d marinated long enough, she’d keep hers vaccuum-sealed.

Well, by about 8:30 I’d tried the pickles. In a word, Sha-Zam!. They are extremely zesty, the sweetness hitting you first and a little heat following up. Pretty delicious, but a bit difficult to eat all by themselves. I personally think they’d be delicious with barbeque–maybe I’ll give that a try this weekend…

So the friend that had called me at 7:24, called again just fifteen minutes ago, at about 4:15. I’d seen her when I’d gone to pick my boys up at school and given her the pickle-lowdown, so she’d tried them for herself. She coughed all the way through the conversation. Apparently she’d inhaled that zesty pickle aroma and it had tickled the back of her throat. But…in between harsh coughs, she gave me her opinion: Delicious!

So fellow bloggers, I encourage you–if you can find canning supplies–tackle the homemade pickle! I used Emeril’s recipe. Take it from me…it’ll knock your socks off! Bam!

Today I had the dubious pleasure of assisting two young boys with the task of getting a urine sample. What a mix of emotions!

Squeamishness at having to be involved at all

Irritation at my little one who didn’t want to do it (he’d been excited about peeing into a cup just minutes before and even asked, ‘Do we have to poo into one too?’ That appeared to be an even more exciting prospect).

Momentary Panic that the start/stop/start procedure would prove too much for them and they’d pee all over my hand. (Maybe I shouldn’t have been holding the cup, but better that than a cup of pee slipping through their little fingers and splashing over the bathroom floor, necessitating a further waiting period before they could pee again. TMI??)

Amusement that they loved the little compartment lodged in the bathroom wall, where they had to put their sample.

and Relief when it was all over. Maybe next time they’ll venture alone into the bathroom to collect their sample. One can only hope…

I am hearing a lot of good quotes on TV lately.
Tonight’s (from The Big Bang Theory, which is a little cliched, but a LOT funny) was ‘I’ve trancended the situation.’ Love that. It’s a great way to say, ‘I’ve washed my hands of you bozos and done it in a very uppercrust way.’ You would not believe how often I have cause to use such a quote.

Friday night, there was a Psych quote that was perfect for me, but now I can’t remember it exactly. Something to the effect of, ‘You’re a very strange person, but oddly effective.’ Sums me right up.

I think I need to keep a journal. I only have like five blank ones, just waiting for material like this…