I have discovered exactly where my hamstring muscle is, because I fell down last week. It’s kind of exciting because I thought that muscle was somewhere else, but the internet pictures all agree that it is the large muscle(s) on the back of the thigh. That’s definitely what I pulled, a large muscle back there. It twinges at odd moments, though I am no longer afraid I’ll fall down with the spasm when that happens. I also discovered, when the original pain subsided, that I had skinned my other knee. These are not important injuries, and I learned, from ten years ago and from last year, to keep using the muscles without avoiding all discomfort, in order to heal the best. Discomfort, I said, not pain.

However, this hamstring business has one very odd effect. Sitting is very complicated. If I sit the wrong way, I feel as though there is a lump under my leg, which seems to be the muscle spasming OR I feel as if I am pressing down on a bruise. I am struggling to write fiction under these conditions because fiction requires a certain immersion and focus that gets upset when I ~twinge~. 

This is annoying because I had some lovely conversations recently about the art and craft of writing. In their wake, I suddenly realized how someone else’s villain worked. I am not saying I know how the author wrote the villain, but I know how I could have done that same villain. He was definitely an unpleasant character BUT he didn’t signal that unpleasantness right away even though he never changed. And I had a bit of insight into writing my own villain, in the current book. 

But I can’t write it right now, except in notes. And I can’t spin for very long either …

So I made a cherry pie out of some really awful cherries. I should know better than to buy cherries in late August, especially from a new place. These were from —— a farm whose name I just erased (I don’t want to get into trouble for hating them), and the advertising on them was great. But they are much more like apples or something. No tender cherry flesh. They are just as firm today as they were three weeks ago, their seeds refuse to pop out, and their flavor lacks cherry nuance. 

When I make pie I use four generous cups of fruit. I add between an eighth and a quarter cup of Minute Tapioca from Kraft. (2 to 4 tablespoons, depending on the firmness of the fruit — and ‘organic’ tapioca isn’t ground finely enough to use).  I add some balsamic vinegar of whatever flavor seems appropriate, in the place of lemon juice, and less than a cup of sugar. Mix, pour into a pie crust, dot with butter (or scowl at the sink because you put the top crust down and forgot the butter), and bake at 400º for 40 minutes.

(I found the degree symbol on my keyboard!!! Option + zero ººº ) 

Fannie Farmer has a pie crust recipe called stirred pastry, which works well if you increase it by 50%, from using 2 cups of flour to using 3, with added milk and oil in proportion. I was way too lazy this time and just used a purchased crust. It looks good. UPDATE: Saturday night. The pie tasted good too!

Then, because I was in the kitchen fixing problems, I took out the maple marshmallows I had bought, and made Rice Krispie bars. The problem was not in the purchase of maple marshmallows, though I don’t entirely recommend them. The problem came about because, when I went camping in May, I bought some marshmallows for the fire there, and then I had the rest as leftovers. We don’t really eat marshmallows as such, and there’s not a lot I can make with them, but Rice Krispie bars are always fun. (Never argue with someone who gets snooty about them. Just remember, more for the rest of us.)

Unfortunately, I used up the marshmallows and then had 3 cups of Rice Krispies left over. The way the proportions worked out, I could buy two more bags of marshmallows and one more box of Rice Krispies and then it would all be gone. That just seemed like overkill. And, it was while I was mulling over this problem, that I went shopping and saw the maple marshmallows in a HALF size bag. Done!

The maple marshmallows didn’t act exactly like regular marshmallows. I think they probably have less sugar but I didn’t really check. They blew up quite hugely when I melted them, but they accepted the cereal very easily, and they aren’t nearly as sticky as regular marshmallows. They are considerably more expensive so I’m not planning to buy them often but they were perfect for this situation.

And I haven’t sat on my hamstring for a while. That’s a win!

I wrote this on Saturday for posting on Tuesday so don’t be worrying about my bruises without current information… just sayin’.