Author: Elaine

COSine Science Fiction Convention

The eight annual COSine Science Fiction Convention is being held this week-end at the Crown Plaza Colorado Springs. Our guest of honor is Sharon Shinn.  I am running a game of Dominion on Saturday and am also on two panels, one of which is the obligatory Heinlein panel.  (I was on a Heinlein panel at the most recent Worldcon in  Denver.  Someone in the audience said it was the best panel at the convention.  I suppose that was flattering, but I wanted to say “You don’t get out much, do you?”) Jack is on a panel Friday night about Science Fiction and Anime.  That should be worth attending if only to hear Connie Willis’s views on the topic.

In other fannish news, the Atlantis Hotel room block in Reno for the World SF Convention this summer sold out within 24 hours. (The con is investigating getting another block of rooms.)  I am so glad that my great desire to be in the party hotel for once led me to book the room within the first hour.

Lightning

I have been unable to explain to Lightning that Schnauzers can get on beds and Shelties can’t because Schnauzers don’t shed and Shelties do.

Make It Fast, Cook It Slow

My sister sent me Make It Fast, Cook It Slow: The Big Book of Everyday Slow Cooking for Christmas.  This is a cookbook written by Stephanie O’Dea, who challenged herself to use the slow cooker every day in 2008, and documented the results at her web log, A Year of Slow Cooking.  I handed the book and a notepad to Jack asking him to write down the page numbers of a few recipes he would like me to try making.  He filled the sheet of paper with page numbers.

So far we have had Beans and Rice, Tortilla Soup, Bread Pudding and Fish Chowder.  All the recipes have been good, and the Fish Chowder is outstanding. (I used cod as the white fish.)  I have increased some of the seasonings from what was recommended in the book, but have otherwise followed the recipes pretty closely.  I like cooking, but tend to like doing it early in the day, so using a slow cooker is ideal for me.  Not only do I recommend this cookbook, I plan to buy the sequel.