Furlough photo essay (and tortilla-making tips)

Told you the upstairs bathroom was really f*ing orange!

"What are you still doing here?"

Warm weather is back, and so are the frozen grapes.

Downstairs bathroom is actually quite a nice color but you don't see that here.

Love my wood chipper! For the first time I could do something with all the pruned roses.

Cracked the tortilla code! See below.

First of all, tips are helpful but you do really have to just do it through trial and error until you get a sense of what worked. The dough was better this time (it was particularly bad last time, as I'd frozen it), and letting it sit helped a lot. Oh, a tip you don't see a lot is to add baking soda. I recommend this not just for extra lift but also for the sodium; it salts the tortillas perfectly. It's still quite challenging to peel them off the plastic (definitely use a thicker plastic--ziploc consistency, not saran wrap) but you get the hang of it. Do cover the entire round with your hand and catch it as you peel it off. I would also cook them just enough on each side to lock in the shape (i.e., make it sturdy), then pile them up and fry again before serving. Start peeling the next one once you flip the one that's frying (and flip with a flick of the wrist, not a spatula).

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Insulation people are coming tomorrow, to be followed in short order by the drywall repair people. Don't say I'm not making the most of the furlough. Do call your elected representatives and get me back to work, though!