Patchwork Times by Judy Laquidara

The dairy where I wanted to buy raw milk is about 5o miles away.  Someone is at the dairy milking the cows and selling milk every day from 6 – 8 a.m. and 6 – 8 p.m.  The original plan was to go today but then I wanted to make the cheese today so I decided to go yesterday afternoon.  The thought crossed my mind to drive to the dairy by myself but since Vince was home, I thought he might like to go too.

Vince and I are so different.  They say opposites attract . . the one thing I can say for sure is that in so many ways, we’re alike and in so many ways, we’re so different.  If I get lost . . I always get found!  I try to know where I’m going but I never seem to get anywhere without getting lost at least once.  Of all the times I’ve gone to Louisiana, even with GPS, there’s hardly ever a time I don’t make at least one wrong turn and I never seem to go the same way twice.  Something little turn here or there is always different and I see new scenery.  It doesn’t matter to me .. I get there eventually.   Heck, as many times as Elaine and I have been to Paducah, last year we were talking and I was driving and all of a sudden, I looked up and saw a bridge I had never seen before.  We were lost!  We had gone about 50 miles the wrong way.  We laughed and laughed and turned around and drove 50 miles back to where we were supposed to be and thought it was just the funniest thing!

We start out about 5 p.m. to get to the dairy by 6 p.m.  Vince said “Do you know how to get there?”  Oh yes!  I have my directions right here in my hand, along with my camera, my knitting and my cell phone.

We went south on 71.  We knew we would do that.  We take the exit my directions say to take.  My directions (which I had written, straight off the computer I thought) said turn left on M Highway but M Highway only goes right.  N Highway goes left.  You would have thought the whole world was coming to an end.  We only had to go 3.9 miles on that highway so what difference did it really make?  Go 3.9 miles and if we’re not at the right road, we went the wrong way . . turn around and go the other way.  How hard is that?

I looked at the map and I said . . We have to go left, no matter what they call the highway.  Just punch the button and if we go 3.9 miles and aren’t at the other road, we’ll turn around and come back.”  He huffs and puffs and thank goodness, left was correct.

The back roads were in terrible shape with the snow and ice (grumble, grumble) and it was getting foggy (grumble, grumble) but we made it to the dairy, got the milk and got directions that took us a couple of miles out of the way but we were on state roads except for one mile.  We made it home and you can bet when I go back to the dairy, I’ll be going alone!

Anyway, 3 gallons of fresh from the cow milk.  I drank some — the first milk I’ve had in probably 35 years.  I love it!

Oh, another little glitch in the trip .. Vince said he’d take the ice chest.  He said “do you want me to put ice in it?”  I was thinking . . why bring the cooler if you’re not going to put ice in it? but I just said “yes”.  We’re driving to the middle of nowhere, with the ice chest in the SUV and I said “did you put ice in it?” and he said “NO!  We’ll buy some ice.”  I’m thinking where on earth are you going to buy ice?” but I didn’t say anything.  Then I suggested we just scoop up some snow . . there’s plenty of that around.  And Vince said “That will be kind of cold.”  Never fear .. we’re in my vehicle and I have everything in here . . including a 2 quart pitcher that’s perfect for scooping up snow!

You’d think with the shipping problems on the ingredients and this trip to get milk, maybe cheesemaking is something I should give up before starting!  Nope, that is not in my makeup!  Today I’ll make my first batch of mozzarella.