First, for the updates:

I got the 1894 Singer sewing machine functioning and polished the chrome.  I bought a couple bobbins on eBay, and am now searching for a treadle table.  I found one that needs work according to the owner, who wants practically nothing for it, but we have been unsuccessfully trying to coordinate a time for me to check it out and pick it up for almost 2 weeks.  Since my price range on this project is "free or cheap", I'm willing to wait.  Until I get the table and a belt for the treadle, the sewing machine is not much more than a doorstop.

I'm still making kefir about once a week.  I keep the grains with milk in a jar in the fridge, and I take it out once a week to let the kefir grains do their thing.  The dogs LOVE kefir in their dinner, so it's not a loss by any means.  And maybe some day I'll find a way to use it that I like!

I don't know if I updated this one, but I got my sourdough starter from http://home.att.net/~carlsfriends/ awhile back, and finally got around to mixing it up.  Talk about vigorous!  This stuff is quite active!  I've made two loaves of bread; the first, a whole-wheat loaf, was a bit bitter and too dense.  The bitter is most likely from the whole wheat flour.  The too dense was because I waited too long to bake.  I let the sponge do its thing for 24 hours, then mixed it with the flour and let the loaf sit overnight to rise.  It looked lovely before I went to bed, and I should have baked it then.  By morning it had collapsed.  Hubby thought it was too sour, Mom thought it tasted great except for the bitter taste.  This last loaf was mostly unbleached flour.  I goofed and mixed the sponge with whole wheat flour, and then didn't add enough water to the dough.  So this loaf came out too dense as well, but the taste is right where I want it.  I'm going to make another loaf soon, with unbleached flour and if my past track record is any indication, it should be much closer to what I want.