(Mostly) Drug-Free Pie-Making

This morning I stuck with ibuprofen while I made pies. I made some dough for the crust on Monday, thinking that wold make it easier today. But I didn't put enough fat into that batch, so after tons of rolling and crumbling and trying my best, I had to give up and start the crust from the beginning. Should have done that to begin with: mixing the dough isn't what takes time and concentration; rolling it is. Anyway, I always make pie crust with shortening but today I added about a tablespoon or two of butter and look:
Pretty, huh? I'm trying to refrain from saying "wait 'til we get our new camera," but I obviously wasn't trying too hard! This pie deserves a very nice camera.

Anyway, I used this recipe, which calls for the juice and zest of one whole lemon. I added more than a dash of cloves and some extra cinnamon and nutmeg. And I ate a tiny piece of one of the apples once they were all mixed up with the seasonings and zowee! It tasted great! I'm scared of under-seasoning apple pies because of a disastrous experience in high school: my friend and I made lasagna and an apple pie for our Christmas Dance dates and the apples were old and tasted like absolutely nothing. Plus, the lasagna was cold. So that was the other lesson. The apples, though, were an unforgettable disappointment--the pie looked lovely but tasted like sawdust. Anyway, that lemon juice and zest really added a zing!

And this pie! It's so pretty! Like, magazine pretty! I hope everyone's impressed tomorrow at P's family's house. They aren't really pie people, though. Usually there's not even a pumpkin pie at their table, which is why I'm making one right now. They are a pumpkin-roll-up-with-cream-cheese-icing people. They are cake people. But I'm a pie person! I come from pie people! It's tragic, because this crust is the kind of crust that can only be truly appreciated by people who really, really loooooooove pie.
P.S. When I finished the dough-chilling and pre-baking and rolling and shaping and filling and blah blah blah, I did take a Vicoden. I figure I can handle removing pies from an oven and determining whether they're done, even under the influence of prescription painkillers. I felt I should tell you about the Vicoden so you'd forgive me if this post is error-riddled and/or incoherent in any way.
P.P.S. Damn! I just looked at the recipe again and realized I forgot to dot the apples with butter before I put the top crust on. I repeat: Damn! I hope it doesn't totally ruin it. I mean, I know it won't totally ruin it, but I hope...I just hope it's good!