Head chef

Mr. made a special dinner yesterday for us, Jenny, Olivia and Michael who is going away to grad school.

I made a snack plate of cheese, olives, berries & cucumber slices with baguette to start. We snacked on that for an hour with drinks. Then it was time for serious eating!

We sat down to a spinach salad with sesame vinaigrette, apple & chevre. The main course was roasted pork (rubbed down with the garlic & herbs seen below), potatoes, asparagus & sautéed mushrooms. For dessert, he made a dark chocolate ice cream (the base seen below) with spices & walnuts in it and oatmeal-cherry cookies on the side. Yuuuuuuuuuum!

It sounds heavy for the summer, but it was actually perfect. I love being with someone who cooks so well (as dangerous as that is for my waistline). Left to my own devices, I am sure there'd be a lot more meals consisting of pb&j and tater tots:)

Stupid technology ruining my life!

So, Curt switched out our computers and bought me a new camera on the same day. I am a mess! I am so flustered, I couldn't even properly set up a facebook page. Anyhow, here's me getting used to the camera...

New rubbish

On my walk this morning, I couldn't resist rifling thru a garbage can with parts of an old fire pit in it. I ended up carrying back the bowl in one hand and both of my whopping 2 lb weights in the other.

Now I just have to figure out what to do with it. We already have a fire pit, so I am thinking planter, fountain, hose holder, perhaps party hat. Any other suggestions?

Dumpster divers

Wow! So, here's a great idea.
In the Arts section of today's NY Times, Melena Ryzik has an article about turning old dumpsters into swimming pools. I know, it sounds kind of gross. As far as I can make out though, once the new liner is in, it's no more disgusting than a regular pool.
Anyhow, it seems like a good answer to hot summer nights in big cities. Here's a link to the article.

Why I don't exercise in public

Whenever I try to go to a gym, after about 20 minutes people start circling with concerned looks. Please, just let it go. It's bad enough going there at all, never mind turning purple and sweating like it's a sauna. How about if my husband promises not to sue you should I perish from my minor exertions?

Anyhow, in lieu of concerned strangers I have left the notion of going to a gym and traded up to non-judgemental friends. We go on a daily walk and they've even given me a elliptical. Today, I woke up feeling crummier than usual and skipped (arghhhhhh) the morning walk. Feeling guilty, I pumped up from the lowest setting on the machine to a resistance 3 with intervals of 4 (out of 20:) and slogged away for a half hour. Here's the moist result (pathetic)....

7 Worlds Collide

I always envy how musicians can just get together and have a blast. It must be some wonderful feeling when you get together and create something interesting. I came across this project thanks to a Radiohead W.A.S.T.E. update. My favourite song so far is 'there is a light that never goes out'. Here's an overview of the project....

Tanking

Reading the NY Times headlines today has me a bit down. Unemployment is up (duh, still not great to see it confirmed in print) and the prospects for our slump turning any time are dim. There's not much to be done somehow. I suppose that we've all grown so complacent about it - even when we feel the pinch of having to give up a few of our ridiculously extravagant luxuries.

It's like the lady who's been living off cigarettes, gin & bonbons for the last 60 years. She knew it was wrong all along, but it all made life so much more bearable. Now her doctor says that she'll be horribly sick for the last 20 years and she's too lethargic to get remotely upset.