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June 27, 2007

Four Hours
That's how long I've been up. And it's not even nine yet.

Having disturbing, too-vivid dreams about people from my past. Sometimes this seems to summon them (even though I don't believe in stuff like that, of course I don't...), so we'll see what happens.
06/27/07 08:51 AM |  Comments


June 25, 2007

Pump it Up
If you don't have a kid under five, borrow one, stat, and then find out when your local Pump it Up inflatable party center has open play times. It's been at least a dozen years since I've been inside an inflatable, and... hoo. Boy. Worth every penny of the more-than-reasonable $7 paid for the both of us to play for an hour and a half this morning. Much, much better than going to the gym for a workout! There were five giant inflatables (and, psssst, D., I almost forgot -- an air hockey table). One was a giant circular arena with a "platform" in the middle, presumably made for whack-dueling each other with those giant padded sticks. We just jumped around and around. And around. Phew!

If you know me well, you're probably aware that I'm terrified of heights, the terror exacerbated by a nasty case of vertigo. Only the bub could get me to go up and down that giant bouncy slide that reached the ceiling (shudder). I'd probably do it again, though, even if only to see the looks on the faces of those grumpy sitabout moms.
06/25/07 02:47 PM |  Comments


June 24, 2007

Retroactive Regrets
Things I've discovered or learned to appreciate recently that I wish I'd done long before:

  • Maple syrup. I remember tasting it once as a kid (Laura Ingalls Wilder liked it, after all, why shouldn't I? Of course she also enjoyed headcheese...), and hating it. After decades of "pancake syrup," I tried it again (I think it was called for in a recipe), and now it's all I eat in my yogurt.
  • Which has also just recently become only local plain yogurt, preferably Pavel's Russian Style 2%. Mmm.
  • BBC's Dr. Who. Kind of cheesy. Good for summers. Too bad Christopher Eccleston doesn't make it past the first season, nor Billie Piper the second, though (says she with the inadvisable fangirl crushes).
  • Crochet. It's about a hundred times less painful than knitting. Which is the major reason you rarely see me doing that. And easy! Why didn't I know?
  • Having a cup of hot chai tea, and then using the bag to brew another cup for the fridge, to enjoy iced the next day. I reuse one of those tall lidded POM glasses for that.
  • Helen Putnam Park. Especially just before dusk. Man...
    • 06/24/07 04:51 PM |  Comments


    June 08, 2007

    Linkapalooza
    -I'm considering taking the bub -- solo -- back to Upper Michigan sometime after Christmas. My plan is to USPS Priority a bunch of stuff ahead, so we can travel blissfully light. Knowing that we'll still need a few essentials, I can't think of any transport I'd like better than to carry them on than this bag, with a built-in laptop compartment that allows for easy removal from below the seat in front of you.

    -Of interest to a very limited few (some of whom haven't yet given me their new email -- ahem -- but still read here): The FXGRRR 5 Memorial Race will take place on June 23rd behind my high school, all proceeds to the C. Douglas Fix Scholarship Fund. I can't think of a more fitting tribute than just that. I also can't be there to run it, but I can buy the shirt.

    -I'm stoked! Based on the books in my catalog, I was chosen as a good fit (921 of 205,000) for the LibraryThing/Random House Early Reviewers program, and was also one of the very lucky few chosen for an advance copy! Woot!
    06/08/07 11:13 AM |  Comments


    June 06, 2007

    Spatchcocking
    Or butterflying. A chicken. I did it for the first time yesterday, and it was a tad more gruesome than that phototutorial looks.

    We won't talk about the scissors through bone/cartilage/miscellaneous gore sounds. I guess I've been suppressing all those animal physiology labs...

    Now the poor spineless flattened bird sits in a bag of buttermilk in my fridge, waiting for the oven tomorrow.
    06/06/07 03:22 PM |  Comments