A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Toystore Today

I am a big fan of Pianosaurus, a quirky band from the '80's.

Give them a listen, won't you?

It's all Dagobah all the time right now

Swamped.

Typing this from the LCDC Exec meeting. Thursday is my son's school's open house and back-to-school night. I'm going away for the weekend.

This past weekend, I did phone banking and play dates and so on and so forth.

Updates to come soon.

I hope.

Thinking about my Grandpa Emeritus

He died three years ago this month (Fifth of August), and I'm missing him.

On Sunday, the pastor at our UU congregation gave a really moving address about the cathedral of the world, and life and death. It was something my grandfather would have enjoyed listening to.

Here's a post I wrote about a conversation I had with my son during one of our last visits with my grandfather.

I really wish people we love could live forever.

Haven't you always wanted a monkey?

Happy Birthday, Big Sister!!!

I love you and hope that you are having the world's best day.

And another one!!!

What's in my head...

Songs not included in this post:

Leave It



and, of course, the obvious one from The Police

The search for a green ballpoint

If you want to buy a green ballpoint pen at Office Depot, you need to buy a pack with at least 3 other colors, none of which are black, blue, or red.

It was the one thing on the list of school supplies we didn't get.

Last year's pen (bought in a pack with purple, pink, and orange - which we use for Clue), will have to do.

Today, I'm just happy. Very happy.

Yesterday, Judge Walker Vaughn overturned Prop 8 in California. Yesterday, my Twitter feed exploded with joy, laughter, and relief.

Today, I'm sending out love to all my gay and lesbian friends and family members, and hope - such a big hope - that this verdict will be upheld by the 9th circuit and by the Supremes. And thus overturn my own state's Jim Crow amendment.

I can't wait to live in a country where any two consenting adults can marry each other.

Whatever you're interested in, Dick Francis has a book about it (Part 2)

Jewels and gadgets? Straight
Survival? Longshot and Smokescreen
Filming a movie? Wild Horses and Smokescreen
Veterinary? Comeback and Banker
Bloodstock industry? Banker
British transport rules? Driving Force and Flying Finish
Truck maintenance? Driving Force
Antiques? Bonecrack
Toy making? High Stakes
Architecture? Decider
Gold mining? Smokescreen
How to hide something? To the Hilt
Film editing? Break In
Gun manufacturing? Bolt
Cockney rhyming slang? Driving Force

Tell me what you're interested in and I'll tell you which Dick Francis to read!

Whatever you're interested in, Dick Francis has a book about it (Part 1)

Photography? REFLEX
Flying airplanes? FLYING FINISH, RAT RACE, SECOND WIND
Wine and Spirits? PROOF
Russia during the cold war? TRIAL RUN
Glass blowing? SHATTERED
Rare diseases? WHIP HAND (equine), SECOND WIND
Painting? IN THE FRAME (oils), TO THE HILT (acrylics)
British elections? 10 LB PENALTY
British taxation (as of the time it was written)? RISK
Computers (as of the time it was written)? TWICE SHY
Target shooting (Olympic caliber)? TWICE SHY
Boilers? ODDS AGAINST
Trains? THE EDGE

I get kisses again.

Seems a boy who sports purple shoes, a buzz cut, and a brand-new Cookie Monster hat (what? It's from Sesame Place!), can stand up for himself with his friends about whether or not it's cool to kiss your parents in public

Whew.

The day has come

When my son won't kiss or hug me in front of his friends.

I knew it would happen some time, but I wasn't ready for it.

Yesterday he let ME kiss HIM, but he wouldn't kiss me back. Today, nothing.

Ah well.

Reviews from NYC

Momoya Sushi - W. 21st Street and 7th Avenue in Chelsea. Delicious sushi. I had several of their ala carte specials. Types of fish I'd never heard of, and all just some of the best tasting food I've had...ever. MM had the salmon nigiri and the tekka maki. And made it disappear. It's very noisy, though. Not a good place for a shmooze.

Sweet Melissa on 7th Avenue, b'twn 1st and 2nd Streets in Park Slope. I had the mushroom quiche and a salad. Also iced coffee and a chocolate croissant. Very good. Nice atmosphere. Easy to talk for hours in.

Le Pain Quotidien on 19th Street near Broadway in Gramercy. Fun curried chicken sandwich. Also easy to talk in. Good for people watching.

Szechuan Delight on 7th Avenue b'twn Garfield and Carroll in Park Slope. Delicious Sub Gum pan-fried noodles. MM would have given their dumplings rave reviews if his mouth hadn't been so busy eating them.

There was lots more, but that will have to do for now.

Vacation in brief

NYC, y'all.
New yarn.
Visiting with friends.
MM saw two movies and The Lion King.
Lego Store.
Sushi.
Swimming.
Sesame Place.

Any questions?

Cooked this weekend:

• Fritatta made with eggs, cheese, potatoes, chorizo, onions, and fresh herbs from our garden (for a pot-luck barbeque)
• Brioche (my first! From How To Cook Everything). Came out beautifully and was really very easy. It went very well with my BIL's homemade strawberry jam.
• Pesto (from Good Food Gourmet) using sunflower seeds instead of pignolli nuts - 5 times cheaper. Came out very well, but needs more olive oil to replace the oiliness of the pignolli nuts. Sunflower seeds are much drier. I'll use 1/3 cup oil next time.
• BLT using the first beefsteak tomato from the garden. Oh. YUM. YUM. YUM.

What did you do this weekend?

Briefing in brief

We went to Vermont on Amtrak.

Have I told you how much I love Amtrak?

I do. I totally love taking the train.

We saw my nephew perform in Annie.

We saw fireworks.

We picked black raspberries, and one of us (naming no names) ate them two at a time straight from the bushes until his mouth and fingers were stained purple.

We ate really good food, and one of us (naming no names) built things out of Lego and other things out of sand.

And we brought back two jars of homemade strawberry jam made while we were there of berries picked while we were there.

Yes.

The house across the road from my sister's house is up for sale. Alas, I can't afford to buy it right now. Maybe it'll be for sale again in another 10 years.

Experiments

I baked this bread this weekend and had moderate success. However, I didn't notice until late that the first temp is in Celcius (my stupid stove is only in Farenheit), and I didn't use enough yeast.

So next time: More yeast (and maybe more proofing the yeast) and higher heat.

What I was hoping for was a crusty loaf. What I got was a slightly moist ciabatta. Not bad, just not what I was looking for. I hope that my corrections will turn this into the crusty loaf I'm looking for. But if not, ciabatta is still a good bread.

Lego kit 7662 was discontinued

It was $103.00 in stores three years ago and MM has saved his money until he had enough to buy it. Now that it's discontinued, it sells for over $400 in the collectibles market.

MM is sobbing.

I feel so guilty for not having gotten it for him three years ago. I didn't know they discontinued them.

Dammit.

He got a sunburn

On his shoulders. So did all the rest of the campers. Apparently 2 extra slatherings of sunscreen yesterday weren't enough.

I think that the daycamp should have them keep their shirts on in the pool.