Hopscotch

I love to eat out almost as much as I love to cook. Inspiration for the things I make in my kitchen come from recipes in the newspaper, cookbooks, shows on the Food Network, generous friends and great restaurants. If nothing on the menu is better than my own, I leave feeling my time and money were wasted. My favorite eatery in England was Wagamama. I wish I could duplicate their Yasai Katsu Curry at home. My favorite place to eat here is very different; no waiters and no chopsticks. I love Café Zupas for the fresh ingredients and reasonable prices. There’s almost always some new special to try. When I’m not sampling something new, I have the Thai peanut sandwich, a turkey cranberry or pesto chicken Panini. The chicken chop salad is also wonderful, as are the tomato basil and Wisconsin cauliflower soups. But the chocolate-covered strawberries are the real reason I keep coming back.

Jersey Basket

Last week my son asked if I was drowning in quilts. I laughed and said, “Not yet," but it’s a valid question. He’s seen the daily links to this blog on facebook. (Thanks, Matt for making that happen!) He knows I have more sewing time now that I’m babysitting less. I have several projects in various stages of completion, but I wouldn’t describe the situation as “drowning.” I only make about a block a day. Some blocks take 30 minutes to finish, others take two hours. I don’t post on Sundays, so I average about 25 blocks a month. Most of the quilts I make are for queen-size beds and use 30 to 45 blocks. I finish roughly one large quilt top every other month. Many are donated to the local hospital. Others will become gifts for family and friends. While the blocks wait to be assembled, they lie flat in ArtBin craft boxes like the one I bought Saturday:

Wheels on the Sidewalk

A while ago we visited the library, which is usually a silent place. But this day they were testing the sound system in the park nearby in preparation for the evening’s concert. They were playing a Chicago song that was popular when I was a girl:

Saturday in the park I think it was the Fourth of July.

People talking, people laughing, a man selling ice cream singing Italian songs:

“Eh, Cumpari! si vo sunari,” can you dig it? Yes I can!

And I've been waiting such a long time for Saturday.

Slow motion riders fly the colors of the day.

A bronze man still can tell stories his own way.

Listen children all is not lost, all is not lost, oh no, no.

Funny days in the park; everyday's the Fourth of July.

People reaching, people touching; a real celebration waiting for us all.

If we want it, really want it, can you dig it? Yes, I can,

And I've been waiting such a long time for the day.

Cat's Cradle

Weddings and funerals have a lot in common. They often take place in churches. They take a good deal of planning. You have to decide which flowers to display, what music to play, and what food to serve after the ceremony’s over. Friends and family often come from out of town, and everyone has to decide what to wear. I’m convinced that much of the to-do before a funeral is designed to distract mourners until it’s all over. If the same is true of weddings, maybe that can explain the post-nuptial depression that hits most brides after the guests go home. Do they miss being the center of attention? Did they spend more time selecting a china pattern than they did choosing a groom? The other day I read an article about the growing trend of single people throwing wedding-like bashes for themselves. Now there’s an idea. You get to be Bridezilla for a day without the inconvenience of a marriage afterwards.

Grandmother's Puzzle

Keeping a pet can be so good for you. Watching goldfish swim in a bowl or holding a cat in your arms can lower your blood pressure. A dog will encourage you to get more exercise.  A pet can keep you company, elevate your mood and improve your social skills. Over the years I’ve had a lot of pets: ducks and turtles, tropical fish, a chicken, a tarantula, hedgehogs, guinea pigs, hamsters, gerbils, mice, parakeets and finches, a cockatiel, iguanas, and of course a number of cats and dogs. My canine companions have been the most work, but they’ve also brought me the most joy. I’ve wanted a Scottish terrier for some time, and I suspect having a puppy around might keep my adult dog healthy and active longer. But maybe I should wait for a time when my carpets aren’t quite so new.

Odds and Ends

Below is a photo of myself and my daughter at the Great Yorkshire Show two years ago. Yes, it was July and yes, we’re wearing jumpers (that’s sweatshirts to you Yanks). Have I mentioned how much I miss English weather? The crowds were insane, and people drove miles and miles to get there. They battled each other for the space to park and still had to hike to get to the show grounds. But we only lived half a mile away, so it was literally a walk in the park. We enjoyed all the tasting booths, especially those with cheese. We watched a man weaving bee skeps out of preserved honeysuckle vine. We visited all the farm animals and watched a sheep-shearing competition. We noticed an awful lot of women with new Miche handbags from the US; those purses with the interchangeable magnetic outsides. That surprised me because the prices seemed positively scandalous. It was a lovely day.