Time To Load Up More Books

After my chiropractor appointment this morning (how come my back aches more after she shifts stuff around?) and a quick jaunt through Sam's to see if they had different chopped salads than the broccoli slaw I've been mainlining for the last month (they did, two kinds, I got both and dumped them together), I set out to see if I couldn't empty the book box in my car.  I almost made it, only two books are left after I stopped at 5 more Little Free Libraries.  My friend, HH, saw one across from a church near her house and suggested I try another church between her house and mine so with the three I already knew about I almost emptied the box.  I did find a couple kids' books that I took because both LC and O love reading stories.  You can never have too many stories.

It occurred to me yesterday that it was nearly the middle of August and I hadn't knitted any preemie hats or cast on a Seamen's Cowl yet, so I got out the preemie project bag and cast on Moe, the tiniest of the hats.  I think maybe this month the micro-preemies will get all four hats so I'll do two Moes and two Minies, and I'll make the Minies striped.  It'll be good.  Tonight after supper I'll cast on a cowl.

Speaking of supper I made a lovely one last night out of one of our new Weight Watchers cookbooks.  It's Flank Steak with Cherry Tomatoes and Basil. (Serves 4)  You marinate a 1# flank steak in 1/4 cup of supermarket-quality balsamic vinegar for at least 30 minutes, then pan fry it in a little olive oil.  Remove it from the skillet and let it rest 5 minutes. (I covered it with foil to retain a bit of heat.)  In another skillet you saute garlic in even less oil, add a pint of cherry tomatoes cut in half (could have used more), and cook them for about 4 minutes.  Remove from the heat and stir in 1 Tablespoon of good quality balsamic vinegar and about 1/4 cup of chopped basil.  Then I cut the steak in half across the grain, sliced each half, and divided half for last night's supper, saving the other half for tonight.  You can see the Brussels sprouts on my plate and we started with a cob of corn each.  Mmm, mm.

My big accomplishment yesterday was whipstitching the bottom back onto my knitting basket.  Thank God for curved needles.  And thimbles.  It took a couple hours with breaks to give my fingertips a break but I went all the way around over the still attached parts too so they didn't get the idea that breaking out is fun.  Maybe I'll put slightly fewer things in it next time but for now I'll stick with the cloth bag I sewed up a few years back.  It's enormous with a wide handle and holds all manner of projects and random crap.


The tomatoes are ripening.  I confess that I picked one and sliced it for my lunch sandwich today.  It was still warm from the sun when I cut into it.  It's delicious.  Shh, don't tell Durwood.  Oh, wait, I left part of it for him.  He won't mind, he's good at sharing.

August 15--John Dittli, North Cascades Reflection.  "It looks like a damned calendar," said Henry, putting the lens cap back on his camera.  "I can't take a picture, it looks too fake."  Lillian elbowed him.  "Just take the picture from right here.  I'll smile, you'll snap, it'll be done."  She faced him with the perfect scene of sky, mountains, trees, and lake behind her.  Still grumbling about the scenery looking fake, he took a couple shots.  The rest of the tour part milled around the small wayside, using the restroom, and looking at the faded and dusty trinkets for sale in the ramshackle gift shop.  Lillian picked up a small carved wolf that had the gray look of driftwood.  "Don't buy that crap, Lillian," Henry said.  But she ignored him and bought the wolf and an eagle carving too.  "It says on the card in the display case that they're by a young Native man earning money for school."  "God, you are so gullible.  The stuff's probably carved by some coot for beer money or made in a sweatshop in China."  Lillian's eyes filled with tears but she took a deep breath and said, "After spending the last forty-seven years with you, I have to say I'm tired of your cynicism.  Sit somewhere else, or I will."  She stomped onto the bus and wedged herself into her seat with her luggage in his seat as a barricade.

And in the Department of Are You Kidding?, I called my dentist's office when I got home from errand-ing to make an appointment to have my teeth cleaned, figuring that I'd be lucky to get one in September, what with kids off school.  Nope.  The receptionist said, "What are you doing today at 5 o'clock?"  "Getting my teeth cleaned, I guess."  That. Never. Happens.  Time to see about making up some menus.
--Barbara