Tangerines

Now I have that old Johnny Mercer song rattling around in my head.  I got a text from my

brother AJ last night that his SIL from Florida had sent them a couple boxes of tangerines from the tree in her back yard and did I want any.  YES!  I love tangerines!  So we arranged that I'd come to his office building in downtown Green Bay today to pick some up.  He's contracted to work for Schreiber Cheese for a couple years, testing their facilities' roofs for leaks, etc.  Well, you'd think the place was making radioactive pellets or some super-secret government somethings instead of cheese and yogurt.  I couldn't even get in the door to the reception desk.  The receptionist had to come and open the door, apologized that her intercom wasn't working, and said, "Are you B?"  Evidently AJ had told her that I'd be stopping so I was expected and could go inside, she called him and he came down, stepped through the swinging glass security gate thing, and we sat in the lobby visiting for close to an hour.  I got to bring the whole box of tangerines home and before I had the chance to feel too greedy I put a dozen of them into a bag to share with DS and his family.  I don't believe I've ever had them quite that home grown.  I of course gobbled one up immediately when I got home.  All I can say is, yum.  Thanks, Auntie J!

Once I washed the juice and peel off my hands I got the slicer up from the basement and sliced the semolina bread for taking along tomorrow.  I put the loaf of onion bread into the fridge the other day so it could thaw slowly and not get all icky wet on the bottom crust.  And I unwrapped a few sticks of butter and put them into a Tupperware to take along too. Oh yes, and carried up the toaster to take along.  Remember--toast is important.



I spent part of the morning putting a couple scenes together into something I can share at roundtable this weekend for some critiques.  It's not even so much that I want the comments but it really helps to hear your words rather than just see them on the page.  I don't think I have a clue how I want the rest of the chapter to go but am hoping that there's a little closed-off room in the back of my brain that's been cooking away at the story without my knowing so that when my fingers hit the keys during Quiet Writing Time on Friday and Saturday words come out that make some sense.

Tonight was the Agape (Community) Dinner at DS & DIL1's church so I went.  Soup was on the menu, 5 kinds of soup--Creamy Smoked Chicken, Mushroom, and Wild Rice, Chili, Chicken Dumpling, DIL1's Sweet Potato Corn Chowder, and Chicken Cordon Bleu.  I had a small bowl of the Smoked Chicken and another small bowl of the Sweet Potato Chowder, both fabulous.  I exercised great restraint in not hauling home a quart of each of them.  They sold the leftovers for $5/quart.  I tossed $10 into the donations box when I arrived (because I forgot last month) so I suppose I could have taken some home but neither of them are WW-ish soups and I'm determined to clamber back on track when I get home on Sunday.  BTW, next month's menu is Shepherd's Pie.  Yum.

2 January--Paul Cezanne, House of Pere Lacroix.  The house had been there for so many years that nature was trying to take it over.  Vines clung to the stucco and curled around the windows.  Saplings sprouted from the foundation and a row of seedlings marched along in the gutters.  Even Simon looked like he was reverting.  His skin was tanned nut brown and his hair had faded until it was the same color as his skin.

It snowed again this morning, not fiercely but big, fluffy flakes drifting down, just enough to cover over the stuff I shoveled yesterday.  I left it there.  It's supposed to be sunny and above freezing for the next few days; it'll melt.  On my way home from the soup-er supper I stopped at Bed, Bath & Beyond and bought new pillows.  All of a sudden the pillows seemed extra-flat and unable to be fluffed.  For $14 each I got new ones.  I put one on the bed so if I'm not a fan I can return the other 3 and try something else.  I won't blog until Sunday night, there isn't wi-fi where I'll be.  Talk amongst yourselves.
--Barbara