sunday stealing

 

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Thursday Thunks

1. It's the middle of the night. There isn't another car in sight. You're stuck at a red light that just won't change. How long do wait until you run it? ok, there's a lot to unpack--first of all, why am I out in the middle of the night?  Is there an emergency?  If so, I will run the light.  

2. What's your favorite recipe? the one that comes to mind is Cuppa-Cuppa-Cuppa:

One cup diced onion

One cup shredded cheddar cheese

One cup Hellman's Mayonnaise (brand specific)

Mix well and bake in a 350 oven for thirty minutes or until golden and bubbly around the edges.

3. When did you last ask yourself, "What the hell was I thinking?" recently

4. Have you ever had a mole removed? If yes, where on your body was it? yes, it was on my back and it was precancerous

5. What website do you faithfully check (other than email)? I regularly check my blog, my blog buddies, Facebook, and Instagram

postsecret

 

PostSecret is an ongoing community art project where people mail in their secrets anonymously on one side of a postcard. I like to post one that speaks to me each week.

saturday 9

 

I'm Looking Over A Four Leaf Clover

Selected in honor of St. Patrick's Day. Unfamiliar with this week's song? Hear it here.

1) This is one of the songs included in Willie Nelson's Rainbow Connection album. He named it after his daughter Amy's favorite song when she was a little girl. She'd been asking him to record "The Rainbow Connection" for 20 years and finally, in 2001, he came through for her. Think of something you had to wait for. Was it worth the wait? the last long wait was for routine medical test results that were great!  Definitely worth the wait.

2) Willie can trace his family tree back to the Revolutionary War. Are you interested in genealogy? sort of--not enough to do the work, but I love having the tree and filling in the history

3) Today Willie is legendary performer, but as a child, he was very uncomfortable in front of crowds. He recalled that during his school days, reciting in front of his class made him so uncomfortable he suffered nose bleeds. When did you most recently have a bloody nose? a week ago, I believe it was Wednesday

4) During the 1990s, Willie had problems with the IRS. His management team set up illegal tax shelters and he ended up owing millions in back taxes and penalties. This year's IRS filing deadline is Wednesday, April 15. Will you be early, on time, or will you need an extension? done early, as usual

5) In "I'm Looking Over a Four Leaf Clover," Willie sings about appreciating something he has previously overlooked. Is there anything positive in your life you feel you may take for granted? this is why I keep a gratitude journal, so I think of little things that I take for granted

6) Four leaf clovers and shamrocks are considered good luck. Do you have a lucky charm? not really

7) "The wearing o' the green" is one way to celebrate St. Patrick's Day. Will you wear something green in honor of the day? I have challenged myself to wear green every day this month--it's going to be tricky not repeating items of clothing, but as of now (the 14th) no repeats!

8) According to Irish folklore, if you catch a leprechaun he must either give you his pot o' gold or grant you three wishes. Would you choose the gold or the wishes? if I was in Ireland, I would take the wishes... if it's here at home, I would take the gold--and no, I don't have any particular reasons why that is my answer--it's how the spirit moved me to answer

   

9) Traditional Irish stew is made with mutton or lamb, though here in the US beef is also very popular. What's your favorite soup/stew? tomato bisque

finished reading

After finishing Volume 3, I had to move on to Volume 4.  Emma M. Lion is irresistibly fun!  In this installment, there are some wacky, almost farcical situations that are counterbalanced by tender, melancholic explorations of grief.  

From the publisher:

"It all began very innocently. Truly."

The Year is 1883 and Emma M. Lion has returned to her London neighborhood of St. Crispian’s. But Emma’s plans for a charmed and studious life are sabotaged by her eccentric Cousin Archibald, her formidable Aunt Eugenia, and the slightly odd denizens of St. Crispian’s.

Emma M. Lion offers up her Unselected Journals, however self-incriminating they may be, which comprise a series of novella-length volumes. Armed with wit and a sideways amusement, Emma documents the curious realities of her life at Lapis Lazuli House.

finished reading

In Volume 3, Emma's escapades center around an annual neighborhood "secret" production of Shakespeare's Julius Caesar and the scavenger hunt to procure tickets.  These stories are so much fun!  Emma's chaos is delightful.  And Cousin Archibald is prissy and cantankerous. The mysterious tenant is becoming a friend, and their relationship is sweet.

From the publisher:

"It has been a day ordained by the fates, for how else could one explain the wholly cursed chain of events?"

The Year is 1883 and Emma M. Lion has returned to her London Neighbourhood of St. Crispian's. But Emma's plan for a charmed and studious life are sabotaged by her eccentric Cousin Archibald, her formidable Aunt Eugenia, and the slightly odd denizens of St. Crispian's.

Emma M. Lion offers up her Unselected Journals, however self-incriminating they may be, which comprise a series of volumes. Armed with wit and a sideways amusement, Emma documents the curious realities of her life at Lapis Lazuli House.

finished reading

A brilliant genre-bending book that explores racism, especially lynching, historically and currently.  Percival Everett is a master storyteller using spare prose, grisly humor, and satire so that the elements of this mystery and the subtle social critique blend together.  When I got to the end, I wondered what the heck I had just finished.  And I've been thinking of it since.  

The short chapters propelled me to binge-read.  The audio is amazing.

From the publisher:

When a pair of detectives from the Mississippi Bureau of Investigation arrive in Money, Mississippi, to investigate a series of brutal murders, they find at each crime scene an unexpected second body: that of a man who resembles Emmett Till. After meeting resistance from the local sheriff, his deputy, the coroner, and a string of racist white townsfolk, the MBI detectives suspect these are killings of retribution. Then they discover eerily similar murders taking place in rapid succession all over the country. The past, it seems, refuses to be buried. The uprising has begun. In this provocative page-turner that takes direct aim at racism and police violence, Percival Everett offers a devastating critique of white supremacy and confronts the legacy of lynching in the United States.

three on thursday

Thing one:  school was canceled today due to the ice/sleet/snowstorm.  It makes the last day of school June 11. 

Thing two:  my bestie gets me--she brought a Dunkin' iced coffee to me so I didn't have to go out.

Thing three:  I was sorta bummed to not have school because I'm having a good hair day. 😉

finished reading

This story is full of elements I enjoy: found families and delightfully crafted characters.  The book follows Helen Cartwright, an elderly widow who has returned to her hometown after living in Australia for decades.  A chance encounter with a little mouse perks Helen out of her doldrums and helps her find connections and friendships in the least likely places.  It's charming and delightful.

From the publisher:

Over the course of a single week, a widowed octogenarian (who has spent the last years of her life alone and ready to die) discovers an unexpected reason to live.

Following the deaths of her husband and son, Helen Cartwright returns to the English village of her childhood after living abroad for six decades. Her only wish is to die quickly and without fuss.

But years of monotony and loneliness tick by on Westminster Crescent. Helen retreats into her home, becoming a creature of routine and habit. Then, one cold autumn night, a chance encounter with an abandoned pet mouse on the street outside her house sets Helen on a surprising journey of friendship.

The Cure for Loneliness is a gentle reminder that no matter what we have planned for ourselves, sometimes the world has its own plans for us. Simon Van Booy’s lucid, lyrical storytelling brims with a rare kindness and a reminder that not only is no one is exactly who we expect them to be, we can even surprise ourselves sometimes.

finished reading

Where to begin?  This historical fiction book is a blend of actual historical figures and fictional characters. The research and historical detail are impeccable, and transported me to the lavish side of life in Ancient Rome.  The story follows Marcus Apicius, an ambitious man of vast wealth, who dreams of becoming the culinary advisor to Caesar. Food is the vehicle that would give him prestige and power. His dreams of greatness are based on the young culinary genius, Thrasius.  Thrasius, purchased at auction by Apicius, offers a "below-stairs" tale of Roman high society.  And this story is about more than the complex bond between a master who needs a genius to succeed and a slave who needs a master to survive.  

And yet, I have not mentioned the FOOD!  This book is a gluttonous feast.  The intricate details of the lavish dinner parties and outrageous menus were fascinating.  Attention to detail was Thrasius's specialty, and the descriptions of gourmet foods--from the exotic to the decadent--fascinated me.  Thrasius and Apicius were the gourmands of their time, even writing cookbooks and building a culinary school.

From the publisher:

Set amongst the scandal, wealth, and upstairs-downstairs politics of a Roman family, Crystal King’s seminal debut features the man who inspired the world’s oldest cookbook and the ambition that led to his destruction.

On a blistering day in the twenty-sixth year of Augustus Caesar’s reign, a young chef, Thrasius, is acquired for the exorbitant price of twenty thousand denarii. His purchaser is the infamous gourmet Marcus Gavius Apicius, wealthy beyond measure, obsessed with a taste for fine meals from exotic places, and a singular ambition: to serve as culinary advisor to Caesar, an honor that will cement his legacy as Rome's leading epicure.

Apicius rightfully believes that Thrasius is the key to his culinary success, and with Thrasius’s help he soon becomes known for his lavish parties and fantastic meals. Thrasius finds a family in Apicius’s household, his daughter Apicata, his wife Aelia, and her handmaiden, Passia whom Thrasius quickly falls in love with. But as Apicius draws closer to his ultimate goal, his reckless disregard for any who might get in his way takes a dangerous turn that threatens his young family and places his entire household at the mercy of the most powerful forces in Rome.

currently, it's tuesday

I am...

Reading:  Sipsworth by Simon Van Booy and Feast of Sorrow by Crystal King, both of which I will finish tonight.

Listening to: the Escape channel on Sirius XM because I took my parents on a road trip and that's what they listen to at home, so I tried to accommodate them.

Thinking:  it would be great to have an early release day tomorrow--I don't want to drive in a major snow/sleet/rain storm.

Feeling:  exhausterwhelmulated.

Celebrating: it was a successful medical trip for Dad; it was not the procedure he expected but he did have some pain relief.

Grateful for: the ability and privilege to help my parents.

Enjoying: we had a wonderful trip, lots of bonding!

Weather:  42° and cloudy however, there is a winter storm warning:

WINTER STORM WARNING IN EFFECT FROM 8 AM WEDNESDAY TO 8 AM EDT THURSDAY

* WHAT...Heavy mixed precipitation expected. Total snow
accumulations between 3 and 6 inches, sleet accumulations between
1 and 2 inches and ice accumulations up to two tenths of an inch.

* WHERE...Northeast Aroostook and Northwest Aroostook Counties.

* WHEN...From 8 AM Wednesday to 8 AM EDT Thursday.

* IMPACTS...Travel could be very difficult. Significant amounts of
sleet could make snow removal very difficult. The hazardous
conditions could impact the Wednesday evening and Thursday morning
commutes.

A quote I want to share:

postsecret

 

PostSecret is an ongoing community art project where people mail in their secrets anonymously on one side of a postcard. I like to post one that speaks to me each week.

sunday stealing

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Sunday Stealing is Yummy

 

National Oreo Cookie Day

1. Are you able to pass by a plate of cookies and not take one or are you a bit of a "Cookie Monster?" as I get older, I am more selective and only eat my favorites

2. Tell us about your favorite cookie. Have your tastes changed since you were a kid? my taste has not changed and I still love a soft chocolate chip cookie the best

3. Enquiring minds want to know if you are a dunker and, if so, do you dunk in milk, coffee, or tea? no, I am not a dunker

4. It is that time of year and they are selling them on every corner and in front of every store!  Do you buy Girl Scout cookies and if you do, which is your favorite? they don't make my favorites anymore: the Thank You cookie was a shortbread dipped in chocolate on one side

5. Raw cookie dough.  Yay or Nay? it depends on the type of cookie--but chocolate chip?  Yay!  I'll risk it

saturday 9

Linger

Unfamiliar with this week's tune? Hear it here.

1) In this song, Dolores O'Riordan of the Cranberries sings that her lover has her wrapped around his finger. Do you feel that anyone has you wrapped around their finger? my nieces & nephews do

2) This was one of the first songs Delores and Noel Hogan wrote together. They performed it often live and perfected it before going into the studio to record it approximately two years later. Because they had polished the performance and arrangement, it's not a surprise that it was the biggest hit off their debut album. Tell us about a time when your preparation paid off.  the most recent time was after winter break in February--walking back in to the classroom knowing everything was prepped, photocopied, organized, and planned was the best feeling!

3) The Cranberries believed the moody black-and-white video (linked above) playing on MTV contributed to the song's popularity. MTV and VH1 were highly influential when they showed music videos and interviews 24/7 during the 1980s and 1990s. Do you recall watching music videos on MTV and/or VH1? my favorite time on VH1 was after midnight when lesser-known artists would be featured

4) The Cranberries were founded by brothers Noel and Mike Hogan in their hometown in Limerick, Ireland. The River Shannon runs through Limerick. Do you live near a river? yes

5) Fergal Lawler soon joined the brothers and became the Cranberries drummer. Today he says he enjoys listening to his early work with the group because, "Songs are like a snapshot in time." Do you often flip through photo albums and look at snapshots? unfortunately, I have misplaced my photo albums.

6) Dolores O'Riordan showed up for her Cranberries audition dressed casually in a black tracksuit with her own Casio electronic keyboard tucked under her arm. The Hogans were impressed not only by her vocals but her no-nonsense, "let's get to work" attitude. Share a memory from one of your job interviews.  I typically blank out at interviews and can recall nothing from them

7) In 1993, when "Linger" was released, The Nanny premiered on CBS. It's remembered today for its catchy theme song, which tells the story of "the nanny named Fran." Can you recall the lyrics to theme of one of your favorite shows? recently, I heard the Greatest American Hero theme song and could recall all the lyrics (Believe it or not, I'm walking on air...)

8) In 1993, gas was $1.11/gallon. Could your vehicle use a fill-up right now? not a fill-up, but a top off because I'm going to Central Maine tomorrow

9) Random question: How many pairs of shoes do you own? I can't count them all because only my winter shoes and boots are out right now