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

Click the icon to play along

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

three on thursday

Thing one: this morning, I was contacted by the local university to gauge my interest in becoming an adjunct faculty member.  However, since I do not have a Master's, I am unable to.

Thing two: this morning was my annual liver ultrasound.  I have non-alcoholic fatty liver disease and have no signs other than it shows up in my bloodwork, thus the annual liver scans.

Thing three:  this morning was my annual mammogram.  It was a busy morning.

wordless wednesday

 

Parent-teacher conferences.