Sunday night

Until recently, my Sunday nights have had a surprising consistency. It's my day to cook. Really cook. Cook the kinds of things I just don't have time or energy to make mid-week... the long-simmering things, the big luscious stews, the soups and desserts and things. The last few weeks I've had other plans- but I haven't minded. I'm a lot like my mom about that- as long as I'm fed, I'm probably going to be happy. So long as it isn't treif, at least.

This whole weekend has been a very selfish weekend, however. A time to regroup, a time to focus in and frankly just putter around the apartment for once. I'm feeling much better as a result, as is evidenced by my making it to the gym and getting in a run before my gym buddy even got there! That may have been because I misread the clock and got there an hour early, but it definitely counts. After I got back I puttered some more, watched some bad tv on my DVR, and did laundry. And I started cooking!

I found a new beef stew recipe to try by checking out my copy of Fix and Forget It- Lightly, a pretty decent slow cooker book. I mainly chose the recipe because I had all the ingredients except two. My neighbor kindly gave me the worcestershire sauce and onion I needed, and it turned out rather delicious! I thought about getting buffalo meat at the market, and this probably would have been good with that... but beef worked just as well.



In addition to stew, I made a Tarte Tatin for the first time in ages. It wouldn't flip over, but it is still delicious. So my low-key weekend continues with apple tart a la française, a glass of cabernet, and Red Sox up by 1. I'm also back to working on my cashmere stole, now that it's cold enough that I wish I had it finished already. Perfection.

Last week I went to a book sale at my work- lots of interesting items were to be had, in addition to a lot of cheap books. This was my literary haul:


Notice the spinning book? And the gorgeous Quilts of Provence book is not only a subject I care a great deal about, having lived in Aix-en-Provence... but it is also a signed copy.


I also purchased some gifts, and the best salt and pepper shakers ever. Smiling sheep!

Ah, google 2001...

This is the most entertainment I've had in the last five minutes. Google Searching like it's 2001

It did remind me of this. Was I really this young in 2001? My school page from UMBC.

Obviously, that was my pre-knitting stage. I didn't pick up the pointy sticks until senior year of college. This is why I have one trillion works in progress- I'm making up for lost time!

I was at the Jenny Lewis show at the Sixth and I historic synagogue downtown tonight. It was darling, but for the cranked A/C. It is darn cold out, why on earth did we need it to be even colder inside! Jenny, of course, was as hot and brilliant as ever. She makes me want to get out the guitar and sing. Or just be an amazingly cute redhead. So right- guitar.

I was at Sixth and I a few months ago for a kaballah class, and of course I'm going there for the *FREE* High Holy Day services. It is an amazing sanctuary, and I feel quite blessed to be able to pray there. Did I mention that it is also free? There was something strange and disturbing about watching a rock show from the pews, however.

I'm so glad it will be cold and I can justify wearing a shawl tomorrow... there are definite perks to being a knitter. I might even add a funky hat from the 60s, depending on my level of bravery. If I do, I will most certainly post pics! I sometimes question my degree of fashion relevance to the 21st century, but I'm mainly ok with dressing oddly. It's normally a lot harder to get away with at work (what with the suits four days a week), but my company is participating in Denim Day and this will my first time legitimately wearing jeans to work in three years!

Definitely with a hat and shawl. I may be in jeans instead of a suit, but I still need to look put together.