Potatoes in the Mist

I got two new books today: The Unbearable Lightness of Scones by Alexander McCall Smith (it's the new entry in the 44 Scotland Street series) and Roses by Leila Meacham (described by Amazon as a "delicious doorstep novel" in the tradition of Colleen McCollough). I am looking forward to reading both. Next weekend I am traveling north, with a pit stop in Danvers, MA and then continuing up to the wilds of Maine to visit a friend...

I just read one of those "kindred spirit" entries on another blog. Caro at The Caro Zone was saying how she can't seem to get into fashion - hates high heels, is befuddled by accessories, etc. I feel the same way. I like to wear sneakers, can't stand shopping for clothes, and to compound my problems, I gave a bunch of my clothes to Salvation Army when I was pregnant and they looked impossibly tiny. So, I have very little that I can wear - unless I want to put on maternity clothes that will gape in the chest and stomach. And yet, it is very liberating to not have many clothes. I can be the bookish frump I am at heart. I just finished Beat the Reaper , which wasn't exactly literary, but clever. It's about a doctor who used to be a hit man. And it was written by a dude who went to my college. Yay! Now I've started Run by Ann Patchett. It took me a few pages to get into, but I do like it. The latest craziness - I was considering getting a tattoo, and I blogged...

I tried to watch I Could Never Be Your Woman - for the sole reason that I like Paul Rudd. People. Do not watch this movie. It is bad for your health. It was direct to video for a reason...and I am never watching a movie in that genre again. I am currently without a book I love. I am reading Beat the Reaper, which is good enough, and waiting for a book to come out from my favorite authors. The newest Anne Tyler (speaking of favorite authors) was very good, if bittersweet, but I finished it a while back. I did end up getting hooked on the coffee. For some reason, I always want it at 10 am...so E and I are heading to Starbucks...imminently.

So I'm heading back to Manhattan tomorrow. I think I'm ready. I need more recommendations for my Netflix queue. I've been reading The Epicure's Lament by Kate Christensen. She is fast becoming one of my favorite writers. I also developed an addiction to skinny vanilla lattes at Starbucks during this vacation. The past two mornings, I actually needed them, because I slept poorly due to car music. Last night, I slept well so I don't actually *need* it. Am on the fence about whether to get them or not. Someone told me a long time ago that good skin depends on not drinking coffee...probably a vain reason to fight the addiction...but hey, it's bad for your blood pressure too.

Yay!! I am in Miami!! I love the art-deco colors, the turquoise ocean, the coral buildings. We lucked out, getting a 3-bedroom, but only having to pay for a 2-bedroom. There is Internet access everywhere (unlike some years, when I had to go out in the hall to play online). This more than makes up for some misfortune with the plane. When we got to Miami, all our luggage emerged on the conveyor belt...except for E's stroller. Slowly, everyone else's luggage came out. Still no stroller. So we found out that the TSA seized the stroller, examined it, and then kindly sent it to Miami on a later flight. We waited around for said flight to arrive. When the stroller came, it seemed dirtier and smellier (though that might have been my imagination). I noticed the compartment under the stroller was empty except for a couple of bedraggled Gristede's receipts. This means they confiscated the Phil Collins liner notes (No Jacket Required) that E stowed under there months ago. I wonder if P...

Okay, I am ready for some warmth. I admire those who enjoy outdoor winter sports, but I am not one of them. It is so forbidding and grey outside. On the plus side, I picked up some books for my trip: The English Major by Jim Harrison (slightly folksy, funny, and maybe wise) Ms. Taken Identity by Dan Begley (seems to be chick lit, though written by a man) The Epicure's Lament by Kate Christensen (who just doesn't seem to go wrong; her novel Jeremy Thrane seems to be hard to find, though. I'll have to get it on Amazon.) What are you reading? Also, I am girding my loins, readying for battle, pick your own metaphor, with regard to bringing E on the plane. I've never done this before. He tends to throw up on long car rides; hopefully this won't happen on a flight. I will also need to bring bottles for him. I've heard vague stories about having to drink from the bottle to satisfy security. We'll see...

I took E to the pediatrician today to get his last and final swine flu shot (thank God). Now he is fully inoculated against anything that might strike. Except he has to get more vaccines in late January - the ones kids usually get at 18 months. He is now 19 months, but the holiday month (holimonth) was too packed to do anything about it. Yesterday I watched Confessions of a Shopaholic. It was one of those Netflix instant movies - you can watch it on your computer right away, and you don't have to send anything back. I thought it was quite entertaining. The preview had turned me off, making me think it would be a bunch of brand-name dropping ("You speak Prada ?" says Becky to Luke), but it was a cute story, though fairly different from the book. If you like chick flicks, or pink, or Clueless, I would recommend it. I did a tarot card reading today and was startled to get 2 cards that seem to be directly contradictory - the Star (considered the most optimistic of the cards)...

I'm getting a slight case of cabin fever. Think The Shining. I'm not really in an abandoned hotel high up in the Colorado mountains, but it is cold enough to make going outside an unattractive prospect. I'd really like the temperature to be in the 30s one day. I don't think that's too much to ask for. I finished Chemistry for Beginners last night and really enjoyed it. It followed another five-star read, In the Drink. Now I've started a light-as-air Jane Austen spin-off that I am also enjoying, but I want to make the trek to the Union Square Barnes & Noble to get the new Anne Tyler (one of my favorite authors). Today I made pancakes from scratch and they were quite good, though a little salty. The recipe called for half a teaspoon, which didn't sound excessive; but I didn't add banana, as you were supposed to, since I didn't have it. Perhaps the salt was meant to cut the sweetness from the banana.

So I started a book called Chemistry for Beginners by Anthony Strong. It's an unlikely mix of romantic comedy and scientific experiment. Once I adjusted to the dry, witty British voice (and one of the worst first pages on record), I started to enjoy it. It's wretchedly cold here in NYC. I am always keenly aware of the weather, as I walk everywhere in it. Today was actually not as bad as yesterday...weather.com keeps explaining that the temperature is in the 20s, but feels like it's 10. The wind calmed down and now I can move around. I'm going to Miami January 13-19. It will be great to get away from the cold, but out-of-NYC boredom may set in...oh, who am I kidding, it will be beautiful.

I'm finishing up a book called In the Drink by Kate Christensen. I have one chapter left, but I'm putting off reading it. I don't really want it to end. I just finished off the Stonyfield Farm (or something like that) banana pancake batter that my mother gave me at Christmas. I'm not sure where to find another in New York. So I'll probably make pancakes from scratch tomorrow, for the first time in years. Gasp! I took a quiz on Facebook to see what breed of dog I am. Turns out I'm a golden retriever. It seems like a good result.