Potatoes in the Mist

I made broccoli cheddar soup today. I made one tweak to the recipe, which made all the difference. Because Eric is such a chef and loves shopping at Whole Foods, we had a full, fresh container of buttermilk in the fridge. I added a half a cup of buttermilk at the end, instead of the milk/cream/water that the recipe called for. So much better.

Now I've finished all of Sarah Jo's books. I hope she writes another one soon. She does seem prolific.

Just finished Goodnight June by Sarah Jio. I'm sad it's over. Such a good book. It made me see Goodnight Moon (and its author) in a whole new light.

I made one of my improvised slow cooker soups today and it came out very well. I started with one cup dried yellow split peas, salt, pepper and some water. After letting them cook alone for a while, I added some sliced carrots. Near the end, I added two cloves sliced garlic, 1/2 tsp tarragon, 1/2 tsp thyme, and a little more salt. I like it a lot. I modeled it loosely on a recipe in Vegetarian Planet , but I didn't use any white wine because I didn't have any. I didn't miss it.

I just finished Three Sisters, Three Queens - the first Philippa Gregory book I have read. I enjoyed it, though the ending was a little strange. Henry VIII was a lot like Trump - "vulgar and showy," rewriting reality.

I stopped eating desserts on November 4, 2015, after learning that I weighed 30 lbs more than I thought I did. I lost the weight, but I continued to avoid desserts. You really do feel better if you don't eat much sugar. (I have small amounts in yogurt, and a little brown sugar on my oatmeal, but that's it.) Fast forward to today. We were all at lunch and Eric ordered red velvet yodels. I'm usually not even tempted by desserts anymore, but I tried some. Then my stomach got really upset. I was in a cab later (with a plastic bag in my purse, just in case), and then I threw up in the bag. You really do feel better afterward. But this cements my decision to avoid desserts. My stomach can't handle the richness anymore.

I've been reading Joanne Fluke's cozy mysteries for years, and I've never made a recipe from them. A friend asked me if I had. And now, her newest book, Banana Cream Pie Murder, has a number of interesting recipes in it. Corn chowder - this was a little heavier than I expected, including whipping cream and creamed corn, as well as regular corn. Beer muffins - I really don't know if this would work or not, but it sounded interesting. You have to use a pale lager and cheese. Peach muffins - these would be the most likely candidate, though I've basically cut out sweets in the past year and a half. You put together a regular muffin batter, and add drained sliced peaches from a can. For the streusel topping, you melt some butter in the microwave, and add flour and brown sugar.

I had a writing teacher who said writing was most like acting. I know what he means, in terms of the characters, but I think it's more like painting. With words instead of colors.

If I moved to Florida, my vote would really count. It's definitely the most palatable swing state.

I'm reading Eleanor & Hick, about Eleanor Roosevelt. Very interesting.

Edward Hopper drew this on the back of his report card when he was 9. 

I have a lot of admiration for Elizabeth Warren. We basically have an "emperor has no clothes" situation, in terms of Trump and his lies. A lot of people (mainly, the GOP) are nodding and pretending he has clothes. But not Elizabeth. She talked to the Federal Reserve Chair, Janet Yellen, about the lies Trump spread because he wants to dismantle Dodds-Frank. Basically, he was saying it's hard for his buddies to borrow money, and the regulations put American banks at a disadvantage vis-a-vis foreign banks. Both statements are completely wrong; in fact, banks of all sizes are more profitable after the regulations. I like how she speaks truth to power.

Zoe just told me she wants to be Batman for Halloween. She always decides in advance. Last year, she was broccoli.

Music has to be 20-40 years old for me to appreciate it.

I just learned a Danish word: Hyggebukser [hoogabucksr]: That one pair of pants you would never wear in public but are so comfortable that they are likely to be, secretly, your favorites. (from The Little Book of Hygge)

Eric tells me, "I'm reading a list of Disney characters who broke the fourth wall." I bet many adults don't know what the fourth wall is.

Just finished The Bertie Project by Alexander McCall Smith. I really like him. If you haven't read him already, go out and do it!

I like Barbara Kingsolver, but she is not prolific enough. 

I saw a short clip of Fred Astaire and Cyd Charisse dancing on Facebook. It's from the movie The Band Wagon (1953). Wow! Really talented.

Zoe and I were talking about kindergarten. "My teacher was named Mrs. Tipert," I told her. "She liked to wear red and yellow." I added, "She's probably retired or something." "Or dead or something," said Zoe. I said, "No! Retired." Zoe said, "But that was, like, 50 years ago." I explained it was, in fact, 36 years ago. Sheesh!