We Made It!

Well, we made it. Through the home stretch, and now to the weekend. And by weekend I mean 12-DAY HOLIDAY BREAK! Yep. And I worked really hard long hours in the office this week, to the point that I'm exhibiting symptoms of being sick, but it is probably just exhaustion. And on top of it all I had an interview, which always ratchets up my anxiety a bit for a few days.

Fortunately, I completed my project at work, which was a true feat, and I think that the interview went well (and it got me excited about the possibilities of this potential job). And now - sweet sweet break.

I think that SB and I will be off for a pint and a pile of spicy steamed mussels to celebrate, but first - here are a few photos that will further tempt you to buy the new ISA DOES IT cookbook by Isa Moskowitz. I can't get enough of this cookbook!

stir fry with Isa's peanut dragon dressing

white wine risotto with shiitake bacon and peas

Secret Snowflake

Sundays can go two ways -- "Sunday blues" or "Sunday fun day." To be honest, SB and I tend to feel the blues on Sundays - a dread of the workweek creeps in pretty quickly for us in the morning. But today is a fun day for a few reasons.

First, it helps to know that in one week we'll both be on winter break (essentially a 10 day holiday staycation)!

Second, we have been in an awesome exercise and healthy cooking/snacking pattern lately, and my day began at the gym, where I exceeded my running goal for the day and left feeling like a million bucks. 

Finally, today I baked cookies for my "secret snowflake" - a woman in my office for whom I received a list of "favorites" and am now secretly giving little gifts to until the holidays. Fortunately for both of us, her favorite cookie is oatmeal raisin and Isa's new cookbook has a vegan oatmeal raisin cookie recipe that I've wanted to try. They turned out gorgeous and delicious, and seeing the little package of cookies for my secret snowflake makes me feel a surprising excitement for Monday morning. :) 

Recipe below, for your enjoyment!

And because photos make a blog that much more fun to read, here is a photo of another soft-boiled egg that I've been experimenting with lately for breakfast (more like brunch, really). Unfortunately I didn't have any tomato to put on this, which would have been ideal, but otherwise it is just a soft-boiled egg on a piece of toast with arugula, and a touch of a balsamic vinaigrette.

One other note before the cookie recipe -- yesterday SB and I went to the library and found a documentary called West of Memphis, which SB had wanted to see for a while. I didn't know anything about the topic of the documentary until we watched it, and it blew me away. 

The story is of 3 angsty teenagers who were framed for the murder of 3 8-year-old boys in 1993 in a small town in Arkansas. Essentially the law enforcement did a terrible job collecting evidence, the prosecutor was completely corrupt, and the jury and judge just wanted to put the case to rest by convicting three kids who were "counter-culture" for lack of a better word. More than 18 years later, thanks to a previous documentary that raised awareness, funding and outreach by celebs like Eddie Vedder and Peter Jackson, and the tireless dedication of their hired attorneys, the three were released. 

That being said, because of more appalling politics and bureaucracy, the three were only released by a unique guilty plea (so they weren't even really exonerated), and the real killer could therefore never be convicted. It is a highly disturbing documentary - and graphic - but incredibly powerful and important. 

Okay, back to something as lighthearted as cookies... 

Jumbo Oatmeal Raisin Cookies (per ISA MOSKOWITZ)

Ingredients:

1/4 c. canola oil

1/3 c. packaged light brown sugar

1/4 c. granulated sugar

1/4 c. unsweetened applesauce

1 Tb. ground flaxseed (I didn't have this and skipped it)

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1/2 c. all-purpose flour

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp. salt

1 1/2 c. rolled oats

3/4 c. raisins

Preheat oven to 350. Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper (I just used ungreased nonstick cookie sheets because that is always my default).

In a large bowl, use a strong fork or whisk to vigorously stir together oil, both sugars, applesauce, and ground flaxseed. Stir for about a minute, until very well combined. Mix in vanilla.

Sift in the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt and mix to combine. Add the oats and raisins, and use your hands to form a dough.

Scoop onto baking sheets using 1/4 c. dough per cookie. Flatten a little with your hands. Bake 12 to 14 minutes, until the edges are lightly browned. 

Let cool on cookie sheets for about 5 minutes, then transfer to cooling rack to cool completely.

Getting it Back

"That day, for no particular reason, I decided to go for a little run. So I ran to the end of the road. And when I got there, I thought maybe I'd run to the end of town. And when I got there, I thought maybe I'd just run across Greenbow County. And I figured, since I run this far, maybe I'd just run across the great state of Alabama." (Can't you just hear Forrest's voice?)


Last weekend I did something BIG - I re-joined the YMCA. I haven't been a member for 4 or 5 years, and SB and I have been thinking about it for a while now. Since his new bike purchase, he has been a committed cyclist, including at home on his cyclops (which essentially makes his bike into a stationary bike). I have envied his passion for exercise, and been reminiscent about the days when I felt like I was in peak shape as a runner. I missed that feeling and, with the weather below zero and snow and ice already covering the ground, winter was looking like a barren stretch of minimal movement and few endorphins.

So I decided that the benefits outweighed the costs, and I became a member again. When I stepped up onto the treadmill the first time, I could not wipe the smile off of my face. (PS. treadmills these days are so fancy, with touch screens and TV access, etc!) Now I am feeling excited about this winter and the promise of being back in peak physical health by the time I can begin running outside again. 

This is another one of those things that I have been too cheap to do for years, but now that I'm doing it I'm amazed that I waited so long. For the price of a meal or two out each month, I have unlimited access indoor cardio and weight equipment, group exercise classes, a pool, and a sense of being part of a health-building community organization. And the cost of membership is proving to be a great incentive for actually showing up and exercising. 

I even have my sights set on FINALLY running a 10-mile women's race (I've been doing the 5K for years) in late September! I have a training plan all put together (of course). Will keep you posted.

Baby It's Cold Outside

We have officially reached below zero temperatures. Brrrrrrr. And what better to do in such weather than cook? Not much.

Here is an amazing recipe that we made this weekend - I highly recommend trying it out:

Dilly Stew with Rosemary Dumplings

Stew Ingredients:
3 Tb. olive oil
1/4 c. all-purpose flour
1 yellow onion, quartered and thinly sliced
1 tsp. salt
3 cloves garlic, minced
6 c. vegetable broth, at room temp.
2 ribs celery, sliced 1/4 inch thick
1 1/2 lb. yukon gold potatoes, cut into 3/4 inch chunks
1 c. carrots, peeled and sliced into chunky half-moons
2 Tb. chopped fresh dill
1 Tb. chopped fresh thyme (we used half this amount of dried thyme)
1/2 tsp. paprika
several pinches freshly ground black pepper
15 oz. navy beans, rinsed and drained

For the Dumplings:
1 1/2 c. all-purpose flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1 Tb. dried rosemary, finely chopped
3/4 c. almond milk (unsweetened)
2 Tb. olive oil

Preheat large heavy-bottomed pot over medium-low heat (we used a large cast-iron dutch oven). Add oil and flour. Stir consistently for 3-4 minutes, until flour is clumpy and toasty. Add onion and salt, toss to coat onions completely in flour mixture. Cook 5 minutes, stirring often. Add garlic and stir for 40 more seconds.

Stream in broth, whisking constantly to prevent clumping. Add celery, potatoes, carrots, dill, thyme, paprika, and pepper. Turn heat up and bring to a boil. Stir often so it doesn't clump or boil over.

Once  boiling, lower heat to simmer and let cook uncovered for 20 to 25 minutes, until stew is thickened and vegetables are tender. In the meantime, prepare dumplings.

Dumplings:
Sift flower, powder, salt together in a large bowl. Mix in rosemary. Make a well in the center and add milk and olive oil. Use a wooden spoon to mix together until a wet dough forms.

When the stew is ready, mix in the beans and plop spoonfuls of dough right on top of the stew. You should get a dozen or so dumplings. Cover pot tightly and cook for 15 more minutes. Dumplings should be nice and firm. Use your ladle to dunk them into the stew to coat them.

Ladle stew into bowls, and top with dumplins. Garnish with additional herbs.

Enjoy!


On a separate note, here is a little winter evening project that made me smile. I am a ridiculous foodie. In case you can't read it, it says "UMAMI" - which is one of the five official "tastes" and a Japanese word that essentially means savoriness or meatiness. Mmmmm mushrooms.

Winter Walk

This morning SB and I ventured to a local park that I have wanted to visit for a long time. Its trails wind around a small lake as well along as the Mississippi River, and the park is home to very old trees. Gorgeous! We will be tapping this great resource all winter, and it'll be fun to see it blossom in a few (okay, many) months. A lovely activity for a long holiday weekend - we encountered only a handful of people, nearly all with adorable pups as companions. One day we'll have a dog of our own to walk on these trails. :)

Cricky

Our little Cricket has been acting strange lately. For the past several days, she has had "spells" that are generally five to ten minutes long, and involve twitching, compulsive self-cleaning, tail-swishing, darting across the room suddenly, and a crazy intense look on her face. Sometimes this occurs multiple times per hour, other times it is more like every few hours. It is heartbreaking because she looks both physically and mentally distressed and possessed. We were up at 4am with her racing around our bed in a strange terror. Yikes.

Of course we consulted the internet first, and her behavior matches the description of a rare "syndrome" called feline hyperesthesia. It seems kind of quack because there is no test to diagnosis it, the causes aren't clear, and no real effective treatment exists at this point. And the syndrome resembles typical cat behavior, only amped up with a strange compulsiveness. It seems to ultimately be a combination of acute skin sensitivity and obsessive behavior. It is possible (and our hope) that her skin is just dry due to the change in season, and perhaps wet food and other skin/coat care cat products may do the trick. Hopefully if we can cure the skin sensitivity, we can end these spells!

Speaking of Recipes...

A friend sent us a gift card as a belated wedding gift, and with it we got the newest cookbook, Isa Does It, from our fav cookbook writer, Isa Chandra Moskowitz, who also happens to be a vegan. None of our other cookbooks of hers have photos, and this new one is in hardcover with gorgeous photos of amazing meals that also happen to be quite nutritious. Complete win. Below are photos (excuse the poor quality - it is cloudy so the light isn't great in our apartment at the moment) of some of the recipes I'm most looking forward to trying...Can you tell that it is autumn by the fact that my picks are largely comfort foods?

Pesto Soup with Gnocchi, Beans & Greens

Farmer Salad with Chive Vinaigrette

Dilly Stew with Rosemary Dumplings 

Korean BBQ Portobello Burgers

Chai Spice Snickerdoodles

At last!

It is that lovely day again, when you know you're only a matter of hours away from two days of complete freedom. Although, to my surprise, I am finding myself so swamped with work these days that, like SB, I will probably be bringing my work home this weekend. But hey - busy is good, and especially when you can work in pajamas! (For some reason I feel complete distain toward "business" or "business casual" attire.)

In addition to relaxing and doing some work this weekend, I will also be doing some serious anticipating, as I've been doing all week already, as one of my best friends is mere days away from her due date! It'll be the first baby born to a close friend of mine, and I'm going to have to think of a way to spoil him despite the geographic distance between us! Some local friends of ours are also trying for a baby, and I am excited that the future will be one surrounded by adorable children. So fun.

Also, you know that I've been on an soft-boiled egg kick - check out this awesome-looking recipe I just found for spinach and egg pizzettes! Happy Friday!

Here and Now

This weekend SB made one of his dreams come true - he replaced his old and falling-apart bike with a serious upgrade - the batmobile of bikes, as we like to call it. I mean, sure there are fancier bikes out there, but for his solo long-distance riding purposes, this is pretty classy. Two words: carbon fiber.

But don't let me fool you into thinking that I'm the dream wife who simply said "Go for it, honey!" - because that was not and will probably never be me. I mean, that was the bottom line of what I said, but tears were shed over the cost. As always, it is hard for me to spend money - even little amounts, let alone big amounts - and I just kept thinking of our long-term savings goals being trumped by this undeniably "sexier" and more immediately satisfying purchase. The selfish part of me thought, "wait, wait, wait - what about me? What do I get out of this?" followed by confusing feelings of "well then I should just get myself something that I want!" and "no, now we really need to curb our spending in light of this big purchase." Oh the whirlwind of emotions. Over money. Ug.

Most importantly, we were able to each share our perspectives and make the decision together. But this experience was a bit of a wake-up call for me. All of my feelings led me to realize that the degree to which I am frugal, while great for saving money, can also cause me harm. For example, I've been wanting a replacement pair of wool socks for months, and I haven't been willing to spend $10-$15 for a pair because in my mind I deem that as "too much for one pair of socks." So I bought cheaper socks and they didn't keep my feet warm. :( So when SB bought this bike, which he completely lit up after riding, it made me realize that life is short and that you have to enjoy it. 

It is important to keep spending in check, but I'm realizing that it isn't worth putting all of my eggs in a "FUTURE"-labeled basket at the expense of day-to-day happiness. When it comes down to it, future planning offers no guarantees and sometimes just knowing that you can come home to an incredible bike ride, or a cozy pair of winter socks, makes a hard day easier or a great day even better.

Over the Hump

Hooray- we made it over the hump! The end of the week is around the corner, and I'm liking that trajectory. It has been a little while since my last post - what have I been doing, you ask?

Well, I found out that I didn't get the comm/sales job that I didn't really want. The feeling of relief was incredible.  So I've successfully (or should I say unsuccessfully?) gone through the entire internal hiring process for both jobs now.

In other news, we got a new couch. Well, technically it was a hand-me-down. I LOVE it and Cricket is also a fan. Great color, cozy, and hardly worn at all. When you sit on it, it holds you up! Who knew.

She looks like she's saying "pet my belly," but this is actually a trap.

I'm also working on a few creative projects - it never ceases to amaze me how much joy I get from sitting down with fabric/embroidery or paper/photos for a few hours and making something new. Or even just for an hour. This summer I'm planning to finally learn to knit dishcloths (I know, it is so easy, I've just never taken the time) - because they are my dish scrubbing tool of choice - not to mention that they're super cute.

Other than that, I've continued to be obsessed with soft-boiled eggs. I make them on the weekends for breakfast. Check this out! I mean, it is a peeled egg that maintains it's shape and is filled with warm liquid yolk! David Chang would be proud.

Submerge egg in boiling water 5 min.
Move to ice bath (or cold water).
When cool, peel egg carefully.

Slice up and add salt, pepper, and your choice hot sauce.

Victory

Haruki Murakami, one of my favorite authors, was anticipated to win the nobel prize in literature this year, but was not selected. I was also recently NOT selected for something - for the job I wanted. But hey, I DID finish Murakami's newest book this week - 1Q84 - and it was masterful so we both win. It is definitely the longest book that I've ever read - over 900 pages. And yet, the entire book manages to be suspenseful. Can't wait to read another of his books, although I've got a stack to read before I go back to Murakami. Next up, the newest Michael Chabon novel - Telegraph Avenue.

Other notes:

- I just made a baked pasta dish. If you know me you know that this is my least favorite style of food, but it hit the spot on this, our first day of "snow" (really, it was just a few flakes).

- SB is so great. I'm having a blast day-to-day with him. All of those nerdy quotes that essentially say that marriage is living with your best friend and is therefore the best thing ever, they're so true. Get this - our Monday night tradition is watching the next episode of Star Trek -- because we're watching the ENTIRE original series (and then the Next Generation series) IN SUCCESSION and we both LOVE it. Love.

- I made my own chicken stock from scratch for the first time last weekend. I was so ashamed of wasting our past chicken carcasses and I finally made it happen. Got three pints out of the deal. Looking forward to trying it out this week.

- I started a new craft project. More to come on that soon...

- Also, read these blogs: The Blogess and Maddie the Coonhound. They are my new staples.

You're Gonna Make Me Lonesome When You Go

This week's CSA share. Next week is the last box! I'm going to miss it.

Soaking up the Color

The week is looking sunny and warm - perfect weather for getting outside and enjoying the vibrant autumn colors in the treetops. Fall is upon us! In honor of it, a seasonal poem:

III. NATURE. XXVIII. AUTUMN.

Emily Dickinson

The morns are meeker than they were,


The nuts are getting brown;


The berry's cheek is plumper,


The rose is out of town.

The maple wears a gayer scarf,


The field a scarlet gown.


Lest I should be old-fashioned,


I'll put a trinket on.

As was stated in a recent post - my work dynamic and feelings toward it change every day. Today I had another interview and a first interaction with my new supervisor. I felt fine about the interview, and the meeting with my temporary new boss was great. She is going to train me in new (to me) areas of marketing research and expose me to interesting data that we collect at a national level. I'm feeling like I'll be making an important contribution again - and perhaps more than I ever have before at the organization - wahoo! :)

Lesson learned: change is never as bad as I anticipate, and can be quite rewarding!

Autumn Beer

Autumn is, for my palate, the best of all beer seasons. Malty, spicy, and often sweet - and sometimes even featuring winter vegetables - I love it all.

Best beers so far:

Sweet Yamma Jamma - a new seasonal beer this year from Indeed, my new favorite local brewery. Amazing can artwork, humble brewery space, and a variety of very delicious beers. Not all hops, like the snobs like! They make 'em any way you want 'em.

Shipyard Smashed Pumpkin Ale - I had this with a few other pumpkin beers one night with friends, and I liked this best - had the pumpkin spice and vanilla just right.

Tommyknocker Pumpkin Harvest Ale - had this at our favorite little gastropub - the rich maltiness was pure deliciousness.

Pumking - a usual favorite of SB's. The quintessential pumpkin beer. Always in high demand at the liquor store.

Hey-O

A few quick notes:

1) It is birthday week! So I bought and am savoring the following items... yum yum yum.

2) On the lower right side of my blog you will scroll and find new additions to my "favorite blogs" section. The Bloggess, Maddie the Coonhound, and 30-Nothings. All great and worth checking out, in my opinion.

3) I got an interview for a job I didn't really want or feel qualified for and I turned it down. Surprisingly empowering experience. I applied because I felt desperate, I said no later on because I realize I'm not that desperate. Whew.

4) One more week until yoga starts.

5) I'm a nail-biting fool. In a bad way. My anxiety is getting the best of me and I might finally do something about it. Maybe several things, even. And that feels good.

6) I am so grateful for SB. He is an incredible man. He works so hard all day, and then he comes home and, when I need it, he takes care of me. He does the dishes. He laughs at my jokes. He loves me just as I am, band-aids and all.

7) Yes, I have been reading 1Q84 for more than 6 months. I'm pretty slow when it comes to getting through a book, despite the fact that I love books and love to read. But anyway, it is such an amazing book. I actually don't want it to ever end. Fortunately for me, I'm only 520 pages in, which is about half-way. But I'm going to have to pick it up a notch, because all I've requested for my birthday are more books. Here is what is on my reading list this Winter:

- Cooked, Michael Pollan
- Telegraph Avenue, Michael Chabon
- Let's Pretend This Never Happened, Jenny Lawson
- Travel books about France and Spain
- Moby Dick, because I'm determined to finally read it cover-to-cover

8) Have I posted this poem before? It was featured in the front cover of our homemade joint-family cookbook. I LOVE it. Enjoy!

Perhaps the World Ends Here

BY JOY HARJO

The world begins at a kitchen table. No matter what, we must eat to live.

The gifts of earth are brought and prepared, set on the table. So it has been since creation, and it will go on.

We chase chickens or dogs away from it. Babies teethe at the corners. They scrape their knees under it.

It is here that children are given instructions on what it means to be human. We make men at it, we make women.

At this table we gossip, recall enemies and the ghosts of lovers.

Our dreams drink coffee with us as they put their arms around our children. They laugh with us at our poor falling-down selves and as we put ourselves back together once again at the table.

This table has been a house in the rain, an umbrella in the sun.

Wars have begun and ended at this table. It is a place to hide in the shadow of terror. A place to celebrate the terrible victory.

We have given birth on this table, and have prepared our parents for burial here.

At this table we sing with joy, with sorrow. We pray of suffering and remorse. We give thanks.

Perhaps the world will end at the kitchen table, while we are laughing and crying, eating of the last sweet bite.

Poached

I am a big fan of runny poached eggs. SB and I eat poached eggs on toast with fresh tomato and chipotle hot sauce just about every Saturday and Sunday morning. So delicious. And recently, after watching a few episodes of "Mind of a Chef" featuring the ridiculous and kind of awesome David Chang, I found a new platform for my favorite egg - ramen.

Normally when I think of ramen, I think of those brightly colored instant ramen packages filled with hard noodles and salty flavor packets. I think of my laziest days of college, eating instant ramen out of a styrofoam cup just by adding boiling hot water. Voila! Three minutes later you've got a meal. And although David Chang loves instant ramen, nearly every single episode of the show (regardless of the show theme) features freshly made ramen and the art of creating a beautiful meal with it.

And one way to make a beautiful ramen dish, is to top the ramen with a poached egg.

This winter I shall bring ramen back, but this time make it good and fresh and with a runny yolk on top. It'll also give me a reason to make chicken stock, which I've thought about making but never quite got over the hump of how long it takes.

Out of My Vulcan Mind

I'm not sure if it is anxiety manifesting itself, or if it is some need for structure in achieving goals, or if it is a result of wedding planning hysteria, but I have been obsessively planning one thing after another lately. I take so much pleasure in it, but also feel swept up and admittedly carried away with my plans. It is hard for me to stop once I start. And some of the things that I'm planning don't really need to be figured out at this point, and perhaps even shouldn't be... hence the conclusion that I'm out of my vulcan mind.

My fav Star Trek character, Mr. Spock, prizes logic above all else.

Fortunately for me, I'm self-aware enough to know that all of this planning isn't particularly healthy, and I signed myself up for 10 weeks of community ed yoga -- and not the tough yoga for getting fit - the kind for chilling out your body and mind and getting centered (well, that wasn't all in the class description, but it is what I'm hoping to get out of it).

In the meantime, here are some of my recent plans:

1. I have been working on figuring out our mid-term financial plans, in a general sense, and how much money we will need to save in the next 5 years to travel, buy a house, and start a family.

2. SB and I have decided, for better (for our sanity) and for worse (for our savings account), to actively search for a new apartment. We haven't put in our notice just yet, and will have to decide whether or not to do that at the end of this month. Big decision, since we've been where we are for so long and love it despite the fact that we've outgrown it. So many considerations in a new place. Overwhelmed.

3. Because it is more fun than #1 and #2, and was born out of #1, I have been particularly stuck on thinking about the Europe trip that we want to take in the next two years. As of right now we've got the money to take the trip this summer, and part of me wants to jump on it while we've got the savings - that way when we get back we can focus on savings for a house. Also I fear that if we wait on taking our trip we'll end up postponing it and never get there pre-babies. Probably irrational, but you never know. So far my thinking has been a delight, and is focused on France and Spain (well, at least Barcelona, but MAN do I want to go to the Prado in Madrid). Anyway, I became an expert on travel in France in about 4 days... so I need to take a break... but it is so fun to think about... oy vey.

4. I still need to find a new job. Have recently applied for several. No word back yet. Stressful in light of #1, #2, and #3. Ug.

Well, time to switch the laundry. Thank goodness for such immediate needs that keep me in the moment and out of my head. Perhaps this is why cooking and baking, canning, and needlework are my favorite activities - when I do them, my mind chatter ceases.

Lazy Sunday

Making the Most

Growing up is hard and rewarding.

These days I’ve been trying to wrap my mind around longer-term financial planning. I’ve always been fairly good at managing my money, but the thought of planning for investments as big as a house, let alone the cost of raising kids and paying for their college educations, especially in light of our student loan debt, is really intimidating. But, as is true in most things, you have control over the choices you make and there are always trade-offs.

So it feels like it is soul-searching time to determine the real role of money in our lives and our priorities for using the money we earn.

I’ve had some really interesting role models in life, who I’ve admired precisely for their values in relationship to money. First, a former teacher and mentor shared with me that she decided to work part-time, even though it would mean feeling broke, so that she could spend more time with her family (she had a young daughter). Another friend and mentor decided to move from working in a city to rural living – with her husband, raising children (and food) very self-sufficiently on one income. It is easy to envy having that kind of time to spend with your family, doing work that is seemingly so much more meaningful than an office job, but must also be very hard work to make ends meet and make any long-term financial plans for yourself or your children. I knew another woman who liked to say, “I work to travel” – and she made ends meet cheaply while saving as much money as she could to travel abroad as often as possible.

My parents seemed to be able to do it all – live in a nice house in a great neighborhood, help pay for my education, and travel fairly often to boot.

But most, if not all, of these role models are of a generation without staggering student loan debt. At this point, SB and I have a net worth of something like -$60K (let’s face it, more like -$70K). It makes planning for the future seem particularly daunting. And although financial planning can be discouraging because it feels like there will never be enough money for buying a home, starting a family, travel, etc., there exists the reality that people get by on a lot less money and make it work. If we can’t afford to buy a home in the city or travel abroad, we will live in the suburbs and go camping for vacation. Heck, if one of us loses our job we'll just live in an apartment, share a car, and skip vacations - we'd still be better off than plenty of people and still have each other and our friends and family for love, support and laughter. There are so many ways to live, but for me - family will always be the bottom line. And fortunately, in that department, SB and I share a great wealth.

Waking up in the Dark

Well, we are back to school. This morning SB was out of the house by 6am and our apartment was dark and cold when I got up. I guess it really IS September. In preparation for this change and SB's return to an endlessly busy schedule, we crammed in a LOT over this last long Labor Day weekend.  A few highlights:

- We went out for dinner, dessert and a movie on our one-month wedding anniversary. I think that Woody Allen movies will be part of many occasions to come - delightful, even when heavy content.

- 5 hours of MN State Fair fun including a sky ride, bonsai exhibit, crop art, K-9 unit demonstration, and FOOD: portobello tips, roasted corn, falafel, sweet martha's cookies and, of course, cheese curds.

- We made about 10 cups of fresh salsa and canned 5 pints of crushed tomatoes. Holy smokes, tomatoes are such a bear - between skin removal and seed removal. I thought that we were going to get more than 5 pints out of our huge bucket of romas, but c'est la vie. We also had friends over to bottle our next beer, which is a wheat beer.

- We went out for our annual end-of-summer fancy meal. This time we went to 112 Eatery in MPLS, because we got a gift card for our wedding. It was exquisite. Although the waiter was a bit snooty, in my opinion. We ate: cauliflower fritters, mussels, honeyed carrots, frog legs, pasta with foie gras meatballs (Let me just say that I wasn't going to eat a meatball because foie gras is morally objectionable, but they were all the hype at this restaurant so I tried one. We were both underwhelmed, particularly given the circumstances of how it arrived on our plate). We finished the meal with butterscotch budino, a delicious salted caramel custard/pudding. All in all, a meal of a lifetime.

- Time with each family was also part of our weekend. We saw each set of parents, siblings, and our niece. All pretty quick trips, but still nice to see each other before kicking off another busy school year.

AIMLESS LOVE

This morning as I walked along the lakeshore,

I fell in love with a wren
and later in the day with a mouse
the cat had dropped under the dining room table.

In the shadows of an autumn evening,

I fell for a seamstress

still at her machine in the tailor’s window,
and later for a bowl of broth,
steam rising like smoke from a naval battle.

This is the best kind of love, I thought,
without recompense, without gifts,
or unkind words, without suspicion,
or silence on the telephone.

The love of the chestnut,
the jazz cap and one hand on the wheel.

No lust, no slam of the door –
the love of the miniature orange tree,
the clean white shirt, the hot evening shower,
the highway that cuts across Florida.

No waiting, no huffiness, or rancor –
just a twinge every now and then

for the wren who had built her nest
on a low branch overhanging the water
and for the dead mouse,
still dressed in its light brown suit.

But my heart is always propped up
in a field on its tripod,
ready for the next arrow.

After I carried the mouse by the tail
to a pile of leaves in the woods,
I found myself standing at the bathroom sink
gazing down affectionately at the soap,

so patient and soluble,
so at home in its pale green soap dish.
I could feel myself falling again
as I felt its turning in my wet hands
and caught the scent of lavender and stone.

 - Billy Collins