I had the distinct non-pleasure of driving to my former place of employment this morning, after being rudely awakened by a ringing telephone, at the other end of which was a plea from a certain family member for someone to deliver an item forgotten at home. Since Oscar doesn't drive, I was tapped for the job. (To tell the truth, I half expected such a call, and therefore put the phone on the bedside table last night, so I wouldn't have to grope my way to my handbag when it rang.)
The beauty of unemployment, however, is that now that I'm home again, I can crawl back into bed if I wish (but of course I won't, because I don't believe in napping).
Incidentally, the reason I wasn't already awake when the phone rang at 7:22 a.m. in the morning is because I stayed up to finish Folly, a book I can't imagine anyone (with a brain) not devouring, both for its suspenseful plot and beautiful scenery (San Juan Islands), as well as for its rich, mature writing. I read it so quickly, in two sittings, that it never even made it onto the "Currently Reading" sidebar.
Thursday, September 07, 2006
Tuesday, September 05, 2006
Another Letter
Dear A and O,
Today is the big day--the first day of your school career. Ah, the smell of freshly sharpened pencils, the shiny laminated bulletin board cut-outs, the new clothes. There's so much to love about the first day of school.
I hope you'll indulge your aunt and let her give you some advice. I went to kindergarten many years ago, but I still remember much of it as if it were yesterday. I hope you will be able to learn from my experiences and not repeat the same mistakes.
1) If your mother lets you take a tube of ChapStick to school, don't turn the dial so that the whole stick of ChapStick comes out of the tube. It will break off and you will have a mess on your hands that you will have to hide under your poncho.
2) Don't pull the chair out from under one of your tablemates as they are about to sit down. I know it's funny to watch this happen to someone, but it's not a very nice thing to do. Even if you don't get in trouble for it, that doesn't make it ok.
3) Beware of wearing sandals to school if you're going to be outside on the track. When the sandal strap breaks, it can be a real pain.
4) Don't stick your finger into a classmate's Afro hairdo to see how thick it is. Even if you think it's an innocent gesture, your teacher might not interpret it as such (I only know this from secondhand experience. When I was in kindergarten, I had more sense than to do something like this, but some people apparently didn't. Ask around your house and see if anyone 'fesses up to knowing about this incident).
5) Most of all--have fun. And go to the school library as often as you are able!
Fondly,
Auntie K
Today is the big day--the first day of your school career. Ah, the smell of freshly sharpened pencils, the shiny laminated bulletin board cut-outs, the new clothes. There's so much to love about the first day of school.
I hope you'll indulge your aunt and let her give you some advice. I went to kindergarten many years ago, but I still remember much of it as if it were yesterday. I hope you will be able to learn from my experiences and not repeat the same mistakes.
1) If your mother lets you take a tube of ChapStick to school, don't turn the dial so that the whole stick of ChapStick comes out of the tube. It will break off and you will have a mess on your hands that you will have to hide under your poncho.
2) Don't pull the chair out from under one of your tablemates as they are about to sit down. I know it's funny to watch this happen to someone, but it's not a very nice thing to do. Even if you don't get in trouble for it, that doesn't make it ok.
3) Beware of wearing sandals to school if you're going to be outside on the track. When the sandal strap breaks, it can be a real pain.
4) Don't stick your finger into a classmate's Afro hairdo to see how thick it is. Even if you think it's an innocent gesture, your teacher might not interpret it as such (I only know this from secondhand experience. When I was in kindergarten, I had more sense than to do something like this, but some people apparently didn't. Ask around your house and see if anyone 'fesses up to knowing about this incident).
5) Most of all--have fun. And go to the school library as often as you are able!
Fondly,
Auntie K
Sunday, September 03, 2006
Saturday, September 02, 2006
Celebrity Blogger
Did you know that Rose Levy Berenbaum blogs? I found her blog while I was looking for errata listings for the America's Test Kitchen cookbooks. If you're like me and spend more time reading about activities like baking and knitting than actually doing the activities themselves, then you'll love Rose. Her "Vanilla Bible" article for Food Arts Magazine looks like a good, albeit lengthy, read. (Don't worry--Rose's Web designers have done their job, and you can print the post with ease.)
Incidentally, America's Test Kitchen has no errata in evidence on their Web site. Do you think it's because none of their cookbooks have errors?
No, I don't think so either. In fact, I searched their site and found reference in an e-newsletter to errata for Baking Illustrated, the very book in which I'm interested. You have to be a paid Website member, however, to access the newsletter. That's what I call poor customer service.
Incidentally, America's Test Kitchen has no errata in evidence on their Web site. Do you think it's because none of their cookbooks have errors?
No, I don't think so either. In fact, I searched their site and found reference in an e-newsletter to errata for Baking Illustrated, the very book in which I'm interested. You have to be a paid Website member, however, to access the newsletter. That's what I call poor customer service.
Who Knew? (A Link-Happy Post)
Went to the Half Price mothership store this week in search of Get on the Ball and any of the Cook's Illustrated Best Recipe books (tried to give you a link to the magazine itself, but their server is down).
Struck out on both of those, of course, but came home with a few board books for Curly, a Nancy Drew (The Clue in the Diary, where she meets hunky Ned Nickerson), and The Best of Dr. Seuss.
If I had to compile three books for a best of Dr. Seuss volume, they would be Hop on Pop, Green Eggs and Ham, and How the Grinch Stole Christmas! But, no one asked me, so this volume contains The Cat in the Hat, The Cat in the Hat Comes Back, and Dr. Seuss's ABC.
Turns out, I don't like The Cat in the Hat (oh, did I say that aloud? Does it make me un-American?). It's way too chaotic and out of control for me. The Cat comes in and turns the house into a total disaster zone, almost as if he had evil intentions. Yeah, he puts it right before the mother comes home, but that doesn't make what he did ok.
The other interesting thing about this book is that it was published in England, so that it refers to "Dad's £7 shoes."
Incidentally, if you've never perused Dr. Seuss's wartime political cartoons (or even if you have), be sure to check out this exhibition.
Struck out on both of those, of course, but came home with a few board books for Curly, a Nancy Drew (The Clue in the Diary, where she meets hunky Ned Nickerson), and The Best of Dr. Seuss.
If I had to compile three books for a best of Dr. Seuss volume, they would be Hop on Pop, Green Eggs and Ham, and How the Grinch Stole Christmas! But, no one asked me, so this volume contains The Cat in the Hat, The Cat in the Hat Comes Back, and Dr. Seuss's ABC.
Turns out, I don't like The Cat in the Hat (oh, did I say that aloud? Does it make me un-American?). It's way too chaotic and out of control for me. The Cat comes in and turns the house into a total disaster zone, almost as if he had evil intentions. Yeah, he puts it right before the mother comes home, but that doesn't make what he did ok.
The other interesting thing about this book is that it was published in England, so that it refers to "Dad's £7 shoes."
Incidentally, if you've never perused Dr. Seuss's wartime political cartoons (or even if you have), be sure to check out this exhibition.
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