Friday Fluff & Fold Report
Wow! It's proving to not be as easy as I would have imagined to get back into the habit of posting. I'm going to take a short break in a busy day to do a bit of an update.
- My "to do" list for today is extra long as we're headed downtown tomorrow to spend the day at the DIA, so today's list includes many of tomorrow's tasks. One of the delightful finds at the library is that West Bloomfield participates in a program called Museum Adventure Pass. They had passes for the DIA available while we were there last Saturday. We snagged one. There are many others we hope to be able to take advantage of in the future.
- My current musical obsession is "Raising Sand" the new cd from Robert Plant and Alison Krauss. Does that combination not just blow your mind?! I don't know whether it was intended or not, but the album, as a whole, seems to me to have a theme, that theme being the life cycle of love, and it evokes a mood in me. It's a mood I'm having difficulty putting a label on. The closest I've come is more of a discription than a label. It's balmy, like a still, hot, humid southern night, the air heavy with expectation and approaching thunderstorms, and very, very sexy. It's the same mood that Alannah Myles' song "Black Velvet" evokes. Individually, the cuts take me everywhere from nostalgic to horny to touched. Very yummy.
- I've discovered right off that there is one thing I hate about purchasing album downloads instead of purchasing physical CDs. Liner notes! I have no liner notes, and it is making me crazy!
- I don't know if anyone else on my FL got caught up in "The Next Great American Band", but we did here. Though there were several bands I really liked, I predicted right from the first round who the winner would be. I'm glad the world had the good sense to agree with me. Keep your eyes and ears open, people, for the young, hot roots sound of the Clark Brothers. If I was 20 years younger I'd be a drooling groupie. I've never seen anyone who could make the dobro look sexy, but OMGs! these boys do. Bands like this one and Steppin' In It are proof that roots music isn't just alive, it's alive and kicking and being appreciated by a whole new generation.
- Foodie tidbit. Start by sauteeing a container of shitake mushrooms in olive oil in your biggest skillet. Add a sliced leek, and after it has started to turn translucent toss in a couple chopped cloves of garlic and half a cup or so of chopped marinated artichoke hearts that have been hanging around the fridge since New Year's and need to be cleaned up. Toss in a 10 ounce bag of spinach, a pinch of cayenne and a heavier pinch of nutmeg and cover just long enough to wilt spinach. Adjust seasonings to taste. Sprinkle with grated parmesano reggiano. It's saying something when the first thing Paul comments on in a meal is the vegetables. It's really something when he eats the leftover vegetables for lunch.
- We've been experiencing rather a large increase in, um, the Unusual since about early December. It's very odd to hear the sliding sound of dresser drawers opening and closing in your bedroom when the only persons in the house are all in the living room. Eclipse has been begging to thin air again lately, too. Then there's the unseen visitor who lets theirself in and out the front door. Paul has experienced this one the most, but I've also had this one happen. The topper was Sean's birthday. Everybody came back here after the movie for pizza and to play cards for the evening. We were all in the dining room when we heard a sudden racket in the living room. I remarked, "well, that's either cats or ghosts" as I went to see what had happened. It definitely wasn't cats. Lying in the middle of the floor was our VHS copy of "Star Wars". We haven't watched it in months (July to be exact---George's boys watched it) and can't imagine how the hell it got out of it's slipcase and out of the cupboard it's kept in. Later in the evening, shortly after Nicole left, we all heard the front dooropen and close. Six of us heard it. I figured it was Nicole coming back because she'd forgotten something, and went to greet her. There was no one there when I flipped on the stairwell light. Spooooooky! ;-)
- I really slacked over the holidays. Those first few days back to routine were killer, but I'm back on track and feeling good. Weight loss really isn't a goal for me in this, but it continues to happen. I despise the word "diet". It's against my religion as a hedonist. I deny myself little that I desire foodwise. I eat nuts, pasta, bread, chocolate, dry fruit, rice, potatoes, bacon, ice cream and whatever else strikes my fancy pretty much as I want. I'm slowly closing in on 30 lbs lost, though. If I knew what I was doing so right I'd bottle it and make a fortune.
- I think I'm looking forward to going upnorth for the Imbolc Sledding Party at FMO. I'm definitely looking forward to spending time at the farm, and getting to know Stacy Jo better, and doing what I can to help Farmfest. It's my darling Rudy that's making me crazy. I love him dearly. I'm going to beat him to a pulp. Soon. His is such a very strong personality. Though he really means well, people are frequently put off by how strongly he comes across. It can be much like having a huge rottweiler thundering toward you. He only wants you to play with him, but all you can see is this huge beast with a mouth full of sharp teeth bearing down on you FAST.
- There is much more to say on the Rudy front, but I think those thoughts will require their own post when I've got the time and energy to devote to it.
- First thing Monday morning I will be calling our Parks & Rec department to be put on the waiting list for one of the community garden plots. Previous gardeners have until April to claim their plots. After that those on the waiting list get a crack at the plots that are left. It sucks a bit not being able to do much planning until just a few short weeks before things need to be gotten in the ground.
Okay. Back to the to do list with me. Have a good weekend, everyone!