I know I should not be posting now- we just got back from Troeg's, an excellent local brewery- I had a chocolate stout on nitro, and a raspberry gouge- which is a respectable afternoon sampling - but then, I had a half- pint of their amber ale, sort of a barley wine. Great, locally made, organic beers- but on an empty stomach. With my husband and ( Read more... )

This month I didn't read a lot- maybe about 5 books, a low number for me. With planning for my upcoming trip, I've been reading guides. I like the Michelin ones best, then the Lonely Planet ones. Sometimes Rick Steves is a little too dismissive. I've been laying out a month-at-a-glance calendar to outline choices. I need the visual, visceral ( Read more... )

A spring day, long ago. My father, recovering from the first of many heart attacks, took some time off work to drive me and my mother up to see my Grandmother Gerrity in the Blue Mountains. I'm about 2 1/2, my father, 51.

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I love a all holiday celebrations- especially in the middle of really cold weather
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Many years ago, a young me spent some interesting months being a companion to Mrs. Elsie Laucks, a 92 year old woman. She was from an old family in the area, and I think my brother-in-law recommended me for the temporary position. She was a wealth of information about her family and life. I learned a lot from Elsie, and much that she said just ( Read more... )

Here are the books I've read this month ( Read more... )

This weekend was a busy one- my husband and I digging out feet of snow in shifts, though the blizzard was beautiful. I made a very old apple pie recipe ( all that shoveling), stuffed chicken breasts for Randy, a stuffed spaghetti squash for me ( stuffed with mozzarella and a tomato sauce I made), along with a big omelette for breakfast. We helped ( Read more... )

I was happy to get these in the mail:
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I once had a huge collection of books. Downsizing, gifting, and changing interests changed this. Now, we are planning to move in perhaps a year. My new book collecting habits are influenced by all of these things ( as well as a very limited book budget, as I plan a trip to Europe this spring). So, now I buy used and paperbacks. I read and pass on, ( Read more... )

Thinking back on when I lived in a little town with my daughter in middle school- how fast the time goes.
Now debating retirement villages. The folks in the brochure look too old.

Maybe this will jolt me into blogging- it's not over, dammit!