Red tape

Speaking of needless complication….

I think I have neglected to point out that, in buying a house, we are also not in Kansas anymore, but have moved across the Big Muddy to Missouri. Although keenly observant readers may have noticed that the blog subheader has recently changed to reflect this. (It was really just to stop the Wizard of Oz jokes. The house was gravy.)

Needless complication

The other night, someone I follow on Facebook posted a query: “Anyone have an easy carbonara recipe?”

I thought, “Huh? Easy carbonara recipes? Is there such a thing as a difficult recipe for spaghetti carbonara?....I’ll just post a link to my recipe….um….”

At which point I remembered that I’ve never posted about spaghetti carbonara. Possibly the dish I make most regularly. The one that DP requests for every last meal before he goes away, and every first meal when he gets back. The one he requests so often, in fact, that when I say, “What should I make for dinner for X?” I now immediately follow it with, “…and don’t say carbonara!” He would be completely on board with Calvin Trillin’s campaign to have it replace turkey as the national dish for Thanksgiving.

Wordless Wednesday

Carpe-ing practice

I worried a little bit that Friday’s post might come across as mawkish or proselytizing, especially since I wrote it to myself as much as anyone else. I have a deep-rooted tendency to perceive the glass of life as half-empty (or maybe it’s that it’s half-full but cracked?), and recalibrating that perception is an apparently never-ending ongoing self-improvement project.

Carpe diem

Since I got back from Boston, two good friends of mine have lost close family members. One was dreaded, coming at the end of a long battle with cancer. One was brutal and unexpected, coming out of the darkness on a Texas highway. Neither of those lost had done anything like their full share of living: they were 48 and 29. Both leave behind grieving children, spouses, extended family, and friends.

First day

Recipe for a Successful Memorable Bearable First Day of School

1 excited six-year-old child
2 apprehensive parents
1 giant bag of school supplies
1 elementary school
1 experienced kindergarten teacher
2 outfits
12-20 pages of information
1 pen
1 lunchbox
1 envelope
40 cents
1 backpack
1 healthy breakfast
1 sprinkling maternal tears (optional)

For best results, begin preparing this recipe the night before.

Wordless Wednesday

Summer = Beach
Duxbury, Massachusetts, August 2010

Tomato salad

I haven’t cooked dinner for seven days. I can’t remember the last time that happened. We’re visiting in Boston for a week, and our priorities for the trip were to organize a mini-move of some of our belongings from here out to the new house; to catch up with as many local friends and family as possible; and to squeeze in beach time wherever we could.

Well, the movers have left with six boxes packed full of miscellaneous household items, and as many pieces of furniture. We’ve managed two days at the beach. Dinners have mostly involved visiting favorite local spots with siblings, nieces, parents, and friends in tow.