After having sort of loafed my way through a couple of weeks, almost but not complaining that nothing was going on, I now sing a different tune. Everything is going on, and I'm feeling really busy and pushed both in the office and with events. Saturday I sat for two hours at my publisher's booth at the local Junior League Christmas Festival, a splendid and well done affair. I was supposedly signing my book on John Barclay Armstrong, Texas Ranger, but I was seated next to two ladies with illustrated books for young children. They were busy all morning signing, but I sold not one book, nor did my new friend, Marjorie Parker, sitting on the other side of me. Her book, David and the Mighty Eighth, is about WW II, set in England, and like mine intended for young boys say 5th or 6th grade. We gobbled a chicken salad sandwich--more about that later--and made our way to far south Arlington to a Barnes & Noble where--you guessed it! We sold not one book. People were pleasant, and I had some interesting encounters, such as the lady who didn't buy a book for her son because he only speaks Chinese. But no sales. We got into the car to head back to Ft. Worth and Marjorie asked, "Did the chicken salad make you sick?" Truth to tell, it had.It just affected each of us differently. I was most glad to sneak home for a late nap and quiet evening.
Sunday was peaceful until evening when Jordan, Christian and Jacob came for pinwheel steaks and the German potato salad that Christian loves. Jacob decided to be a brat, throwing his food on the floor, never sure if he wanted to laugh or cry (he did a lot of the latter and that wasn't helped when he took a header on the concrete porch). We were all tired by the time they went home.
Monday night I met friends at the Museum of Modern Art (known locally as the Modern) for a play, "The Mystery of Irma Vey." Two actors did a mighty job with multiple roles, signalling their changes only by literaly changing their hats or wigs. It was very '60s, very farcical, sometimes hilariously funny, sometimes dragging, and all in all a little too long. We came back to sit on the porch and enjoy a cool evening and a late supper. They decided to show me that Scooby really would behave without a leash on the front porch--of course near-disaster ensued when he took off after a dog across the street and scared the life out of the woman walking the dog. She began to screech, I stood on the porch and screeched, and Lisa calmly went to get Scooby (he does come when called). I got a leash and some treats, and his freedom was over. I am really afraid to leave him loose, even though he eventually comes when his adrenalin slows down, because mine is a busy streeet. He could easily have been hit by a car. My guests left at 11:15--way past my bedtime, and I cleaned up the kitchen and fell into bed. It had been a fun evening, the kind I don't do often enough--sort of an experimental evening.
Tonight my friend Charles and his daughter came for an early supper, and we went to the TCU library to hear Dr. Paul Boller talk about his new book, Presidential Diversions, about the amusements, hobbies, whatever of presidents. Paul is a great speaker, full of anecdotes, and it was an interesting hour. Charles particularly enjoyed it, and I was struck by the fact that both men--Paul and Charles--are now in their nineties. Great role models.
Here's my cooking hint for the day. I served the same meal last night and tonight. We began with tomato basil soup--if you buy it made in the store, it costs twice what organic cream of tomato does in those nice cartons at Central Market. So I added my own basil and a few croutons. I had earlier made chicken packets--take a large piece of heavy duty foil, moisten prepared stuffing mix with water until it's fairly wet but not runny and put a glob in the middle of each piece of foil. Layer a small chicken half breast, a slice of ham, frozen green peas (I like the petit pois), sliced mushrooms, and top with a can of mushroom soup that has been mixed with 1/4 c. water--or you can make your own white sauce with chicken broth, white wine, and a dab of sour cream. Really good and one of those things you can do beforehand.
I'm off to read recipes and finish the last little bit of Same Kind of Different As Me.
No comments:
Post a Comment