How I spent my staycation day
In his
column this morning, New York Times food editor Sam Sifton wrote that
everyone needs a day away in these troubled times. We are in the third year of
the pandemic and the third week of Russia’s brutal, bloody invasion of Ukraine.
Be kind to yourself. Take a day to lie on the couch (notice I said lie, not
lay) and read a book.
For
me, it was a lazy day to begin with because we got a late start on it, due to
daylight savings, which I welcome wholeheartedly. I know a lot of people moan
and groan, but I love sleeping a bit later in the morning, and I love the long,
light evenings when we can sit outside, barring mosquitoes, until eight or
nine. Some people claim they’d be happy if the government would just choose one
or the other, but I would be devastated if they chose central time. All those
dark depressing days when it gets dark before supper.
On my agenda
today was—not much. Virtual church, check my email, that’s about it. Christian
is cooking chicken piccata, and my only responsibility is green beans. I’m trying
a new, easy cook method I read about—toss with olive oil, lemon, salt and pepper
and bake at 325 for 25 minutes. Supposed to come out crisp as French fries. I’ll
let you know. (They weren’t crisp, and Jordan had a texture problem; I thought
they were okay but nothing to write home about.)
So I
spent much of the day reading Bitter Roots by Ellen Cosby, the latest in
her mysteries set in the wine country of northern Virginia. It is hands down
the most expensive Kindle book I’ve ever read. I guess the publisher was
counting on avid readers like me to throw budget to the wind. I am savoring
every word at that price and hoping it ends being worth the cost. I have never
been comfortable reading in a prone position, so I read sitting at my desk,
with the text on my screen. My place of comfort.
Tonight
I did have an inspiration for getting my novel out of the corner I’d written
myself into, but again I could not get my computer to hold a WiFi connection.
Last night I gave up and went to bed, but I really wanted to get this scene
down tonight. A hard boot seems to have done it. I couldn’t even contact ATT
technical service because I had no service. Fingers crossed please that this
connection lasts. But I really need to call AT&T, a conversation I dread.
It’s never their fault, and the fix will cost you bigtime.
A meme
I saw today that hit home with me: someone wrote that their morning routine
these days is, “Get up. Check on Zelensky. Make coffee.” That’s how I feel too.
I am so afraid for that heroic man—he needs not to be a martyr but to continue
to inspire and lead his countrymen. If Kyiv falls, as it looks like it will, I
hope they get him out. I’m sure he won’t leave Ukraine, but he might be
persuaded to leave Kyiv. The world is too much with us.
On a
lighter note: I looked at the box of Ritz crackers I used last night for the
crumb-topped fish and thought of my mom. Salmon croquettes was one of her favorite
dishes and remains mine, but she always insisted you must use saltine crumbs
and nothing else. These days I use Ritz—they are richer and much easier to
crush. Make such good salmon patties. And for just a moment there, I wanted to
make Mom my salmon patties. She’s been gone over thirty years, but you never
get over missing. And wanting to call and say, “Mom, do you know how I’ve
learned to cook salmon croquettes?”
Blessed
Sunday everyone as we head into a new week. May it bring peace and health to
the world—and joy to all of us. We need a bit of that.
