Dogs, chicken, rain, and a radio show

Nasty rainy morning again. I woke in a funk to thunder, and when I opened the door so Sophie could go out, she looked at me like, “Are you crazy?” It was thundering, which made her stick close to me all morning.

When I turned on my computer, there was a message from a radio show host saying her guest for today had cancelled and would I fill in. I always believe you should take any opportunity, so I said of course. Among the many things I didn’t realize, it is a two-hour show. What I did realize is that I had better get rid of my funk. And I did.

I rearranged my day, took an early nap, with funny dreams about wet dogs out in the rain. Sophie was there, but so were several dogs I’ve loved in the past. Glad I set the alarm on my cell phone. A minute or two before three o’clock, I was on board, phone in hand. We did talk about my books, I read some blurbs and some excerpts, but, folks, two hours is a long time. I was silent a lot of that time, listening. If you want to hear part of the show (I don’t recommend slogging through all two hours), it can be found at http://www.blogtalkradio.com/rrradio/2018/02/22/red-river-radio-tales-from-the-pages-welcomes-returning-author-judy-alter

Shortly after the show ended, my Canadian daughter arrived for happy hour. I had barely put the appetizer in to bake. I’d bought two Portobellos with the idea of stuffing them for Jordan and me one night but never did it, so I fixed them tonight. Essentially the stuffing is a version of the standard spinach/artichoke heart dip. Recipe recommends a half mushroom as a dinner portion. I cut the two into quarters (they did NOT cut easily or gracefully) and found the serving recommendation was spot on—they are rich and filling but delicious. A recipe I’ll save. No picture, because they weren’t pretty by the time I cut through the mushrooms and the filling slid all over so that I had to spoon it back on. But oh so good.

We talked about Sue’s wedding, scheduled for June, to Teddy, whom we all adore. Jordan and I and neighbor Margaret want to do something but don’t want to duplicate what others are doing. In middle age, how many lingerie showers does she need? We settled on a couple of alternatives, plus we will entertain Sue’s folks—from Ottawa, Ontario—one night after the wedding. They are good friends of mine, and I am truly looking forward to these festivities.

It’s stopped raining, but the forecast for one more day is not encouraging. I realized this morning that had I not had the back yard landscaped with ground cover and edging, half of the dirt would have been at my patio door. And when I looked behind me, at the neighbors’ chickens, I saw that their pen was awash with standing water, though it went down by mid-day. And we got a mild version of what’s been all around us. I know about needing rain, and I’m grateful for the moisture, but oh how I long to see the sun. Maybe this weekend.