Friday, January 24, 2020

What a day! A house tour, riveting PBS time, and some good food




Last night my Austin daughter called and gave me a tour of their house, still under construction but getting closer and now, for the first time, with electricity so she could show it off. Their house had major structural problems and bigtime plumbing—sewage—problems. But they loved the location, so they are building a new house on the old foundation, with lots of improvements and an almost full second story in place of the previous one room. Meantime, she, her husband, and two teenage sons are living in a two-room apartment over their garage—and seem quite cheerful about it. When they finally get into the new house, probably the end of May, they will have been in the apartment for fifteen months.

Using Facetime on her phone, Megan walked me through the new house, accompanied by Eddie, their miniature poodle. Up a lovely flight of stairs (replacing a circular staircase which I climbed, with trepidaton, for years). The boys each have a bedroom up there, with a full bath, and there is a common room. Downstairs the pattern is more familiar but such things as windows are a huge improvement (the old house was built in the Forties which I don’t consider old, since my house will be a hundred in a couple of years). But much of theirs was dated. Megan will have her glorious big kitchen, and they will have a proper master suite, instead of the tiny closets they had to share with the boys. Expansive windows look out on the pool from the living area and to the street from the dining area. At least one window in each room in the house can be opened to catch the breeze. The architects have done clever things with windows in unexpected places that open the house up to the outside. I am so anxious to see it in its finished state.

Today I ran some errands, so I listened to PBS in the car. I’ve been watching the impeachment hearings sporadically, especially when Adam Schiff was speaking—he is my new hero: so articulate, such presence, so well organized, and so passionate about what he believes. But today was the first time I really paid attention to some of the other managers, and they were all spot on, very convincing. I am angry about Republican senators who left, did crossword puzzles, read books, and generally ignored the procedures. They ought to be arrested for ignoring the oath they just took.

My take on it? The prosecutors have been absolutely convincing that trump violated his oath of office and the constitutional limits set on a presidency,  the separation of powers among the three branches of the government. Clearly, he obstructed justice. The senators if they have any conscience will vote for more witnesses and the withheld documents that trump is bragging he has. Unless those by some miracle exonerate him, they should vote to remove him. They probably won’t, but I firmly believe retribution will hit them hard. Don’t mess with karma.

I got an early start on fancy weekend eating. Last night I fixed myself eggs Benedict—using some Christmas dinner rolls I had in the freezer, smoked salmon, two eggs that got poached perfectly right, and store-bought Hollandaise sauce (shhh! don’t tell on me!).

Tonight, Jordan and I sliced a rotisseries chicken and used that salsa verde on it that was in my Gourmet on a Hot Plate column last night. Plus we had half an avocado and half an artichoke, with the same Hollandaise. Living high on the hog—and feeling overfed.

Now I need a nap. I had good writing news today, but I’ll save it for tomorrow. Suffice to say, I will sleep happy tonight.

I did finalize my winter newsletter today. If anyone reading this, isn’t on the subscriber list and would like to be, please send me your name and email at j.alter@tcu.edu. I promise I don’t flood your mailbox with newsletters—probably four short ones a year.

‘Night all and sweet dreams.


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