A blog after long silence

Kauai at its lush, green best

Okay, the title of this blog is a silly take-off on the W. B. Yeats' poem, "Speech After Long Silence," a poem I remember writing a paper on in graduate school, fabricating a whole scene of a married couple who hadn't spoken to each other for years because they had nothing to say. That's sort of where I was with the blog this week: I had nothing much to say.

It’s been back to routine around here—Hawaii too far behind me, Jacob back in school so we’re doing homework every afternoon. What I thought would be a long week of stay-home-and-work days turned out not to be so. Lunches with three friends, and dinner at the Old Neighborhood Grill two nights in a row—ate a turkey burger each night. Think that craving is squelched for a while. Tonight I fixed chicken with a yogurt sauce for the Burtons and everyone had their own veggie—broccoli for Jacob because he loves it (or did until tonight), leftover zucchini for me, a salad for Jordan, and either salad or green beans for Christian. But Christian didn’t show up until it was time to be off to the school for Jacob’s first-grade program. He had one line, which he delivered masterfully. We just wished he would have smiled more the whole time. Sent dinner home with Christian.

Speaking of zucchini, it’s funny how a vacation can make you forget your routine. Once back, I bought zucchini when I grocery shopped. Rattling around in my mind was the notion that I’d found a way to cook it that I really liked—I just couldn’t remember what it was, so the zucchini sat. I was about to get out my file of vegetable recipes when I remembered: grate it, sauté in butter briefly, add salt and pepper. So easy and so good.
Today I downloaded the rest of the Hawaii pictures from my camera. When I got home, I got out the cord that connects camera to computer and found it had been chewed—who could have done that? Sophie isn’t talking. So, at a cost of $50-plus, I ordered a new one. It came yesterday and I retrieved the pictures. What I’d had so far were from my phone or Jordan’s phone.
Spent a good part of this week buried in a book—Faith Bass Darling’s Last Garage Sale. Look for the review on Story Circle Book Reviews soon, and I’ll try to post a review on Goodreads. I loved this book. It will make you laugh, look at your own life, and cry for Faith and her loved ones.
Next project: edits on the second Blue Plate Mystery, tentatively titled Murder at Tremont House. Catch up on Kate Chambers’ adventures from the beginning by reading Murder at the Blue Plate Café.

Let the good times roll!

Old friends are gold

I can't leave Hawaii behind on the blog without a tip of the hat to the people who lured us to the islands, Martha and Dick Andersen. Fifty years ago last fall Martha and I were English majors together at Truman State University in Kirkville, Missouri, she an undergraduate and me working on a Masters. We had a big something in common--her father was the the president of the osteopathic college in Kirksville; mine was president of the one in Chicago. I don't think it was that that drew us together so much as an affinity for each other. Martha would marry that December, and I married the next year. The four of us did a lot together, creating some fond memories. Over the years and through crises in both families, we've kept in touch. They've come to Texas four times at least, and when my children were young we all went to Omaha to see them. When they lived in Singapore, they urged me to come visit but I wasn't quite brave enough to make the long and complicated trip alone. One year on a visit to Texas, they took me to Santa Fe--wonderful experience. It's truly golden to have friends who remain close and caring after all those years, and I feel blessed by their continuing friendship and support. They are one of the most comfortable couples I know...I don't think I can pay them a greater compliment.
And they've welcomed Jordan heartily. We had great visits on the lanai, fun fixing suppers (and the perfect martini), and sightseeing on Kauai. Because of them, I have an experience I will always treasure.

Sunset above the clouds as we headed home

As wonderful as our trip had been, we were ready to come home, and it's good to be back. Now I'm trying to get in the groove of work. I have books to write, lunches to share with friends, books to read, a lot to do. And it's all good.

One of those good days

To me, today, everything is coming up roses. Started the morning early to get a new black ink cartridge for my new printer--gosh, the one that came with it went fast! But I successfully installed it and am back in business. A minor triumph. Then to the Container Store for Christmas wrapping supplies--just a few things that cost a whopping $60. It's that thick yarn I love to use instead of ribbon--because I like the way it looks and because I never can make a pretty bow.
Then met two friends who date back to the '60s for lunch at Z's Cafe--terrific sandwiches as always (I love their ham and cheese). Georgia is gluten free, so she brought her flourless chocolate b'day cake, which is like eating fudge. I ate a modest amount and somehow ended up with the rest to bring home. Jacob had some after school and loved it, but tonight he chose some gingersnaps I'd found cleaning the freezer. Said, "I love those cookies."
This afternoon plans suddenly came together, and it looks like Jordan and I will have a week in Hawaii this winter. Excited. I never thought I'd go there. I think the trip to Scotland has given me more impetus for travel--I'm getting it a little late in life, but what fun. We'll go to Kauai and Maui.
And then Jacob was running all over the house, taking photos with his phone (an old one with no service) because, he said, my house is so interesting. He wrote "I love you, Juju" on a post-it, posted it on the edge of my desk, and took a picture. What  more could I ask for?
A minor tragedy: when he wasn't looking Sophie sneaked a piece of his favorite large-piece puzzle off the table and mangled it. He as so clearly mad at her (and threw a kick her way before I caught him) that now she's scared of him. I've told him he'll have to make amends. Hard to make a six-year-old understand that two minutes after she chewed it she didn't understand why he was mad.
And a peanut butter story: I've finally wised up that hydrogenated peanut butter is not good for him (he eats tons of it) so now I buy the kind with oil on top. You have to stir the oil in and then refrigerate it. Yesterday when I made him the requested sandwich, he shoved it away and said, "I'm not eating this healthy peanut butter any more." I mildly answered that yes he was because that was all I had...and he ate it. Want to buy it? Try Smuckers or Central Market Organics. I'm sure there are other brands.