9-29-13 Sunday

Today is a beautiful sunny fall day in the 70's.  It was like this yesterday when Ann and I went into Town.  First, we went to the Farmers' Market to say hi to Phyllis and the Gillens (Sunset Farm).  I always try to patronize as many farmers as possible.  Here's what I got  for $20.

I was thinking potato leek soup, eggplant parm, and the rest will go into a crockpot pot roast (except for the cuke, of course).

After the Market, we walked onto the green of the Common and looked at the crafts for the Apple Harvest Fall Festival.  That's the festival, that if you buy a soda, you have to look before you drink -- the bees and wasps are preparing for winter and swoop toward anything sweet.  Yearly there's an ambulance run for someone's having been stung on the mouth.  (I'm thinking it's newbies to the area who are used to the city where the bees are few and far between.)  We followed up our heavy shopping and trooping in the (by then) very hot sun with lunch at Chilis.

After that, it was nap time, big time.  That morning before Ann and I met up, Miguel had come by and together we hacked down a LOT of bushes and overgrowth.  He did most of the hauling of the cuttings to the back and it was about 6 lawn carts full to the brim.  I did my fair share of using the hedge clippers and picking up cut branches while he was using the clippers.

For some reason, I had gotten up at 6 a.m. on Saturday -- and had decided to stay up.  After putting in laundry, doing dishes, and eating breakfast, I was waiting when Miguel showed up.

So today, although I didn't get up as early, I sure had a sore back.  What else is new?  I guess it's nature's way of telling me I should bend over more!

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Oh, I may have told you about the jam and pickles that Tomi and I made.  I'm supposed to save the jam for Christmas presents, but I don't think it will make it.  I have some more jars, but here's what they look like.

The pickles did eventually settle so the jar doesn't look so empty.  I opened one and they are pretty good bread and butter pickles.  (I only got 2 jars of pickles.)  The peach jam is fabulous -- my only other big jar is almost gone.  I gave one of the big jars to Sharon (my boss) and she returned it empty saying, "Now it's tradition that you're supposed to fill it up again, right?"  I had to instruct her on that one.

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Speaking of Sharon, she gave me a gift certificate to a hairdresser that she couldn't use.  She said, "It's an Italian salon and they will be great with your curly black hair!"  I said thank you, but my hair is brown.  She wouldn't believe me and went around the Library asking people.  Everyone said black.  We called my mother in California who, naturally, said brown.  We laughed a lot.  But when I got to Sei Bella (the salon), Alison, my stylist, said, "I can settle this."  She returned with a card with six hair samples on it.  Aveda hair colors said my hair is MEDIUM (can you believe it?) brown #3.  After that is dark brown and then black. Ha!!
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So I got a new phone last weekend when I was with Emily.

Those are dandelions gone to seed on the screen.  The cover is an "Otter" which Emily helpfully bought for me online.  It's like having a rubber bumper on your phone.  The guy at the Verizon store really wanted to sell me a case and he kept saying, I've seen people drop their phone before they even got out of the store!  He said it so many times, I said, "Are you going to trip me?"  He didn't but he messed up and didn't give me a receipt so I had to go through many hoops to get the receipt.  It's necessary because the buggers overcharge you and you have to mail in the receipt for a "rebate."  They should just not charge that in the first place. I wonder how many people forget to mail in the rebate forms?  It's $50!!

Meanwhile, it's a lovely phone, but I can't figure out how to get my voice mail.  My friends at work are still torturing me because they can't text me.  I was going to add texting ($7 more/month) until I found out that even when I hit my limit, people (and spam) can still text me and I have to pay extra.  That killed that.

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So a while ago, I got a cd of "Learn Japanese in 10 half hour lessons."  Needless to say, I was terrible and haven't been back to it.  What did show up, however, was a set of 12 cd's (and no bill).  Now, even I know that you can't get that many cd's for $10.  I call Pimsleur up and get a very nice lady who informs me that the $10 cd allowed me into their gold program.  I had to ask several times, but if I had kept the cd's, the charge would be $69 -- per month!!  There would be more deliveries.  Arrrrrrrrrrrrrrgh.  She said, 'Just UPS it back.'  I told her I did not want to pay for shipping and she promised to send a label.  Two weeks later (last Friday), still no label.  Of course, you can't reach a person, but they said to leave a voice mail.  So I said, "I need to know what address to use to return your bait and switch product. Nisa promised to send a label." Guess what? The return shipping label was in my email today.  Remember that phrase: bait and switch.

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The delegation from Kanegasaki, Japan, has arrived today.  Tomorrow I and the Committee meet them at Applewood, a retirement community.  They will have a tour, but I will have to go back to work after a short meeting.  On Wednesday evening the Library is hosting their Farewell Dinner.  Before that, there will be a re-signing of the Library to Library Sister City Agreement.  The Town's agreement is 20 years, the Library's agreement has been in place for 10 years.  I didn't know there would be a renewal ... I may even find a dress to wear. I'm not sure anyone at work would recognize me in a dress, however ...

Sunday Slump

Yup, I've hit a slump.  I'm exhausted.  Really.  (Usually, I'm kidding when I say this.)  My odyssey began last week.  (Do you know that at one time in my life it wouldn't have taken me three tries to spell odyssey correctly?  Thank God, I can still spell hors d'ouevres!)

Sharon decided that she and her husband wanted my treadmill. They don't know that they could have had it for free just to get it out of my bedroom, but they cheerily paid me a bit of cash.  (I had traded a nice double bed futon for this really top of the line treadmill.)  Let's face it, I wasn't using the treadmill.  I had used it a couple of times and, no, I really never did hang clothes on it.  But, for some reason, it made me nervous and I just wasn't using it.

So why am I exhausted?  Because it took from last week right up until the minute that they got here to de-clutter my bedroom and kitchen.  Who knew that bending a lot would make my back sore?  Anyway, Mike very nicely moved my bureau for me so now my TV is on that and I don't have to have the cable box suspended in mid air.  The only problem ... I hadn't cleaned off the top of my bureau.  It's now all on top of my bed. Ugh.  I may never go to bed again.  And I even changed the sheets and put my winter quilt on it.  (This one is modern batik green camouflage colors with ducks.  The summer one is very girly and mostly white with flowers.)

But all in all, I'm very happy.  The only thing on the kitchen table is a quilted table runner that I made and it's quite pretty if I say so myself.  I would take a picture and show you, but I don't have the strength to lift the camera ...

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I love the Amherst Bulletin, I really do.  We get it mailed to us once a week for FREE! and it gives us all of the local news and events.  They also print the Police Report.  I don't usually read it (although a former resident has published a whole book of these reports), but I did the other night when I was in my Library.  You know, the room with the bath tub.

Some times you just have to laugh.  I know it's not funny for the perp, but ... Michael was arrested and charged with 3 things (including DUI), but the fourth was the unkindest cut of all: '...operating a motor vehicle making harsh and objectionable noise.'  First of all, was HE making the noise, or was it his car?  If it were he, was he farting, yelling, yodeling, or singing off key?  If it were his car, was it farting, letting the radio blare too loudly, backfiring, or needing a muffler?

The next item was '... an Amherst man ... failure to stay within marked lanes following a traffic stop on Rambling Road August 31 ...'  Isn't that why they call it Rambling Road? He was rambling ...

I can't stop.  Listen to this: 'A goat got loose ... The owner was advised to better pen in the goat, which had previously been wandering in the neighborhood in July.'  So does that mean 'make a better pen that will hold the goat'? Or does that mean, 'You better pen up this goat because he keeps wandering.'?  Maybe he's looking for a lady goat.  Sheesh.  Wanders in July and is at it again in September.  He needs a date.

Finally, this one was poignant: "Police found a man banging his head against the brick wall of a University Drive business. He told police he was just upset about breaking up with his girlfriend."  And it also left me with a lot of questions.  Had he drawn blood? Did they offer him a band aid?  Was he anywhere near the Amherst Brewing Company? If so, did they suggest he consult the bartender?  Was he waiting for the newly ex girlfriend to come out and see him and take pity? Did the police tell him to stop? Or would they have to wait until he needed transport by ambulance?

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Speaking of clothing, it has finally dawned on me that if I bring all of the hangers downstairs to the rack right next to the dryer, I can use them as I take my clothes out of the dryer.  Duh.  If I can keep this going, I'll avoid the laundry basket of clothes to be hung up.  Some times I'm so smart, I'm downright dumb.

The new revelation: my dryer has always been on the wrong side of the washer (the door is on the wrong side).  Now, because I have a new dryer and the door is tight, I'm noticing it more.  I wonder if the door can go on the other side? I'll have to ask somebody about that.  That's the ticket. I'll ask Miguel at work.  :)

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While I was doing the de-cluttering and vacuuming and putting away clean dishes and laundry ... I forgot to eat lunch.  So I'm thinking a really early supper would be good.  I have nothing to make so that means a trip to the grocery store.  Not sure I have the energy.  If you see me by the side of the road, sleeping in my car, just give a gentle toot on the horn, o.k.?

Cheers.

Eggplant Makes Me Happy 9-2-13

Yes, eggplant makes me happy.  Especially when it's delivered to my door minutes after it has been picked.  Phyllis is my favorite farmer and she brought me eggplant this morning before I was even out of my jammies.  (If the truth be told, I'm still in my jammies and plan to be so until I dress for my potluck dinner.)

Eggplant brings back memories of my grandfather.  He grew eggplant (which is why I learned how to make eggplant parmesan at an early age) and corn.  I remember walking through the corn stalks that were much taller than I was.  In fact, I thought of that as I froze corn this morning.

I was going home yesterday and I saw the farmer with his pickup truck methodically putting the corn on the farm wagon on the corner (next to the silos that are no longer there, but my daughters remember those silos as "the tuna fish cans").  I asked, "How much for six?"  He replied, "$2.50, but I don't think I have any quarters," as I pulled out three dollars.  I told him that was o.k., because he works so hard to grow the corn, I didn't mind overpaying by $0.50.  He went back to the truck and I assumed he was leaving.  As I turned to go, he quietly extended his hand and handed me $0.50.  That's dignity.


You can hardly tell, but here's the frozen corn.  I put them in small freezer bags, then the small bags into a gallon sized freezer bag.

But back to Phyllis: I had already made spaghetti sauce using the tomatoes from Phyllis' garden.  She went to Scotland and asked me to pick her tomatoes.  No problem!  The sauce came out yummy and she will get to eat it tonight.

So the main point of this exercise is to come out with eggplant parmesan for the potluck I'm going to tonight. As always, Phyllis was generous with the eggplant.  Here's the result.

Of course, I had to have some eggplant for lunch.  It's yummy!  :)

So ... on Thursday I decided it's time to immortalize our "new" hanging baskets in the center of Town.  I only say "new" because they have been up since the very beginning of summer, spring even!

The white bay window in the center of the picture is Judie's Restaurant which is fairly well known in the area and NYC.  She's famous for her giant popovers.  In fact, you can get a turkey dinner in one!  It's very tasty and just like Thanksgiving in a popover.  If she puts it on the side, there is usually apple butter to go with it.

Here's my favorite (with the long tendrils) of the hanging baskets.

The basket above is one bank away from the Library.  Of course, I couldn't neglect the pots of flowers.

The above pots are scattered about the down town area.

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So while I have been uploading the above photos, my new oven has been happily baking away.  I was watching The Pioneer Woman (honest) on TV and she was using puff pastry.  I had some in the freezer so I now have two individual and one large chicken pot pies.  Those of you who know me well know that I LOVE pies, so I have 'open faced' blueberry and lemon curd "pies."  I just put the puff pastry on the bottom. It didn't puff so much, but it's o.k. for home consumption.  It's really the fruit and the taste of summer that I wanted.  The chicken pot pie uses up chicken that I had roasted and I will bring it to work for lunch.

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Ah, work.  It is lovely to have today off. (Particularly since they frown on wearing pajamas to work.)  Last Friday, we had a semi-going away party for Chris Demarest, our first Artist in Residence.  We all know that he's still going to be around for a week or so, but it gave us all a chance to let our hair down and eat cake.
                                                           
I was kind of surprised at the depth of emotions that we all experienced and there really wasn't a dry eye in the house.  And it wasn't just that Chris was leaving, but I don't think any of us had realized how attached he had become to us.  And vice versa.  I said in all honesty, "I'll miss your saying good morning to me every day."  And it's true.  He has become not only 'one of the family,' but he told us (in the Office) about the little dramas that we missed.  Right near him, Amy had put up a table of free outdated magazines.  For some reason, that table gathers more unusual people and more unusual conversations than anything.

So it will be different tomorrow.  Chris may still be there, but we know that soon he will be gone to the Holyoke Soldiers' Home.  And while that is not very far away, we won't be seeing him every day.  And we won't be able to see his new painting and the progress.  We won't see a little kid do a classic double take and say, 'Wow, that's good!'

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I watched most of "Julia and Julie" last night, making it the third time.  I loved the movie, mostly for the view of Julia Child.  I always thought her recipes were too much work.  Now I know they are not only too much work, but I could feel my arteries clog as I watched the cooking.  At one point, she said (Julia, I think), 'We'll start with some butter in the pan,' and she plopped in a half stick! Oh my!  But I really loved the love story in the movie.  Her husband, Paul, must have really been something.  I suspect that Julia could be a bit of a handful if she wanted.  (Perhaps he could too, but it didn't show in the movie.)

From what I could glean, Julie Powell is not someone I would like to know.  Her blog probably is/was a lot more entertaining than mine, but -- wow -- can you spell self centered?  It's kind of the way I felt about "Eat, Love, Pray."  I just wanted to tell her, "Snap out of it and look around you: You have it SO much better than so many others."
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So, anyway, I was thinking about blogging (hence, here you go) and how mine is "private."  I haven't advertised it a lot locally.  And there is a reason.  There are some people (and some of them I see regularly) who like to score points.  They are always much better at everything than I am, they know more than I do, they cook better than I do, blah, blah, blah.  One, in fact, just the other day tried to insist that I worked for a certain place where I had never worked.  Obviously, she knew better than I about where I have worked ... ?

My point is this: I don't need criticism. If, for some unknown reason, you wish to share this -- feel free -- as long as they don't live in Amherst, MA!  As of now, I know all of you and it's a conversation between me and you.  :)

I'm off to get dressed.  How about you?