Anyone in the Pacific Northwest want a kitten ( Read more... )

This past weekend I made ginger ice cream with crushed gingersnap cookie bits mixed into it, and it's pretty fabulous stuff - cool and decadently creamy, suffused with warm ginger, and the cookie bits are a mix of soft and crispy, so the texture is pretty fabulous. I think it may call for homemade caramel sauce, though. I'm especially proud of ( Read more... )

Since we aren't going to Portland after all, and since I needed to do something to keep myself from going crazy (crazier?) this weekend, here is my new plan - a few random acts of kindness. You're invited to join me, if you'd like. It doesn't have to be anything big or time-consuming or expensive. Just take a minute or two and intentionally ( Read more... )

I caught a Black Crows song on the radio today and all of a sudden I found myself back in high school, riding the bus with the band, a little bit in love with three guys from my class all at the same time (all of them out of my league, as leagues were calculated back then). Hair was really important, I was living on plain yogurt and granny smith ( Read more... )

Roald Dahl Story or Horror Film?

Score: 92% (11 out of 12)

Pretty pleased with myself, and now I have to reacquaint myself with some Dahl stories.

Mom arrived yesterday evening. She's staying home with Bea this morning, which is really wonderful of her and which is what makes silly morning car conversations possible ( Read more... )

There's something intoxicating about a four-day weekend, truly. We slept in a lot, kept the tree lights on, and talked to lots of family on the phone ( Read more... )

I don't know how all of this is going to happen in between my regular work and life stuff, but happen it will. The sad thing is that I know I'm forgetting at least three items that should be on this list...

• Finish holiday shopping, wrapping, and shipping. By Friday, latest.
• Bake chocolate crinkles for lil' brother's Christmas package. By tomorrow.
• ( Read more... )

My holiday baking list (so far):

Peanut butter kisses
Chocolate crinkles
Shortbread thumbprints with raspberry jam

And I may attempt lemon curd and attempt dipping various things (candied ginger, pretzels, peppermint straws) in chocolate.

My corner of the world is experiencing very cold temperatures and a freezing fog, with the result being that all the trees and rooftops are very finely iced with silvery white.

Also, a couple of evenings ago, I was leaving work and there was a great horned owl sitting on the library roof, surveying the campus.

There may be magic afoot.