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A left-handed mug from a potter in New Mexico, whose name I have long forgotten. I say left-handed because, if you’ll note the curve on the bottom when the handle is on the left and the flat side opposite. I, a lefty (explains a bit, eh?), never noticed it, and was puzzled (and even chuckled) every time a righty used it and spilled drink on him or herself. Then a friend (Hi Brooke!!) put two and two together. It’s pretty much MY mug now, though I do explain and give the option to guests.

How are you feeling? Healthy, I sincerely hope. I am well, with a mild case of paranoia. Is the scratch in my throat COVID-19? Wait, I just sneezed or sniffled or dry-coughed or whatever. No, seriously. Is this IT?

So we are drinking steaming beverages in fine mugs (see above), for comfort and joy. If we’ve got it, we’ve got it. Though it’s been a full week since making contact with another human, besides yards away on Juniper jaunts, and quite literally spraying mail & packages with disinfectant, rendering me hopeful. That said, some people are asymptomatic for 10-14 days. So there’s still time for this bugger to make itself known. Ugh.

What to do in the meantime? Cook and eat, of course! Pray. For every single one of us. Every chance I get. Sweat out my anxiety with a morning workout plus the aforementioned twice daily Juniper jaunt. Read magazines, books, blogs, a cereal box. Watch movies and home shows and whatever strikes our fancy on HBO and PBS and Netflix (more on that later). Put NPR on for the essentials and turn off before becoming demoralized. Find great solace in music. All kinds. Yesterday we went Texas style with a jammin’ ZZ Top (La Grange!!) and Stevie Ray Vaughan (Lenny!!) marathon. Hot damn.

As for the eating, I’ve made: roasted red pepper and tomato soup; jalapeno and cheddar spoonbread served with Boulder breakfast sausage; blueberry coffeecake; walnut and blue cheese crackers; curried cauliflower soup; blue cheese salad dressing atop a lovely tossed salad; peanut butter cup and birthday sprinkle ice cream – complete with cake batter (pasteurized eggs) and frosting! Double hot damn.

I realize I’m full on What I Ate at the moment. Sore-ee, not sorry. It all photographs nicely and our local exterior landscape has been pretty uninspiring, as in brown, very brown. I do see some tufts of greening grass and crocus peeking their heads above ground, and maybe a tulip or two, the eternal hope of spring. So maybe something other than nibbles will grace this space soon.

In the meantime, much love and good health to you and yours.

Stuff

Stuff your eyes with wonder, he said, live as if you’d drop dead in ten seconds. See the world. It’s more fantastic than any dream made or paid for in factories.

Ray Bradbury

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Magpie

One for sorrow,
Two for joy,
Three for a girl,
Four for a boy, 
Five for silver
Six for gold,
Seven for a secret,
Never to be told.
Eight for a wish,
Nine for a kiss,
Ten for a bird,
You must not miss.

In the Cards

Life is not a matter of holding good cards, but of playing a poor hand well.

Robert Louis Stevenson

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A new coat for Juniper, in one of my favorite colors (teal!) and with a useless and utterly adorable faux fur hood. I feel sort of lame buying her such things, but our girl’s genetics did not prepare her for our weather, and so I must or watch her shiver.

A couple of Greg’s favorite eats: red chile and chocolate cake! I also tried my hand at pupusas because 1. I never had, and 2. They are filled with cheese. A duh if ever there was. I also like them because they are far easier than homemade corn tortillas. I know my way around the kitchen, but dang, do I have a difficult time keeping them from sticking.

I made his favorites, not just because I love him, which would be enough, but also because my best love had hernia surgery last week. He deserved extra special treatment!

It was a nice role reversal, with me the one waiting and hoping and uttering every little prayer the surgery would be as uncomplicated as the doctor had foreseen. Thankfully, it was.

He was and remains a good patient, utterly silly while the drugs wore off, rejoicing in the complex flavors of ginger ale and saltines (the best ever), wielding them like precious metals, giggling (and grimacing – ouch my tummy hurts!) and making me do the same. It only took a few days before he could walk at his normal pace on our Juniper jaunts, but he’s still got a way to go in terms of pain. Please think good thoughts for him.

Makings for a rhubarb apple crisp on our regularly scheduled dessert day (Sunday). As I peeled the apple in one long go, I thought of how I marveled at adults who could do the same when I was a child, how it seemed so impossible to keep the peeler going, going, going. How lovely it is to learn and grow and mature, the impossible made simple and everyday. Life is a wonder…

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