Visitor from Inner Space (D)

Gainesville

Got up at a decent hour for a change and did the last bit of getting the house in respectable shape-- some work on the bathroom and just a bit of stash-and-dash to get some boxes of paper junk I'm in process of sorting off the study floor. Nice having all that out of the way at the beginning of a three day weekend.

As it turned out, Ken didn't come here-- we picked him up at his (Tibetan Budhist) workshop and we went out to lunch at Mildred's one of the few unique (non-chain) places in town open for lunch. Excellent food, especially an outstanding parsnip and leek soup. It was a beautiful clear cold and windy day, so we drove around Gainesville some, showing Ken some of the new things on campus and in town. We stopped at the beautiful meditation center that's right on Lake Alice, definitely the highpoint of our sightseeing.

Ken is living in St. Augustine now after many years of living at Kripalu, an ashram in Massachusetts. He tried making a living teaching Yoga after the Ashram dissolved, but couldn't quite make a go of it, so he's practicing architecture again, with his own little practice out of the house he's renting near the beach. Sounds like a good life, but he thinks he may be ready to move on again in a year or so. Interesting guy.

Did a quick shop when we got back from that. I found a 3-quart crock pot at Publix-- my current Menu-Mailer tends to have recipes too large for the small one and too small for the 6-quart one. I hated bring yet another piece of stuff into the junked-up house, but think I need this one. The crock pot is a helpful, FL-approved device, after all. Actually, I haven't even brought it in the house yet-- still in the back of Blue.

Tonight wasn't one of my better efforts-- it was a baked salmon thing, but I forgot how the La Creuset dish takes so long to warm up. The fish wasn't nearly done in 10 minutes at 350, nor at 15-- in desperation I turned the oven to 400 for five minutes, and of course, over-cooked it. Messed up the fried cauli-rice too-- used too much oil, and olive oil instead of canola. Tasty but greasy. The pre-fab salad from Publix was good tho-- spring greens with chopped apples, blueberries, walnuts and raisins. I tossed in some feta and dressed with Marie's red wine dressing.

Watched most of the Seahawks/Skins game-- wanted both of them to win! Was happy for Seattle, though, as I don't think they've ever won in the post season. We gave up on the second game, though: just too depressing watching the Pats beat themselves and hand the game to the hated Broncos.

Fear not, Mom-- there's still quite a bit of Diary to go. It just gets a bit more sporadic once the Iowa trip began.

Not surprising you occasionally have a day when you need to catch up on your sleep, as little as you do at night.

[Vacation symbol]
Wednesday, July 16, 1952
198th Day--168 Days to Follow

Dear Diary
Chris slept pretty good in Sandy's bed. This morning I cleaned my room, the front room, the breakfast room & the kitchen. I loaded the dishwasher. We went swimming in our lil pool this afternoon. Tonite we had barbecue spare-ribs. We made a little place for a fire & tosted m.mellows. Pat & Rick came over & We baked some apples mine was good! theirs? Ugh! We had fun. TIME - 11:35 Suzy

[Vacation symbol]
Thursday, July 17, 1952
199th Day--167 Days to Follow

Dear Diary
This morning we got up and did our work. Bren came down and we had lunch here. After lunch we played Canasta. Brenda won. Bren went home & we went swimming in our pool. Tonite Pat & San & I are sleeping OUTSIDE! We have the same campfire. Pat had to sneak away from Rick. We all have sleeping bags. It sure is cold Suzy