Indian Summer

Gainesville

Suddenly it's Fall again-- 80's yesterday, 50's today. Quite a shock to the system, but I'll take it. Actually, Gainesville looks unusually Fall-like these days, more color than just the usual (and very beautiful) Raintrees. Seems just the right mix of cold snap, rain and Indian Summer made a lot of the trees, shrubs and vines turn at the same time.

Still raining, though, and cold rain disinclined me to go shopping. Realized I had ingredients to make any of three recipes in the new FC. I decided on a Frittata. The method is different from any I'd tried before, and also more eggs than usual. I used the leftover onion/ pepper/ bean combo from last week's EdC recipe, some thick-cut bacon I had around, more of the fresh chives, some crushed red pepper and some parmesan and Feta. Pretty strange-- having Canelli beans in a frittata makes for quite an unusual texture-- but I like the method. I got it a little too brown on the bottom, as usual, but was actually able to "slide it onto a cutting board" as specified-- I laughed when I saw that instruction: as if! To my surprise, it slid. Bill and Carrot liked it. Good thing, as there is a ton of it left over.

Also managed to burn the bloody blinkin stinkin bleep out of my left hand, when I momentarily forgot the the bleepin skillet had just come out of the @#$%$ oven! Timely ice application probably prevented blisters, but did slow down putting dinner on the table.

Kitchen is all cleaned up, Bill is napping in his chair, Carrot on his lap, while I shepherd his pre-sorted laundry through the prescribed cycles. I'm glad to be able to help. And glad I don't have to go, frankly. Travel involving the air is no longer fun.

Lots of pictures were being snapped during that Retirement party, but I've never seen any of them. Will try to find some. If not, will get Bill to pose with me and the beautiful framed Donald-- that should make a nice image for your Christmas album, Mom. I can't believe you put in extra hours just to correct one little flaw only you would notice, but then that's probably why people-- everyone who sees them-- are struck speechless at the beauty of your cards. You are an artist who has found her medium, it seems.

Me, well, I watched a movie this afternoon while Bill was out doing his last minute errands: A Prairie Home Companion, which turns out to be Robert Altman's last work. I love Altman, and am really pissed that he died before ever getting an Oscar, or any major recognition for a stunning body of work. McCabe & Mrs. Miller remains in my top ten list, and Nashville holds a special place in my heart-- kind of a bookend to PHC.

I loved PHC, and am especially dazzled by Meryl Streep's musical talent. Woody Harrelson and Lily Tomlin pulled their musical weight as well. But Lindsay Lohan, well-- how sad. I was more than willing to discover that one of these teeny-divas had some talent, but alas, no. Altman was apprently trying to get his work seen by a younger audience through her, but unless it was his plan to make that character embarrassingly hapless (which I doubt), it was a miscalculation. Garrison did a swell job of underplaying himself, and the film nicely captured one of the shows. The fantasy layer was inspired-- kept it from becoming a pseudo-documentary.

Need to be bedward-bound-- need to be alert enough to drive about 5 hours from now. Of course, I'm not one bit sleepy. And of course, there is no dog endlessly barking, as there was between 5 and 7 this morning, and probably will be from whenever I go to bed until-- well, eternity.