Week 31

Early August on the bluff

Assorted moments from the week (because I am realizing these posts are just becoming more stream-of-consciousness than actual thoughtfulness - I need to work on that):

We watched the final stage of the Tour de France as they circled the Champs Elysees on Sunday morning, and then set out on our own breezy 20-mile bike ride. We went out a little too late in the morning, however, and my body didn't do so well in the heat. I came home and collapsed on the floor and thought about how much harder and longer and faster those TdF cyclists have been racing each day for two week. Well, I gave it my best shot and should have drunk more water, turns out.

My bike mechanic put on a new chain for me

I bought a new swimsuit, continuing my tradition of buying swimsuits after the inventory has been picked over. But at least it was on sale. The girls at Athleta, where I bought it, let me know it's time for fall inventory, to which I said pshaw: summer's just getting good. Don't rush me.

I'm trying to use journal prompts this month to get myself in a new temporary habit, hoping it might lead to other creative thoughts. This is what I'm using.

Mom and Dad arrived on Saturday (yesterday) for my niece's graduation party and we get to host them. Their visit is far too short but I'll take what I can get.

Doing/Making
I had another Francis meltdown. You see, the sweater is made in two pieces. You start with the left sleeve and work toward the center. You put that down while you start on the sleeve on the right side and work toward the center, until you're ready to pick up the stitches from the first side and put it together. I finished the left side last week and started the right sleeve this week. I felt confident that since I figured out the wonky instructions on the other side (eventually, after shedding tears and starting over) that I could get it again when I started the right side. I was on the right track, then one stitch slipped off my needle during a complicated knitting maneuver. I tried to bring it back, then ended up fudging it, and that led to a series of yarn explosions and more dropped stitches. I tried to reverse it and get back to the point where the complicated part started, but I somehow screwed something up there, too. Two wasted hours later, I had to rip out that entire side and put it away for the night. It's really nice when people tell me how talented I am, but I also think more people should understand I'm actually just a doofus who doesn't want to have wasted money on a bunch of yarn and am therefore going to figure out this damned pattern.  A more appropriate thing to say could be, "Wow, you really persevere!" But I guess that's the thing about hobbies - for me, anyway. I enjoy doing it so much that I'm willing to suffer, and later, when starting a new project, I conveniently forget how not-fun it can be sometimes.

Watching
We started the week with Joel's first viewing of Jaws. What a great early Spielberg film. You can totally feel the Spielberg-ness but in way that felt novel for its time. I saw it years ago and this time I appreciated the visual foreshadowing.

We and the folks watched Agatha Christie's Crooked House on Netflix on Saturday night and I stayed awake! My parents are Glenn Close fans and she was great in this.

Sunblock

Reading
I finished Penelope Fitzgerald's The Bookshop. A bit sadder than sweet, but realistic and darkly humorous about learning things the hard way.

I then began my affair with Mavis Gallant's short stories. I'm almost ready to make bold statements about how much I love her writing, but I've only read a couple stories so far: "The Other Paris" and "The Captive Niece." I went so far as to buy one of her collections to spend more time with her than a library check-out will afford me. I'll keep you posted.

Recipes
I tried out Smitten Kitchen's chicken gyro salad on my parents and I think I found a new favorite. The chicken marinade was perfect and I love a good meal people can assemble themselves; it always makes for great leftovers.

I also made a nectarine galette, another recipe shared on Smitten Kitchen. (I did add one peach to the mix.) Deb has never failed me yet.

Listening
On Friday night, under the influence of a wine tasting, I developed a fun game of "What was the number one song during the week of Joel's birthday starting from his birth year to the year 2000." (Things Liz does after too much wine: music research.) And made a playlist on Spotify and listened to it. It started with this, and ended with this. We learned things, we remembered things. It was great fun. If you're looking for a unique way to celebrate someone's birthday, give it a shot.