Week 9

Where have the icicles been this year? I just looked at a photo I took last February when we had frozen daggers hanging all around our house. 

I am writing on the first of March and feel like we got away with something. My tulips are peeking out, there's a lone golden crocus blooming in the front yard, no crusty snow mounds in sight. Thank you, 2020.

Meanwhile, we're in a blissful state of uncertainty as we try to get excited about travel plans in the midst of coronavirus, knowing full well we may not get to go. We haven't booked much beyond our plane tickets. It's frustrating and baffling, but we're trying to keep an open mind about it and think about ways we could enjoy ourselves if we're stuck in Spokane. 

I took a mental health day on Thursday to think of something other than coronavirus and work. I've been exhausted lately and I think it's due to worried sleep. So it was nice to stay home and tend to things...I ended up vacuuming the walls, cleaning out drawers and cabinets, making cookies and buying a new iPhone. I felt better and ready to face the end of the week. 

Ash Wednesday

Making

I wrapped up two lingering knitting projects on Saturday by sewing the toe of my last sock and adding the loop on the farmhouse dish towel. I'm getting set to start on a shawl with some wild colors, and a second dish towel with a blue or yellow stripe. 

I haven't been in the mood to sew lately, but that's OK. It's partially because I've been buying some clothes to scratch the wardrobe itches I've been having lately. 

Recipes

This was a great week for food - we tried four new recipes! Three of them were from Melissa Clark's Dinner cookbook, the other was from Milk Street Magazine (are you getting tired of how often I refer to these resources?). On Monday was a vegetarian feast of farro-and-lentil balls with tahini sauce; Tuesday was Thai lettuce wraps. Thursday we had a weird-but-good Indian vermicelli (that was the Milk Street one), and Saturday we made Cuban flank steak. All of these made for great leftovers and made me feel somewhat fancy though they were all simple recipes.

 

And I also made Dorie Greenspan's recipe for her newest chocolate chip cookies, which feature nutmeg and coriander. They are darn good. 

Reading

For the first time, I'm reading several books at once. When I was at home on Thursday, I listened to the majority of Sum: Forty Tales from the Afterlives by David Eagleman. They're just quick, thought-provoking and often humorous essays/imaginings of the nature of God, science, and what might happen after you die, read by different people like Emily Blunt, Nick Cave and a few other recognizable voices. 

I just started listening to The Dutch House by Ann Patchett, read by Tom Hanks. I could listen to his voice all day.

I'm also still reading physical books! I've been enjoying The Altogether Unexpected Disappearance of Atticus Craftsman by Mamen Sanchez, a lighthearted mystery set in Madrid, and am still working my way through Hope in the Dark. 

Watching

We watched What About Bob? the other night and enjoyed Bill Murray at his peak. 

Listening

See: Reading