Week 37

It feels like September, alright. It's hard to wake up in the mornings, my nose is cold until about noon (when I can go outside and get some sun on it), and I'm starting to think about soup and house projects that need to get done before winter.

The winds blew in on Labor Day and wreaked minor havoc around town, but at least the skies stayed mostly clear until Friday night. We managed to do a few fun things anyway, like a Sunday drive to Idaho where we toured around the lakes,  a riverside picnic with friends, and a Friday night bike ride to pick up pizza and eat by the falls. By the evening, the smoke arrived in full force and we have been inside pretty much ever since.

Recipes

It was a good week to cook in honor of grandparents. Food is such a tangible way to remember those who are no longer with us, and I find it opens up memories that go beyond the kitchen. My Oma's birthday would have been on Wednesday, Sept. 9,  and I usually make a kuchen in her honor. This year, a friend gave me plums, so pflaumenkuchen is currently on our counter. I have found myself thinking of her especially this year, during the pandemic. She lived through one, too - as well as all the wars of the 20th century, including 9/11. In her final years she continued to say, "If I complain, I should be spanked." And she amended the Bible verse to "This is the day the Lord has made... something good is on the way." 

On the same day as Oma's birthday I read this touching tribute written by Tejal Rao about her grandfather: I Think of My Grandfather Every Time I Make Kofta. I made her vegetarian version of the kofta curry on Saturday night and it was delicious. 

Watching

I watched three movies between Friday and Saturday night. A classic I should have seen already but had not: City Slickers. A favorite I can sing along to: A Mighty Wind. And finally, a tragic historical drama in gorgeous black and white from Poland: Cold War. All completely worth watching. 

Making

I probably won't have much to share here for awhile - I just timed how long it takes me to complete a row on my sweater, and it's 7.5 minutes. Per row. But it's good to be working on the main portion of this, and it's straight stockinette, which means I can watch movies, including ones with subtitles.

Listening

There's something about listening to the radio in the kitchen that is comforting to me - likely because I grew up with one. And it's especially fun to tune in to radio stations from elsewhere. While making dinner on Saturday night I bounced around the kitchen listening to WBGO, New York and New Jersey's only 24-hour jazz station, which apparently has some sort of cult following (which is how I heard about it). 

With September, I often think of "September Song," my dad's go-to tune to play on the piano. It's a haunting but pretty melody, and I was trying to remember the lyrics the other day when I came across Willie Nelson's version of it. I'm sure Dad will dislike this rendition (Sarah Vaughan is more his speed, and mine, too) but I rather liked it. 

Reading

I am finally, after all these years, reading Barbara Kingsolver's The Poisonwood Bible. I've felt like a phony claiming her as one of my favorite authors without having read the work she is perhaps most known for. 

This was after finishing Florence Adler Swims Forever. Such a great final read of the summer. I enjoyed the vintage look at Atlantic City, and the well-crafted characters, including those who were based on actual people. It wasn't particularly challenging, just enjoyable and relatable and easy to pick up and put down.