You want cream with that?

I found a cool store in Pittsburgh.

It has this:

A GIANT creamer...

It's pretty cool.

  

Reminds me of a Greek diner.

This I Believe

I am an NPR nerd.

Personally, I loved it in Cincinnati.

they do all my favorite shows.

Pittsburgh is called Essential Public Radio.

They do not carry all my favorite shows.

I subscribe to the podcasts.

Each week I love to listen to the series 

"This I Believe".

It is inspiring, and touching.

Last year, I was so inspired,
I wrote one too.

It was the holiday season, 

and I tend to get a little sentimental around that time. 

Here is my essay:

I believe in friendship forged over food. We have relocated many times to many states, and sharing meals has been the way we forge new and lasting friendships wherever we live. Even busy people find time to linger over a meal with friends. Meals encourage entertaining conversation, and can soothe tempers after heated and polarizing discussions. Food links us together in a chain that spans time and tradition.

I read somewhere that Jewish people are commanded to share their meals with others. While I am not Jewish, I think this is a very noble calling. I entertain though my house is not in order, without any planning or menu consideration, without advance notice, and I am known to serve an impromptu dinner party while in my pajamas. I have learned that no one comes to see the house, or to see me in my Sunday best. And while I believe that I can show my love for people by cooking from scratch, I also have learned that sharing a meal of take-out Chinese is just as wonderful as sharing a mock-Thanksgiving dinner that took all day to prepare. The sharing is the most important.

I cook for a family of four, and I have learned it is just as easy to cook for 6, or 8, and so many nights, I do. While often our friends and neighbors are delighted and grateful for the invitation, even sometimes feeling guilty because they do not reciprocate, I am honored and humbled to share my meal with those who share my life, my successes and defeats, and while my words fail to convey my deep thanks for their friendship, I believe a bowl of hot, saucy pasta consumed while sitting around my imperfect kitchen table shows them how much I care for them.

I am proud that my daughters never hesitate to invite someone to dinner, and though they are but 11 and 13 years old, they will make French chocolate mousse to encourage friends to linger for dessert. It’s just what we do.

And if you want to see it on the official site, 

Click here.

Now that we are here in Pittsburgh,

we have only hosted one meal

with Cousin Mark.

I am so happy in Pittsburgh,

it is a wonderful city.

Reading my essay reminds me of the fond times

around my oak kitchen table,

or my walnut dining room table,

and I miss my dear friends in Cincinnati.

Lucky for me, some arrive next week,

for football and fellowship.

It will feel like old times.

Almost.

Grinch

You may remember that yesterday

 I lost my purse.

I had a busy day.

Our church hosts homeless families

for one week each month.

It takes an army of volunteers.

We decided to be an army of 4 and help out.

We signed up to make dinner.

Salad, chicken, green beans, apple sauce, and pumpkin bars.

Yum.

Except I decided to cut the sugar in the pumpkin bars.

To NONE.

I forgot to add sugar.

So yeah,

we make dinner for two homeless families,

people who have so little,

and I deprive them of SUGAR?!?!

Who do I think I am?

The Grinch?

Luckily, the recipe calls for a caramel layer.

So it is a little sweet.

Healthy?

That's how I'm presenting it.

Guess what I've done so far today...

I woke EARLY.

And instead of taking Mr. to the train,

I RODE the train with Mr.

downtown.

I knitted on the train.

Making a warm and toasty hat for Mr.

We went to the health expo.

To get our blood pressure, and blood drawn,

and tested.

I worried about my results:

I didn't study.

Mr. gave me a tour of his office.

He was so proud.

I went to the bathroom.

I sat and knitted.  

When I said goodbye to Mr.

and looked for my purse,

to be sure I could buy a train pass home, 

NO PURSE!

Mr. came down from the 11th floor

to give me train $.

I searched my bag again.

I had my knitting.

NO PURSE.

I rode the train back.  

I searched the car, 

NO PURSE.

I returned home and looked in EVERY room in the house.

NO PURSE.

At work, Mr. checked the health expo.

He checked the ladies' room.

He checked the lost and found.

NO PURSE.

I am on hold with Port Authority RIGHT now...

I sure hope they find it.

I think it had the winning lottery ticket inside.

Oh yeah, my life is so exotic.

P.S.  My purse was found.

Train Toll Booth Operators might look like regular people

but they are ANGELS in disguise.

Take it from your friend Mrs.

Computer Problems

I have a problem.

My iPhoto has replaced some photos.

So, when I view a thumbnail, and I click on it,

when it is enlarged, it is not the same photo.

Not even from the same day.

Or month.

It is super frustrating.

I have done everything I know how to do.

I even tried to use my time machine setting.

It didn't work.

Next I am making an appointment to have it fixed.

Thus, I am not loading any new photos

because the dumb computer tells me it can't find the file.

And then it shows up.

I am pretty frustrated.

And too busy to deal with it until the end of the week.

In the meantime, I am working frantically on my knitting.

One row at a time,

while I wait in the dentist office,

while I wait at the Dr. office,

while I discuss books at my book club,

and one row a day while I wait to get Mr. at the train.

I want to show you pictures, 

but I don't want to ruin the surprise, 

for anyone who *might* be receiving

something handmade and lovely

for Christmas.

Rainbow bookshelves

We love books.

And I have struggled to arrange them beautifully.

Like all the decorators do.

I am not a decorator.

What?  Mrs.  but your house is so lovely (HA!)

I had no idea you didn't have a decorating cell in your body.

I went through the phase of covering all the books in brown paper.

It was so soothing.

And ridiculous.

Because we actually READ our books.

And sometimes, we even RE-READ them.

In this house, I decided to try the rainbow style of books.

It is pretty.

See:

And, just so you know I am still not the decorator,

here are the rest of the books,

totally un-catagorized by color.

When you come to visit, avert your eyes to these bookshelves.

And focus on the rainbow.

If you find that too hard,

I will just ply you with some really good hot chocolate 

and some gossip.

Then you'll forget my bookshelves.

And that I am decorating-challenged.

I have to clean up after EVERYBODY

This is the view from my dining room window.

It looks out on the neighborhood.

Big picture window.

Gus loves it there.

He can spy on the neighborhood.

And bark.

He loves to bark.

Even with his mouth full.

So, here's the dog food he keeps dropping

when he barks,

with his mouth full.

Does he ever go back and eat it later?

No.

Of course not.