READING: A Separate Peace by John Knowles...Matt has this on his reading list for Guerin for the summer and I have never read it, so I figured I would sneak in reading it while he was at swim team and/or otherwise occupied. From now on when people discuss the "subtext" of this book, I will have read it and actually have an opinion. Yes, I will have an opinion, one way or the other.
LISTENING TO: The sounds of silence...no, not the one by Simon and Garfunkel, but just the sound of silence here at the house (well that and the ceiling fan whirling about in the family room as I sit typing here, oh, and the sound of the keys as I type, oh, and the sound of Matt running water in the shower, oh and the sound of Pippin and Vash chasing each other about for control of a particular toy, oh, and the sound of Rusty barking outside, and oh, and the sound of Alex rattling a box as he is getting a snack from the pantry, and oh, the sound of Mark as he is puttering about doing odds and ends as it is rainy and NOT a golfing day...okay, it is not so silent around here, but probably as good as it gets for this time of day) as yesterday was so hectic and busy that for the next hour I am just content to sit and listen to nothing.
COOKING THROUGH: Le Cordon Bleu at Home (Le Cordon Bleu School of Cooking); Baking: From My Home to Yours (Dorie Greenspan)
FAV NEW FIND: Okay, this is probably hard to describe, but it is a little quarter cup measure that is flat on one side with the measuring increments on the other and a little spout also on that side. What, you say, is the use of this? Well, when one is chopping things and you need, say a quarter cup, or less, (very common in a lot of my recipes), you can lay it down on its side and drag it along to pick up the required amount. A regular measuring cup does not do a good job of this because it is round and the actual contact surface doesn't work for dragging along and scooping up things. Oh, just trust me: I love this little gadget...99 cents for such a great little kitchen helper. Don't you love people who invent stuff like this? You are so going to want one of these...I can feel the envy beginning now...okay, maybe not, but next time you are trying to scoop up a small amount of chopped something or other, you will think of this and say, "Maybe, maybe...." and I promise not to say I told you so.
FAV THING TODAY; Watching the Olympic Trials in swimming each night. CSC had two swimmers qualify, Trish and Jessie, both eliminated before finals, but still very fun to have them go to Omaha and actually compete! Matt says it is difficult watching swimming...he just wants to swim, not WATCH. He says that when he watches he can feel the tension in his own body when the swimmers step up to the block, get into position, etc. and that when they hit the water, he can just feel it like it was actually himself doing it and swimming. It's just a lot of fun to watch swimming when you have a swimmer and you see those really great Olympic swimmers swimming the same strokes.
GOING TO: Carmel Fest starts today; Elwood for 4th of July family gathering of Mark's family on Friday and again on Saturday; Connor Prairie for Symphony on the Prairie on Saturday night; Buddy and Laurie's 4th of July Bash on Sunday; Indianapolis Indians game on Monday, and numerous places between times...what's up for the weekend there? Happy 4th of July!
PRAYING FOR: Unwed mothers, that they may be able to nurture their children themselves or that they opt for adoption, please join me.