RedFox of Ember
Nov. 12th, 2021 10:41 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
ismoThis morning, I drove out to the haircut place (I could call it a "salon," which is what it says on the door, but this term makes me think of well-dressed French ladies flirting with philosophers, rather than overworked but snarky West Michigan girls trying to make old ladies look good.) I was going east, and in that direction, a pallid yellowish light was blasting through some rags of cloud. Then I looked in the rearview mirror and saw the slate-gray wave rolling in from the west. It was raining, but the breath of frost from the west told me that it was going to snow. (So did the weatherman and weatherwoman, but I haughtily insist that I can figure these things out for myself.) My poor haircut person/stylist was limping a bit, and it turned out she'd fractured her patella at the football game last Saturday. I imagined her on the field, making a daring leap to intercept, but no. She tripped over one of those chains that go between two posts in the parking lot, and then fell over a bicycle that was parked nearby. She pretended to be okay because she was embarrassed. Four days later, she decided to visit the doctor after all, and found out she'd fractured herself. She is a tough cookie.
After that, it was a strange on and off kind of day. We were scheduled for a Zoom with Deb and the Prussian at noon, but our internet went off. We dithered and went back and forth, and finally decided we could reschedule for 4. The Sparrowhawk was hosting his book club at 6, so I started cooking dinner early--both to avoid the house smelling of fish when the guests arrived, and because I figured I would not have time later, if we were Zooming at 4. During a break in the rain, I squelched out into the garden in my rubber boots and unearthed my crop of fennel. I thought we might have a hard frost soon, and I didn't want them all to get frozen. Think, an armful of muddy roots at one end and a profusion of feathery fronds and stalks at the other. I scrubbed the roots and then cut the plants up into three portions--roots, stalks, and fronds--so I could stash them in bags in the refrigerator for now. So THEN I could chop up some fennel and some fresh sage, also from my garden, simmer it in butter, and use that to dress the steelhead filets that I got at the store yesterday, with the addition of some pepper, salt, fennel seed, and thinly sliced lemon. I was just popping it into the oven along with some potatoes when my two o'clock appointment to chat with the Nonesuch about some ERB things (and the fact that it's his birthday!) came along. And then Deb texted that they had to go to the phone store at 4. In the midst of my chat with the Nonesuch, big fat globs of snow began to plummet down, rattling on the layer of leaves that had fallen to cover the space we had previously raked clean, and soon the ground was cloaked in white.
Mr. Dr. Nurse arrived to give the Sparrowhawk his piano lesson. I thought regretfully that I hadn't had time to fix anything for them. Then it occurred to me that I had four pieces of fish, so I could share. I asked Mr. Dr. Nurse to contact his wife and ask if her pregnant tummy was up to eating fish, and she said that it was. So I also roasted a couple of sweet potatoes in foil (because they are nutritious) and steamed some broccoli, and when the piano lesson ended, I packed him up some fish, choice of white or sweet potato, and some broccoli. And then the Prussian texted to say that they didn't have to go to the phone store, so the Zoom was back on. Meanwhile, the internet had reappeared. So we Zoomed, then ate, and then I helped set out the cheese, crackers, and grapes for the book club.
I never take part in these things, because reasons. It's complicated. But I greeted the guests and enjoyed some chat, and then went to lurk in the other room. The internet went out again. SIGH. I had some delicious red wine and cheddar with morels and leeks--probably too much of it, because it was yummy. The Sparrowhawk had a good time with his book club friends. I exchanged some texts with the Philosopher, who I think is still suffering because of the problems with people unable to come to the wedding. Oh, this wretched era. I hope I'll live long enough to look back on it and laugh, because right now it seems as if it may outlast me.
After that, it was a strange on and off kind of day. We were scheduled for a Zoom with Deb and the Prussian at noon, but our internet went off. We dithered and went back and forth, and finally decided we could reschedule for 4. The Sparrowhawk was hosting his book club at 6, so I started cooking dinner early--both to avoid the house smelling of fish when the guests arrived, and because I figured I would not have time later, if we were Zooming at 4. During a break in the rain, I squelched out into the garden in my rubber boots and unearthed my crop of fennel. I thought we might have a hard frost soon, and I didn't want them all to get frozen. Think, an armful of muddy roots at one end and a profusion of feathery fronds and stalks at the other. I scrubbed the roots and then cut the plants up into three portions--roots, stalks, and fronds--so I could stash them in bags in the refrigerator for now. So THEN I could chop up some fennel and some fresh sage, also from my garden, simmer it in butter, and use that to dress the steelhead filets that I got at the store yesterday, with the addition of some pepper, salt, fennel seed, and thinly sliced lemon. I was just popping it into the oven along with some potatoes when my two o'clock appointment to chat with the Nonesuch about some ERB things (and the fact that it's his birthday!) came along. And then Deb texted that they had to go to the phone store at 4. In the midst of my chat with the Nonesuch, big fat globs of snow began to plummet down, rattling on the layer of leaves that had fallen to cover the space we had previously raked clean, and soon the ground was cloaked in white.
Mr. Dr. Nurse arrived to give the Sparrowhawk his piano lesson. I thought regretfully that I hadn't had time to fix anything for them. Then it occurred to me that I had four pieces of fish, so I could share. I asked Mr. Dr. Nurse to contact his wife and ask if her pregnant tummy was up to eating fish, and she said that it was. So I also roasted a couple of sweet potatoes in foil (because they are nutritious) and steamed some broccoli, and when the piano lesson ended, I packed him up some fish, choice of white or sweet potato, and some broccoli. And then the Prussian texted to say that they didn't have to go to the phone store, so the Zoom was back on. Meanwhile, the internet had reappeared. So we Zoomed, then ate, and then I helped set out the cheese, crackers, and grapes for the book club.
I never take part in these things, because reasons. It's complicated. But I greeted the guests and enjoyed some chat, and then went to lurk in the other room. The internet went out again. SIGH. I had some delicious red wine and cheddar with morels and leeks--probably too much of it, because it was yummy. The Sparrowhawk had a good time with his book club friends. I exchanged some texts with the Philosopher, who I think is still suffering because of the problems with people unable to come to the wedding. Oh, this wretched era. I hope I'll live long enough to look back on it and laugh, because right now it seems as if it may outlast me.
no subject
Date: 2021-11-14 01:27 am (UTC)