A Handful of Happy Things
23 Jul 2013
There are so many things that I want to write about, blog posts I have planned, and projects I am in the middle of, but I don’t want the little things that shape my days to slip through the cracks. I will be really excited when I can show you my finished laptop case (soooo close to being done!) and when we can unveil the new blog design later this week (yesss!), but I want to share the little things that make me smile along the way too. This is a new journal I made last week. Well, “made” may be a strong word. I buy little three-subject notebooks and then affix pretty pictures to the covers of them with packing tape. It’s always been a happy ritual to switch from one journal to the next one, and I love taking my time choosing the picture for the cover. These cowboy boots were the clear winner.
Last week my book club finished The Brothers Karamazov, and we had a Slavic feast. I had never had borscht with applewood smoked bacon and pickled beets before, but now that’s the only kind I want. YUM.
This was the rest of the spread at our lovely host’s home, minus the fresh peach pie and gingerbread. It was a delicious evening, and I am so glad I met these wonderful people. We are taking a break for the summer, but we will resume in October with another long and lugubrious novel. I can’t wait!
Last week Eric and I had dinner with Hillary and the girls, and we had such a beautiful time. There were dollhouses and chickens and maracas and miniature accordions! Need I say more? Dinner was pretty amazing too. Love love love every chance we get to hang out with them.
Eric made harissa on Saturday, and now we have a whole jar full of spicy goodness. He laughed when he saw this picture and said that now his recipe has been immortalized for all eternity. Good thing, too.
Saturday night we went to see an outdoor movie downtown: the original Ocean’s Eleven. We really enjoyed it, even if we still don’t know what “E-O Eleven” means, and now I am fixated on the idea of watching more Rat Pack movies.
As we were sitting there under the stars, I decided it would be a great idea to get us a milkshake from the Johnny Rocket’s on the square. This was a very good idea indeed. Going in there was crazy nostalgic for me, since the one in Memphis used to be our high school hangout. My brother worked there for years, and I still remember him in his jaunty 50s hat.
And, finally, just to keep me honest, here’s my blog calendar for July. It’s getting kind of crowded down there at the bottom. And that makes me so, so happy.
Jul 23, 2013 @ 04:20:22
What a nice collection of happy things. I enjoyed them all. Funny, I have been planning on reading a book about the Rat Pack so seeing your comment reminded I need to find one and add it to my list of books in waiting.
Jul 24, 2013 @ 21:50:10
Oh cool! Well, if you find a good one, let me know! I am really getting proud of myself because I have checked out such a wide range of books from our library that I’m really starting to get a feel for the floor plan. I think it’s the most logically laid out library I’ve ever been to, so that helps, but still, I like having an internal map and knowing where to go for things:) However, I am not sure where to go for a Rat Pack book, except maybe biography?
Jul 25, 2013 @ 20:12:57
Found one I’ll share with you.
Jul 29, 2013 @ 10:26:10
Okay, great!
Jul 23, 2013 @ 04:20:40
I fear that the professor would have been greatly intimidated by the borscht–greatly. I think I’ve seen Ocean’s Eleven before…but I can’t say for sure. Can’t wait to see the new design!
Jul 24, 2013 @ 21:51:23
Oh, but you would have loved it! It had the most wonderful bacon flavor. 🙂 Thank you for the new design enthusiasm–it is so close to ready–my husband is just putting some final tweaks on it and making sure everything transfers over properly. Hopefully it will be up later this week:)
Jul 25, 2013 @ 04:58:04
Ooo, now I’m really excited! Can’t wait!
Jul 29, 2013 @ 10:18:21
Thank you!
Jul 23, 2013 @ 10:36:49
I LOVE the boots!!! Awww. That dinner was fun!! Can’t wait for Crafternoon!
Concidentally, that particular Johnny Rockets has a special place in my heart. It was fun to see it in your life too!
Jul 24, 2013 @ 21:52:14
Oh, thank you! ALSO: we get LA Magazine, and there is a huge western wear store in Van Nuys! With one million cowboy boots! Field trip?!?
Jul 23, 2013 @ 13:40:36
I love the smorgasbord of good books, fun, foods, movies,companionship! And you are correct; these sweet happy things should not fall through the cracks.
Jul 24, 2013 @ 21:53:41
Thank you! It’s amazing how much the iPhone can help with this. There are a couple of apps like Day One and Collect that make it so easy to take a photo a day and write a little blurb about it–kind of like a mobile 365 project, and you don’t even have to plug anything in to your computer to do it!
Jul 23, 2013 @ 21:11:24
You have a book club? A slavic book club??
Jul 24, 2013 @ 21:55:15
Well, I got myself invited into a book club while standing in line at Peet’s, and we have mostly been reading Russian literature. But we might read something American next…Moby Dick!
Jul 25, 2013 @ 07:42:56
Mr. Pasadena,
My daughter can do everything. Including having a Slavic book club if she so desires! Don’t put it past her. This girl does NOT mess around!
Jul 25, 2013 @ 18:45:02
Hahaha! Well, I guess mother knows best:)