e e cummings rocks wordle

two small things

First, this is the best hoisin sauce in the world. I used up a whole jar in one week and cannot wait to start in on this one. I'm on the Lee Kum Kee bandwagon, baby--I'm all over their soy sauce, their oyster sauce and will seek out their garlic-chili sauce.

(I do, however, want to try Koon Chun's hoisin, which was carried in Texas but, alas, I left SA only with a jar of their bean sauce.)

Aren't you glad there's someone in the world who gets excited about these things? Or is hoisin not a staple in your kitchen? If not, what's wrong with you?

Second, I caved. I signed up for Twitter. I told myself I never would; who needs to know the minutiae of other people's daily activities? But then I found out about Joss Whedon's new project and it had a Twitter page and I was all, "What if I miss out on something?!" and, "Well, I can sign up--but I don't need to post anything."

But to not post? When it is so easy? It's like mini-blogging! And I've not been a good blogger anyway--the only posts that have popped into my head in the last few weeks have not been blog-worthy, but they ARE Twitter-worthy. I will give it a shot.

So I'm on (you can view my page). If you are on the Twitter fence, let my hands be the ones that push you over. Join us . . . join us! I'll get a widget in the sidebar here, too.

Off to make coffee.

thing accomplished before noon

(Click thru the photo to see notes.)

My main goal in visiting the Omaha Farmers Market today was to scout out berries--blackberries or raspberries. Susie is coming to visit next week and she wants a birthday pie instead of a cake. This is all good, but I admit to being spoiled by Oregon berries, particularly the tangle of marionberries and raspberries in my parents' backyard. None of those refrigerated California berries can compare. Blackberries and raspberries ARE grown in Nebraska; I think it's just too early in the season. Spring and summer gets to the middle of the country a little slower than other places, such as Texas, which has had huge-ass onions for months now (see my SA market visit here) while the Nebraska onions are still quite small.

Anyway, I came home without berries but with a ton (well, several pounds) of locally-raised pork products that (as I just discovered) come from a farm two minutes up the road. Their farm store is open on weekends, so I don't have to drive all the way downtown! I am most excited about the bacon and breakfast links.

Yes, meat IS exciting.

I should have bought a mint plant. Next weekend--

note from Netflix

Delay With Your Shipments

Dear Sarah,
Due to the recent flooding in Cedar Rapids and adjoining areas, we are temporarily shipping your DVDs from Kansas City. This change means that your DVDs might take an extra day to arrive. We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause.

That's not a notice you get every day.

Today I bought a microwave and hung two pictures on the wall. Tomorrow I hope to repot plants, including the tomato, oregano and basil (Thai and Sweet) I purchased at the Omaha Farmers Market on Saturday. Also came home with green leaf lettuce, three organic beefsteak tomatoes and this lovely loaf of bread:



None of the onions there compared to Texas onions--I'm guessing the longer growing season down there means they get mature onions sooner. Also disappointed to see no potatoes. Maybe next time!

Now to figure out what I'm going to do with the container of juniper berries I bought at the Penzeys shop last week.

here, mostly accounted for

I'm tired.

Here's to taking things one at a time--one box at a time. One tornado warning at a time. One sliced finger at a time. (NOTE: the bottom of a refrigerator has sharp places that eat fingers. I'm still pretty sure not getting stitches was the right choice.)

Keaton's largest concerns are tracking patches of sun and glaring at me for lowering the blinds.

last look

Augh!

I am so sick of moving and packing and loading. Time to get going already!

Bruce has to run on base and pick up his dental records. Then we stuff all the last minute items into the cars, give the house one more run-through and we are on the way to Nebraska.

scenes from a move

The official movers finished packing today (except for the random objects they left behind; see above and below) and the U-Haul is in the driveway, mostly full. The only things left to take care of are bathroom items and what we'll use on the road. I'm beat.







Tomorrow the truck comes and they load it all up.

on the town

I spent a wonderful morning flying around downtown with my (only) good pal (in Texas) Kathy--we worked at the paint-your-own-pottery studio last year--and she tied up a few last things on my Must See San Antonio list. We browsed around Market Square, which has everything of Texan, Tejano, and Mexican persuasions, with a few bonus items like random Beatles tee shirts and penis shot glasses thrown in. We stopped by the Japanese Tea Gardens, which now have WATER! and DUCKS! and are all pretty and renovated (unlike their dry status on my previous visit). Best of all was lunch at Schilo's, a German deli that I'm kicking myself for not discovering earlier. Tasty split-pea soup, homemade root beer and a lovely old building. I wish I had room for dessert.

Here are some parting shots from my last week in SA.

finito!

Classroom is empty, keys are turned in, gifts received, goodbyes given. School is over! I am free from the crazy, red Sharpie wielding mother, the office assistant who slammed my door, and my less-than-competent administration. And I have champagne!





Cheers!

baking, not boxes

Today I did the responsible thing and took steps to DECREASE the volume of items to be moved to Omaha.

I made cookies.





As of twenty minutes ago, grading for the 2007-2008 school year is complete. Lesson plans for the week include random English worksheets covering loose ends, Southeast Asia maps for Social Studies, end-of-year letters to me, cleaning the classroom, and then Buster Keaton and Charlie Chaplin. Also, drinks on Friday (teachers only). (Not at work!!!)

thing one

Today my packing adventures led to the unearthing of several key items:

thing one, originally uploaded by arahsae.

I found my air blower under the bed after months of missingness. Methinks Keaton is to blame.

thing two, originally uploaded by arahsae.

Hooray! A roll of mystery Holga film, ready to process!

Guess who this belongs to . . . should I be happy that he is still full of surprises?

All photos taken with fantabulous new Canon 40D that I adore and cradle like a tiny, heavy, plastic glass and metal electronic baby.