What's Making Me Happy This Week

// Planning a raised bed garden. I grew some lettuce in Texas, and that was exciting - I'm about to purchase two 2 x 8 foot planters and have spent some time pondering the pre-planned layouts. I was already gravitating to the cocktail garden (herbs! cucumbers! Alpine strawberries!)

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Even though I'm not much of a cocktail drinker and never make them at home when what to my wondering eye should appear but this book on Serious Eats...

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which promises 

Every cocktail in the book can be made with just a single type of liquor and a handful of easily purchased, totally affordable supermarket ingredients...forging surprising, nuanced, eminently sippable flavors from commonplace liquors and fresh fruits, herbs, and other seasonal ingredients, as well as vinegars, spices, and sodas.

*** Of course, after I purchase the planters, soil, plants, and book this will be the most expensive cocktail ever but  ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ ***

// Getting back in a workout swing. When does a few instances become a trend? I have a standing date with my trainer (more like a squatting / step up / deadlift date) and bought a Groupon for the cycling studio near me. After one ride I bought the extender deal -- the studio is so nice. 

// Being on track with my reading goal.

// Pouring over the recipes in Nicole Karr's Handmade Pasta. Looking for a chance to make the sweet potato gnocchi with pecans and prosciutto soon.


// Date night. We got a sitter and had appetizers and drinks at 5 pm, a brief mall walk (during which I bought a gnocchi board (vide supra)), and walked across the street to see Steven Pinker speak FOR FREE at a library event. (Can you believe you can see the great minds of our age for free?!)


// Seeing our new home in the springtime for the first time although today there were snow flurries. That's ok! I need time to assemble my planters!