From Here and There Around the Web

I'm still stuck on page 67 of Don deLillo's End Zone but here are some interesting essays/Internet things I've come across recently:

When it pays to have someone else clean your house  I think this HAS to be true.  I also want someone else to clean my house all the time.  So do the people who share my house.

Margaret Mitchell's mother's no nonsense farewell note

What if the US (or Switzerland) gave every citizen $10,000 annually just for being alive?

The steak frites machine that is NYC's Balthazar

I had never heard of Dr. Who until I kept seeing my friend Aaron pinning Who stuff on Pinterest.  I still don't get it, but this Jill Lepore essay created a lot of context - I'm still 50 years behind however.

Chowhound - "It’s more than a discussion group. It’s a support group."

Also, have you checked out Hukkster?  It alerts you when items you are tracking go on sale.  Pretty cool.

I leave you with:

Raspberries

Uncle Goose

How great are these handmade-in-Michigan blocks from Uncle Goose?  Read their story here and get holiday shopping for the kids in your life!

Some of my favorites:

Create-a-name

United States map

Bugs

Nursery rhyme

Upper/lowercase

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Bounce!

C loves to bounce bounce bounce!

Grandmarous

Luke recently coined the term 'grandmarous' - a portmanteau of grandma and glamorous to denote glamorous grandmothers or outfits picked out by glamorous grandmothers (C's head to toe leopard outfit, for example)

Lately, coincidentally, I've been gravitating toward brands, clothes, and accessories favored and/or endorsed by my late grandmother Ida, aka Dinker, ever grandmarous to the nth degree.  Things like...

Dooney and Bourke- this gorgeous crossbody bag  (I only like to carry crossbody bags even though Luke says 'they cut your boobs in two, in a bad way')  Hello sassy red lining.

She loved Pendleton and would agree that I NEED the dress below.  And maybe these funky boots. I like to call this dress 'me at work, demilitarized zone'.


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She also loved Lauren Ralph Lauren and his ladylike dresses .  [RIP Famous Barr; Macy's you are no Famous Barr].

HUGE fan of cashmere - you couldn't pry this off of me.

Dinker loved red shoes and Native American jewelry and had quite a collection of both, as do I.  When I acquire my dream of a vintage squash blossom necklace, I will smile and think of her.
 

Half Marathon

On Sunday I jog-walked the Rock'n'Roll Half Marathon with Team in Training/The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society.  I was worried about standing around in the cold - I arrived at the Alamodome at 5:30 am - for a couple of hours before the race started.  Not to worry, it was already 73 degrees and humid.  Yuck.  Despite the less than stellar conditions and the fact that I am pretty much a non-runner who does not enjoy running, it was a great time.  There were 26,000 participants and thousands of cheering friends, family, corporate volunteers, churches, university students, marching bands, etc lining the course, which wound through some of the prettiest parts of the city.  The great signs people brought were my favorite part:

topical humor, love it

this really made me laugh

 

a similar sign said, I thought you said RUM, not run!  Liked that one too.

 

This sign reminded me of my other race worry, something I never would have thought about unless Luke had not told me a very funny/very gross story involving him on a first date, that first date being a leisurely run, a subsequent bout of violent diarrhea at the residence of the run-proposing girl, a floor-to-ceiling mirrored bathroom with a Jack and Jill arrangement, a startled roommate, and a startled Luke.

 



Trinity University Library contingency

 

Along the route:

Brackenridge high school students

The course went through downtown, the Pearl Brewery, Trinity University, and two neighborhoods that we enjoy wandering in, Southtown/King William and Olmos Park, each with a distinctive personality.  In general there was abundant shade, lots of sights to take in, and frequent water stops - enjoyable and pleasant.  The crowd energy was infectious, and I am usually immune to sports-related enthusiasm.

 

I felt good the entire time until mile 12.  The last mile was a no-shade, no-fun-views slog through an industrial park and at that point the smile was just wiped off of my face.  It was hot, it was muggy, and I was ready to stop moving (not this guy though... he placed 1st in the SATX marathon and 10th in Las Vegas - in the same day!) I crossed the finish line, made a stiff-legged beeline to the LLS tent for a recovery PB&J, and came home to relax.  I completed a half marathon! 

 

Thanks to everyone who donated to the LLS!

 

I was so impressed with their support during training and the race itself.  If you are looking to train/do philanthropic work/meet some great folks/all of the above, consider Team in Training.

Clementine at Nine Months

Today was C's nine month well baby appointment.  She's long, she's lean, she's working on a pincer grasp.

We were laughing with the pediatrician about how much she loves Happy Puffs but cannot bring them to her mouth, though she stuffs every else (especially magazine pages) into her mouth.  And lo and behold, not eight hours later...

Stuff she does: she can pull herself up and lower herself to the floor much more gracefully (BABY DOWN!  Luke encourages her, BABY DOWN!); she can crawl quickly (when I enter the door at day care she stops what she's doing and makes a beeline for me.  It's.the.greatest.); she babbles and makes lots of vocalizations.

Still no: Teeth.

At nine months she likes:

Peekaboo!  Now she is the peekaboo-er and not just the peekaboo-ee.  Amazing little baby brain, growing!

Bathtime!  She has liked the bath since she was tiny (by like at age < 3 months I mean 'didn't scream') and now she splashes, squeals, and lunges for the stream of water under the faucet.  It is adorable.

Napping. (Thanks for the pic, Susie!)

 

 

Sitting in the high chair.  The high chair isn't her happy place, it's her preternaturally content and self-possessed place.

 



Enjoying daddy's scintillating conversation

 

Curried butternut squash puree.

 

 

 

We love you, baby girl! You are my favorite part of every day.



 

Lucas Jack at Gruene Hall

 

From the way-way-overdue desk: Lucas Jack opening for Sean McConnell at Gruene Hall!

 

 

Dias de los Muertos y Puercos

 

We took in the Dia de los Muertos activities at La Villita with our friends Emily and Samuel.  Below are photos of the altars constructed there - other events included a parade, dancing, crafts, food, and concerts.  We caught Making Movies in the amphitheatre (hey STL, they're going to be at Plush at the end of the month- check them out!).  SATX is so wonderful in the fall -- so many things going on, it's as if we all emerge from the reverse hibernation the Dantean, freaking invincible summer forces us into ready to partake and par-tay.

 

Alter by a local high school sculpture class.  Weird and wonderful, no?

Kinda creepy statue.

Luke is standing in front of the fryer the tortillas are plucked straight out of and stuffed with goodies. DELICIOSO!

Shrimp kebabs with Sriracha (for him) and not-so-hot-sauce (for her)

Dancing!

Emily and Samuel, cheers!

The Arneson amphitheatre straddles the river - Making Movies onstage

Would that I owned these twin pink Vespas!

Later that day: Dinner at Tribeca di Olmos with this handsome fella.  Target for cleaning supplies. (after the ecstasy, the laundry).  Couch time for Nashville (love it but that show needs a kick in the arse) and a disappointing SNL.

 

Scallops over wilted spinach, caramelized onions, and butternut squash risotto.  Dessert was Nutella panna cotta.  All of my favorite components in one meal.



On Sunday we strolled to the Quarry Farmers' Market for a re-up on parathas and paratha fixin's.  Then we headed to Pearl for Meatopia, a big ol' fancy barbecue showcase of national and local chefs.  It was smoky, hot in the sun and cool in the shade, and very delicious.  We had eaten mostly vegan/vegetarian in the preceding week to prepare ourselves metabolically and karmically.



 

Favorite little nugget.

 



Clem's first time wearing shoes for any length of time; my first time wearing this hat.

The bass player also plays with Luke occasionally.  This trio was fantastic.

Woman with baby in stroller takes a picture of a woman with a dog in a stroller.

 We only sampled a little bit; Luke wasn't feeling 100% and the overwhelming meat essences sort of zapped my appetite and we returned home plum worn out.  Naps for some (see below).  C still smells like a tuckered out little smoked sausage.

It was another fabulous weekend in San Antonio!  Over and out---