We're driving to Italy in May for a family reunion. We thought it might be fun to have new, good tires for the trip. As I'm trying to keep mon mari's nose to the grindstone I volunteered to do the sitting and waiting whilst the tires were put on. Some of the family is coming to our house before we leave for Italy, and more are coming back with us, … Continue reading →
Spell check: friend or foe? I maintain that, whilst I spell excellently, I can't type for shit. It's also a widely known fact that I cannot proof-read my own writing. My problem is that my fingers are continually about a dozen words behind my thoughts so, sometimes (often), the words just get messed up. Because I know what I'm saying, I read what I think I wrote. The whole situation … Continue reading →
Note to self: Must wear clothes when outside. It’s a simple enough premise. I don’t know why I seem to have such a hard time grasping it. Perhaps it’s because I so rarely get caught. Note that I said ‘rarely’ not ‘never’. I do know better. It’s happened before. Still…. Did it have to be the Maire (Mayor)? Okay, okay, here’s the story. When I get up in the morning, … Continue reading →
I have been smacked down, put in my place, chastised, severely punished, beaten into submission, and whipped into shape after my last post. Apparently, the Powers That Be did not find it humorous. A mere minutes after clicking 'Publish' I had to turn everything off (as any good geek would) due to, yet another, thunderstorm. The next morning, Thursday, when I turned everything back on, not everything did…. Turn on, … Continue reading →
Beef Barley Soup We have electricity again, as of last night. I have a new, profound respect for people who have suffered at the whim of nature. We were without electricity for almost 3 days. That shouldn't be a big deal. Before it happened to me, I didn't think it was a big deal. You know: Light some candles and get over it! But yesterday, as we were leaving our … Continue reading →
Braised Pork with Leeks Exciting news…. Well, at least, for us. Our stove (as in wood-burning, heat-providing, cast iron stove) is coming soon! We're ready for it! It will sit on the unfinished terre cotta tiles. Mon mari did a concrete base, then laid the tiles. The original fireplace was just cut out of the wall stones. That wall is over 2 feet thick. We figure putting one of those … Continue reading →
Scalloped Potatoes Question: How long must one live in Europe before being able to adopt the same trusting attitude as the native-born?Answer: More than 12 years. That's how long I've been here and I still can't do it. Many years ago (I seem to be living in the past lately) mon mari needed a watch repaired. He inherited a very expensive gold watch from his father and it wasn't working. We couldn't find … Continue reading →
