Category Archives: Blather

Preparing for Tomorrow

I’ve mentioned my last giveaway on this blog quite a bit recently, in part because it’s on my mind a lot right now. See, my winners are coming over to eat, drink and be merry tomorrow, and I want to make sure it’s delicious and worthy of merriment.

I always stress a bit about hosting a dinner shindig, because I don’t do it often enough. Oh, I have a friend or two over for games and/or food all the time, but I rarely do a big, planned thing. Often, my friends come over on less than a day’s notice (sometimes less than an hour’s) and I feed them whatever Bill and I are eating that day and the house is in whatever state the house is in.… Continue reading →

Sometimes, the Post Just Doesn’t Come

And sometimes, it’s not the right one when it does come.

Today’s been a bit of an odd day for me. The cold around me has finally eased a bit, which means I don’t feel quite as miserable at home[1]. The last two days have seen me huddled up under blankets in between attempts to get anything done. I actually managed, amazingly, to get my whole to-do list completed Monday, but yesterday was a bust. I was just too cold to do much. I did get half a post written, though. Today, I had no to-do list, but I finished that post. And pretty much immediately realized it’s a post for Monday, not for today. And it will probably need to be revised between now and Monday.… Continue reading →

Tell Me About Your Heritage Places.

So, my last post touched on the idea of the Field Museum of Natural History being a piece of Chicago’s heritage, if not the whole world’s heritage. I’d like to expand on that idea a bit, because it’s one that fascinates me. But, more than that, I want to know about your places.

I think we all have some basic idea of what this means. Even if we couldn’t name a one, we all know there are designated World Heritage Sites, but I’m not sure how many of us know exactly what that means. I know I didn’t. I just had, and have had, a sense of the word “heritage” and places I’d consider part of my/our cultural heritage.

I also find “heritage” to be one of those words where I feel I know the meaning, but probably couldn’t give a good verbal definition if asked.… Continue reading →

Happy Holidays

Well, Hanukkah is over. We celebrated for the first time this year, and it was loads of fun. Also made me realize how much I like candle light. We’ll have to light more candles this year. And celebrate again next year. Latkes, both potato and cheese, are amazing.

Christmas, Kwanzaa, New Year’s Day are all coming up. Plus more. I intend to celebrate lots. So, I’ll see you guys in the new year with posts about lions, how to be a jackass at beer academy, and probably some stuff about food.

Best wishes for the rest of the year. And hopefully all of us have an amazing 2013.… Continue reading →

I Love a Thunderstorm. And Tea.

Yesterday, I checked the weather and was a bit boggled to see Chicago was looking at 70F and rainy all day. Boggled and unhappy, to be perfectly honest. I’m not really a fan of 70F in Chicago in November. Makes me worry, a little, that we’re going to have another not winter.

The rain? The rain doesn’t faze me. I admit, I don’t like to be out in it, but that’s mostly because I haven’t yet bought boots to keep my feet dry. I don’t much mind being rained on, though. I’m too much of a desert baby to hate rain. Precipitation. Water.

Water.

I may be a desert baby, but I live in a land of (seeming) water excess. Of people I know who grew up in this area, none have ever even thought of things like water rationing or xeriscaping.… Continue reading →