Rain- 41 Degrees

Global Warming? Strangest Winter So Far? Today the weather men all mentioned rain/sleet/storm and I believed them and canceled a dinner date. It rained for a bit this morning but by 11 am the sun was shining and the temperature was heating up. Good day for the plows to clean the ice off the secondary streets. Did they? No. So tonight when the temperatures drop all this melted slush will freeze into ruts and dangerous slick spots. Should we believe the reports of the Polar Express coming to freeze us solid in the next day or two?

The above picture is my 8 by 11 fun foam "stamp". I haven't had the free time to print it yet. Yesterday we went "someplace". Just got in the car and drove south to Portland. Whole Foods. Planet Dog. Artist Supply. Macaroni Grill. TJ Maxx. I always like to go "look" at the stuff in the Portland Maxx. Yesterday I found a huge Le Creuset for $138. So I bought it.
And a cashmere sweater on the clearance racks. $30. Wearing it right now. My new favorite sweater. Moss green/wrap/v-neck. I thought it would be too small, but it fits like a glove and looks terrific. Always try things on!

I could write pages on my impressions of Whole Foods. Of course I have to get over the fact that they built their new building about 500 feet from Wild Oats, a perfect WF clone, newly built and very popular. Then they bought the Wild Oats and closed it. WO sits vacant as an example of what's wrong with American business.

I was ready to not like WF but it was so squeaky clean, and had ALL the fruits and vegetables my Hannaford does SO NOT stock. Fresh slices of mango and little tubs of pomegranite seeds for those among us who can't prepare fruit themselves. And "free fruit" to nibble while looking at fruit. I am a people observer and watched a guy have 4-6 tastes of everything that could be "sampled". He also tasted the gelato. The gelato person slowly collected a tiny spoon of each flavor for him to taste. Then the guy moved to the cheeses. Then the deli. When we were leaving he was still trolling-- no shopping cart. I purchased Indian ingredients, spices and organic dry beans and two fantastic cheeses which were fantastically expensive and three Kalamata Olive rolls. Not on the healthy eating plan but I adore good bread. And these are so much better than GOOD.

My favorite WF thing? Why it would be the huge prepared food area. Acres (it seems) of food ready to eat. And trays and bowls. So you (or I) could scoop things into our lunch bowls in what is probably the biggest "potluck" I've ever seen. Of course, you pay at some point. And the eating area could use some "fixing" up decor wise. Pretty lame. But I loved the bowls and would love to own one. Would have loved to fill one.

My 12 by 12 for the chocolate challenge. I'm not a member of 12 by 12. I just like to read their blog and make a square with them. All the colors and textures of chocolate though the bottom looks purple and isn't. I decided to dwell on the tactile, textural qualities of chocolate. This was a difficult subject. I will be very interested in seeing what the 12 members have come up with. I wonder how many other "outsiders" are making blocks along with the 12 regulars?

I've eaten my way through the day and have very little in the way of calories left for dinner. Bread will do that to you. I had planned to have baked eggplant, but left in the oven till it was crispy and black. Carry over heat. I thought turning the oven off would be enough. Nope. So I guess it's salad without dressing for dinner. Well, perhaps a bit of dressing.

Gonna walk the dog!