Le Creuset

This lovely Flame cast iron casserole was a wedding gift over 42 years ago. Well, one like this one. The original is sitting, wrapped in brown paper, waiting to be sent back to France for a replacement. It cracked. Now, I have three new ones in three sizes. And because one was a gift, in Flame, and the others purchased on discount at TJ Maxx, also were Flame, it seemed that Flame was "my color". I cook everything in these pots. Spaghetti. Soup. Pork Roast. Beef Stew. Pot Roast. On top of the stove and in the oven. Nigella cooks in the Caribbean Blue and Giada and Ina use the white.

The weather man went on and on last night about all the SNOW and RAIN and WIND that was coming our way overnight. I woke up expecting "weather". It looks exactly like yesterday. The same snow and ice that's been in the yard, melting slowly, for weeks. On closer examination, I see drizzle. And a few drips off the roof above the bay window. Hardly the 2 inches of snow per hour he was describing. I really should have gone into the weatherman business. There's no downside.

Today there is some excitement. I am going out to get my hair cut.

Sad but true, that was the entire excitement factor for the day, as written on my 25 cent desk top calendar. Sigh! But I am ramping it up with lunch at the Indian restaurant. Now, I just have to squeeze in a walk with Riley (who is actually my real dog, Diane) before leaving for lunch and the haircut. Riley has noticed the drizzle. And is growling at it through the window. I let him out and he raced over to his bucket (toy) to make sure it was okay and then did his business. Now he is hunting in the woods on the right side of the yard. He saw a raccoon over there earlier in the week and the scent must still be around.

I'm having coffee but skipping breakfast since I will be eating lunch. I have found I can't do both. Two regular sized meals a day seems to work best for me. With a piece of fruit and an ounce of cheese in case I get lightheaded. I have low blood pressure. If I'm really busy, I don't even remember to eat. But, in the winter, I'm rarely that busy.

I bought another bag of Romaine hearts at the grocery yesterday. Now, I have three bags. And haven't made a salad all week. Crazy. I also haven't made Paula's Hummus recipe. Next week I am attempting to make homemade pita bread. I did purchase an eggplant. Now I have to

decide if I want to bread and fry it or saute it with onion and tomato as a pasta sauce. I love eggplant. If I make it into a pasta sauce (for me), then G will be having Carbonara. I can also make the eggplant into a Greek meze. I think it means "small dish" or starter. Lots of possibilities.

When I was at the library yesterday, I checked out the (my) final Wallander. The White Lioness. I have checked it out several times now and still haven't read it. I know there is a real final, tenth, book coming out this year. The Worried Man. And, in this book, Wallander is a grandfather. And, the author says, there will be no more. Ever. There are also 3 more BBC televison Wallanders with Branagh. I can only hope PBS airs them.

So, these are my thoughts this morning. I have yesterday's catalogs to look at, I wrote checks for the bills yesterday after dinner and balanced the checkbook, and I watched the US Women lose their final game. In fact, they gave up before the tenth end. The real games begin this evening with Sweden and Great Britain playing for the last spot in the mens finals. Canada, Norway, China and either Sweden or GRB. I may hunt through the closet to see if I can find brown pants. And then I will see if I can wear them. I have been wearing my Chocolate Kanga and would like to be monochromatic today.