Annual Peppernut Dough Day 2010

Today I plan to make peppernut dough. Stage one of three. Last year I made a movie about the dough-making process and put it in my blog.

This year the peppernuts take on a poignant meaning for me since my gramma who bequeathed her family this recipe passed on in March. I love this legacy of hers and plan to carry it on as long as my arm can stir that dough.

It's also poignant because our dear friends, the Clicks, are in Claremont to commemorate the passing of Rodney's mother just recently. It is so good to have them all here to reconnect and share memories, but I wish it could be under different circumstances.

Alice Waters

Alice Waters, founder and owner of Chez Panisse, spoke to a packed house at Garrison Theater last night. It was interesting to hear about her journey as a chef, restauranteur, champion of local and organic food because that was not how she started out. She just wanted to have food that tasted really good. I especially liked her story of how her daughter started at Yale eight years ago and neither one of them could stand the smell of the cafeteria on the first day. Before the freshmen and their parents met the president of the college, her daughter told her mother NOT to say anything about the food, but Alice could not resist, and now Yale has a sustainable food project.

November 9 This Year

The house was 61 degrees when I woke up this morning, so I turned on the heater for the first time this year!

Some Good Things that Libraries Give that E-Readers Can't

As I said on Saturday, I went to the public library to browse their travel guides. I love not only the instant gratification of picking up a book (for free!), but knowing that when I am finished with it, I don't have to find a place in my home to store it. The library is my other bookshelf, and I can always go back and pick up that book when I want it.

Funny thing about books on shelves. The Central American travel section is in the 917s, but right next to that section starts the 92s, the biographies. My eyes just happened to glance over and see a spine that said Piano Lessons by Noah Ad (rest of name covered by a sticker). I pulled it out and saw that it's by Noah Adams, host of NPR's All Things Considered. A peek inside the dust jacket, and I read that it's a chronicle of his 52nd year and learning to play the piano. It wasn't too thick, so I added it to the stack of checkouts.

I have two books to read for book clubs this month (actually I am rereading them, so I am a step ahead), but I snuck this book in, and found it enjoyable. Parts lagged, but I particularly enjoyed the chapter of October where Adams spends 10 days in Bennington, VT at the Autumn Sonata Piano Camp. As a music teacher and musician, it's always fun to read about other people's experiences in learning an instrument.

My doctor took up the piano two years ago and has really enjoyed it, but he is taking a break while he studies for something (recertification of his boards?). He would probably enjoy this book.

Bucket List

Now that we have gotten our two children through college, it is time to think about what we want to do with our time and money. What's on our bucket list? Travel! The trouble is trying to prioritize where we want to go first. So, today we went to the library's travel section and checked out books on Hawai'i, Costa Rica and the Anasazi ruins in the Four Corners region.

2010 seems to have been our urban year. We've been to San Francisco, Boston, New York and Chicago, along with solo trips to Fort Collins and Des Moines. I yearn for nature.

How to choose when there isn't really a bad choice? Stay tuned.

More Leaves

Our neighbor boys, the famous 6-year-old twins are very, very industrious these days. Every morning before school, and after school, they are sweeping up and raking leaves up and down the block and making their own leaf pile. They were worried when I told them that our gardeners were coming to rake our leaves, but they need not be concerned. Way more leaves have fallen in the past day to keep them busy, even if they work all day long.

The Saga Ends

Yesterday I finished the last Stieg Larsson book, The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest. I had heard disparate reviews comparing the last two books. Some had liked the second better than the third, some the third better. Actually those two are really one long story, so it's hard for me to differentiate them too much.

Without giving too much away, the trial in the last book was gripping and I found it quite satisfying.

Upon reflection of this series, I think what made me like it so much was the character of Lisbeth Salander. The plots are exciting, even when I think there is an overabundance of mundane detail at times. It's seeing how Lisbeth works through her predicaments and her resilience to what life has thrown at her that kept me riveted. Plus, she's so dang smart.

Fall and Indian Summer

It's raining leaves, as it should in fall. It's also 95 degrees outside! The Santa Anas are blowing, giving us an Indian Summer and helping me to keep my heater off for a little while longer.

Rights as an American

Today I voted. All I had to do was walk around the corner to my local polling place and mark my ballot (and talk to friends and by a baked good to help 6th graders go to outdoor school).

Claire, a California citizen, too, was not so lucky. A year or two ago she registered to receive her ballot by mail on a regular basis. She has gotten all of them except for this one. Since we are never quite sure where she will be on any given election, it makes sense to have it mailed here, and then I can forward it to her.

Think I'll be making a phone call or two on her behalf. She was unable to participate in her rights.

Halloween on Indian Hill Blvd.

Wow. I knew that Indian Hill Blvd. was a busy street on Halloween, but I hadn't realized just how busy it is! We went to our friend's house where they had purchased 15 BIG bags of candy and by the time we left at 8:15, most of the candy was gone. The line of trick-or-treaters was a constant stream, just like an assembly line. Our friends giving out candy also enjoyed a little of their own liquid treats making for a festive evening, indeed.