CSA Reboot!

Last year, the Roomstress and I discussed getting a CSA, but I was a little hesitant, because the last CSA I had was chock full of greens, greens, greens, diacon radishes, some greens, onions, green peppers, greens and greens. And I like all those things... but for heaven's sake, a diacon radish? I did some asking around and got recommendations for Mountain Meadow Farms, and so far, so good! 

The first week we got some broccoli, lettuce, raspberries, cauliflower, squash, cabbage and kale. I looked up a recipe on how to make broccoli soup and it turned out good. It was so good, I made it again with all the broccoli from the next week, and learned what to correct from the week before, and it turned out GREAT.

you are correct, mrs. peacock. using broccoli and onions from our csa.

Next, I had to bring a side dish to a work thingie, so I decided to make a cabbage salad. 

mushed up raspberries to get the juice

if i'd had time i would have boiled it down into concentrate to make it sweeter, but i was in a hurry

our whole head of napa cabbage, raspberries and a little onion from our csa!

Summer's just starting, so who knows what I'll come up with next! Over and out!

Possibly the best gift I ever received. And that's good. Because it keeps giving.

So a few weeks ago it was my birthday. And I had planned to take off a few hours early to greet some out of town guests (and to clean my very messy apartment) when I got a frantic text from Sharon saying "you're leaving early? WHEN? BECAUSE MAYBE SOMEONE WANTS TO BRING YOU SOMETHING." I told her to calm down and that I doubted that anyone was sending anything.

And then she showed up with this.

well hello kitty! life size, walking, inflatable kitty.

And yes. We all had a big laugh at Hello Kitty.

never mind me, just taking my kitty for a stroll.

you're here to see the president, sir? do you have an appointment?

Sharon was embarrassed because (rightfully so) the sweetheart who blew up HK at Ye Olde Party City who kept assuring her that HK could be re-inflated for only $7.99 because little girls sometimes got upset when their HK deflated.

Sharon didn't bother to tell her it was for a grown up lady. Again, rightfully so.

Naturally, HK came home to live with me and the Roomstress. And since she was now our official roommate, she didn't take kindly to all the house guests we were hosting for the weekend.

fish and house guests start to stink after three days HEATHER.

The second morning we had HK, I don't know what came over me... I'm not a prankster. I don't play tricks. But I got it in my noggin to hide HK in the Roomstress's shower. And was there when she found it. She screamed. Real loud. Twice. When I tried to say I was sorry, all the Roomstress said was OH NO YOU'RE NOT. And when I asked where HK was, she wouldn't tell me. But don't worry. I found her.

that's not a litter box, kitty!

One afternoon several days later, we came home to find that HK could levitate.

she's apoplectic. i know just how you feel kitty. sometimes i have to be scraped off the ceiling too.

We were fine with levi-kitty, but apparently she was not. 

kitty, your head came off! we spent the next few days a. trying to figure a way to get her head down, and b. with a decapi-kitty in the dining room.

And then... the inevitable happened...

oh kitty... you're really letting yourself go.

One morning, I woke in the middle of the night and heard rustling on the floor at the foot of my bed. Imagine my surprise when I peered over to find....

i have no idea how she got into my room. even more surprising? she was gone the next morning.

And then I got to thinking... Oh Hello Kitty.... you've been so much fun. I can't possibly say good-bye to you - not so soon. Not now! Not EVER.

And then I remembered.... the $7.99 re-inflation special. Or, as I prefer to call it, the $7.99 resurrection special.

kitty, rising from the dead.

Sharon was coming over to supper that night and Kitty was just dying to say hello again. It's in her nature.

patiently waiting for sharon to arrive

knock knock! who's there? kitty! kitty who? GINORMOUS KITTY BACK FROM THE DEAD THANKS TO ONE SPECTACULAR $7.99 RESURRECTION SPECIAL. Worth. Every. Cent. 

But, yet again... the inevitable once again set in.

KITTY! WHAT HAPPENED TO YOUR LEG?

oh. there it is.

kitty, you really got to pull yourself together. you can't just fall apart at the least little thing.

So there you have it. The Ballad of the Hello Kitty balloon. We may have to put her out to pasture soon. I think we should have a ceremonial burial.

In other news, I found this yesterday in a planter on Gay Street.

this is why you can't have nice things, knoxville.

All the news I got for now. Over and out.

UPDATED Dear American Girl: You have the wrong idea about sewing.

So it should come as no surprise that I really like McDonald's. Really, really like it. Like just about everything on the menu except for the Filet-o-Fish because tartar sauce is the devil's doing. So, squiring about an 8-year-old is really no skin off my nose when it comes to meal times. And yes, I still like the Happy Meal, because a cheeseburger and a few fries are really all you need, not a whole Big Mac which I still sometimes partake of - but only when I'm REALLY hungry. And besides - I really like the toys. I always get the girl toy unless I'm about to visit with my nephew.

So imagine my surprise the other day when the Leading Lady, upon examining both our Happy Meals, proudly produced for me an American Girl Doll sewing kit. Hooray! I thought to myself, and tucked it into my car door for future use when faced with ragged hems and popped off buttons. Later in the weekend - another Happy Meal, and another sewing kit! I trotted this one up to my office before getting curious to see what all it contained. Extra buttons? Lots of needles? Different colors of thread? A needle threader? Scissors? A THIMBLE? I pulled it out of the plastic wrap, and squealed in delight - because the sewing kit was housed inside a tiny sewing machine case! How CUTE!!!

*squees in delight*

Then I opened it up.

i rebuke you

HOW IS THIS A SEWING KIT. There are no needles. There are no scissors. Which in retrospect is probably not a good idea to give needles to children served with their food BUT STILL. This is a matter of principle, people! You can't just have a sewing machine case with "SEWING" in the title of the toy and not have a real sewing kit. And is this really necessary?

instructions. nice touch. also, not helpful? if i'm having trouble getting the kit opened to get the dolls out, i'm also going to have trouble getting the instructions out in the first place. for the love....

So after a bewildered moment, I see a note in there with some further instructions, and think oh good. At least they're giving sewing instructions since as I noted above my marketing prowess would likely get me in hot water with the FDA, so I took a closer look:

ribbon tying is not sewing!!!

So now I have two highly useless sewing kits full of paper dolls. I think what I may do is take the sewing kit I carry around in an Altoids tin and put my things in the cute sewing case.

Not as cool as a sewing kit though. Over and out.

a coworker came in and found me sewing some outfits for my paper dolls.