Cooking Can Be A Page Turner

At 6 AM outside my door I found a 12" square box sitting beside the Seattle Times. It must have come after I came home from work. Poor UPS and Fed Ex--working at all hours catching up after our 10 day region-wide snow-in. I looked at the return address: Fulfillment Center. Yay! I am going to be fulfilled! Whomever thought of that moniker must have known she'd bring smiles to many many recipients of doorstep boxes.

Then I noticed "COOKING" on the box and remembered a certain gift giver's response when, after Christmas had passed I asked her hesitatingly about the Christmas package she had said I would get: "I lied." she said. "You don't get the little cutting boards. I forget that I went over budget and there was a cutback. There might be a government bailout at some point, but the legislation is stuck in the house so you're out of luck for now. But the cookbook holder is on its way! It got stuck in the snow. Projected delivery date is Friday."

I had laughed my head off at that one, clever comedian gift giver! I opened the box and indeed there was a cookbook holder--a sturdy kitchen helper that I, with aging wisdom (and eyes) know I will really enjoy.

I've tried all kinds of book propping methods and the closest I have come to this gleaming metal beauty was a bent coat hanger. Usually I just bend to the page to see. But now a visual bail out! There's also an equivalent chart for liquid and dry measure, and weight, in the transparent cover--been hankering for one of those ever since I came back from LaJolla, where resides said item in that esteemed kitchen.

And frosting on the cake, so to speak, butter on the muffins, cinnamon in the stew, comes with knowing my new holder will do double duty as a novel holder at meal time. Yes, I read at dinner, something my Mother would have frowned on, but she is not here to suffer through it, so we can all relax. I'll enjoy being able to continue at mealtime (no cutbacks there!) with the good part of the story, hands free. Now I'm enjoying a personal massive rally and projected long term fulfillment!

10 Year Journal - The Final Page

For the last 3,650 nights, I have written in my 10 year journal. Just a line to two. A friend recommended the journal as a way to track major events and doctor visits, and I added home maintenance milestones and a phone call log for people I didn't call often. Live a life and remember it, I heard a long while back. Well, I've filled the book.

Now I'll use my PDA to record events. It has the advantage to be search-able, a helpful thing for a forgetful person. Some decade-end remembering and excerpts from the last 10 years:

Off early to receive new Amana frig; old one to Holly. Hamburgers at H's and saw Joe Black. (3/21/00) Dug hole for steel barrel. Too many roots! (3/22/01) Cleaned woodshed. Mouse do. Ugh. Had to total shower. (9/1/02) Read all Range of Motion. Sooo good. (12/6/06) GREAT song by HC Seattle Unity "Operator." Long talk w JC re retire and San Diego (7/28/02) Scott says they'll have to wear bootees re mad cow disease in Paris; Mary here w new Goldie Honda. (4/1/01) 8:15 haircut by Donna. Bought 2 patio chairs for entry w HC at Pier 1 Lynnwood plus cushions, slate table and rug, mirror w doors; lovely!! (7/28/01)

Fighting cold w garlic & hot water successfully (11/16/04) Pat Olsen quitting (3/22/05) Wore myself out-bike w Mary to Magnuson-lovely. Put chicken & chips on front east half. Bed at 9pm! (5/10/03) Zoo with Tasha-all but NE corner again! TC drove Jetta on Perkins & to mall (8/10/02) Visited Mom at 7-she called me! Maybe Hillary got her to do it. (10/8/04) JB here for practice Hanalei-giggles gigantic. (4/19/04)

The older entries interest me more --they are history, and seem to come from some other, very interesting person. The later entries are still too much just me talking. Here's one I like from this year: Obama elected! 11/4/08

My 10 year written journal keeping experiment is over. All that time. All those days. What I'd really like is a Blackberry to record major events. Should I try to make the entries more interesting? Like times I stepped out of the mold? On July 10, 2006 I tried to watch Conan the Barbarian because it's so famous, but couldn't endure. Is this news? Only time will tell.