Heroes Have Four Feet And Fur

I always say hello to soldiers when I see them in the airport. I think they are the true heroes in the world we live in. I saw one guy in Starbucks buy the soldier behind him in line a cup of coffee. He told him that it was the very least he could do for him.  This guy has a very warm place in my heart. And those two puppies have just fallen into a big tub of butter.

Mission: Impastable Perfection

Last night I ruined dinner. Twice. The first time was when I was at the grocery store and I bought ingredients that I thought went with the ingredients I had at home to make something very tasty and fun. Only I didn't have that ingredient at home. So I did what all of my favorite chefs on Top Chef do when they're thrown a curve -- I bunted. And it didn't turn out well -- it wasn't inedible -- but it wasn't anything I'd want to share with a friend. Or the Handsomest Man Alive -- who ate it with little to no grumbling.

Perhaps that's the reason he suggested we go to Mission Impastable tonight. Our favorite restaurant cuts their prices on pasta and wine in half on Tuesday nights. It's hard to get a table. But we know everyone there -- from the owner to the busboys -- and they all treat us like royalty and the food is beyond delicious. I've been thinking about food all day. It could've been because a box of doughnuts was passed around the office this morning. Twice.  It could also be because I went shopping last night. And I had a feeling something wasn't right.

I watched the video of Chef Eric this morning. I have no idea what he said or what he's talking about. It's just that he's so dreamy and his accent is so French -- I could watch him for hours. He's almost as good as candy. Almost...

A Tale of The Tail

It's Tuesday. I'm in a funk. But there's so much out there to read and see. There's a play in New York City. There's some very nice firefighters in Vienna. There's a very big cinamony bear hopping a fence in Montana.  There's a book that's in production to be a movie. And all I ever find at garage sales is other people's stuff. It's all good.

The Best Recipe For Happiness

It is a truth universally acknowledged that most of the general population is more clever than I am. I spend countless hours toiling over a few lines of prose -- wrestling a plot line into submission -- while a group of people have already come up with one of the most hilarious web videos I've ever seen. The mash up of Jane Austen and "Fight Club" -- a movie about bored young men who (led by the scruffed-up-yet-still-prettier-than-me Brad Pitt) beat the crap out of each other for the adrenaline rush. The plot is a little more complicated than that -- but I think that's all you need to know.


The New York Times was full of pet stories today. Turns out the latest trend is pet-friendly home decor -- which it turns out is more complicated than having a throw on your sofa. And then there was this poignant farewell to a beloved family member.

Winken Blinken & Nod

Do you remember the heart-warming story I told you about the soldiers in Afghanistan who adopted some stray kittens? Turns out that one of the soldiers is getting a commendation from PETA for his compassion towards animals. Turns out the soldier and little KeyKey are now living in Michigan. An American hero who loves animals? I guess I should've guessed that he'd be a Michigander.

Summer Sickness Sucks. Seriously.

I'm finally starting to feel a little better. It's Day 17 of the Summer Sickness. I no longer have to take medicine for symptom relief every night. I'm able to get through the day without using up an entire tissue box. I don't cough until my eyes tear up anymore and I'm starting to be able to breathe through my nose. But over the last two weeks, I had my moments. This was not the kind of sickness where you can take enough NyQuil to make an Irishman beg for his mommy and hit the pillow. Nyquil didn't even touch my congestion. I had to sit up most nights. I couldn't even prop myself up on pillows on the bed in a glamorous pose ala Bette Davis. No, I had to sit straight up on the sofa.

I watched a lot of reruns on TVLand and then I got bored. So I started watching some Summer replacement television. I watched Psych -- which was set in Santa Barbara and I thought I would love -- but while it's set in SB, it isn't actually filmed there. The show had no purpose for me other than as a travelogue, so that was disappointing. I watched The Good Guys -- which is set in Dallas -- Yikes! But I love the way the writers deconstruct the structure of the show and the characters are a lot of fun. I understand their ratings are horrid. I watched Rizzoli & Isles -- which I thought was handmade just for me because I'm a middle-aged woman who loves mysteries -- but it ended up being a horrific psycho-sexual mystery that seemed very grisly and disturbing. And I couldn't identify with the female characters who must've been written by men who've never actually met a full-grown woman. Or heard one speak. Out-loud. I did discover a show called Covert Affairs, which was about a female spy working for the CIA and actually had a romantic and intriguing subplot. It's been fun watching all this television, but seriously, I'm ready to get back to the real world. It's much more fun.

Can I get an order of Won Ton Soup?

It's Monday. I've been planning dinner since lunch. I'm not sure why...sometimes it's just nice to have something to look forward to. In the late afternoon, the sun comes through my kitchen window and turns my world golden. And Roxy keeps track of my cooking by sitting in the pass-through. It's my idea of Heaven.