It's to confuse the vampires.

t hearts phrase

The Nola F2F may have been small, but man was it fun!

I got this in an E-mail from home:

Well, Leif has found a delightful occupation. He has built "contraptions" to trap people and cats. And, while I'm not sure how, he's feeding people to the alligators. He just said to me, "Mom, this is the crocodile's thanksgiving!"

Either I'll have to dissuade him from the evil genius career plan, or at least make sure he reads the evil overlord list and try to doesn't try to take over the world until at least 1st grade.

I know where a couple of Butcher shops are around here, but then, this is Kansas City.

"Hopefully" is not at all wrong. Like split infinitives, it's just something that a generation of commentators got their panties in a wad about.

What she said. It may even be covered in the Language Myths book I have floating around.

Shrift, all miso ingredients can be found in your standard Asian grocery. But there are some instant misos that I've heard are very good. I have a box of one at home, and will report back when I remember to use it.

Also, what's with people on the bus? I almost had a full-on Faithesque rage blackout this morning, because some dude in the back seat (seats 5 slightly cramped, and had 3 people in it when I got there) would NOT move the hell over and give me some space. Seriously. Like, if I moved at all, my elbows would hit him, and he WOULD NOT BUDGE the six inches it would take for me to have actual space, despite there being a whole person-sized gap on his left.

Asshat. I want him dead, or better yet, maimed.

I seriously had to get up and switch to one of the side seats to keep myself from hitting him. I still want to track him down and kick him in the nads with my steel toed shoes, then mash his face into the pavement.

Right.

I'm still really cranky about this.

I usually get groceries delivered in the winter, since it's cheaper and easier than taking a zipcar, and the grocery stores closest to me are too far to carry more than about one bag when it's cold out. Also, the stores close to me are the Safeway at the Watergate, which has horrible selection and ridiculous prices, and Trader Joe's, which is great but doesn't always have everything I need.

Plei! I forgot to tell you my tragic news. The shoes I inherited from you? The ones I love and coveted until I had them? They're just a skosh too small for me. So if you know anyone else with feet a little smaller (5 1/2 or 6 at the most), I can mail them on. Up to you.

Plei! I forgot to tell you my tragic news. The shoes I inherited from you? The ones I love and coveted until I had them? They're just a skosh too small for me. So if you know anyone else with feet a little smaller (5 1/2 or 6 at the most), I can mail them on. Up to you.

I don't! Sadly. Le sigh.

I normally have my groceries delivered because FreshDirect has better quality meats and produce than my local supermarket, and comparable prices. And I can shop online at work, or in my jammies.

I just read the Times cooking section on perfect pie crusts, and am wondering, "Where in the world would I find a real live butcher?" Because when the writer says he asked his butcher for beef suet, I am pretty sure he did not just walk up to the counter at Stop & Shop, you know?

Having spent a summer in New York 10 years ago interviewing butchers, and knowing what has happened to some of those neighborhoods since, I'm not sure there are that many left in NY.

I have a butcher, but he didn't have suet the last time I asked, and I ended up making spotted dick with vegetable shortening instead. (Ditto my fish guy when I asked for fish heads. I have access to all these old-fashioned institutions, but they don't have the things that you're supposed to be able to find there!)