catching up with reading

so during the time between the holidays when things were relatively quiet I caught up with a bit of reading- when I wasn't finishing my blog from the latest trip or doing the massive photo scanning project. so I have some book reports to give-

I last posted in August about my desire to finally get around to reading the paper books in my home- in this blog entry-

http://semifreelife.blogspot.com/2014/08/a-retirement-project.html

and just as we headed off to Italy I had finished the fluffy but fun Rococo-

and I brought a few book-books (as opposed to e-books- LOL) down with me- and have plenty more - some of which I may consider shipping next year as this does seem to be a way to whittle away at that goal... but since I have been south I have read the lengthy but excellent (took me three weeks to do it) Girls Like Us.  A fabulous work about the early feminist era and three iconic women songwriters. Recommended for all and HIGHLY recommended for those of you who may be fans of one or more of these women....

then I turned my attention to two books my reading friend Mick passed along - they were both by Nancy Mitford and originally published decades ago- I found the first one The Pursuit of Love mildly amusing and decided to go along and do the second, Love in a Cold Climate as well.  I am so happy I did because I can HIGHLY recommend Love in a Cold Climate- it is a little gem of black humor and satire that should not be missed! It was absolutely perfect... and I loved reading it.

then I went on to Crazy in the Kitchen, one of the ones I sent down and which has been sitting on my shelf in Chicago so long I don't even remember why I bought it. But I am happy I did- a memoir- about the author's growing up with immigrant grandparents and an exploration of how their history ultimately became her history... with an emphasis on the part food (or lack of food) played such a major role in shaping several generations lives.  Extremely well written and very very touching. Also recommended.

and now I am on to - A Perfect Red (from the shelf at home) - not sure how this one will be but I do remember I bought it because it was well reviewed...

so I will get back to you on that later- however since classes start next week and I am taking 3 this term I may not read this one in a just a few days as I did the last two... but if it is good- it won't take long...

blue is 40!

Last night we went to a concert at WFMT for FolkStage- it was a Joni Mitchell tribute concert by a group called Chicks With Dip- they are collaborating on this "show" but are independent artist influenced by Joni.  The first half of the concert was the performance of Blue in its entirety by the various members - each taking a song with an occasional assist by another Chick.  The second half of the concert was a show of their work performed by the artists individually (mostly).

an excellent evening of good music and baked goods (LOL)

and here is some information about them- from the website where the CD is for sale (cdbaby)

Joni Mitchell’s Blue: A 40th Anniversary Celebration features a stellar cast of twelve of the New York City area’s finest female singer/songwriters (and Philadelphia-based percussionist Cheryl Prashker) honoring the 40th anniversary of Joni Mitchell’s landmark album, Blue.

The performers on Joni Mitchell’s Blue are members of a collective known as “Chicks with Dip” — a group of independently performing female singer-songwriters who gather semi-regularly to enjoy each other’s company and the pleasures of good conversation, good songs, and good dip. The Chicks will celebrate their 10th anniversary this year. The Blue project has provided them with a rare opportunity to perform together.

“The idea for the Blue show sprang up organically last summer,” says Carolann Solebello, longtime Chick and former member of female Americana trio Red Molly. “We were discussing Joni Mitchell and what her songwriting has meant to each of us, and since we’re always on the lookout for ways to collaborate, the 40th anniversary of Joni’s masterpiece seemed the perfect opportunity.”

up next Neil Simon's Lost In Yonkers at Northlight theater and Emma at the Dead Writer's theater- stay tuned!

OK quick...

because I have been gone so long-

I got back from NYC and the Racine'sNY opening and closed up the condo for the summer- all kinds of last minute stuff to do - packed up the cats and the car and headed north on a two day drive.... I arrived late afternoon on Easter Sunday.  I spent the bulk of the first week home trying to get things cleaned up (how does and empty house get so dirty and messy) and working in the yard (which had been really hard hit by the awful winter of more than 80 inches of snow!) had an appointment to get a new awning for the deck and in the first week - caught up with two sets of friends for dinner as well as having over for dinner a new neighbor. I also worked diligently on travel plans for both France in May and Nova Scotia, et al in August... still am (France is done but I have run into a few snags on the Canadian Maritimes trip) - oh and I spent an afternoon at the DMV working on some changes in title for our cars and helping Phil get his license plates transferred to IL on his new car (aaaccckkk)

so now in my second week home - and the weather has been crap! cold and rainy. I have been wondering what possessed me to leave sunny Florida but the schedule that follows will soon show why- so here we are at the 12th day of my being home and here are some photos from the last week and a half-

the very end of April and this is what I am seeing in the yard- (the soundtrack would be gnashing of teeth)

but we had dinner last Thursday with Brian and Tina and finally got the name right on the place that Brian's bar Billy Sunday buys their bread... so when we had lunch this week with Dick we stopped by the bakery on the way back home for a couple of loaves of this fabulous REAL BREAD!

THIS is what bread should look like!

on the same night (10 days after my return) we went to see Chris and Nina and have our first goosefoot meal of 2014.... as usual it was spectacular!

the amuse-

the scallop course-

our wines for the evening- the white showed fabulously and the red was also very good!

the egg is now called turtle in a shell- LOL- and not quite as custardy as the prior iteration...

Chris always has excellent soups and this sunchoke soup was no exception!

the salmon was the only course pretty much unchanged since we were last here in October...

this new dish of rabbit was a real winner! Amazing!

the beef

a new "cheese" course with a beignet and "coffee" with blue cheese as the predominant flavor

the yuzu and beet intermezzo- palate cleanser-

the citrus dessert course followed by the chocolate dessert course - followed by the end sweet of a house made truffle! every one of them was beyond reproach!

the trade from the "stumps" of birch wood was a nice change and the truffle was fabulous and will soon be ready for sale in the store "next door" down that is really really close to opening - and which will sell the magnificent soups and the truffles (Chris studied as a pastry chef along the way) which are "to-die-for" good!

we headed home after midnight and got up the next day for the next events...two night of theater followed by a tribute concert to Joni Mitchell's Blue album at WFMT....stay tuned because the theater has at least one truly knock out experience...

a tribute to my husband

LOL- I know I know- I am not exactly Ms. Sentimental -

but here is the thing- life is sometime like the Joni Mitchell's Big Yellow Taxi song-

"don't it always seem to go that you don't know what you've got til it's gone" and last night I was reminded of that again while dining with a woman I do not know named Laura.  I would describe it as - she was recently widowed - her partner of nine years Nick died ten weeks ago.  he was sick for a long time and was only 42.  I can only describe this woman as RAW with emotion and the newness of her loss. 

my friend Maryanne (who visited in February) also lost her husband of only five years just over a year ago- and having done what I could to support her in the process of grieving and coming to terms with such a blow to their plans for the future I realize that it is a good idea to take the time to "know what you've got" before it is gone....

maybe Phil and I will have decades more but in case we don't I want to mention how precious our time together is to both of us- we are so so so lucky.  we have each other, we have decent health and decent finances and the time to enjoy our lives together - the travel, the theater, the concerts, the restaurants, our lovely home(s) - we are so blessed. 

I thought about it this morning - thinking about Laura and Maryanne and wondered how I would go on...of course you do but I know I would think "what is the point?"

it isn't that I am nothing without him- LOL- far far from it....but it is that my life would not be nearly as "rich" in experiences if we didn't share them with each other.  and the challenges along the way would be so much more difficult to face if we didn't have each other. (even when the challenges ARE each other- LOL)

so I just wanted to take a moment to say how much I treasure Phil and all he brings to my life- thanks so much honey! I love you!

here is a recent photo of us- taken by our dear friend Aase last fall - while we were in Lund, Sweden.