Monday, February 19, 2024

Eligible, watercolors, pizza and pensions

 "Eligible" turned out to be a really fun read, definitely one of the best rewrites of Pride and Prejudice I've read, very nimble at finding modern-day parallels, not just stuck with the original. And there are marvellous little austenesque observations here and there. I definitely recommend it.

And I just finished the Donna Leon, Girl of his Dreams, very good accompaniment to the continued scarf, a sad story, one of those where what the police know, they aren't going to act on, friends in high places.  A very good narrative,  where you feel like advising Brunetti to take up a hobby and leave his work at work. Reading the Greek classics isn't a rest from work.

And now I'm looking at this, an interesting compendium of literature, botanical lore, and watercolor illustrations, so much more informative than official botanical illustration







When I'm not doing all that reading, I'm making interesting fast food. The vegetable stew, with yogurt and fruit for dessert, is taking care of main meals for now, and rapid suppers are called for.

Here's a mini naan pizza, with the rest of the tomatoes from the stew recipe, cheddar, olives and thyme, the thyme from the stew recipe, too, frozen from last year's garden and instantly aromatic as soon as thawed 


this, I've decided, is my Aegean pizza, what with the olives and thyme.

And here's where listening to Leon has got me in the scarf


I'm still watching Northern Exposure in the evening, still very attached to Ed and his movie making ambitions. One of his advisers is the Nana of a famous movie producer, and her comments are worth the price of admission.

My current favorite: "We're just monkeys with car keys". Words to fall down laughing by. 

Happy President's Day if it applies, happy plain old Monday otherwise. Oh, and I just heard from the British gummint, they're increasing my pension by five dollars a month, wheee, better not spend it all in one place.



37 comments:

  1. monkeys with car keys. funny and appropo. Jumanji was on TV last night in which monkeys steal cars and drive around.

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  2. Oh, I'd forgotten about Ed the film maker! It's been a long time since I've seen Northern Exposure. He was a great character.

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    1. It's at my library on DVD, great revisit. It's held up well.

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  3. Nice post. Watercolor has been popping up in my life and maybe it's time to get the paints out. Books, pizza, and yarn work, how can one go wrong? Have a nice day today.

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    1. Definitely go for the watercolor! Yes, nice combo.

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  4. You have reminded me that one of these days, I really want to learn more about William Bartram who, from 1773-1777 explored and recorded the southeastern portion of the US, or what we now call the US. His artwork was amazing. He spent a lot of time in Florida. What an adventure!
    We're still loving Northern Exposure too. Some of the lines are just way too good and some of the images can haunt me for days.

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  5. I expect Google U can give you a start on that study. I don't know anything about him, so I've noted it, too.
    I'm glad you're also enjoying ne. It's really held up well.

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  6. Never watched Northern Exposure and might have to search it out. Don't suppose it's on Netflix but you never know.
    Those water colour illustrations are charming.
    And...you have President's Day, but here it's 'Family Day' which is a relatively new thing and seems slow to catch on. It's a crap shoot which businesses are honouring it.

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    1. What are you supposed to do on Family Day? Bicker??

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    2. Thank you for my morning laugh!! Theoretically Family Day is supposed to encourage families to spend time together, but in actuality I think it's just an excuse to give people another long weekend in the middle of winter.

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  7. There is much truth to monkeys with car keys.

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  8. Congrats on that huge bump in income. Let me know how the other half lives.

    I love the blue of that scarf and the quality of the yarn and your work. Beautiful water colors.

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    1. I'll have my people contact your people!

      It's a nice saturated blue, and it's coming out well.

      The watercolors are lovely and loose, just how watercolor is spozed to be.

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  9. Fantastic water colours, and I reckon I could get on with that Nana. She knows we are not above nature.

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    1. I liked it a lot. Do you do watercolor? With your eye for flowers and plants I'm guessing you've tried your hand.

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  10. You do make me feel hungry! I wonder if my pension's gone up.

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    1. Don't get too excited about your raise, if mine's a sample.

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  11. And have ordered Eligible from the library.

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  12. blue scarf, yellow dish in background, I see what you have done here!

    Wow and addition fiver in your coffer- WOW, you could maybe park your car for five minutes without getting ticketed! Generous Government! Linda sue

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    1. You noticed the message there! Yes, I can't think what to spend all the extra on.

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  13. Monkeys with car keys! HAAA!! I think I have to revisit Northern Exposure. You came up with a fast pizza, looks good. So does the scarf. Don't get too carried away with the extra $5.

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  14. Oh dear, posting about financial gains will have scammers flocking to your blog.
    That pizza looks delicious!

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    1. Yes, maybe unknown relatives, too! The pizza was very good, and so easy in the toaster oven.

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  15. The illustrations in that book are just gorgeous! I liked that Donna book -- I'm glad that not every book finishes with a happy ending -- you have the people who get away because of friends in high places but you know that bothers Brunetti -- but he also knows it's the way of the world-- well, his world, at least. That pizza looks to die for!

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    1. Glad you enjoyed the paintings. And Brunetti.

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  16. Hubby was just saying about the 8.5% increase in the British pension. Here in Canada, once he starts drawing the British pension, it will never increase. So this increase is a bonus for us; as he doesn't start getting his British pension until September. We'll take anything we can get at this point!!!

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    1. They said something about Canada and NZ which don't have reciprocal social security agreements.

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  17. Pizza looks great. And I love the watercolour flowers.
    Five whole dollars a month. Wow. Your in the money now!

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    1. The announcement came in a special envelope, with leaflets and instructions in case I've died or otherwise changed my situation.

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  18. Those watercolors! You're right; they capture the essence of the flowers. And that Aegean pizza looks scrumptious!

    Chris from Boise

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    1. I really prefer these paintings to botanical illustration, though that has an honorable history in botany.

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  19. That is a huge increase in pension for sure. What do they expect people will be able to do with that? Our federal pensions went up with the cost of living increase. A bit better but…

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    1. It's a percentage increase, so the less you got, the less you get, if you follow me.

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