random thoughts – Day 2,367 (Monday) – soup's on

On Labor Day in my past, I often spent the day engaging in the seasonal wardrobe changeover. White shoes and most of the strappy sandals would be stashed away until Memorial Day. Autumn hues, suede, lined booties, and winter white footwear would emerge from the depths of a storage box and begin to mingle in the closet.

Obviously summery fabrics would be swapped out for earth toned lightweight sweaters in silk and cotton, with cashmere and alpaca queued up to enter the scene the minute the temperature plunges to the chilly setting.

None of this happened today. What did happen, was the launch of soup season. Despite my love of the stuff, it was a minimal soup summer. Two containers of vegetable soup base have been in the freezer since spring. I had been chilly in the house all day and suddenly it felt like time and my brain switched to soup mode.

Maybe it's soup season.

Imagine my surprise when my chilly body with the soup mode brain went outside for a walk and it was warmer than in the house. The cardigan over my long-sleeve tee shirt was shed halfway through the walk. I opened the windows when I got back inside. Later, I checked the thermostat and saw it was 71 degrees in the house, which is closer to cold gazpacho soup season than hot soup.

Despite the actual warm air, the vision of hot soup lingered in my mind and there was no turning back. Plus, I haven’t gone grocery shopping and there aren’t any especially interesting ingredients in the pantry from which to produce an interesting meal.

A container of soup base was excavated from the far-left corner of the freezer. It got a bit of a summer treatment with the addition of summer squash, diced tomatoes, and onions sauteed in olive oil, plus a pour of half-and-half. Mixed frozen vegetables were added and a leftover chopped hot Italian sausage from the freezer. I had forgotten what was in the original broth, but as it transformed in the pot with the new vegetables from a frozen block to a liquid, carrots, onions, and potatoes appeared.

The bowl of steaming soup was topped with shredded parmesan cheese and plated with a side of Ritz crackers and it was good. So very good. The additions mean that the original quart of soup, even after I ate a large bowl, magically had 1.5 quarts left.

New broth scraps have been accumulating in the freezer all summer in preparation for fall soup season. Bags of onion skins and trimmings, broccoli stems, and Brussel sprouts trimmings are crammed in the cubbies on the freezer door, jockeying for space with bags of bread ends that I swear will one chilly day become chocolate bread pudding. Based on the inventory, it’s time to begin the next round of broth making.

A few hours after the hot soup supper, the next logical food and beverage step occurred. The switch in my brain was flipped, and even though it isn’t actually chilly, it was suddenly time for a mug of steaming fruit tea. This is an evening ritual from fall until spring. Tonight’s selection was black cherry tea.

The forecast for the rest of the week is temperatures in the mid to high 70s. Based on that, soup season may meet a brief delay and the freshly boosted veggie soup may be put back into the freezer.

random thoughts – Day 2,366 (Sunday) – dance show

Windows at Common Street Spiritual Center.

Another couple months gone by and now another Natick Dance Showcase. This time, I was 100 percent an audience member, in attendance to see some great belly dancing and to support my friend/dance bestie/duet partner/dance classmate.

It was a day of lounging around all day like a regular Sunday with no plans instead of the usual flurry of preparations required when I am dancing in the show. 

Sure, I showered and styled my hair, but it was the cool weather blowout and quick hit with the curling iron and not the more elaborate styling decision process for dancing. Makeup was a quick shoosh of eye shadow and not the more calculated effort of carefully chosen colors and eye liner that will allow for eyes to be seen many feet away. (and look generally garish up close). There were no concerns about foundation and blush that could potentially be washed out under stage lights. No worries about forgetting an important costume component like a veil or zills, just a shopping bag with Dance Bestie’s Tupperware containers from the delicious carrot cake cupcakes she baked for my birthday several weeks ago.

Soorati dancing to Possibilities.

My biggest responsibilities were being ready in time for the Bestie carpool pickup and making sure my phone was fully charged for photos. It was easy. It also all felt a bit odd. Instead of triple checking my costume bag, I puttered around the house and then started a new book. 

Once at Common Street Spiritual Center, I claimed a front row seat and browsed the vendors. I took pictures of the windows and their shadows, and the stage from the backstage area.

As for the show – it was another terrific production. The producer added some lighting effects which were an improvement for setting mood and vibe. The dancers and costumes, as always, were beautiful. Bestie was amazing in her solo, a gorgeous veil piece to “Possibilities” by the late Michael Hutchence of INXS. So beautiful.

random thoughts – Day 2,365 (Saturday) – kiki steps

Bit by bit, Kiki has dropped her guard. She no longer hides when I enter a room she is in. She will let me pet her when she’s camped out on my bed and I pass through the bedroom, when before, she would slink off the bed and hide under it.

Kiki strikes her favorite pose.

She can be very vocal, especially when the staff has committed an egregious error.  The sudden onslaught of meowing gets me up and wandering the house to see what the problem is, and twice it has been an empty water bowl. The problem is fixed and she is congratulated for her superior communication skills.

At bedtime, Kiki follows me into the bathroom. She used to stop at the threshold, let out a meow, and retreat to the bedroom, but now she will cautiously step into the bathroom before letting out a meow and retreating. The ritual is my nightly reminder that the Temptations Treats are kept in the bathroom closet and she is hand fed treats every night before bed, and excuse me ma’am, the treats seem to be a bit tardy.

Kiki has always allowed me to pet her with one hand. If the second hand appeared, she would slip away from me and bolt from the scene. Lately, she has allowed me to touch her with both hands and I am enjoying the newly-earned privilege. I’m still holding back and avoiding the step I really want, which is to pick her up and hold her. I don’t want to move too soon and violate her trust. When I first adopted her, the foster human warned me she hated to be picked up, so it’s definitely a go slow, proceed with caution situation.

Kiki also seems to be working on a potential modeling career. Her favorite pose is to lift one hind leg then leave it extended for some random stretch of time, almost as if she forgot it was raised or is expecting a high five. While she holds her pose, I admire her pretty little toe beans (from an acceptable distance) and often screw up several attempts to get her picture due to low light and focusing issues or poor composition cropping off her ears or tail. Once in a while the planets align and I get the photo I wanted.  

random thoughts – Day 2,364 (Friday) – lost time, turkeys, shopping

It was another day lost to lord knows what. It was after 8:00 when Kiki stood on the bed, gently suggesting with her rough tongue on my forehead that it was high time I got myself out of bed. The household rule with pets is “if you can tell me what you want, you can have it,” so I got up.

After the coffee and dressing in jeans and a long sleeve tee shirt there was the presentation of treats to Kiki. This is why she is concerned with both ends of my sleeping schedule. She gets treats before I retire to the bed each night, and again shortly after I get up in the morning. And I’m pretty sure that is why she cares about when I get up.

Anyway, it was a regular day at home. Two years ago when I still had a job, the Friday before Labor Day weekend would have been spent in the 4^th floor office. There might have been plans for after-work drinks and apps with a colleague.  The whole day would have had a lighter vibe knowing that Monday was a day off.

Toms in formation.

Free of the rigid schedule of employment, the days preceding holiday weekends are a bit less glamorous. Today, I lounged around all day like many other days. Around 3:30 I sprang to life (like many other days). The evening walk was executed a bit earlier, and I saw the two female turkeys with their off spring one street over from my house. The three littles hid in a flower bed in front of the house and the mother stayed on the lawn with her eyes on me. Across the street, the teenager and mother dashed into the greenery as I rounded the corner. Further down the street, the males had no instinct to hide and paraded in formation through a yard. The sun highlighted the green, rust, and golden iridescence of their feathers. So pretty.

After the walk and the fetching of the mail, a trip was made to WalMart for ice cream and to look for a table game I was recently introduced to that is enough fun that I want it. I think it will be a fun way to alternate with Yahtzee when Mom, Sis, and I have our game afternoons, and on Christmas Eve when we gather to eat and play games.

At the big retailer, ice cream, potato chips, and some random art supplies were found, but not the game. The optical shop was open so I popped in to look for frames similar to some I found online that are too large for my face according to the product specs. There was nothing I liked.

The absence of the game on the shelf was not a big deal, as it was already in my online cart with the behemoth online sales site, with delivery for Saturday. I pushed the button to buy the item as soon as I got home. Well, after I ate some salted caramel ice cream and potato chips, which is one of the finest combinations of creamy and crispy, salty and sweet known to my palate. 

Flagging favorited on a Friday night.

As for the lack of eyeglass frames in a brick and mortar, there are now several more in various online shopping carts and "favorites" lists. Something in the proper size will eventually show up. I hope. And this is how I now celebrate the eve of a holiday weekend -- junk food, Netflix, and online shopping. Tonight's Netflix choice was Talamasca, based on books by Anne Rice. An online book retailer now has five belly dance costuming related books in my basket. An online eyeglass retailer has several frames flagged as favorites. 

random thoughts – Day 2,363 (Thursday) – lunch out

It was a “Ladies who Lunch” day with Mom and Sis. Well, except for the part where the phrase refers to “well-off, non-working women who meet during the week for upscale daytime meals.” None of us are “well-off.” My sister still works. And instead of an “upscale” restaurant with fine dining and wait staff, we were at a downtown pizza joint where we had to order at the counter and seat ourselves. But is was daytime and lunchtime and we can dream.

The company was good. An extra in the scene was questionable. While driving to our destination, I saw a guy with his tee shirt hiked up over his belly as he stood in the middle of the sidewalk and buckled his belt on his shorts, which appeared to be unzipped at the fly. Of course, I shrieked “ewww” and told Mom and Sis what I had seen.

We parked the car on the main street downtown. That was a challenge, as the open spot on the street was next to a parking meter, lamppost, and giant planter filled with flowers. When in the designated spot, the front passenger door could be opened a little, and the back passenger door couldn’t be opened at all without smashing into the impediments, meaning, Mom couldn’t exit the car safely. Sis backed up to clear the sidewalk décor, Mom and I got out and began exploring the parking meter, and Sis parked.

Lunch out.

As we headed to the preselected pizza place, for which we had reviewed a menu at Mom’s, Mr. Open Fly walked around the corner. His shirt hem was now covering his belly, the fastened belt buckle peeked out from the hem of the shirt, and the fly on his shorts was still open. Mr. Open Fly puffed on a cigarette as he strode down the street with his duffle bag. We walked slowly trying to not breathe in the cloud of smoke trailing behind him. He went into the coin and card shop a couple doors beyond the pizza place and we ducked into said pizza place.

The total for two steak and cheese subs, two bottles of Coke, and a bag of chips ($39) felt pricey, so that part fit the “ladies who lunch” vibe. We couldn’t read the crowded menu high on the wall behind the counter but we knew we wanted steak and cheese. At the table we wondered about the age of the menu at Mom's with the $12 sub price. The receipt wasn’t itemized, so we may never solve the mystery of what any of it cost. I don’t eat out much and today was another reminder why.

After ordering, we had our choice of tables, being the only diners in the shop. A couple customers came in to pick up orders.  A delivery guy headed out with an order. Two delivery guys with dollies loaded with bags of flour and other ingredients rumbled across the wood floor and shook the table and our chairs. It reminded us of being on the old wooden roller coaster at Whalom Park. A plastic pallet of sub rolls sat on the floor on the other side of the room.

The surrounding spectacle was more interesting than the food. The subs were just okay. We each had half of a sub with one half left over. The cheese was a couple slices of cold American cheese slapped onto the sub roll instead of melted over the barely adequate amount of meat. Market Basket steak and cheese has a lot more for less, but the closest MB is 30 minutes away. We may try the pizza at today’s place someday, but I don’t see us rushing back for more steak and cheese.

random thoughts – Day 2,362 (Wednesday) – shopping day

More dance costume material.

It was gray again, but drier than Tuesday. Grownup things were accomplished. Like, leaving the house. The bar is pretty low here.

A stop at Salvation Army led to a $10 score of a couple more lightweight sweaters, a purse, and a girls dress with an amazing green embroidered overlay.  In the checkout line, the lady behind me said she was flipped off by some dude in the parking lot. Half-off day prices are glorious, but some of the people are another story.

The plan is to use the mesh embroidered overlay from the dress for a belly dance costume top but is possible it’s too pretty to take apart and there isn't much fabric for mistakes. This will need a carefully crafted design plan.

Grocery shopping took place. I had a big Hannaford reward coupon ($10 off $25), and was determined to use it. I missed the expiration date on the last one and wanted to avoid it happening again.

Grocery store sushi.

The deli drawer is now stuffed with blocks of sharp cheddar cheese and shredded parmesan. The fridge has coffee creamer and several flavors of Icelandic yogurt. The freezer is restocked with Gardein pretend meat scrambles and as a bonus, frozen falafel, which I hadn't noticed before. 

The ice cream cooler was avoided. In the quick walk past it, I noticed signs that Ben & Jerry was on sale and I resisted the urge. The discipline didn't carry very far past the ice cream. The bakery cooler had packs of two cannoli for $3.99 and I caved. The little brown window box was so cute.

While browsing the perimeter of the store in an attempt to avoid the temptation of the inner aisles of cookies and potato chips, a cooler with several varieties of $5 grocery store sushi was found. It was all very pretty. Just like that, a no muss, no fuss, no cooking late lunch / early supper was decided.

random thoughts – Day 2,361 (Tuesday) – minimal effort day

It was gray and rainy and the perfect day for minimal effort. And minimal effort it was. The basics were covered – a shower, coffee, food. The official “staying in the house” brown lounge pants and hoodie were donned in the morning with the intent of changing later. The bed was stripped and sheets washed. 

Kiki lounging and waiting for a treat.

Kiki did her usual lounging about on the bed until I pulled the sheets off, and then she looked mildly offended and disappeared for a while. Once the bed was remade, she and her magnificent whiskers were back on the bed, alternately napping, surveying her kingdom (my bedroom) and telepathically requesting treats when I passed through the room.

Beyond the big “accomplishments,” the rest of the day was spent on word games, reading (Perfume, by Patrick Suskind), and binging Netflix shows. The new season of Leanne is out and it’s pretty funny. The entire second season was watched this afternoon, which I did instead of changing out of the slug outfit and going to the weekly dance class I love and didn’t attend today.

The sporadic rain showers stopped long enough for the street to dry, but I still skipped the almost daily walk to the mailboxes. The USPS notifications didn’t show anything urgent being delivered. Maybe tomorrow the switch will flip from “off” back to “on” and the activity level will ramp up again. Or not. We’ll see.