Off the shores of Palermo, Sicily, an aristocratic Italian family has put up their private island for sale. It’s called Isola delle Femmine (Island of Women). It’s uninhabited and is part of a marine park that is protected and used as an elite scuba and snorkeling area. It can be yours for just $1.1 million.
What will you do with the island once it’s yours?
When I was in the market for a new car four years ago, I delegated the research to YA. She recognizes car makes and models; she knows all our friends’ and neighbors’ cars. She is definitely a car person. I gave her my requirements (hybrid, 4-door, red) and off she went. Her research came in the form of a chart with the five cars that she had identified as possibilities. One was axed due to being the wrong color and two were eliminated by their price.
We went and test drove the Toyota Prius and the Honda Insight. I’d never heard of an Insight before but since I’m definitely NOT a car person, I didn’t think too much about. I love my Insight but it became clear pretty quickly that I wasn’t the only one who had never heard of an Insight. Nobody had ever heard of it. In four years nobody has ever recognized my car, even car people.
So imagine my surprise today, when a guy coming out of the gym as I was getting out of my car, stopped and said “how do you like your Insight?” He had purchased his Insight in November. We had a nice talk about the mileage (great), the cost of filling up (teeny) and the blue/green light that tells you whether you are using gas or electricity (mesmerizing). As I went into the gym and he headed to his Insight I thought “this must be what it feels like to be a car person”? Then when I came out of the gym I’d forgotten where I parked. Oh well.
We all have our special areas of interest. Do you have comrades in arms?
The last couple of mornings, I’ve had to head to work a little early and thanks to Daylight Savings Time, in the dark. I go pretty much straight west on 494 and have been graced both mornings by a huge, supermoon.
According to Wikipedia “A supermoon is a full moon or a new moon that nearly coincides with perigee—the closest that the Moon comes to the Earth in its orbit—resulting in a slightly larger-than-usual apparent size of the lunar disk as viewed from Earth.”
And it turns out that there is an opposite phenomenon – a micromoon. And sadly, the supermoon this week is the last one of 2019.
What do you see when you look at the moon?
Photo Credit: Krystal Kwok on Unsplash
I succumbed. You all probably knew it was inevitable. I started seeing the new electric pressure cookers about 18 months back and have talked myself into and out of getting one repeatedly in that time.
Last week I got my monthly notice of how many award points I’ve earned at work. Award points can be used for the various merchandise that my company uses as incentives and rewards (we have a massive warehouse). Except for State Fair tickets and Renaissance Fair passes, I haven’t spent award points on anything else for a couple of years so I have a big build up. Any resolve I’ve had about not getting more kitchen toys dissolved pretty quickly. The will-call ticket came to me on Thursday and I went over to the warehouse at noon to pick it up.
I spent an evening looking up cookbooks on the library website but to tide me over, I printed off a bunch of recipes off the internet. Six cookbooks now in transit. And despite the fact that we didn’t really need a bunch of food prepared, I spent Saturday afternoon in the kitchen.
I did macaroni and cheese , a big pot of Spanish rice (and I mean a BIG pot) and then a really spicy black bean soup. It was easy and fun. I figure I can probably get rid of my old pressure cooker that has sat unused in the basement for at least 10 years.
What was the last really unnecessary toy/gadget you’ve added to your world?
Husband is allergic to cats. Actually, he is allergic to most things airborne, like dust or pollen. He lives his life the way he chooses despite his chronic post nasal drip. He is allergic to most conifers, yet we always have a live tree at Christmas. An artificial tree would just collect dust every year, so it is toss up between that and pollen. We also haven’t been without a cat for the past 30 years.
Luna, our grey tabby, adores Chris. His is the only lap she jumps into. His is the only chair and foot stool she rubs and marks. She cries at night when he is at the reservation. She senses when it is Thursday and it is time for him to come home. Around 7:00 pm she starts meowing and rubbing up against his chair. She jumps in the chair and sits there, waiting, until she hears his truck in the driveway. Then she runs to the entryway and waits for the door to open. She likes it when I toss paper balls to her. She likes it when I fill her water bowl. I just don’t have that special something that makes her adore Chris.
How have animals let you know their opinion of you? Tell about your animal relationships.
Suddenly Girl Scouts and their cookies are everywhere. In the last few days I’ve come across Girl Scouts selling their wares at Cub Foods, at the liquor store, at the hardware store and even in the lobby of my concert Friday night!
This is rough on me because I am a sucker for a kid selling stuff for their cause, even if it is something I wouldn’t normally spend a dime on. Fruit from Boy Scouts, discount booklets from the high school basketball team, wrapping paper, candy bars, cookies, holiday wreaths, pizza.
When YA was a Girl Scout, she was the top seller for her age group in the Minneapolis area. She was ruthless – hitting on folks from my office, folks at church, all my friends and family. She even talked with relatives out of town, convincing them to donate cookies to Second Harvest. These sales paid for her trip to Girl Scout Camp every summer. She was also a top fund raiser in school for years.
I think about her selling cookies whenever I come across a troop with a table full of goodies. Not a good value, of course, but it’s easier if you just think of it as charitable, tax deductible and edible!
Have you ever had to sell anything? Any good at it?
It was always interesting to people watch in Winnipeg in early Spring, since people dressed so oddly. We would see folks strolling in downtown Winnipeg wearing winter parkas, toques, and shorts. It wasn’t quite winter, nor yet spring, so they dressed for any eventuality.
I had the same experience the other day at work. I rode the elevator to the first floor to pick up a client from the waiting room. I saw one man wearing a parka and a knitted, gaily colored Scandinavian stocking hat with ties and ear flaps. Next to him was a fellow with a top hat festooned with a feather. Standing by the receptionist desk was someone wearing a yarmulke. I guess it was the day for special hats. We seldom have such a variety of head gear. Caps and cowboy hats are the norm.
My wardrobe consists mainly of corduroy pants and sweaters. I don’t wear hats since I think I look weird in them. I think it has something to do with the shape of my head. I don’t like to draw attention to myself with my clothes. I wish I was brave enough to wear a top hat to work, or maybe one of those Dutch lace caps with wings. I suppose, though, that people would say I dress “funny”.
Were you ever a flamboyant dresser? What do you wear that draws attention? Did your mother used to dress you funny?
I went to a Cantus concert last night. The first time I ever heard them sing was on the LGMS, doing Ave Maria by Franz Biebl – it brought tears to my eyes. Even after all these years, it is still my favorite piece that they perform.
Last night they did another song that I also know from the days of Dale and Jim Ed (maybe even as far back as Garrison and Jim Ed – Little Potato by Malcolm Dalglish and performed by Metamora.
I love it when different parts of my world come together.
Do you have a favorite food song?
My brain knows that English is a flexible language and I know that all the words we use today were at some point made up. But when I saw the above banner, I don’t know what upset me more – that there is a banner with a made-up word hanging on the side of a school or that it was going from down to up!
Anything outraging you today?
It’s my personal holiday again today – Pi Day. Everyone at work knows that I’m off today to bake pies – even a couple of my long-term clients know. I am allowed to use my “floating holiday” for Pi Day – my boss had it approved by management about 6 years ago. I even have personalized napkins this year, given to me by a friend after last year’s celebration.
This year’s menu: Dutch Apple, Banofee, Root Beer Float Whoopies, Raspberry Tangerine, Pecan, Bob Andy, Blueberry, Almond Joy, Caramel Pear with Crème Fraiche, Key Lime Meringue and the addictive Crack Pie.
Hope to see those of you in the Twin Cities tonight!
What day would you like to be your floating holiday?
Trail Baboon