Contrary to popular belief, spinach-artichoke dip is not improved after sitting in soapy water for five days. Actually, I'm not sure if anyone ever held that belief. But, since I haven't been cooking and have barely been home the last few days, I forgot that I had left a pan and a casserole dish soaking in the sink, and the soaking had long since gone beyond 'helpful' and into 'disgusting'. So, I cleaned up the remnants of the spinach-artichoke dip tonight; a year ago, I would have just left it, so I think I'm growing up. Actually, a year ago, I would have left it and the servants would have taken care of it, but in some strange way I still feel that I've made progress.
I'm leaving for India tomorrow, right on the heels of some drastic changes to aviation security rules. I think that I'm a harbinger of terrorist activity; I was born on September 11, and most of my major trips since then have been within days of terrorist activity--I booked my London trip last year only days before the tube bombings, I left Hyderabad less than a week after a terrorist threat kept us grounded in our apartments, I made it to Sri Lanka just months before the Tamil Tigers and the government restarted hostilities in their decades-long civil war, and I left Dublin a day late because a bomb scare grounded all flights. Kim went so far as to say that when I'm travelling, the Homeland Security threat level should automatically go up to 'severe'. However, I'm not concerned--so far nothing has happened to me, and that's all that matters!
I'm pretty much packed up, and in some ways the whole ban on liquids is a good thing, since it cuts out several pounds of carry-on luggage. In other ways, it totally sucks; I'm not looking forward to a 24-hour trip without toothpaste, deoderant, contact lens solution, or lipgloss. There are gonna be some pretty nasty people on arrival in Hyderabad--and this time, I'll know to use the airplane bathroom right before we land, since an airplane bathroom at the end of a ten-hour flight is still preferable to the holes in the ground (with carefully-placed blocks for one's feet) in the restrooms at the Hyderabad airport. This is particularly true since I won't have access to hand sanitizer or soap until I retrive my checked luggage. Ah, the joys of travel.
Last night, I hung out with Claude, and she v. kindly accompanied me on my quest to find a bridesmaid's dress for Katie's wedding. Not that it was much of a quest, since I'm not a Bridezilla (or Bridesmaidzilla, if those things exist); I tried on four or five dresses, liked two, tried to order one and was told that it would take eight weeks, and so ordered the other one. The second one fit perfectly, except for the requisite shortening required by my pint-sized frame, and I'm quite excited. You can see it here. Katie picked pink, for which I will adore her forever, more than I already adore her, which is quite a bit. And, I look v. fetching in the gown, which means that I have a chance of stealing her away from her fiance at the altar, which would cause the scandal of the decade back home and guarantee me a partner in crime for future road trips across the US. Then again, I don't want to have to pay for law school, so I may have to let her stay with James until she's done with her student loans, at which point I can swoop in. Great plan, eh?
Okay, I should probably go to bed so that I can get up v. early, finish packing, and work for a couple of hours before going to the airport. The next time I write, I should be in Hyderabad! Yay!!
[And also, congrats to my nephew Zane, who got two blue ribbons at the Iowa State Fair! Don't you all wish that *you* could go to the State Fair??]
6 comments:
i love it! you'll be bee-yoo-tiful! i will at the very least cuckold james when next we meet....
Zane says Thanks Auntie Sara! He says you need to move closer due to the fact it would be easier to give you the really cool things he has made.
America spells competition, join us in our blind ambition
Get yourself a brand new motor car
Someday soon we'll stop to ponder what on Earth's this spell we're under
We made the grade and still we wonder who the hell we are
Slater says, we DID go to the Iowa State Fair! 79 degrees for a high!! Ate lunch at the Beefquarters, supper at the Pork Producers' tent. Others in party started day with huge cinnamon bun or roll at California prices. Some people say the fair never changes. We went to the draft horse show, very few entries. It was right next to the antique tractors, lots of entries. 80 years ago there would have been lots of interest in draft horses and NO "antique" tractors. Who says the fair doesn't change?
Took in a Nadas concert and also Tonic Sulfa. Spoke with Speaker Newt and Wayne County's Congressman Jim Leach. Enjoyed the harness races in the grandstand and the new (Yes, something else new!) "Concrete Barn" where several purveyors of concrete housing had samples of their products. Methinks the Warren Township folks have chosen well.
Signed up for the drawing for the green and yellow "bean machine" VW Beetle that will run on soybean oil. If lucky could arrive in Palo Alto smelling like French fries.
In event we return to fair, what did Zane send to fair and any idea where exhibits are in 4-H building?
Zane had a copper water fountain with a cedar birdhouse on top...Directions to it are as follows-->> go into the 4-H building next to the rest rooms turn left walk to the foods display area and head south along the wall(only fountain in the whole building that is working). He also had a photograph of a yellow sunflower with a funny looking bug on it framed in black. Location to follow-->> From the front door you will go to the right hand side of the stage that is in the exhibit building, in the display grouped next to stage on the west side (It will be on the floor of the display)
Or you could do this which is the easiest thing to do Just ask at the desk for the locations of his items in Appanoose counties book.
dress is super cute. are you wearing your fur coat outside as the perfect finisher?
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