No School Today

 

Wednesday, November 28, 2012 – No School Today

Ah, the joys of subbing.  I’m grateful to Shana for giving me the opportunity to teach her ESOL classes on Monday and Tuesday.  How else would I have been able to watch the 1931 version of Frankenstein at 7:30 in the morning and then again at 12:30 in the afternoon on Tuesday?  And Monday’s silent reading time in each of her classes allowed me to read an entire novel – okay, it was a short one, The Giver by Lois Lowry – in a single day.  All in all, it was quite a pleasant way to spend a couple of days and earn some money at the same time. 

However, I was not overly upset when I got a last minute reprieve from my Wednesday-Thursday subbing assignment.  I decided to use the first unexpected free day for a fun outing with Elliott.  Choosing a restaurant for lunch was a bit of a challenge.  I seem to be experiencing some digestive difficulty and my doctor recommended that I temporarily stay away from spicy food, wine, caffeine, chocolate – in other words, all the things I was looking forward to eating and drinking.  In retrospect, I should have left that chipotle pepper in adobo sauce out of the Mexican vegetable soup I made a couple of weeks ago.  But I was so excited about Mexican flavors when we got back from Arizona, and I was so pleased that my taste buds were tolerating greater degrees of heat.  Could the extra chocolate I ate Monday night have contributed to the problem?  Or maybe it was the bigger than usual meals I’ve been consuming so that our Thanksgiving leftovers didn’t go to waste. Whatever the cause(s), I hope my delicate digestive system will recover soon.  In the meantime, I’ll just have to eat a little more judiciously – and keep the Prilosec and Tums on hand.

Obviously, with the dietary restrictions, we couldn’t go out for Indian food today, but we went over to explore the dining options in the new Mosaic District.  I was sure Elliott would like Le Pain Quotidien, but it won’t be open until Friday.  So disappointing, but we found an excellent alternative right around the corner, Pastry Xpo, an independently owned bakery and café.  Elliott’s lunch consisted of coffee and a croissant (he ignores me when I talk about protein), but I required more nourishing fare.  A tasty spinach and goat cheese mini-quiche and a bowl of lemony lentil and Swiss chard soup was just the comfort food I needed.  Following lunch, we walked over to the Angelika Cinema, the new movie theater, to see Lincoln.  It should be required viewing for our government officials, especially members of Congress. 

I’m looking forward to another school-free day tomorrow.  No plans yet, just an afternoon doctor's appointment for Elliott that leaves plenty of time for fun. 

Un-retired

 

Sunday, November 25, 2012 – Un-retired

This was a blissful Sunday, relaxing but productive.  Immediately after breakfast, I got out my cleaver and hacked that turkey carcass into meaty pieces that went right into the big stockpot.  Making flavorful broth is so simple.  Just cover the roasted turkey bones with filtered water and toss in an onion, a carrot, a celery stalk, a couple of parsley and thyme sprigs, and some peppercorns.  As soon as the liquid came to a simmer, the house was filled with a mouth-watering aroma that lingered all day.  Keeping the Thanksgiving theme going, I added dried cranberries to the muffins I made.  I also made another batch of fresh cranberry relish (the uncooked version with chopped apples and oranges).  With plain Greek yogurt, it makes a delicious snack or dessert that you can enjoy any time of year. 

All of the laundry (sheets and towels from houseguests) is done and put away, and I even made an early morning dash over to Trader Joe’s to make sure I wouldn’t run out of hummus.  But there was also time to take a walk, to read The Washington Post, and to sit down in the afternoon with a cup of ginger-peach tea and watch some skating on TV.   We had turkey soup (with shirataki noodles) and salad for dinner.  By 7 p.m., I’d finished up the dishes.  That means I have another couple of hours to relax before bedtime, which is perfect because my alarm is set to ring at 5 a.m. tomorrow morning.

This is going to be my week of un-retirement.  I’m subbing at Annandale High Monday through Thursday.  Four days in a single week is more than I prefer to do, but it just worked out that way.  And I’ll finish up at 2 p.m., so I’ll still have most of the afternoon free.  However, I remember what it was like when I was teaching, so I anticipate being exhausted and not eager to do much once I get back home.  Of course, Elliott is already making afternoon plans that require my chauffeuring services – Home Depot, Lowe’s, medical appointments, etc.  Oh, no, I’m starting to feel a rising sense of panic that I must overcome.  I’ll take a deep breath (actually, several deep breaths) and remind myself that I can do this, as long as I focus on doing one thing at a time.

Post-Thanksgiving Report

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Saturday, November 24, 2012 – Post-Thanksgiving Report

Elliott looks good in an apron, doesn't he?

with Elisa and Katie

Elisa and Christian

Heidi and Harvey came down from New York.

Teri and Dave drove up from Yorktown.

Matt

Thanksgiving 2012, which took days and days of planning and preparation, is over.  Last Wednesday night, when I fell into bed exhausted after spending the afternoon and evening in the kitchen, I asked myself why I do this every year.  But it was worth it.  We had a wonderful multi-day celebration with family and friends.  The turkey was moist and tasty (brining is the key), and there was an abundance of delicious side dishes and desserts.  If I had to pick one favorite item from our feast, it would have to be Teri’s cornbread.  There’s still some in the refrigerator, along with a few other leftovers.  

Heidi and Harvey on the Key Bridge

Walking to Georgetown from Arlington

Tackle Box - sustainable seafood

On Friday, I worked off some of the extra calories by taking a long, long walk across the Key Bridge from Arlington, Virginia to Georgetown and back, with my brother and sister-in-law for company.  We stopped at Tackle Box on M Street for a quick lunch so I could satisfy my craving for fish tacos.  I’ve had a constant craving for them ever since I returned from Arizona.  In fact, when Elliott and I had a pre-Thanksgiving dinner out last Tuesday evening at Artie’s (a local restaurant), I was very pleasantly surprised that the grilled mahi-mahi I ordered turned out to be a beautiful, delicious and elegantly deconstructed version of a fish taco.  Unfortunately, I didn’t bring my camera to the restaurant, so I’ll try to describe it as best I can.  Starting at bottom, there was a layer of black beans, which filled the large dinner plate.  Two crispy tostadas were placed on top of the beans and the grilled fish filets were perched on the tostadas.  Then everything was covered with a heaping mound of extremely tasty and brightly colored jicama slaw that included cabbage, corn, peppers, onions, and cilantro, all mixed together with a piquant lime crema. 

Now that all our guests have departed and it’s just the two of us again, the house seems so quiet.  The days are getting shorter and the weather is getting colder.  The thought of impending winter fills me with dread.  Elliott hates the cold and I hate the darkness.  Can’t we just cancel the next four months and go directly to spring, starting tomorrow?  If not, I’m going to hibernate, emerging only to make forays to Trader Joe’s and Wegman’s.

Playing Outside on a Fall Afternoon

 

Saturday, November 17, 2012 – Playing Outside on a Fall Afternoon

It’s reassuring that some things never change.  Every year, when fall arrives, I can count on the leaves turning beautiful colors.  And it’s a given that the days turn chillier, the wind whips through the trees, and the leaves fall to the ground.  So it shouldn’t be a surprise that on the cusp of his half-birthday (on the 25^th of November, he’ll be 100 and ½ years old), Elliott was out in the front yard today, busy at work with our leaf blower. It’s an annual ritual.  Never mind the fact that we pay someone to keep our yard maintained year-round.  On this bright and sunny afternoon, Elliott wouldn’t miss an opportunity to play outside with power toys.  Notice the nearly leafless lawn in the photo.  By the way, I raked alongside him, just to make sure he stayed out of trouble. And fortunately, he knows better than to attempt the gutter-cleaning himself.  

 

Now for an ET (Elliott Thompson) fashion report:  Within the past week, Elliott has updated his wardrobe not just once but twice!  And no, it’s not another pair of khakis.  First of all, he bought a pair of crocs.  This came about because he’s experimenting with an ankle brace, recommended by his doctor, to give his left foot some extra support.  Crocs were the only shoes that would accommodate the brace.  He chose a neutral tone (chocolate brown) that should coordinate with any outfit and should be appropriate for any occasion.  The second new item in his wardrobe is a stylish black wool pea coat.  It goes nicely with his Greek fisherman’s cap, doesn’t it?  I can picture him standing on the deck of a yacht.  Now all I have to do is trade the car for a boat, and he’ll be all set.  

We’re also having a weekend of culture, catching up on movies (Argo this morning), and attending a performance by the Edgeworks Dance Theater at the Northern Virginia JCC this evening.  As long as Elliott gets his afternoon nap, he has the energy of a forty-year-old.  That’s another thing that doesn’t seem to change. 

T Minus Seven, and Counting

 

Thursday, November 22, 2012 – T Minus 7, and Counting

One week until Turkey Day (or Turkey-less Day, for some family members).  Preparations are well underway to feed the thirteen people, plus one dog, who will share in this holiday celebration.  I’ve been making two or three trips daily to Trader Joe’s, Whole Foods, Wegman’s, Mom’s Organic Market, etc.  After consultation with Teri and Elisa, our menu is settled.  I already have a turkey in the downstairs refrigerator, waiting to be brined.  And I have a turkey-less roast in the refrigerator as well. 

To go along with the turkey/unturkey, I’m going to try a new stuffing recipe with multi-grain bread cubes, shiitake mushrooms, and kale.  Elisa and Christian will contribute an exotically spiced quinoa and sweet potato dish.  I’ll mash the regular potatoes with butter and herbed goat cheese, like I did last year.  Another repeat from our last holiday feast will be the green beans with miso-mustard sauce and crispy fried shallots on top. 

And it wouldn’t be Thanksgiving with the famed Rosenfeld cranberry “salsa.”  This is a mixture of raw chopped cranberries, apples, and oranges, with the addition of just enough sweetener (sugar or stevia) so it doesn’t pucker your mouth.  It has to be made in the food processor two or three days in advance and then it sits in the refrigerator to attain peak flavor.  This is a recipe I originally got from my dear friend Lynda’s late mother, Regina Rosenfeld. 

For dessert, Teri has volunteered to make an apple pie, something I wouldn’t even attempt.  But I’ll be happy to add the biscottini I picked up at the farmers’ market in Tucson.  I got three different varieties, including one with prickly pear bits for a taste of the Southwest. 

This is my favorite holiday of the year, and not just because of the food.  It seems like the quintessential American holiday.  Everyone, from the newest immigrant to a cententarian like Elliott, can easily relate to the meaning of the day. This year, of course, we’ll be delighted to welcome Camilla to our celebration.  She’s the high school exchange student from Berlin who is being hosted by the Cheslaks in Yorktown.   Perhaps I can convince the younger generation to put on a play to act out the Pilgrims and the Native Americans at the Thanksgiving feast in Plymouth.  (Elisa, Matthew, Christian, and Caroline – that means you all!) 

When I was teaching, I always looked forward to explaining the history and traditions of Thanksgiving to my students.  It was an opportunity to express what they were thankful for, and to explore the ideas of community and gratitude.  Many would be celebrating an American Thanksgiving for the first time, but they would be able to share stories of harvest holidays from their own cultures.  And from those who had previously celebrated Thanksgiving in the U.S., it was interesting to hear how their families had incorporated their native foods into the American holiday standards. 

When we lived in France, there weren’t many Americans in our area, so our Thanksgiving celebration always included several British and French friends.  We hosted our first Thanksgiving in France in 1984, exactly one week before Elisa was born.  I remember quite well how I had to convince the local butcher that I needed a turkey in November, not for Christmas in December, and how I searched unsuccessfully for corn and cranberries in the market.  Loud whoops through the streets of Fayence signaled the arrival of some of the more dramatically-inclined British guests who showed up in their version of Native American attire.  Every year at Thanksgiving time, Elliott and I think back to this memorable event.  (I wrote about it in greater detail in Portrait of Elliott, my unpublished biography of Elliott.)  

This photo was actually taken at our 1985 Thanksgiving celebration in Fayence.

I’m sure this year’s Thanksgiving will be memorable as well.  (Those who were with us last year certainly recall our turkey yoga session!)  

Muffin Season Officially Begins Now

 

Wednesday, November 14, 2012 – Muffin Season Officially Begins Now 

 

I’ve had a craving for muffins for quite some time.  I think it developed after I successfully weaned myself from cookies, cupcakes and all the sugary baked stuff.  I managed to suppress my muffin mania for the past several months, but I was collecting healthy recipes all the while, and now that the weather has cooled off (it was downright chilly today!), I fired up the oven and baked my first batch of the 2012-2013 season.  These yummy treats, an adaptation of a recipe I recently got from Gale, are moist and delicious.  They’re also full of healthy ingredients, such as oatmeal, bran, whole wheat flour, wheat germ, raisins, and buttermilk.  The only problem will be limiting myself to one a day. 

There is definitely something therapeutic about being back in the kitchen, cooking and baking.  As much as I enjoyed dining out while we were in Arizona, I still get a thrill out of putting together a lunch or dinner at home and sitting down with Elliott to enjoy it.  Of course, sometimes we’re eating different food.  It’s clear that Elliott is never going to give up his love of meat, potatoes, and dessert, so I don’t try to deprive him of his favorites.  For example, I prepared bratwurst, mashed potatoes, and strawberry jello for him last night.  My own dinner consisted of a big bowl of salad (romaine, scallions, cucumbers, tomatoes, dill, and feta) and some leftover capilotade (a Provençal fish dish made with cod, sweet vermouth and capers).  I guess you could call it parallel eating.  At least we’re sitting down at the same table at the same time. 

Muffin season also happens to coincide with soup season.  A fire in the fireplace, a good book, a pot of soup simmering on the stove, the aroma of freshly baked muffins in the air – these are major components of my winter survival plan.  Mmm, I think it’s time for a muffin break. 

Residual Effects

Sunday, November 11, 2012 – Residual Effects

Although our trip to Arizona is over, I’m experiencing the lingering effects of our Road Scholar program.  First of all, I’m much more attuned to my natural surroundings.  After such intensive study of the desert flora and fauna, I’m paying much more attention to the plants and animals right here in our area.  When I went for a walk through our woods after we got back home, I looked at the trees with fresh eyes.  Of course, I appreciated the gorgeous colors of the fall foliage, but I also noticed the variety of trees.  I may not know their names, but I could easily see differences in the size, the bark, the leaves, etc.  Here, for example, is a tree that seems to have eyes on its smooth grayish trunk:   

Can anyone tell me what kind of tree this is?

I recognized that some of the tall trees were holly trees, with red berries and leaves that stay green throughout the winter.  The tallest trees appear to be bare already, but many other trees are still sporting their saffron, orange, and crimson foliage.  

Also, notice how this massive tree, that fell during Hurricane Sandy, forms an natural bridge for squirrels traveling over the path.  I don't know if you can tell from the photo, but I can easily walk under it. 

 

The Road Scholar trip has definitely awakened the naturalist in me.  Yesterday, while walking on the path, I came across a snake.  Instead of screaming and immediately running in the opposite direction, I peered at it and tried to make a mental note of its characteristics so I could try to identify it later.  So far, I haven’t been able to figure out what is was, so maybe someone can give me some ideas.  The snake was about 8 inches long, although it was hard to tell because it never stretched out in a straight line.  It was very slender, and it kept moving, forming beautiful, sinuous designs on a sunny patch of the path.  At one point, it raised its head and stuck out its long tongue.  The color of the snake was medium taupe, almost the same color as dirt, and there were charcoal gray markings down its back.  I stayed and watched it for a couple of minutes, but unfortunately, I didn’t have my camera with me.  When I went back today, I couldn’t find it. 

Another long-lasting benefit of the trip is my awareness of the health-giving and medicinal properties of many of the desert plants.  When we were at the Sonoran Desert Museum, our guide pointed out the jojoba plant – which is pronounced “ho-ho-va,” with an accent on the second syllable.  In order to conserve water, this clever (or well-adapted) plant turns its small waxy leaves so that their edges are facing the sun.  So the leaves turn throughout the day in order to minimize the loss of moisture.  From the seeds of the jojoba bush, we can obtain a moisturizing oil.  In fact, I found that jojoba seed oil was one of the main ingredients in my hair conditioner. 

In addition, the trip is responsible for expanding my culinary horizons.  I plan to continue my exploration of Mexican cuisine, searching out restaurants, recipes and ingredients so that I can re-create some of the tasty dishes I sampled in Arizona.  Hmm, how about turkey mole poblano for Thanksgiving?  

Finally, here are a few photos especially for Gale, who is spending her first autumn in the desert, and  misses the leaves.  

Adios, Tucson

Friday, November 9, 2012 – Adios, Tucson

As we prepare to depart from Tucson, I’ll take advantage of the flight delay to write up a summary of yesterday, the final full day of our Road Scholar program.  The city has grown and spread out in recent years.  The DeGrazia Gallery, which we visited Thursday morning, was once far from town, but is now surrounded by housing developments.  Ted DeGrazia was a artist born in Arizona to an Italian immigrant family early in the 20^th century.  He grew up playing in the Catalina Mountains with Apache kids for friends and became fluent in their language.  When he couldn’t interest any established art galleries in Tucson in showing his art, he purchased some land and built several adobe buildings – a house, a studio, and a large art gallery.  None of the buildings had electricity or running water.  One of the most interesting buildings on the property is a church that DeGrazia built with his own hands.  He decorated the church with flowers he made out of tin cans.  For the paintings on the walls, he mixed crushed minerals to obtain the colors (a trick he learned from his Apache friends).  Today, the site, called the Gallery of the Sun, is on the National Registry of Historic Places.  DeGrazia died in 1928 and his partner in his later years, a Cherokee Indian woman, was our guide. 

A mosaic by DeGrazia (originally in a Tucson church)

Inside DeGrazia's adobe home

Photo of Ted DeGrazia

The adobe church and surrounding cactus fields

Inside the adobe church DeGrazia built and decorated

Another view of the church

DeGrazia is buried on the property.

One of DeGrazia's paintings

I should mention that Elliott decided to forgo Friday’s activities due to his continued back pain.  However, he didn’t spend the day just lying around.  Around 11 a.m., he took a walk from the hotel to a nearby shopping center, sat outside at Starbucks for coffee and conversation (he’s very social), and picked up some Brie and crackers at Trader Joe’s. 

Speaking of food, I’m developing a real appreciation for Mexican cuisine.  Our Thursday lunch at El Charro Café was another tasty meal.  The veggie burrito I ordered was stuffed with masa, beans, and an assortment of grilled vegetables.  Once again, the salsa was fantastic.  In fact, I bought a jar to bring home.  After lunch, a short drive brought us to Sabino Canyon for a close-up encounter with the Catalina Mountains.  Following a tram ride about 4 miles up and 2 miles down, several of us hiked the remaining distance back to the Visitors’ Center.  On the way, I saw a coati and a couple of roadrunners.  This monumental landscape still seems to unreal to me.  When I come back to Tucson (which I’ll definitely do), I hope to hike Sabino Canyon early in the morning rather than in the middle of the afternoon.  I could pack a picnic lunch and see how the light changes throughout the day.  

In Sabino Canyon

Saguaros growing up the side of the mountains

Roadrunner

These feet hiked Sabino Canyon (socks from Sonoran Desert Museum)

Maybe the next time I come to the Southwest, I’ll bring a drawing pad in addition to my camera.  Trying to capture the contours of the mountains, the shapes of the plants, and the brilliant colors in the clear air could easily keep me busy.  I’m interested in seeing how the desert environment influences Gale’s paintings, too.  Thank you, Gale, for sharing this Arizona adventure with Elliott and me. 

Another Day in the Desert

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Thursday, November 8, 2012 – Another Day in the Desert

Another 6 a.m. wakeup call this morning; another breakfast of scrambled eggs with the best salsa in the world (made fresh in the hotel kitchen everyday); and another day of frizz-free living.  After three non-stop days of being bombarded with information and multi-sensory experiences, I’m ready to spend the day sitting out under the ramada beside the splashing fountain.  But that’s not on the schedule.  In less than an hour, we’re setting out for the foothills of the Catalina Mountains, where we’ll visit the gallery of the late artist Ted DeGrazia.  We’ll have lunch at El Charro, a longtime Tucson favorite for the cuisine of the Sonoran region of Mexico.  And then we’ll spend the afternoon at Sabino Canyon, located in the Coronado National Forest.  Following a scenic tram ride, those of us who still have the energy will hike back down the trail. 

Elliott has chosen to stay behind at the hotel today.  It’s probably a wise decision, considering that there wouldn’t be an opportunity for him to elongate horizontally.  If only he could get a new back.  But he’s relatively comfortable when he can stretch out periodically during the course of the day, and I’ve promised to take plenty of photos to share with him. 

I realize I haven’t written yet about our Tuesday and Wednesday activities.  Briefly, we visited a dude ranch, White Stallion Ranch, on Tuesday morning.  This must be an upscale dude ranch because they had a spa on the premises.  Lots of horses and western décor, and lots of dust.  I’ve now had enough dude ranch experience to last a lifetime.  

We had a totally different kind of experience on Tuesday afternoon when we visited the Steward Observatory Mirror Lab, part of the University of Arizona.  I’ve never studied physics or optics, so it was hard for me to comprehend a lot of the information in our guided tour of the facility.  Nevertheless, it was pretty amazing.  They build parabolic mirrors for telescopes and they’ve developed a method that results in extremely powerful telescopes.  In fact, they built the world’s largest telescope, now atop Mt. Graham, which produces images 10-20 times better than Hubble’s at a fraction of the cost.  To give you an idea of how powerful it is, astronomers were able to get photos of planetary systems that were 162 million light years away.  Wow.  Of course, it takes a couple of years to produce the mirrors for these telescopes.  

Wednesday was another full day, starting a lecture by a naturalist and then a visit to the excellent Sonoran Desert Museum, where we saw a variety of desert plants and animals that have adapted to life in the desert.  

Prairie dog at the desert museum

Bighorn sheep at the desert museum

Costa's hummingbird in the aviary at the Sonoran Desert Museum

 Our afternoon was devoted to the mission of Xavier del Bac, the best example of Spanish colonial architecture in the U.S.  Of course, at one time, this area was part of Mexico.  The mission is located in the middle of the Tohono O’odham reservation, and as we approached, the white adobe church seemed to glow in the mid-afternoon sun, earning it the nickname White Dove of the Desert.  The mission was established by Father Kino in the late 1600s.  The interior of the church reflects the Rococo style of the period, i.e. every surface was covered with elaborate decoration so there would no room for the devil to get in.   After our visit, Gale and I shared a piece of fry bread sprinkled with cinnamon sugar – tasty, but another once in a lifetime experience.