Dear Patience and other deep thoughts

A watched tarte tatin never browns.
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Sophisticated tastes

This evening I burned the shit out of my finger attempting to make butterscotch tapioca. A younger me would have recoiled at either of those words, but the mature older me loves warm tapioca right out of the pan before it gels up. Afterwards it is just okay, not great.

I have no idea why growing up I was repulsed by tapioca. I think it was the boxed stuff made by Jell-O that didn't solidified into uneven yellow chunks.

TH is a big fan of the 'oica. Milk, a bit of sugar, an egg and couple of tablespoons of tapioca, a bit of vanilla and some patience and judicious stirring can lead to a dish that in no way resembles the chunky stuff you tried to feed the dog under the table.

Butterscotch is another story. The idea of eating something that color with no real taste other than sweet has never swayed me. Once I realized that caramel is the equivalent to the butter of the Scots I stopped hating it and am learning to embrace it.

My foray into mixing the two of the together this evening using Fanny Farmer's recipe (no egg?) was not a rousing success. I ended up with a scant amount of pudding, a throbbing finger, leftover caramel for a tarte tatin and the realization that I continue to grown up.


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Leafs of faith

Today we started in earnest to get the vegetable garden ready for the planting season. It is a division of labor -- TH works hard to schlep compost, plastic, build beds, while I clean out the long season plot of old asparagus stalks, pruning raspberry canes that reach to the heavens and relocating errant strawberry plants.

Every year, I pull up 100s of columbine plants and raspberry canes. They are both plants where a little goes a long way. I can't say that I am the most sentimental gardener. I used to be until I realized a tiny cosmos seedling in May becomes a 6 foot monster with a stem the diameter of a corn stalk in October and broadcasting seeds hither and yon.

Every year as I turn over the soil, I say a prayer that this year will be better than last. That I will have patience and sustained enthusiasm for the entire season, not just for the easy part -- the planting.

I mumble to myself thanks for the ability to bend, stretch and reach over rows to weed pain free. To use my hands and fingers nimbly to drop seeds in holes that hopefully will yield a carrot, turnip or beet.

I also retain the faith that in a week when I return, I will see a bright green stripe of sprouting seeds with telltale leaf patterns that tell me if I have planted carrots or kohlrabi.

Go plant something, take a chance.

sunday wrap up

dog, gym, parents, brunch, garden shopping, nap, garden clean up, nap, grumpy, garden assessment, dog walking, dinner, dog walking

can you see a trend?

more than a feeling

Today I spent the afternoon with my childhood cadre -- those who are still here -- both in the 'hood and on earth. We celebrated the impending birth of my first niece/nephew. Blessedly no games were played - just the normal oohing and aahing of the myriad of teeny tiny green/yellow and gender neutral clothing. This not finding out the sex thing of the kid is both really cool and really irritating at the same time.

Suffice it to say, baby will probably never want to wear the color green again after the first six months of its life.

I talked to S at length about the children's table and wondering as we all sit with our mothers and aunts and long time friends of our parents -- both how lucky we are to still be friends, but also how we still feel like we're the kids.

Yeah, we'd rather sit giggling about Donny Osmond than discuss how that salad was made.

nm a little bit country

My mom knew before I was born I was to be a girl. She had a name picked out and everyone was excited that soon N would be born. Perish the thought that I would have been a boy, non?

There was no ultrasounds, no blood tests, no nothing. My mom just felt like she was going to have a girl. It is a 50/50 chance thing. She picked the right side of the coin.

I always wondered what it would be like to be a male child, they are treated so differently. Those societal strictures can really put a damper on what you end up doing with your life.

Suffice it to say, its been a long windy road that brings me where I am today.

This week has aged me by at least a month if not more.

growing up

Don't worry Mony. I am not going anywhere. I just wanted to make sure I had made my contributionfor April 2009 's NaBloPoMo. This month's theme is "growing up".

I can't say I've been very good at it. I seem to exist in a perpetual state of immaturity. Even in my 40's I wish I could sit at the kid's table at Thanksgiving and sometimes shy away from conversations that involve adult topics. However, overall I think I did a pretty good job of growing up. This month you'll hear all of it - someone of it mudane, some deep and some of it sort of funny and pathetic. Growing up as a half generation from the oil refineries, carpet looms and high plains of the motherland in a country where Middle Easterners are portrayed as the bad guys made growing up hard to swallow at times. It also gives one pause for thought.

Hold on though, it should be good.

The above picture was taken this weekend, in Paris where I decided to wrestle between my adult mature self and my not so mature free wheeling self and go on a quest for DEQMs. It wasn't all that bad really money wise and time wise or on my body. In the long run, I will still be able to retire before I'm 65 and be able to say that I was once young and foolish enough to fly to Paris to buy macarons and easter eggs. Yes, I think I will be okay.

April 1st

This space for rent. Be back later.

Nm
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Today's flying time

The airport teems with benzoyl peroxide, bad tattoos and pillows.

The Board Room was the same.

I managed to leave my ipod ear buds at home and just paid 30 bucks for a pair of headphones, which kills me because I have a pair of shures at home.

I think I will leave these in my bag.

When did travel become so technical and connected? I will admit that my parents and TH appreciate the text or email that I have arrived safely wherever I am. However, it can be tempting to check in with you all and the 9 to 6 to keep on top of it. I guess I have the power to turn it off, but do I have the will?

I had to bring my ipod charger because it failed to charge -it seems that I managed to not set the pod into the cradle correctly. I probably won't even listen to it, but it serves as a security shield from my seat opponent should they try to enlist me in a vertical marketing scheme.

So, one more piece of plastic, wires and chips to lug hither and yon.

I should turn this thing off--after I call TH and check in at home. Hearing her voice is the most important pre-flight check.

Volare

Nm
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Heartbeat

Quick one here...

My dear Z's husband Anth is currently undergoing a heart transplant, they knew the procedure was inevitable, but the need came far too soon.

Please send your healing powers towards Pittsburgh for all three of them - Z, Anth and Ev.

We also send prayers for the family and soul of the heart donor.

If you have not ever thought of signing your organ donor card -- please reconsider the life you save could be the one of your fellow blogger.

Nm

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I seem to be welcoming these days.

Hi.

I have been a bad correspondent, for all sorts of reasons. Nothing too deep and meaningful is stopping me, just life and the drudgery of being on the computer at home. I am beginning to loathe it.

We had a nice time in Paris -- the weather cooperated, food was awesome, walking was outstanding and shopping was not too stressful. I was happy to come back non-stop and go right to WORK--at least I didn't suffer from jet lag.

Other than that, things are normally staid and dreadfully dull around here. The more I try to bring order into my world, the faster it crumbles. Right now I am staring at a pile of papers that I keep on meaning to organize and just can't get it together.

Oh, did I tell you that I have my first half marathon of the season in less than two weeks? Yikes.

The longer days make me happy -- I cook in kitchen full of sunlight and pray for the first favas to appear. The raspberries all need pruning, the violets are all up, the daphne smells divine and I have two pots full of lettuce to plant this weekend.

A new year is just around the corner.

nm

Le parfum du souvenir

I am a double scent girl -- annick goutal's l'eau de hadrien with jo malone's grapefruit. It hardly ever changes, citrus and clean is my thing.

However, the smell of the park hyatt vendome is one that I cannot get out of my mind. In a way, I resent the reality that the world comes in white tea, kiwi, vanilla and sandalwood scents. I abhor the use of dryer sheets and scented laundry detergent that assault us on dog walks. However, the signature scent at the PHV always makes me crazy in a good way. It is musky and deluxe, which really makes no sense unless you are exposed to it. When I am feeling down, I use the shampoo to remind myself of good times in Paris.

Better than a plastic eiffel tower.

Mlle nm a votre service
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Paradise can be created with buckwheat flour, eggs, water and a bit of caramel au buerre sale.

Quite tired now...
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On the day of ....

So we had snow -- what a way to start the day, magical yet vexing.

Lucky for me, a seat opened up out of LA, so I get to experience LA and the various and sundry irritations involved with transiting through a 3rd world airport.

There is something comforting about flying into a landscape with which you are familiar. The grid of the valley, the getty as hill town, sinuous Wilshire from the ocean through Tehrangeles and to Beverly Hills. For such a planned and deliberate landscape, the vast green spaces are a comfort.

I will admit that I promised four different sets of friends and relations that I would come down and visit. It looks great from the air but I am not sure that it all can be taken in one week, let alone a week.

Baby steps.

We're off...
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I am avoiding doing anything I need to do.

Why is the 90210 back on the air again? Didn't they kill off half the characters?

Yeah, I'm avoiding doing minor things like packing, writing checks, straightening up.

Things that I should have no problem doing, but for some reason I am suffering from
a great case of ennui.

Tomorrow I will be flying to Paris. Really. I'm not quite sure what I will do once I get there - I believe there will be eating, walking, photo taking and a stroll or two around the Tuileries.

I'll be back in five days. Keep the home fires burning.

nm

365.50

365.50
Originally uploaded by flora and flying

Thursday seemed to vanish. Days seem to either drag on forever or
whiz by. Sometimes I wish I could just slow things down enough so that I could either savor a sunny dog walk or make sure I could leave work with an empty desk.

Today I could have stayed at work until 10pm and still not complete the tasks I had laid out for the day.

No, I did not bite off more than I could chew -- the world handed me more crap that had to be dealt with now.

Well, at least the laundry is done.

Tomorrow also will be nice, good thing the weather craps out on the weekend. I wasn't really planning on leaving my office.

365.48

365.48
Originally uploaded by flora and flying

Bribery will get you somewhere.

Tired and behind as usual. Not looking forward to the end of the week as I think I'll be working most of the weekend in order to feel like the following very short week is deserved.

365.47

365.47
Originally uploaded by flora and flying

Yeah, it was sunny and warm. I am loving February, a month I typically despise.

Lunch has been confirmed at Robuchon. I love a hotel with a decent concierge -- one you can email on a regular basis to get these things straightened out or arranged. I especially like one that you can hand a package to (prepaid of course) and it will be mailed for you.

I sometimes I think that I appreciate these things more than the actual city. I also realize that when traveling I don't like surprises.

More on that later.

nm

I'm thinking tis better to stop blogging and keep on taking pictures.

What do you think?

back and gone

I am back from Hawaii -- fabulous b&b, no show tunes, just plain old fashioned amazing hospitality and great weather and avoiding Kona is the best thing you can do, trust me.

We're home for three days and then back off to MCI for my brother's wedding.

I cannot wait to see my extended family and meet the rest of J's family.

Should be a fun weekend of beef and what not, including cupcake deliveries and fusing Persian and American wedding customs.

I am looking forward to my eighteen days of staying in the state before leaving again.

Other than that, spring is coming and that gives me some more hope.

nm