VmarksTheSpot

My sister’s boyfriend is headed to Northwestern for business school in the fall and he requested a scarf in burnt orange so he can represent for UT. I knit this one in Cascade 220 wool yarn using rice stitch. My sister reports:

“We youtubed ways to wear the scarf because he wasn’t sure how to wear it, but we figured it out so he’s prepared now.”

Excepts from a dog’s diary

Day number 180
8:00 am - OH BOY! DOG FOOD! MY FAVORITE!
9:30 am - OH BOY! A CAR RIDE! MY FAVORITE!
9:40 am - OH BOY! A WALK! MY FAVORITE!
10:30 am - OH BOY! A CAR RIDE! MY FAVORITE!
11:30 am - OH BOY! DOG FOOD! MY FAVORITE!
12:00 noon - OH BOY! THE KIDS! MY FAVORITE!
1:00 pm OH BOY! THE YARD! MY FAVORITE!
4:00 pm - OH BOY! THE KIDS! MY FAVORITE!
5:00 PM - OH BOY! DOG FOOD! MY FAVORITE!
5:30 PM - OH BOY! MOM! MY FAVORITE!

Day number 181
8:00 am - OH BOY! DOG FOOD! MY FAVORITE!
9:30 am - OH BOY! A CAR RIDE! MY FAVORITE!
9:40 am - OH BOY! A WALK! MY FAVORITE!
10:30 am - OH BOY! A CAR RIDE! MY FAVORITE!
11:30 am - OH BOY! DOG FOOD! MY FAVORITE!
12:00 noon - OH BOY! THE KIDS! MY FAVORITE!
1:00 pm OH BOY! THE YARD! MY FAVORITE!
4:00 pm - OH BOY! THE KIDS! MY FAVORITE!
5:00 PM - OH BOY! DOG FOOD! MY FAVORITE!
5:30 PM - OH BOY! MOM! MY FAVORITE!

Day number 182
8:00 am - OH BOY! DOG FOOD! MY FAVORITE!
9:30 am - OH BOY! A CAR RIDE! MY FAVORITE!
9:40 am - OH BOY! A WALK! MY FAVORITE!
10:30 am - OH BOY! A CAR RIDE! MY FAVORITE!
11:30 am - OH BOY! DOG FOOD! MY FAVORITE!
12:00 noon - OH BOY! THE KIDS! MY FAVORITE!
1:00 pm OH BOY! THE YARD! MY FAVORITE!
1:30 pm - ooooooo. bath. bummer.
4:00 pm - OH BOY! THE KIDS! MY FAVORITE!
5:00 PM - OH BOY! DOG FOOD! MY FAVORITE!
5:30 PM - OH BOY! MOM! MY FAVORITE

Excepts from a cat’s diary

DAY 752 - My captors continue to taunt me with bizarre little dangling objects. They dine lavishly on fresh meat, while I am forced to eat dry cereal. The only thing that keeps me going is the hope of escape, and the mild satisfaction I get from ruining the occasional piece of furniture…Tomorrow I may eat another houseplant.

DAY 761 - Today my attempt to kill my captors by weaving around their feet while they were walking almost succeeded, must try this at the top of the stairs. In an attempt to disgust and repulse these vile oppressors, I once again induced myself to vomit on their favorite chair…must try this On their bed.

DAY 765 - Decapitated a mouse and brought them the headless body in attempt to make them aware of what I am capable of, and to try to strike fear into their hearts. They only cooed and condescended about what a good little cat I was… Not working according to plan.

DAY 768 - I am finally aware of how sadistic they are. For no good reason I was chosen for the water torture. This time however it included a burning foamy chemical called “shampoo.” What sick minds could invent such a liquid. My only consolation is the piece of thumb still LODGED between my teeth.

DAY 771 - There was some sort of gathering of their accomplices. I was placed in solitary throughout the event, however, I could hear the noise and smell the foul odor of the glass tubes they call “beer.” More importantly I overheard that my confinement was due to MY power of “allergies.” Must learn what this is and how to use it to my advantage.

DAY 774 - I am convinced the other captives are flunkies and maybe snitches. The dog is routinely released and seems more than happy to return. He is obviously a half-wit. The bird on the other hand has got to be an informant, and he speaks with them regularly. I am certain he reports my activities. Due to his current placement in the metal room his safety is assured. But I can wait, it is only a matter of time…

-Author Unknown

A Longhorn square — hook ‘em Horns! I got the pattern from KayleenKnits.

And I finally got around to learning how to cable. Surprisingly easy!

My Mexican-inspired pan pizza — I made the crust from scratch, too!

And asparagus scones with cheddar:

You may have already seen this video by now but I’ve got to post it for posterity’s sake. It just makes me smile. The whole thing is quite entertaining, but my favorite part is when Matt Harding, the guy dancing, is having to do his thing while a dog in Kuwait bounces around him. I wonder if the dog is A) dancing, too B) trying to entice Harding to play C) trying to attack him.

My second favorite part is when Harding’s cavorting next to a stone-serious Korean soldier in the DMZ.

For more on Matt Harding’s awesome adventures, check out his Web site, Where the Hell is Matt? The New York Times did a write up of Harding’s accomplishment (although check out Harding’s journal where he takes issue with some of the content of the story). Harding, for one, prefers what the Chicago Tribune said about him.

Last weekend, Annibelle and I hit a Kelley’s Berry Farm in Castalian Springs, Tenn., for a go at berry-picking. It was my first time, and aside from the paralyzing terror I’d get struck down by lightning (we arrived in the middle of a thunderstorm), turned out to be a lot of fun. I came home with a pound each of blueberries and blackberries.

The blackberries, I made into a berry cornmeal cake, a recipe I probably should have read closer, considering it asks for a can of condensed milk and I’m not crazy about overly saccharine sweets. The blueberries, I popped into the freezer. I made a batch of blueberry muffins this afternoon with them.

The Washington Post Magazine revisits that amazing story (“Pearls Before Breakfast,” from April 2007) in this week’s issue.

Tom Shroeder, who edited the piece, recalls how it was his daughter’s violin case that Bell borrowed to use in the subway for bystanders’ loose change.

And Gene Weingarten, who won a Pulitzer for “Pearls Before Swine,” recounts with his usual devastating self-deprecation that what he thought was a brilliantly original idea wasn’t so original after all.

His name is Sungha Jung. He’s, like, 12. Oh. My. Gaw.

Yesterday my friend John and I took a day-trip to the towns of Cowan and Sewanee, Tenn., about an hour and a half south of Nashville.

Originally we were just going to hit Sewanee, but a co-worker recommended we stop in Cowan (population 1,800) and I’m so glad we did. While looking around on the ‘Net for where to eat, I came across mention off the Cajun restaurant Jazz and Jambalaya — what an exciting find! John and I had tried a Cajun place in Nashville a couple months back, only to find it closed and gone when we pulled into the lot, so it was exciting that we were finally going to get some Cajun cuisine. And in this tiny town of all places!

Having just had another favorite dish, shrimp etoufee, in Vacherie, La., when I was on my road trip with Sally, I opted for their jambalaya. An excellent choice, if I do say so myself. Really tasty and filling, loaded as it was with generous chunks of sausage and shrimp.

The menu listed only two items for dessert, bread pudding and mud pie, but I overhead mention at one of the other tables of beignets, which of COURSE I had to ask about. SO glad I did! Turns out the restaurant served blackberry beignets … wow, just the mention is making me drool like Homer Simpson. I’ve never eaten beignets with anything in them, just the plain (but deLICIOUS) ones buried under powdered sugar at Cafe Du Monde in New Orleans and Kyoto, but these sounded intriguing.

When they brought it out, I was actually really surprised. They looked more like callas (also a mouth-watering sweet treat, but are basically fried rice balls) than they did beignets (fried pillows of dough). But I’m not picky about looks. I cut into one of them and popped the bite in my mouth. Because of the blackberries, there was this flood of sweet tanginess. I chewed thoughtfully, getting used to the sensation, and decided that these beignets did, indeed, rock.

So Jazz and Jambalaya turned out to be a real gem that I’m glad John and I were able to visit before I leave Middle Tennessee. We moved on to Sewanee, where we explored the University of the South’s gorgeous tree-covered campus. The school first opened its doors in 1868. I’d been told about its gothic architecture, but seeing the buildings in person transports you a continent away, particularly All Saint’s Cathedral.

There aren’t any clear-cut front-runners on this season of “So You Think You Can Dance.” Will (whom I adore) is blowing away the competition and is obviously insanely talented but he’s not part of as strong as a couple of some the others. My fave performances from last night:

Mark and Chesie’s hip-hop routine — S-I-C-K. Mark is probably my other favorite male dancer in the comp and Chelsie definitely held her own in this dance.

Gev and Courtney’s rumba — smokin’!

Joshua and Katee’s samba — equally hot! The hip-hop trio, including Twitch are doing especially well this year, I think, and I’m so glad of it.

“She’s a junkie. I’ve always respected that from a person.”

“I could watch people fed to animals pretty much 24 hours a day. Someone ought to start a channel with that.”

I capitulated and got Seasons 1-3 of HBO’s “Deadwood” when I saw recently saw Amazon had it on sale for 50 percent off. I just finished watching Episode 1 of the first season with creator David Milch’s commentary. Man, he rocks. He could totally have been a character himself on “Deadwood.”