Tuesday Hash

                                                                         1.

 
I've been working on a quilt border.   What goes in the middle is all sewn together, but it will stretch if I leave it up on the wall, so I take it down each night.  What's left is the  (probable) border.  I'm going to sew it together today. I hope.  Already made the back.

                                                                             2.
Yesterday I discovered this photo of myself taken in 2007 in front of Eleanor Roosevelt's cottage, Val-Kill, in Hyde Park, New York.

Hyde Park, 2007

Then I came across a photo of me taken in Greece, four years and eleven pounds later.  I put my head down on the table and shook it, all at the same time.  We were first-timers on a cruise, and I'd eaten every dessert that came my way.  And then we went to England where I discovered pub desserts and lager. 

Since January 1,  I've had no desserts, limited sugar, blah, blah, blah, and I'm still pounds over what I weighed then.  Hell with it?  Accept that I'm older and fatter?

                                                                                3.

On Sunday, we worked on our taxes for hours, very dreary and bickering-inducing.   But we did manage to empty the big dish on the table (below),  which was toppling over with tax stuff. 

Finally, at 3:45, I screeched that we had to get out of the house.

Jerry:  Where to?

Me:  Don't care, anywhere!

(Got in car, headed down the street.)

Me:  I know!  The UC Botanic Garden!

(Drive back to house to get membership card.)

Usually, it's peaceful there, but there was a raucous wedding reception going on, and the people were chanting, "USA! USA!" so it sounded like a swim meet.  We could hear them everywhere we walked--in the rose garden, the medicinal garden, Australasia, South America.

The bride wore a spaghetti strap, tiered lace dress. They were lucky on the weather or she'd have been freezing.  Loud DJ music. Not peaceful, but interesting.

Squint and you and you can see the bridal couple posing for their photographer, groom holding the bride.  This was the photographer's idea.  I've never understood those staged shots, seem so phoney, but whatever.

We particularly like the California section of the Garden, because when we were dating in 1976, we had impromptu picnics there.  In fact, it's the very site where I laid it on Jerry that I didn't cook.  His response:  "Strike one." 

Jerry in the California section, wearing his Cal hat and telling me that taking his picture is "stupid."  But then he liked it.



                                                                                 4.



A slow day at the Food Pantry yesterday: only 30 clients.  We actually had bread (Semi-Freddi's) and pastries (ditto, plus Starbuck's) left over for Wednesday.  Had some new clients, including a young couple living in a car.

I'm worried because I heard on the news that WIC (Women's, Infant, and Children's food program) is going to be cut due to the sequester.  WIC supports low-income women and children up to five years of age and currently supports 53% of all babies born in the US  (time out to shake head and put down on table again).

The Pantry has a number of women and children clients who depend on this program.  If they lose it, they're going to need more food from the Pantry.  The Pantry served 2000 people last month.

Sometimes the Pantry shelves get pretty bare

                                                                         5.

I'm beginning to get excited about our trip to England in May.  Been poring over a new edition of a favorite travel guide, trying to figure out what trips well take out of London (left).  Some of the trips are two hours each way by train--too long!  By the time we get back to London, I'm a whiney, over-tired wreck Jerry has to escort back to whatever flat we're renting.  Shorter is definitely better.