Being housebound ain’t so bad. Cindy is playing sweet music on her viola in the other room as I gaze out into the cold (4 degree) windswept snow. Our apartment is warm, we have food and wine and each other and nature has a way of slowing us down when we really need to slow down. We did venture forth this morning on what Cindy calls a “wake-up walk” – going outside to get your blood moving almost as soon as you’re out of bed. We had fully intended to go to the little French café/bakery that is not too far from the apartment but we got halfway there and headed in another direction. The wind was fierce and the temperature cold, so cold that our faces, even protected, started to fall off! We shopped for some smoked salmon and brown bread and raced home to seal the doors and windows. Not to worry, a week from today we’ll be eating croissants and sipping café crèmes on the quais of Marseille.
I did make dinner last night, which is a good thing since the weather was just as bad but it was also dark, which makes walking even more treacherous. I defrosted a couple of tuna fillets and pan seared them in a bit of butter. Just before they were done, I added some Newman’s Own sesame salad dressing to the pan along with the juice of a half lemon. When it was reduced to nice syrup I placed the tuna on a hot plate and covered it with the sauce. I served this with a mélange of smashed potato and carrot, with roasted garlic and Parmesan. Boiled peas added to the color and fresh flavors, especially nice with a lovely bottle of white Burgundy. Cindy was happy to have me home. I never worry about her surviving while I’m gone; she was after all a professional caterer and knows her way around a kitchen. It is, however, much nicer to be waited on and served like you are in a restaurant. It is a good tonic for deep winter.
Random musings as I read the news:
1. I never liked Clarence Thomas and I don’t like him now. This is what is wrong with lifetime appointments. http://www.nytimes.com/2011/02/13/us/13thomas.html?hp
2. I used to love Guadalajara and now it is a haven for drug lords and look what they have done to this beautiful city. http://edition.cnn.com/2011/WORLD/americas/02/12/mexico.bar.shooting/index.html?eref=mrss_igoogle_cnn
3. I like cruising. I like small intimate ships that take you to small harbors and quaint inlets. Anyone planning on surprising me with a gift of a cruise, don’t choose this ship. Thanks. http://travel.nytimes.com/2011/02/13/travel/13allure.html?src=dayp
Cindy made me go out into the cold again this afternoon but this time I had on more clothes, including a balaclava. While it kept me warm, it was impossible to wipe my nose so I don’t plan on wearing that much more. It has snowed all day and we are now very much in for the night and approaching The Hour.
Best wishes for a lovely Sunday, Cindy and Wm
PS from CC: No one makes Wm do anything! I simply announced I was going for another walk and after a lot of whining and some banter about waving at me from the window, there he was at the doorway, all covered up and looking very much like a bank robber. I have to agree that the weather is miserable today, but with the right clothing it’s hardly noticeable and certainly nothing to write home about. Ha!
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