anyresemblance

Commute

I spent 4 hours commuting today which is approximately 3 hours and 55 minutes more than I wanted to.  I took an uber to Grand Central and still missed my train by 60 seconds but at least that meant I had time to have a coffee and an excellent almond croissant.  Then I took the train and an uber at the other end (because I was now running late).  I still got there before anyone else.

On the way home, I took the shuttle to the railway station, the stopping train, the shuttle from Grand Central to 42nd, the subway to 57th and then walked home.

Fortunately the kid had made dinner, gave me a gin and tonic and we watched a soothing episode of Ina cooking something nice for Jeffrey.

While I was at the office someone put up an organisation chart that made it look like I had a new boss. It was obviously not meant to be shared and there were a few sharp intakes of breath.  I have been reassured but I have few illusions.  It was somewhat galling to have this followed by a exhortation on what we needed to do to improve team morale.  Sometimes, I really miss my hermit cave.

These micro herbs growing in the food court at Grand Central are very attractive.  I whine about commuting but I love going into Grand Central and just gazing at its grandeur.  Railway stations are very pleasing places.

 

Shipping forecast

Sometimes it takes every effort of will not to just whine so as an exercise in being grateful:

the kid had a decent night’s sleep and seems marginally better

our favourite dog walker walked Charlie and said he was his favourite

we watched Sherlock and even though I’ve been telling her for five years she would like it, she loved it

she made amazing cookies from Ottolenghi’s sweet book

Sunday lunch

I had to take the kid to the dr today.  I hardly slept last night with listening to her her hacking cough.  She was poorly this morning so we went to the walk in surgery.  It was fast but at $125 why wouldn't it be (not covered by my insurance) and then a diagnosis of bronchitis, a script for a nasal spray, an inhaler and some cough medicine that came to another $90 (apparently also not covered though the incredibly helpful pharmacist at CVS called our insurance company to check).    We came home and I tucked her in bed and busied myself with nursing.

A common theme in the podcasts I've been listening to (all British) has been Sunday lunch.  We mostly stopped having Sunday lunch when I split up from my husband though we often have a roast something but we decided to reinstate it at her request.  Today we had roast chicken and roast pumpkin, carrots, potatoes and fennel and peas while she lay on the sofa.  Hours later we ate ice cream which was delicious.

We binge watched Collateral which I liked but thought had an awful lot of loose ends and an episode of Nailed It which is excruciating but very funny.

 

March

We didn’t march. The kid is really sick with a hacking cough. But we saw many many others on their way over to the park. 

 

Friday nights are my delights

I’m listening to a new to me writer, Joe Ide. It’s so good it makes me take a longer route home so I can hear the next bit.  It’s got that noir feel that I love and a great quirky hero, IQ.

The snow has disappeared as quickly as it came.

I believe in dog

So many tedious and testing things. Thankful for a world with dogs in it. 

kerfuffle

I've had some challenges with my typepad account which are hopefully all now sorted.  While I was gone very little happened to change the world.  I am working at home today due to nor'easter.  I entertained some thoughts of going to the office which I quickly dismissed when I realised I might get stuck there and am holed up in my bedroom looking at the snow accumulating on the window sill.

We're on a roll with food at the moment, both of us very inspired from listening to Stir the Pot and Diane Henry podcast.  So far we have had:

moroccan lentil soup

Mexican chicken with pepita pesto

potato paratha with lemon pickle

I had the leftover potatoes in a quesadilla for breakfast.  Delicious.

 

Old school

I was trying to find some hot cross buns yesterday and googled it (of course).  Apparently Amy's Bread near me was offering them as a seasonal offering.  It's not to far so we walked over with Charlie.  First off, the streets were teeming with drunk people.  I am baffled with the way St Patrick's Day is celebrated here.  It was like freshers week at university with disheveled people with green clothing getting hammered.  To add to my distress, the bread shop was selling what they labelled soda bread but it looked like a fruit loaf to me and the hot cross buns had green buttercream crosses on top.  Shudder.

I've taken to Delia to find a traditional recipe but along the way have made onion tart.  I have not made wholemeal pastry in a decade or more but it seems to have come together quite well.  That will form my lunches for this week.

I've been listening to Stir the Pot which has Signe Johansen skilled me in the correct pronunciation of hygge and everyone's disdain for the whole clean eating malarkey.  The good thing is I now have a long Wishlist of books I want to read.  The bad news is realising that amazon pays the authors a pittance.  It's not really bad news as it forces me back into bookshops.

 

Grand departures

I've lost my gnocchi mojo.  Time was when I could whip them up with no stress but the last two times I've made them they have either disintegrated or been a solid lump, not a pillowy morsel.  I blame the internet.  It used to be that I knew which recipe book I got a recipe from and now I am left wondering which "best" version I googled and it it worked or not.

I've listened to all the Diana Henry podcasts and am now working my way through Stir the Pot.  I am not as compelled by these but do love the segment on which ingredient or fad you would consign to the recycling bin.  So far goji berries, undercooked pastry and industrial farming have featured which is all fine with me.

I went to the suburbs on Wednesday but could not face driving so went my train.  I still get excited by Grand Central.

I had dinner with a friend last night in a very old fashioned French restaurant.  I disgraced myself by asking the maitre d if he were Australian.  He was from London and treated me with chilly disdain for there rest of the evening.  I ate charcuterie and duck confit.  The desserts were boring.  I haven't come across much interesting in desserts so far in NYC.

I felt less than chipper this morning but trudged off river ward with Charlie. It was flipping freezing but he always seems even more excited when the wind is ruffling his fur.  He had an amazing dog walker the other night who ran him nearly all the way to the Washington Bridge.  I had not met her but she stopped me on the river path when she was running another dog.  "Is that Charlie, omg, ohe is the best dog ever"  Then she ran off and, of course, he wanted to follow but that was not happening with my stiff knees.

For the rest of the day I cleaned and tidied and ironed sheets and cooked the afore mentioned gnocchi.  Last week was impossibly busy at work. I feel like I have been in a hundred meetings and advanced my work about a centimetre.  

Pepita

It didn’t snowmageddon but it did snow enough to mean I stayed at home. I was on 11 meetings between 7am and 4.30pm and am heartily sick of my own voice. I have another one at 9pm for which I fear minimal attendance.

We took a brisk walk along the Hudson tonight. It was not so cold as I expected and blew away some cobwebs.

The kid has listened to all the Diana Henry podcasts so we made her amazing Mexican chicken with pepita pesto. It wa the best thing I’ve eaten in weeks.