Weekend wrap up and other random stuff
japra | Sep 08, 2008 | Comments 11
Eh, don’t get too excited, we actually had a very laid back weekend. Both Roxi and Mr. DJ were tired, so we pretty much just did nothing all weekend. It was great!
Roxi found out that she was selected to play Eulalie Mackecknie Shinn in her school’s Fall musical, “The Music Man, Jr”. I think this is good casting on the part of the directors. The only thing Roxi is sad about is she doesn’t get to do a lot of singing or dancing. However, Eulalie is a hilarious character. I think Roxi can do a lot with her. Pick-a-Little one of the numbers she’ll be in.
It’s great soup weather here, so this weekend I made Barefoot Contessa’s Lentil Sausage Soup. I used a mixed bag of beans (which also included elbow macaroni) instead of only lentils because that’s what I had on hand. I browned the sausage (doubled) first and drained the fat. This was a delicious, hearty soup that we ate all weekend long! It got me thinking about cassoulet, though. I found this recipe for the Ultimate Cassoulet from BBC Food, which looks good. I think I may need to give it a try when I know I’ll be home all day. I also made Crisp Rosemary Flatbread from Smitten Kitchen. Delicious!
By the way, I’d like to say “Welcome to Blighty” or maybe “Howdy” to a fellow Texan–Kathy of Bridges to London. Kathy is a friend-of-a-friend who is “stationed” here for the Fall 2008 semester. She arrived on Friday, but it looks like she’s done so much already :-)
I’m off to tidy up and to make a trial run of a chocolate cake recipe dearest Mimsy (thank you, thank you!) shared with me this weekend. My sweet friend S is coming over tomorrow for a birthday lunch (hers!) and later this week another friend of mine (Anne L) is coming for a visit! Plus I need to bake birthday cupcakes for a boarding student at Roxi’s school. AND I’m working on getting a blog or website up for my art. Right now I’m thinking Typepad but might just stick with Blogger.
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Also, I really need to work on getting my Oxford post up this week. I really, really do.
About the Author: JaPRA is an expat Texan living in England with her husband (Mr. DJ), their 17-year old daughter (Roxi), and their dog Trudy.
I like Blogger. I like that you can do so much with the sidebars. I have never used Typepad before but I think I might move my media blog back to Blogger. I wanted to try WordPress out but I am not sure if that is working for me.
Congrats to Roxi. She sounds very successful.
I am also trying to catch up on my blogging – so not happening right now.
Roxy’s part should be a lot of fun.
I haven’t made cassoulet in so long! Its a good food for when after the frost kicks in, so is lentil soup.
I started a Thing to Wear a while back but I have yet to post anything on it. I haven’t done that much to post lately, or even much regular blog posting, but hopefully I will get inspired by yours ;-)
I look forward to seeing whatever site you do for your art.
I love the Barefoot Contessa.
Congrats to Roxi on landing a role.
Emm–I like Blogger too. It’s easy to use AND it’s free! But I need a way to have an online portfolio so people won’t have to dig through my blog posts. I think Typepad supports this. I know I could take photos of my stuff and put it on Flickr, but I’m not sure about that. We’ll see! By the way, I really like the way you display photos on your blog.
Susan–I just popped over to look at your “Thing to Wear” site and you literally don’t have a stich up! Well, maybe we’ll inspire each other :-) Do you have photos of your work yet? I’ve finally started to make art outside of my journals (14.5 books since I’ve moved here), so it would be great to have a place just to upload the art and point people to when they’re interested. And on the cassoulet front, it seems so involved! But I’m determined to give it a try.
Christine–I’ve been eyeing “Barefoot in Paris” lately. I’ve tried really hard not to buy any cookbooks (or many other books in general!)during my time. It’s so hard, though! I’m on a French food kick right now. “Anthony Bourdain’s Les Halles Cookbook” looks interesting as well.
I actually had one post but it seems to be gone, I guess when you don’t post in almost year…
I hope we do inspire each other. I use moleskin notebooks, usually the 5x8ish sized ones though I also carry a pocket one which I sometimes use. I also write blog posts there, that some how never get posted, I suppose I ought to post those. I have a couple things somewhere on Flickr, though I haven’t been there in quite a while.
Yes, real cassoulet is very involved, its like making lobster bisque with live lobsters only worse. I used to have a good simpler recipe that tasted almost as good, if I find it I will send it to you.
Susan–I ADORE lobster bisque but have never tried making it at home. I’m the only one who’d eat it, so I’ve never tried.
Well, I’d love to see your work whenever you get it up :-)
I’m a moleskine person too, but every now and then I want a different kind of paper and work in a Strathmore sketchbook. The .5 of my 14.5 journals is a satellite journal for my little “London” purse. It’s a Moleskine Cahier plain journal in pink. I’m trying to break out of my black-only mode. Uh oh. I’d better stop talking about journals now or I’ll never stop ;-)
I was on my walk this evening and thinking I’ve seen people with blogs that sell their art! Hmm.. the sky’s the limit.
Thanks for the plug for my blog! If it’s a success, it’s because I have great inspiration 8-)!
I’m excited for your daughter. Pick-a-little is practically my favorite song from the Music Man. It’s certainly the most catchy. And the Grecian Urns! From what I’ve learned about her from the blog, I think she’ll have a blast with this character.
Congrats to Roxi!
I think I’ll try the flatbread recipe.
Have you considered using wordpress?
Christine–You’re so sweet to think of me on your walk! I’m not really sure what I want to do with my art right now… but selling it in some form or another sounds good :-)
Kathy–I think You’re doing a great job! Don’t burn out ;-)
Barrie–I haven’t looked into WordPress yet. Emm mentioned it too, so it must be worthy of at least a peek.
I just realised I never replied to you on this! I wanted to let you know that I use Windows Live Writer to write my posts and they have a nifty Polaroid plugin which is what makes my pics so pretty.