Hello, Sunday.

It’s been a gloomy pair of days this way, and I’ve made the most of it by doing all the inside things that tend to get ignored from doing: closets are straightened, laundry is done, den is tidy(er).  I made some bread, which seemed like a good thing to do, and I’ll tell you more about that later this week.

How’s it going with you? I hope that you’re not letting the stress of life in too much, and settling into the shorter days with a warm beverage, cozy sweater and good book in hand.  I just finished the Queen of the Tearling trilogy by Erika Johansen, and while the third books seemed to take forever to get on with it, I’d recommend it because you know you’re going to read it once Emma Watson has her way with the screenplay!  What are you reading?  

I hate the 24-hour news cycle and waking up each morning to hear so much has changed since the evening before.  Trying to dig through the noise for words that make me laugh, cry and think, here’s what I’ve got:

8 Culinary Cycling Trips I need to take. Yes, need. My cycles through Ireland, Germany and Holland were three of my favorite vacations, and I can’t wait to head out on another one, especially one food themed, whenever that may be! If you have the time and inclination to try it, it will no doubt be your favorite, too!

Basic Science is cool! And, it’s running out of funding.  Who will fund the next generation’s great scientific discovery?

Nurses, the unsung heroes.  

THIS is privilege.  A must-watch for everyone.

If you could live forever, would you?  The science of aging and the effort to slow it down.

More science:  An Alzheimer’s drug, good for the teeth? So it would seem.

This life doesn’t sound all that bad.  The 74 year-old woman who traded love for a life of travel.

Paying to avoid climate change? Seems most of us are willing to put our money where our mouth is.

Why are we getting more obese? The answers are obvious.

And finally, for the fellow large-chested ladies out there, a good laugh.

Have a great week!

Go Cubs GO!

Hello, Sunday.

The weekends are not long enough, and seem to be even shorter as they daylight hours are less and less.  Staying out to play until 8p was a given two months ago, and now it’s certainly closer to bedtime.

It’s been a lazy weekend full of reading, cooking and baseball.  The Cubs are at it again, and college football is also doing it’s thing, so I’m doing the busy-not busy thing of keeping up with the teams that bind.

The news is too much, so entertain ourselves we must to get through the daily grind. Here are my contributions to that effort.

Do you believe in Ghosts? I sure do.  I stayed here a few years ago when Frites got married and I had never (and still haven’t seen) The Shining.  Good thing, because if I had taken some pictures and saw this I’d have been hiding out in the mountains. 

This video of 90s hits is THE BEST. It’s seriously tearin’ up my heart (and thanks to Biscuit for this gem!)

As I was walking around town today I definitely had some one yell out, “hey beautiful.”  It wasn’t particularly crass, though I can’t say I particularly liked it either.  This woman’s efforts to make the problem visible has fallen on deaf ears, but I applaud it, nonetheless.

I can’t say that I can related to this woman, but her words are worth being read by all:  “As long as it’s healthy.”

Self-discovery through travel? Yup, and yup.

Another Nobel Prize for the fruit fly.  Yay basic science!

The 60 year old intern.  This doesn’t surprise me as my mom tried to retire twice and failed because she got bored, and finally did again for the third time. Retirement for her is working two days a week.

No one uses AOL IM anymore, but this hurts a little just the same. RIP, lulubelleND.

The truth about the Millennial Snowflake.

That’s what I’ve got. 

Have a good week!

Hello, Sunday.

Fall has made itself known, at least for the last two days, and I’ve been taking advantage before it jumps back up to summer later this week.  Mom and I checked out one of the local hiking areas and it’s so close and so easy and so pretty that I know I’ll be heading back more than once before it’s covered with snow.

Last week’s lack of recipes resulted from a complete lack of cooking. It was hella hot, I was hella lazy and I lived off toast, cereal, eggs and ice cream.  I’m not proud of it, but there it is. I know we can do better, so real food comes back with a bang this week and rest assured you’ll be in on that secrets.

The internet?  So bad.  I did manage to find a few things to make it all not so bad.

FIRST.  My friend Ham wrote a book! Like a real book! It’s a fictional story about the woes of online dating in your 30s…so, relatable. I spent last night reading it and I was into it from beginning to end. I know it’s not beach season any more, but if you live by the beach, it’s the best kind of read!  You can buy it on the Amazon, Logging Back into Life by RJ Hutchins.

Looking for a job?  Officials are looking for a couple to run this deserted French island. Yup, really.  

Can’t get rid of internet trolls? Get rid of their forums.  Reddit’s done it, and it’s working.

Mom loves the movie Mona Lisa Smile because she says it accurately portrays what college meant for women of that generation.  It’s so weird to think that was less than a generation ago, and here’s another take on the way we were.

Lisa Kudrow, wise words.

Music tastes as a window to your soul?  More accurate than you think.

Treat others with dignity and respect? Seems like a no-brainer, a reminder.

Keeper of the books.  How one man saved 377,000 manuscripts in the midst of a war.

This cracked me up, and supports what I’ve always said: Why would you wear a romper to any sort of festival where you’d have to be naked in a port-a-potty??

I’ve had the unmistakable urge to make cinnamon rolls.  I’m still working out whether I really I need to make them for my party of 1, but if I cave, these likely will happen.  Cinnamon Swirl Buns ala Smitten Kitchen.

That’s what happening here.  Have a great week!

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