Dear Friends and Family,
Yesterday Michelle went through our collection of art and related books and is enthusiastically interested in adding these to her now meager collection. These things will go back to Woodbridge (her parents' home) and await the time when the sisters get their own apartment which they hope to do in the spring. Michelle showed us a draft of her portfolio, and we were very impressed. It is a beautifully crafted piece of work in itself, and shows off her talents, which are impressive and inventive. Towards the end of the portfolio, she shows the work she enjoys most at the place where she works: There are three major shows for the company's big customers each year and a number of smaller conference and display situations and Michelle is in charge of the designs for three conference rooms. Until we saw pictures of her concept designs (all done on the computer) and photos of the actual rooms, we did not fully appreciate the skill and talent involved. Very impressive.
After she removed the books she wanted, she rearranged (at my request) the cabinet that had contained them. It had been a cluttered mess with pieces of this and that (bowls, vases) on the top and the books jammed in below. Now it looks like a feature instead of a disaster.
Michelle is just as handy in the kitchen as are all the other women in tha family. We had a lovely lunch but were so full two of us didn't want dinner (I am the one who eats most and actually had another meal). In the afternoon, I puttered around making a NYT recipe of roasted garlic, red peppers and eggplant, which then I processed into a sort of paste. I froze this for a sauce for spaghetti or as a base for a soup. We'll see.
The beautiful red peppers made me think of a friend and colleague from NCC, Pat Owen. She was a wonderful writer and a fascinating person, with a life more eventful than one might think from her rather standard matronly looks (though beautiful, I have to add). When she became ill, she moved with her husband to Toronto, their native city. She died a number of years ago, and I should forgive her husband who never even let me know. But I am always saying, "don't should on yourself." Pat is the one who taught me how to roast peppers. Place whole peppers on a oven-proof pan in a very hot pre-heated oven (450 is goood) until charred on one side; then turn to char the other side. Remove carefully from oven and place in a paper bag to steam: the skin will be easy to remove once the peppers are cool enough to handle. Discard skin and sees. Cut into strips and add home-made salad dressing.
In the evening after Michelle left, we watched the MSNBC re-broadcast of most of Pres. Obama's Q&A with a Republican caucus at a social gathering. We think it was one of the most brilliant displays of his excellence we have seen, and each instance is a revelation. The NYT was unaccountably lukewarm this morning. Here is what will probably be a very temporary link, and if you didn't hear it before you can judge for yourself:
http://my.barackobama.com/page/content/obamagopqa/
His approval rating shot up today. Of course it won't stay there.
Today Sergei finished painting the bedroom (2 walls are now bright and light). Why two walls, you may ask? Perhaps I have explained this before. This is called marital compromise. One side (M) says "NO!" and the other (B) says "Yes!" to the idea of redoing the bedroom entirely, and until she can figure out a way to make it palatable to him, they are at a standstill. Simplifying the job made it possible. The main thing is that the two walls (front and closet sides) most in my view are a lovely not-mango color: more orange-peach, says Michelle. I am very very pleased. Michelle approved also, which is a relief because her ideas about what is appropriate stylistically are acute. And the pleasure grows from seeing that Merwin also is pleased, both at my pleasure and in his recognition that the idea of 2 walls did work out. Now the room can be much neater. That's the goal anyway.
This evening we are having an early dinner with Sophie and Brendan Lavin, a special couple in our lives. I am adding two photos of their children. We are going with Sophei and Brendan to Sherwood's, where I look forward to my favorite: GINGER SOUP. It's vegetarian and delicious.
OK, let's see where these images go: even though I have the cursor here, they seem to want to go to the top. Yes, there is the one I love, below the portrait of Gracie, Katie and Sarah: the mystery of it, the distance of the youngest sister. I'll ask Dave how to shift them to the bottom of the post.
Love to all,
B
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