Wednesday, November 17

Odds & Ends

When I posted about my Limoges china earlier this week, I should have admitted that I hardly ever use it. The 24K gold bands decree hand-washing and  hand-washing does not appeal to this dish-washer dependant, especially for larger groups. The only time I have used it in the past 10 years was for dinner for four and dessert for a few. I remember thinking that when I finally inherited those fancy dishes, I was going to use them often. Yeah, right....LOL

Book Recommendation:  At Home, by Bill Bryson is proving to be every bit as interesting as his other books are - not that I doubted one bit that it would be. The interesting bits of history regarding shelter and how our  living spaces developed over time - most of which were never taught in any school I attended - are fascinating, and the almost incidental word histories and derivations are brain candy to this word-o-phile! (there is probably a better word for it than that.) I am only about 50 pages into it and I expect it to get even better!

Blog Recommendation:  I would like to direct you here - My Thoughtful Spot. Tracy took my theme on boxes and the saving of them and wrote a beautiful post which you all should treat yourselves to and read. It makes me happy to know that such a thoughtful writer reads my blog (but aren't you all? - thoughtful, I mean?) and this one only lives about twenty miles away!

We went out to dinner with friends on Tuesday evening and were delighted to discover that appetizers were half-price until 7pm and dessert on Tuesday nights is on the house. YAY! Since we were eating more items than usual, we decided to get smaller entrees than we might have otherwise. I started with calamari (tasty, but a little tough), a fish sandwich and fries (excellent) and chocolate fudge cake (terrific). Of course, the camera stayed in my purse. We were talking non-stop and it didn't even occur to me to take a photo. Plus I had a glass of wonderful shiraz, which may have fogged my memory a little.  It's too bad that shiraz has alcohol in it.  If they made a non-alcoholic shiraz I'd probably drink a whole bottle a day - that's how much I love the taste. What's your favorite wine?


17 comments:

Kay Dennison said...

I love your posts like this!!!

What a treasure you have in your Limoges.

I love calamari. Frankly I could just make a meal of appetizers.
I think most restaurants make their servings way too big.

I'm going to look for the Bryson book at the library.

I'm gonna visit Tracy & I hope you think I'm a thoughtful blogger. I do try.

And I'm a cabernet sauvignon kind of gal but "good, cheap, red" is my motto unless someone richer than I is buying. LOL

Star said...

I have several favorite wines, but my favorite Shiraz at the moment is bottled by Little Penguin. Appetizers and dessert sounds like dinner to me!

Evil Twin's Wife said...

I'm a lover of Chardonnay. I'm glad you had such a nice dinner out!

Arkansas Patti said...

Thanks for the recommendation on Bill's new book. I really enjoyed "A Walk in the Woods."
Growing up, our Limoges china and inlaid silver stayed in huge barrels ready for travel. Only on holidays did they see the light of day. Kind of silly huh.

Lynn said...

I love Shiraz, too, but any red wine in a pinch.

Ginnie said...

Well, Judy, you know I stay away from the wine so I can't comment there...but I do thank you for the book recommendation and will try it. Thanks.

Pat said...

My most regular tipple is a glass of white wine with a dash of cassis in it.
The French call it kir.
Your turn:)

Carver said...

I uses china all the time except when something goes in the microwave. It's obvious too that mine gets a lot of wear but since I have my wedding china and my mothers wedding china, as stoneware has broken I've switched to china, not because I'm fancy but I'm too cheap to buy more stoneware. I did go ahead and give my daughter some of the china to make sure she'd have some decent ones that I didn't overuse.

srp said...

Probably no wine but I'll go with the calamari.... I love that!

Tracy said...

Thank you so much for giving a shout out to my blog and to my writing abilities! I feel like a celebrity :)...actually since I've spent 50 years as a 'closet' writer, it feels rather freeing!

I'm 'tracked out' and have had the best time investigating the blogs of others...so enlightening! Always ready to make a new friend or two within the writing community...
Regarding wine, umm, Sutter House...how's that for inexpensive? I'm a teacher; that's all I can afford, unless like Kay mentioned; someone else is buying!

carmilevy said...

I'm a big fish sandwich fan. And although I've never been a McDonald's fan, I'll admit to a weakness for their Filet 'O Fish sandwich whenever we're far from home with the kids.

Favorite wine? I'm far from being an oenophile, but I rather like Manischewitz because it reminds me of Friday nights with the fam - first as a child with my parents, and now with my wife and munchkins. It speaks of the moments that matter most.

Grannymar said...

My favourite wine? The wet stuff! LOL I don't drink much any more. Maybe I should have a medicinal glass each evening through the winter.

OldLady Of The Hills said...

Many interesting things here, Judy.
My favorite wine is a GOOD Mersault(?) Not sure I spelled that right---it's been a very long time since I have had some---It is "buttery" in a lovely way....!

That book sounds very interesting!

I will go visit your Blog Recomendation, Right Now!

Anonymous said...

Yes, At Home" is on my list. I read a preview about it on NPR and was hooked.
Making a bed literally meant finding straw upon which to lie. That was the original concept of making a bed etc., etc.
For me it was Grandmothers silver.
Exciting until the polishing began.
Helen

Sparkling Red said...

I am a huge Bill Bryson fan. I haven't read everything he's written, but I think I've gotten through the majority of his books. I didn't realize he had a new one out. That's great news!

I don't like wine, but I am very thoughtful. :-)

Travelin'Oma said...

We love sitting in a restaurant at 5:30 pm with all the other oldies getting early-bird specials. My kids tease, but they have to wait an hour to be seated and pay extra for dessert.

Bobkat said...

I enjoy reading Bill Bryson so I will have to check out this book. It sounds like my kind of read! :)