Long weekend

We were out this morning, which was surprisingly chilly.  The cooler air seems to give him more energy (which he really doesn’t need!) and he wants to run and chase other dogs and is happy to drag me across fields to get where he can find other pups.  This afternoon was still cool, but warmer than this morning, and the little monster was full of pep.  He had a lovely time running around and trying to dominate other dogs, and is now tired out.  He’s curled into a ball on the sofa and both he and Don are giving off little snores (there’s a game of some sort on TV)  Don is still having difficulty walking with his sciatica, so it will take a while for him to recover.    My back is reminding me that I can’t run or be pulled along by the dictator without consequences and I’m waiting for the pills to take effect.

Here I am, indulging in my silly pastime — new book sniffing.  It’s a moment of joy when I first get a new book to take a “hit” off the pages before I dive in… I can’t do that with ebooks, which is a shame.  I think that ebooks should come with a scent capsule that you can use when you start reading.  Yes, I know that it’s a combination of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) that off-gas from the adhesive used to bind the book, and blah-blah sensible explanation, but that doesn’t eliminate the emotional warmth that comes from taking that first deep sniff.  I compare it to smelling freshly cut grass or pine needles or the smell of brine as you approach the sea.  It gets me into a place where I’m about to enjoy myself with a simple pleasure.  This is a book that arrived this week as a gift from some friends.  I really want to thank the various people who have sent me books recently as they’re filling up my “to read at bedtime” pile and I’m happiest when I have a selection of books waiting for me. 

I signed up for a 30-day free trial of Scribd.  I’m pleased with the selection of books that they have, and audiobooks and podcasts.  So many choices… it’s awesome.  BUT I object to the cost.  I mean, all of these many many subscription services would just suck every penny if I signed up for all the ones of interest.  They are all so appealing — unlimited use for a low monthly price that amounts to a couple hundred dollars per year.  But in order to get access to the materials that you’re most likely to use, you’d need to select more than one, and then the odds are that you’re likely not to make maximum use of the service.  It’s a minor thing, but if you consider just video streaming services — we started off with Netflix, then suddenly there was Amazon Prime, Disney +, Apple TV+, HBOMax… then the TV networks launched their own services, and then there’s British TV, and Bollywood, and on and on… so if you were to sign up for all of them, you’d be paying close to $1000/month, and you’d really never get the full benefits.  So as attractive as Scribd seems to be, I’ll cancel after the free trial ends and return to my library (and the free download sites that I’ve found.)  It just seems bizarre that there are so many companies that want to sell streams of stuff.  Some new ideas are really needed…

I had enough energy this weekend to bake a batch of muffins (yesterday) and some bread (today).  The kitchen smelt great — why is it that freshly baked bread (or muffins or cookies or cake) smell so good?  I immediately think of warm bread with melting butter or scones with clotted cream and jam or cookies (or cake) with a cup of tea (Earl Grey, hot!  With milk) and a good book.  That’s a lovely break in the afternoon.  Of course, I’d also have a small black dog butting me for space on my lap, a  share of goodies and no book to distract from his tummy massage, which would interfere with the relaxation quotient…  I pulled out a few of my cookbooks to hunt for a couple of new recipes; I need to use up about a dozen eggs which are approaching their “best before” date, and I hate to throw out food.  I don’t want to make a quiche or a frittata and I want to use whole eggs (or an even number of whites and yolks) rather than having to toss out something. My challenge is that I can’t really do anything that requires a lot of kneading / rolling / shaping because my back will remind me that it’s there, nor anything that needs me to stand for a long time.  All these requirements!!  Anyway, I’m currently exploring some Mediterranean dishes, including Spanish and Italian, as well as “classic” French.  Something interesting should appear, I’m sure!

I’m going to leave you now, as I have a tummy to massage and it’s not in the least happy to be ignored for even a few minutes.  Sleep well, and have a good night.