Miscellaneous Monday
My company extended our 4 day workweek through 2023, so Fridays are my ‘me’ days. My Friday morning walks are more relaxed and meandering than the other weekdays, since I don’t have to be back and at my desk by 8:00. I enjoy them, but not as much as I did when I had Mulder to accompany me in exploring our town. Le Sigh. This last Friday, I had an appointment at 11:00, after which I took myself to lunch, where I enjoyed a lovely grilled asparagus salad with a delicious biscuit and a glass of Sancerre. I finished up my chapters of A Tree Grows in Brooklyn for Engee’s book club. I am working hard to not read ahead, as I want to be present with the conversation on her blog, but it is difficult. It was a lovely way to spend some time. After that I ran some errands, then just chilled out at home.
My 11:00 appointment was with a chiropractor. I’ve been seeing him since early June, when I somehow tweaked my neck while drying my hair. Not cool. I started out by getting a massage, which felt good but didn’t really help. I discovered that I can use my flexible spending account on massage therapy, which does not need to be prescribed or authorized by a doctor, so that’s a bonus. If I find myself with money left in the account at the end of the year, I now know how to spend it! After the massage didn’t do much for my neck, I decided to see a chiropractor. My BFF Rosemary had suggested that a chiropractor might help with my vestibular issues, so I figured here were two reasons to give it a shot. A couple of days after starting treatment, I read an article in the New York Times about having a chiropractor manipulate your neck that alarmed me, and I haven’t let him do that anymore. So he’s a bit limited by my caution, but is working with me anyway and I’m seeing progress. My neck is definitely feeling better, though still not 100%. Is that the chiropractor? Is it the yoga I have gotten back into doing? (Motivated by Tobia, thank you!) Is it just that it’s been a good 6 weeks and my neck would have been better anyway? Who knows. The balance issue comes and goes. I have an appointment later today with a neurologist, perhaps she will have some answers for me.
Saturday, we went to a birthday party to celebrate the birthdays of Ted’s mom and uncle. I made a delicious corn and basil salad, and started my day at the Farmers Market for corn. I always get excited by the tomatoes, and may have over purchased. Not sure what our meals will be this week, but I’m pretty sure there will be tomatoes involved. The orchid I bought at the grocery store for my friend Neva, her birthday is in a couple of weeks and we will be getting together to celebrate. Perhaps at the same restaurant I went to on Friday, she loves it.
Also present at the birthday party was a bottle of this rosé, which captured my interest for some reason at the grocery store a few weeks ago. The name, Hampton Water, was so American, yet it is a French wine. The store had it marked down from about $35 to about $15, which intrigued me further. Some quick research told me that the $35 price is a joke, that’s just Safeway trying to convince me that I was getting a screaming deal, because everyone else around here was selling it for about $17 a bottle. Sneaky. Anyway, turns out that the wine got decent reviews online, and is a dry rosé (I hate a sweet rosé, though I did my fair share of drinking very sweet wines in my early 20s). Here’s a blurb about the label, if you are interested in such things.
Born in 2017, Hampton Water is the fruit of the collaboration between Jon Bon Jovi, Jesse Bongiovi, Ali Franklin and Gérard Bertrand. Hampton Water captures the spirit shared between the Hampton and the South of France : enjoying life and a good bottle of wine to share with friends. This beautiful wine reflects the South of France know-how and terroir paying a tribute to the Hamptons and South of France Art de Vivre. On his first vintage the wine was rated 90 points by the Wine Spectator and made the TOP 100 list confirming the quality and success of the wine. Subsequently Hampton Water has received 90 Points on every vintage since their launch. Hampton Water, made in France, enjoyed everywhere. Jon Bon Jovi tells the story behind the project with Gérard Bertrand. “He understands that wine is like a good song, it can bring people together” – Jon Bon Jovi
My review was that it was light and refreshing, perfect with a bit of ice on a hot summer day. I would buy it again, were I in the mood for a nice rosé.
Here’s a nice picture from our anniversary dinner 2 weeks ago. I’m pretty sure we had the best table at the restaurant, and everything was delicious. We shared oysters and Caesar salad, then Ted had a perfectly cooked duck, and I had an amazing crab and pea pasta with tarragon. They brought us a wonderful chocolate bread pudding at the end, when we were about to say ‘no’ to dessert. It was definitely splurge worthy.
Regarding blogging, I clearly need to come by your blogs more often, because I do enjoy reading what you have to say, and when I save it all up for the weekend, I feel like I don’t do anything else. I’ve been pretty bad about it, and since the only time I can comment on quite a few blogs is when I am using my daughter’s game laptop, that limits my opportunity to do so. I finally realized, however, that I can comment on some of your blogs anonymously, so I’ve started doing that, just prefacing it to say who I am. Yay! Another solution!
We’re watching ‘The Bear’ on Hulu, and are really enjoying it. We’re about half way through season 2 right now, just watched the insane flashback episode that left us exhausted. Jaimie Lee Curtis put in an Emmy award worthy performance as the matriarch of the family.
I just finished listening to A Dangerous Business, by Jane Smiley. It’s a murder mystery set in Monterey California during the Gold Rush, where the protagonist is a prostitute, trying to determine who is killing other prostitutes around town. Is she in danger? Chances are good. I liked it, it was surprisingly light hearted for such a topic, and the down to earth, practical way that the prostitutes look at their way of life is interesting. I’m sometimeish about Smiley, my favorite books of hers are the ones where she writes about horses. I adored Horse Heaven and Perestroika in Paris. I liked this book, if I were giving it a rating I would say 3.5 out of 5.
I have two books ready for me on my Audible App: The Stationary Shop, by Marian Kamali, and Demon Copperhead, by Barbara Kingsolver. I have 4 books on hold via Libby (library app), but the wait is kind of long, so it will be a few months before I get to them. Hopefully they won’t all come available at once. They are: The House on Mango Street, by Sandra Cisneros; Maybe in Another Life, by Taylor Jenkins Reid; Romantic Comedy, by Curtis Sittenfeld; and Hello Beautiful, by Ann Napolitano. In physical book form, in addition to A Tree Grows in Brooklyn, I am re-reading The Hours. I JUST read it, and then I watched the film version (which I loved) and then I decided I wanted to read it again. No one on Earth cares whether I do this or not, so I’m doing it.
Have you read any of these books? Thoughts? Do you frequent your local Farmers Market? If so, do you buy too many tomatoes? Have you ever been to a chiropractor?
19 Comments
nance
Oh, The Hours! I saw that film by myself in the theatre and loved it, but it was at a particularly difficult time in my life, and it really hit me hard. I don’t think I can ever go back and see it again. That film made me want to read the book, and I found it a terrifically satisfying read. Now I might want to read it again. I remember the final chapter being excellent.
Your lunch looks perfect; you always order exactly what I would get. I drank some lovely sancerre over the weekend. Rick is not a fan, but he drinks his big, buttery chardonnays when I open sauv blancs/sancerres.
Our anniversary #42 is tomorrow. We found some Very Good Men, didn’t we?
J
Nance, isn’t it interesting how a piece of art can stick with you in such a specific way, attached to a particular time in your life? I did love the film though, and the book (obviously). I do most of my physical book reading before going to sleep, in bed, and I find that I start drifting off and I feel like I miss things, which is why I’m rereading it already.
I remember when I was in college, I was reading The Blood of Others, by Simone de Bouvier, and I went to the movies alone. I saw Glory, with Denzel Washington, and somehow the combination of the book and the movie, which have nothing in common and yet so much in common, are forever linked. Also, it looks like I can’t italicize in my comments. Hmmm.
That was indeed a perfect lunch. What would have made it MORE perfect would have been if you were there to share it, and we could have discussed the book and our most excellent husbands.
Ally Bean
I remember reading A Tree Grows in Brooklyn as a girl and adoring it. We’d *play* it when were in the mood to be actresses. Like nance I saw The Hours and it hit me emotionally so hard. I remember being amazed that any movie could do that.
Your fresh produce is inviting. I just read someone refering to all rose wine as being summer water. Your choice looks perfect, color-wise.
J
Ally, Summer Water? I love that. I’m not a big fan of rose, but I will admit that this one was lovely. I may rethink my stance on it.
You played A Tree Grows in Brooklyn? Goodness, how literary! I’m picturing you playing at collecting scraps, or reading in a tree. Perhaps I am not far enough into the book to know what that might entail.
Elisabeth
I have been loving ATGIB…but it’s also so sad. How do I not remember that? I read books so differently now that I’m a mother and can relate to so many things on a different level. I’m far more sensitive to content in books and movies than I was prior to having my first child.
I’ve never seen The Hours!!
I adore my chiropractor but don’t currently have coverage for it, so haven’t been in years. Massage and osteopathy have been great for me too.
We have a fabulous local farmers market but almost never go because it’s so hectic and since we live 3 minutes drive away it’s one of those things that is always there if we need it? Like locals avoiding a major tourist destination…I mostly avoid the market! But my kids love going. We have a lot of local farm market stores and I go there more regularly because they’re open all day every day and it’s easy to pop in and out.
J
Elisabeth, yes, being a parent really brings a new perspective to a lot of things, doesn’t it? Also age on its own…being an adult instead of a teen or whatever. I do recommend watching The Hours if you get a chance, it is very good.
I think farm market stores sound like a perfect option. We don’t have that around here, just the regular grocery stores and then the Farmer’s Markets, so if you want the really good fresh stuff, we deal with the crowds. Though really it’s not too crazy around here, and since I don’t have little kids pulling me in different directions, it’s easy enough. Different phase of life. 🙂
Beckett @ Birchwood Pie
Obviously I love blogs, but I can’t read 100% of the things or comment on 100% of the things. I do my best and that has to be good enough.
Now let’s talk books! A Dangerous Business sounds right up my alley, so it’s on my mental TBR – whether that translates into remembering it or ever reading it is TBD;-) Based on everything that I’ve heard about it so far, I’m going to pass on Demon Copperhead, at first I wasn’t interested in Romantic Comedy but I’ve heard enough buzz to be curious about it so it’s also on the mental TBR. At first I also wasn’t interested in Hello Beautiful but it got my attention and I read it. It’s on my short list of best books that I read this year, but I spent the final 25% of the book sobbing my guts out. So good!
J
Beckett, now you have me worried about Demon Copperhead. I am sometimeish about Kingsolver too. Some of her books I ADORE, all caps. Others are meh, and one or two I actively disliked. And it is LONG. So I guess if I don’t get pulled in, I can return it? Maybe? Not sure, since I purchased it awhile ago and it’s been sitting there. I wish there were a way to put audiobooks in those Little Free Libraries.
Suzanne
I think I may have mentioned before that I am trying to read The Hours! It is not pulling me in, which makes me feel deficient in some way because it’s clearly an amazing book. Maybe I just don’t have the mental fortitude to handle it at this time in my life? I am going to add A Dangerous Business to my to-be-read list — sounds intriguing!
I love your array of summer produce! It’s so hard to resist when it’s so abundant and beautiful!
J
Suzanne, I wonder how far you are in The Hours? I’ll admit to being pulled in right away by the Woolf storyline, but the Mrs Dalloway one took me a bit of time. That’s another reason I want to re-read it, to immerse myself more deeply.
Margaret
I’m waiting for “Hello, Beautiful” from the library; it’s our September Book Club read. I don’t want to have to buy it! But if it doesn’t come in soon, I will. 🙁 That’s great that your neck has improved; our bodies can be mysterious and sometimes we just have to try a bunch of things to see what works. Dinner sounds good except the oysters; I’m not a fan of the texture. I read and loved “Demon Copperhead.” It was, to me, beautifully written in Demon/Damon’s voice and, although depressing and upsetting, ultimately hopeful.
J
Margaret, I am glad to hear that you enjoyed Demon Copperhead! That’s a relief. I hope ‘Hello Beautiful’ comes in time for you to read it for your book club. 🙂
Engie
Thanks for linking to our ATGIB book club! I’m enjoying it sooo much.
I seriously hurt my neck trying to get the cat ouf of our pantry a couple of weeks ago. It was days and days of me alternating between heat and ice trying to get some mobility back in my neck. Why are our bodies betraying us like this?!
I found that it took me a couple of chapters to get into Demon Copperhead, but once I figured out the structure/voice, it was lovely. I mean, it’s a hard read, but the writing is phenomenal.
J
Engie, somehow you came up differently this time, I guess because you are Engie and not NGS. So I didn’t see your comment right away. Thanks for the tip about DC, and it maybe taking a bit of time to get into. Sorry about your neck. Ugh. Glad it’s feeling better, though.
Jenny
I’m also having trouble not reading ahead in ATGIB. I think I might just give up and read ahead, then review the chapters for each week on Sunday night. Such a good book, but yes, so sad!!! I read it when I was much younger but can’t remember how it all turns out.
I go to a sports chiropractor every once in a while, and sometimes he adjuts me (depending on what I’m there for) but never my neck. I would also be leery of that. I’m glad your neck is feeling better- who knows why, but things like that seem to eventually clear up.
I also have trouble keeping up with everyone’s blogs! Are you doing NaBloPoMo again this year? I’m already getting excited about it! But last November I didn’t even read any books- I spend all my reading time on blogs. It was a big project, but I loved it.
J
Hi Jenny! I had an appointment with my neurologist the other day, discussing my balance issues. I told her about my neck, and that I was seeing a chiropractor. I asked her if seeing a chiropractor was going to get in the way of my physical therapy for balance, and she said, “Only if you have a stroke.” Ack! She had two patients when she was a resident who had strokes after having their necks adjusted. Scary.
NaBloPoMo…not sure. I had a lot of fun last year, and probably I will, but you are right, it is a lot of work to keep up, and it’s also a busy time of year for me. I did it last year on a whim and didn’t even find out about San’s group until the 2nd week maybe, it was just a challange to keep me writing. So we’ll see…as the Magic 8 Ball says, ‘Answer unclear. Ask again later.”
Lisa of Lisa’s Yarns
You should be able to suspend the hold if your Libby holds all come in at the same time. That is what I love about Libby! I have 30 holds (I use my library card and my husbands) but I just suspend the hold if I am not ready to read it yet. Hopefully that is an option for you!
Your anniversary dinner sounds so nice!
It is very tough to keep up with commenting. And blogger blogs make it extra challenging. I am so annoyed by inability to input your name in the comment form. It makes me want to move to WordPress but that sounds like so much work!!
J
Thanks Lisa, yes, you are right, I can suspend or postpone my hold without losing my place in line, I had forgotten that when I wrote this post. 🙂 Thanks for the reminder!
San
I am sorry you’re still dealing with neck issues, but at least it’s getting better. (Sometimes it’s so hard to know what made the difference, but the most important thing is that it IS getting better.
Sounds (and looks) like a lovely anniversary dinner! 🙂