It's been months now since there has been a moment of peace and quiet here, thanks to the hummingbirds. They've been everywhere: lined up the front fence, hanging from the rafters, duking it out in the trees, body slamming in the grapevines. And trying to hold a conversation anywhere has been near impossible; I mean, really - how do you talk plumbing or the weather when swarms of the little beasties are zooming by within millimeters of your head? It's worse than the candidate diaries.
But it's mid-October, and their migration to the south is now well on its way. I've seen fewer and fewer with every passing day, and now, an entire day has gone by without one sighting. And to think, it was only a week or so ago that I walked into the backyard and thought I'd landed smack dab in the middle of a Merry Melodies cartoon featuring hundreds of squabbling mice.
But I'm not here to diss the hummingbirds.
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The truth is, I'm now working two jobs and will be until mid-December. In addition to teaching five, count 'em, five courses, I've accepted another job (complete with lucrative benefits!).
Which has created a bit of problem: I haven't had time to write the WFD? diary for tonight. But I know what I want to talk about: cookware. And, in particular, cookware for a female relative with two small children and one very large (read: tall) husband.
And so, I'm soliciting you, dear WFD?ers, for suggestions. Here is a list of the items they told me they need - and yes, it is excerpted from an email - a heavily edited email, so you won't get to read any of the juicy stuff:
... two big pans ...
We would like a wok someday.
New knives would be good.
... a nice set of plastic (or polyurethane?) beverage cups ...
Suggestions?
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As for me, I'm having to rehaul my eating habits, as I've gone from running around like a maniac to sitting on my ass most of the day. Add to that, temps here are still hovering around the 90s, and I have to work in close proximity to people (like: sitting right next to them) most of the day, so mid-day sprints hither and yon and a few extra treks up and down the stairs are out of the question.
So I'm developing a salad frame of mind. My true love may be big globs of goat cheese and hearty stews and lush Indian dishes served with big dollops of yogurt. But that is the sure path to a caboose the size of Texas.
Details to come on my eating renovations. When I have an extra five minutes - and after my nap, of course.