So, no one really expected me to get through that whole list, right? Because there was just no way…
I did not, for instance, go to the movies. Nor did I deal with the clothing situation. I got several loads of laundry done, but I probably have two more to do. Plus, this afternoon topped out around 80 degrees, so who wanted a sweater for that?
I also didn’t bake or do a lot of reading. And the major failure for the weekend was not coming up with the housecleaning game plan. Clearly that will have to be a high priority for early in the week.
But I did make progress in a number of other categories. I started listening to Christmas songs to work on my mix cd. I did a bit of knitting, although I probably could have done more. Luckily, there’s plenty of time to squeeze that in with other activities during the week.
Yesterday, I spent much of the afternoon at the garden and the library. I harvested a bunch of the tomatoes, about a third of the peppers, and a handful of chard, but if things didn’t come off the vine, I didn’t force them. This week’s forecast isn’t looking too cold, so I figure that they can have an extra week. Also, I discovered that while my fall lettuce seed planting failed to take, my August planting of summer squash (they call it that because you plant it in the summer, right?) elicited at least one tiny yellow vegetable. Currently it’s the length of my forefinger, so I’m hoping it thinks big thoughts in the coming week. There’s a second one, but I have my fears for its reaching maturity, as it’s still in the fuzzy stage.
The library also was productive. I came home with six videos, an Enya holiday cd, and three books.
Today was a day of feasting. It began with a trip to the farmers’ market, which is always a treat for the senses. We found milk and sweet potatoes, but no celery. I bought yellow cauliflower and potatoes for a recipe I saw online. I picked up a pomegranate on the spur of the moment. I purchased broccoli to make into some cheesy soup and some cheese for sandwiches to replace the hard lump in the fridge that inspired the broccoli purchase. We brought it all home and then promptly left to enjoy a day out in the sun.
We opted to go out for brunch to a place where we could sit outside. Rudi and I each suggested a spot and both ultimately had to be dismissed because they were on the wrong side of the street. Ultimately, I remembered Bread and Brew, which was just a couple blocks’ walk away. They had room on their deck, and if their service didn’t wow us, their food did. I opted for a vegan mushroom soup and a mixed green salad — both of which were very fresh and quite filling as a pair. Rudi’s omelet included not just the salmon he’d expected, but also a plethora of roasted root vegetables. It reminded us a bit of O’Rourkes’, our favorite weekend brunch spot in Middletown, so I fully expect we’ll be back for future meals.
Sated, we walked toward Georgetown to enjoy the rest of the afternoon. We wandered through the neighborhoods, examining interesting architectural details on the houses. We crossed M Street and headed down the towpath to look at the dry-docked canal boat, the muddy canal, and the mallards. We admired the thick stems of the wisteria that cover the arbor in the Francis Scott Key Park. (They had to honor him with a park after they accidentally bulldozed his birthplace while building the bridge that now bears his name.)
We paused at Dean and Deluca to buy fancy sodas and a rare variety of apple (of course, neither of us can recall what it was now, although it was delicious — just that right blend of tart, crisp, and sweet) that we took down to the waterfront park they’ve built out of what used to be a big parking lot. The day was glorious and lots of families were out, providing excellent opportunity for people watching. A quartet of 20-somethings played a board game on the grass. Two young girls followed every dog that walked past them, but ignored the boy on the bike who wanted more than anything to be the center of their attention. A man and boy rough-housed nearby, with just the man pretending to get close enough to tickle him dissolved the boy into fits of joyous giggles. Boats cruised along the Potomac, as the sun hovered over Roslyn.
On the way home, we stopped at Baked and Wired, because you shouldn’t pass a cupcake shop without going in. The barista there is always friendly and she wears the coolest clothes. Today’s outfit included a black tutu and a black and yellow plaid halter top. Rudi and I ate our pumpkin cupcakes and drank our tea along the canal and before walking home through Rose Park’s growing twilight.
The crowning achievement of our day of feasting came tonight when Rudi took part in the Paper Chef, which is sort of Iron Chef-like in that it gives you four ingredients and asks you to prepare something that includes all of them. Usually three go together without much fuss, but the fourth ingredient is meant to turn your thought process on its side. This month’s combination mandated that our dinner tonight needed to include pasta, chevre, beets, and … peanut butter. I don’t want to scoop Rudi’s official post, but I will note here that it was delicious and I was much impressed with his cooking prowess.
So, that’s it. Another weekend under our belts. Fewer than two handfuls left in the year. How did you spend yours? Was your weather also splendid? I’m eager to hear.