Kitchen Scraps

I graduated from high school 36 years ago today. Oof.

How to Stay Married for 15 Years.

Donna Summer is dead. Boo hoo.

Okay, talked to the owner of Pappy's this morning and it seems I officially have a second job.

the state of North Carolina passed Amendment One, a hateful law excluding me out of what "marriage" means there; not much later, President Obama said he thinks same-sex couples should have the right to marry. Now we endure the shitstorm.

Artist and author extraordinaire Maurice Sendak has died, olav ha-shalom. Too bad he and his longtime partner both died before they could hear the POTUS endorse same-sex marriage.

My cousin Teri's daughter, Kelly Griffith Bauer, just graduated from medical school at OHSU in Portland. Today the family gathered at her grandmother's, my dear Aunt Bonnie's, house on Lovers Lane to celebrate. Teri's siblings Bob, Betsy, Nancy, Joan, and Karen were there with spouses and children, as well as Rick and Chaela Hartigan with daughters Kallie and Mallory, and Dr. John Villahermosa, the other physician in the family. Rick gave Kelly our grandfather's stethoscope and medical license. Aunt Bonnie was her usual thoughtful-host self, making sure there was plenty of yummy gluten-free and dairy-free food on the buffet. We sat, talked, laughed, looked at pictures, and generally enjoyed being together. It was a wonderful, happy gathering to celebrate the family's tradition of caring medical practice and service to the community. And they all love Kevin. I left with a surprise gift: a Betamax videotape of me on Wheel of Fortune in 1986!

The flowers should be blooming in the yard of the Medical Lake house. Hope it sells soon, ave Hestia!

Happy International Workers' Day. Here is the anthem of the day.

We talked about having a date night, but can't afford the two or three places in town where we could get a better meal than we can produce ourselves. So we ate in. Nothing fancy: some bratwurst with scallion added (lovely touch), honey mustard, and roasted vegetables: ears of corn and florets of cauliflower. Alongside, a merlot from Irony, and followed with a tangelo and some really nice German dark chocolate. Not counting the wine, the meal cost us about $7 each, retail. Yum.

Dick Clark is dead. New Year's Eve just won't be the same.