December BAKER'S DOZEN 2011

1. Finally got some wedding photos from Rett.  This is my favorite:

2.  Daft Punk Xmas stockings!  Many thanks to Heather for helping me get this project going.  I could not have done it w/o her direction.  Andrew, too.  He put the finishing touches on his Bangalter and I just finished Guy-Man:

3.

4.  I send a lot of post, but rarely get anything in response.  In this day & age, it surprises me not.  Which is why when I received a hand written letter from Collin, I was not just elated, but genuinely surprised, too!  I carried it around in my back pocket for a day to show off, should I run into anyone.  Thank you, guy!  Didn't see that comin'. xx

5.  I'm in love with cooking & trying new culinary delights again.  I've been a subscriber to Bon Appetit for many years now and am only now cooking recipes out of it.  Out of the Dec '11 issue alone, I've made the shakshuka (recommended!), forked oven-roasted potatoes, and lemony slice + bake cookies -- they are all ace.  Lately, our favorite staple is simple avocado toast.  Toasted multi-grain bread with ultra ripe avocado spread on it like butter.  Salt, pepper, lemon juice & red pepper flakes.  Heavenly.  Have with tea.  Here's the shakshuka, which you serve with toasted bread or pita:

6.  Lonesome Dove.  I know this hardass named Amy who is loud, (c)rude, filthy & funny.  It is no good when we come together - I absolutely adore her. She once told me when she was in London long ago, she was finishing Lonesome Dove at a cafe and the ending made her openly sob in front of everyone. This coming from Amy, I was intrigued!  I'm reading it -- enjoying it immensely.  Classic.  Recommended.

7.  My boss, Judge Collins Kilgore.  When he's not driving me mad with these crises that he invents, he's a really funny, weird, stand-up guy.  We talk about bonsai (this is a one-sided convo), furoshiki, books (we read the same things), and food, amongst everything.  While I keep having these awful pay issues (judicial funds running out), he said he'd pay my salary out of his own pocket.  He is such a good boss!  Hip hip!

8. My dad, the other old man in my life.  Despite his being a total *maniac, he's very supportive of KMHD and I.  We've had an extremely strained relationship most of my life, but things have improved so much over the past year and a half, I've gone from calling him "Mike" to "Dad".  We just had a visit with him.  It was good.  You should see his house.

 

*Recovering alcoholic, 2 time war veteran with terrible health issues, including PTSD, OCD, and just being a general weirdo.

ATM, KMHD & the old man:

Snooper's Barn, downtown Ft. Smith:

9.  I've realized that I rely heavily on French house music to pull me from the depths time and time again.  If you are into it, too, lucky lucky you!  

DJ Mehdi (RIP) "Lucky Boy"

10.  My cousin MyTam beat cancer!  She suffers the side effects of radiation, brain shunts, and other treatments, but she is cancer free.  The experience helped us realize that time is of the essence, so we are planning a little trip to Miami in a year's time to go to Art Basel Miami Beach.

11.  Fayetteville, AR.  On a very recent trip, I had a lovely time, thanks to Alannah.  I didn't go to school there and visited sparsely way back when, so I do not have the deep seated connection that a lot of my friends have, but I occasionally feel the tug of NWA.  This time around, I didn't have to eat at restaurants that are nostalgic to my previous hosts/hostesses, like Hugo's or Tim's Pizza -- we ate @ Bordino's, which was quite good.  I didn't have time to go this time, but I love running into people in the maze that is Dickson St. Bookshop.  Just turn a corner.  Alannah made reservations for us to go to Crystal Bridges, but we didn't stay that long, as I was itching to get back home.  I believe we'll be up that way in January to further explore.  What little I did see was amazing.

12. The Thin Man.  What started out as a frequent crossword puzzle clue (Nick and Nora's dog: Asta) became a favorite series for me.  Recently, TCM showed them all in a row and I stayed up late to watch.  What a pair, that Nick & Nora!  I love this look that Nora gives Nick throughout:

And I love his making her eggs very late at night:

13.  Sometimes I think I'd like to go by my first and middle name.  I do, by notecard.

So, here comes the new year!  No resolutions, just DO BETTER.  You?