Hopefully all of you read Food52 already, that huge website, with contributors in legions, that covers the broadest possible spectrum related to food and the home. Amanda Sims did a piece recently about “Food Apps We ‘WISH’ Existed.” Certainly it’s tongue-in-cheek, but if nothing else it will give you a laugh. Here’s the link to the actual article. They invited commenters to add more (I’ve not included those).

Coffeeinate: an app that allows you to order a coffee from your favorite barista, pay for it through the app, then walk into the coffee shop and have it waiting to swipe off the counter.

The Fennel Detector: an app that saves you from eating foods you loathe (or are “allergic” to). Hold your phone over any food to scan for contaminant (like fennel) so you don’t mistakenly eat it. Settings allow you to customize for testing widely disliked foods such as cilantro and gluten.

Shop Map: maps out the shortest route to what you need in the grocery store based on your inputted grocery list. Saves time and feelings of insanity as you go back to the same aisle five times for different things.

One Dumpling: an app that delivers you just 1 dumpling, wherever you are, for when you’re not very hungry but sill want a dumpling; sister app One Scallion Pancake does the same for scallion pancakes. [Food52 originates from New York, and Chinese take-out is a daily staple.]

Lineo: choose any restaurant, coffee shop, or Trader Joe’s well-priced grocery store in your vicinity and view the status of the line or the average time of the current wait, without calling and speaking to someone who is going to lie to you anyway.

Chooser: an app for helping you decide what recipe to make from a cookbook. Open the app and see how many people have made which recipes from Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone (and what their results were!) so that it’s easier to choose!

The Secret Spotter: an app that tells you when you’re getting close to a hard-to-find, locals-only, word-of-mouth type place that never shows up in the right spot on a map (imagine a kind motherly voice telling you excitedly: “You’re getting warmer! Even warmer!”)

Hotty: turns your phone into a tiny heater that will keep your coffee warm for longer; doubles as a hand-warmer on cold days (and that will make you feel less bad about holding onto your phone even when it’s in your pocket because you’re so attached to it).

The Spice: an app that will keep track of all of your spices so that you don’t end up with 3 bottles of cinnamon and 5 bottles of red pepper flakes because you always think you’re out.

Dubious Rewards: this app chooses a workout for you and then suggests a beer to drink afterwards (since experts say that beer is a good recovery drink).

Pantreater: an app that would tell you which recipes from a cookbook you could make based on the ingredients you already have in your house.

You Cheap: app that tells you where to find [an] TK item (okay, mostly breakfast cereal) on sale at grocery stores. As in, where can I get the $3.99 box of Puffins as opposed to the $5.99 supermarket price?

Avocadwoes: scan in a picture of an avocado and this app will tell you if it has any brown spots, is perfect for consumption, needs 2 days and 1 1/2 hours to ripen, or is better off pickled. Can be set, alternatively, to tell you when certain produce will go bad.

Road Food: the show, in app form—oh wait that’s in production (yay!).

Eat it Anyway: an app that encourages you when you try something new in the kitchen: “That looks right, of course you were supposed to fold it that way!” “No, no, that’s great, I like the charred bits!”

Slimdr: dating apps that show ONLY the people who are in the same restaurant or bar as you. So: That guy across the room? Let technology help you with that.

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There’s not been a lot of cookin’ going on in my kitchen lately. What with this being a food blog, and all, that’s kind of a problem, isn’t it? It’s been just too blooming hot. I heard it’s going to be almost 100° here tomorrow. Oh my goodness. I’m going to an anniversary party this weekend. My best friend Cherrie that you hear me talking about all the time, and her husband are celebrating 30 years, and their kids are throwing a big Hawaiian party for them. Bud was born in Hawaii so he asked for an Hawaiian theme. The party will be outside. 100°? Oh my gosh. Note to self: take my fan!

My Northern California family was down here a couple of weeks ago, and Dana (my daughter) made my salad dressing one of the nights we had dinner here at home – the Creamy Garlic Blue Cheese Dressing that’s probably my favorite. She just adores that dressing – I don’t know why she doesn’t make it for herself except that her family is pretty partial to loads of ranch dressing on and with everything. Anyway, there’s still some left, so I’ve been using it to dress salads and cole slaws I’ve made. I’ve fixed my Green Beans with Garlic and Olive Oil a couple of times. I’ve defrosted packages of my favorite chicken curry – the Murgh Khorma. I made a monstrous big batch of it a couple of months ago and froze it in smaller portions. I have a big bunch of chicken breasts left over from the party I threw some weeks ago, the Moroccan Spiced Chicken Breasts. I froze them, but now need to use them or throw them out because once they’re cooked and frozen, ice crystals form and I think the chicken dries out. I’ve defrosted a couple and chopped them up fairly finely in a green salad.

The other night I made a package of INSTANT Hershey’s chocolate pudding – see photo at right. If you haven’t noticed the box at the grocery store, you’re in for a treat. It’s actually VERY good. I’m shocked it’s so good! You literally pour 2 cups of cold milk (I used 2%), sprinkle in the pudding mix, whisk and it’s done. I’m a fan in one short trial. I used the dark chocolate version, but I’m sure I saw a milk chocolate box also.

My granddaughter Taylor went off to college last weekend. Oh my goodness, what a momentous event. I’m sorry I wasn’t there to share the excitement. Her whole family went along to move her in and meet her roommates. Her classes have started and she’s very happy. My college experience, lo these many years ago – I started college in 1959 – was a fantastic experience. I wasn’t sure what I wanted to major in, but settled on business and ended up with a bachelor’s degree in business administration (BBA). Although at the time I was anxious to get going with my real life, I enjoyed all of my years at college (I lived on campus even though my family home was a few miles away – my parents were convinced I needed the experience of living on campus – bless them for that).

Back here at the ranch I’ve been undergoing some major renovations on my house. When I started I wanted ONLY to redecorate my master bedroom. Perhaps I mentioned it here on my blog awhile back, but the décor in the bedroom was 17 years old and I needed a change. I also wanted to install a new front door. My DH Dave, bless his heart, always took care of the wood door – it required varnishing every other year – and he was an expert at it. But with him gone, I’m not going to varnish anything! and the front door needed a new look.

This new door, at left, is made of aluminum with the wrought iron in the middle and I swear it’s as solid as a bank vault and unless you touch the surface you’d not realize it’s metal. It’s black (the trim on the house is black) and it has semi-opaque glass in the center portion. The door was installed a few days ago. I just love it. It lets in a lot more light than the older door, which was stained glass and wood, and very much from the 1970s when this house was built. In case you’re interested, the door is made by JeldWen.

So, that’s what I started out to do, but my contractor – someone I trust because he’d done work for us before – noticed on his first visit to the master bedroom that I had a problem with the windows. Consequently, many of the windows in my house have had to be replaced (Millgard won’t honor any warranty unless it’s for the original buyer – take note – I’m down on Millgard, for sure!). The windows were faulty (long story I won’t bore you with). I’d not planned on replacing windows. But, when they began working on that, they discovered I had a problem with my roof. Here in California, back in the 1980s, the State handed down a kind of a directive about wood shingle roofs. Don’t install them anymore because of our serious fire problems. So, some previous owner of my house, way back, put on a Cal-Shake roof. They were cement and fiber tiles that looked like slate. But the roof tiles have failed, and Cal-Shake was sued into the ground, as well as the 2 other companies who manufactured similar roof products. The tiles on my roof had broken, cracked, fractured and some had actually fallen off. My contractor was amazed I hadn’t had any leaking. So, long story short, I’ve had to re-roof also. But in the process I’ve beefed up the insulation in the attic and added some attic fans to evacuate the summer heat that builds up. Also had a radiant barrier installed. It’s been 3 months since all this work started, and what a mess. They’re just finishing up, thank goodness, and I’ll be able to move into my newly redecorated bedroom sometime soon. I’ll take pictures when that’s done and post them. I’m waiting for the wallpaper to be put in right now, otherwise I’d be in there already. Do you remember grass cloth? Well, grass cloth wallpapers are now back in style. Mine is fairly tame – a kind of a plain taupe color. At right is the fireplace in the master. It’s been used about twice in the 12 years Dave and I lived here. It’s been revamped and I’ll have a remote control for the gas logs on cold winter nights.

Some outdoor fascia boards are having to be replaced – big beams actually – because they’ve got dry rot. My house is big, and I’m not very thorough about walking around it all the time to examine everything outside. Those were things I expected Dave to watch out for, and now it’s my job. I can tell you for sure I’ve talked to Dave in my head a lot of times in this remodeling process, wishing he could provide wise counsel on the decisions.

And, last but not least, I’m taking another trip soon. I thought I’d share with you a photo of the shots I had to have the other day. Does that give you a clue? Yup. Safari coming up. My first visit to the travel clinic cost me $865. Yikes. I had a shot for yellow fever, typhoid, Hepatitis A and B, and a new kind of pneumonia shot. Two shots in each upper arm. And oh, did they HURT. I’m a real wuss about shots. And there was considerable pain and discomfort for over 24 hours afterwards. I had a very hard time sleeping that night because I’m a side sleeper and when I moved in my sleep the pain woke me up many, many times. Last night was better thank goodness. Fortunately I didn’t have any side effects (headache is the most common, and fatigue) other than the arm pain.

Oh, I haven’t shared anything about my darling little (big) kitten, Oliver. I do think he’s grown at least 2-3 inches in the month I’ve had him. He’s chewed off all of his artificial nails – which did a really good job (while they lasted) of deterring him from using his claws to climb furniture – that’s the whole point. I’ll have to see if he tries to climb with his claws in the next couple of weeks – if he scratches furniture I’ll be taking him in for another set of nails until he gets a bit bigger/older/mature. He uses his scratching post and his cardboard flat scratching pad many times every day, so he’s got that part down pat. He’s an absolutely love. I tried to let him sleep with me twice, but he thinks beds are for playing, so that lasted about 30 – 40 minutes each time and into the bathroom he went (where he has a bed, a litter box, food and water).

In the evenings I’m often upstairs in my office/study, in my very comfortable chair (reading, watching TV, playing a game on my iPad mini, talking on the phone with my friends) and there’s room beside me where Oliver happily hops up to take a nap. When he falls asleep I can get in many, many long petting strokes without him noticing. When he is let out of his bathroom in the mornings he wants to be held – he’s very lovable – he lets me pet him, talk to him, purr-purr, but at other times of the day he has to be “in the mood” to let me do that for more than a few pets at a time. Otherwise he thinks I want to play. It’s amazing how this little thing has taken over my life. I love him to pieces. His favorite food is chicken and cheese cubes (a type of canned cat meat). He loves-loves his twice a day serving of meat.

Oh, one more thing – my brand spankin’ new computer (12 days old) had a big, bad black screen event, but after an hour on the phone with Dell, they resolved it (hopefully) having to do with Windows 10 installation. They actually have a utility that fixes Windows 10 “black screen” problems. We’ll see in coming days if I have any further problems. No, I still don’t know if I am able to retrieve my recipes.

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If you don’t want to read my saga of one of my computers, you can skip this post. No food today. No pretty pictures of food (and I still can’t upload recipe files yet). Nothing but a text post.

A couple of weeks ago I posted a short little blurb about my computer having problems and that I wasn’t able to blog. Fortunately I had several food posts already scheduled to post, and as I write this, I still have 2 posts scheduled this week. Just in the nick of time, I’m tellin’ ya.

About 3 months ago now, I bought 2 new computers (my old ones were 7 years old) – I know – I’m only one person and certainly my kitten (who is as cute as button, by the way) doesn’t do anything with a computer except be ever-fascinated with the keyboard and occasionally the movement of the cursor across the screen. I have one computer upstairs in my office and another in the kitchen. More and more, I’m using the kitchen one for most of my computer tasks and even some game-playing. I’m not into “gaming,” just several variety of solitaire games. I do all of my posts from the kitchen computer.

So, I blithely went through the process of loading programs onto the new kitchen computer, getting my programs to run and work correctly, including MasterCook, which I use for storing all my recipes. It took a week or so to get everything working correctly. And here’s a foreshadowing comment: after restoring and setting up Carbonite to begin backing up my computer again, I forgot – totally forgot – to go tell Carbonite to back up my MasterCook files. Calamity. But that’s just the beginning.

I think I mentioned in my previous post that I was baking something, using the kitchen computer for the recipe. Just as I leaned over to read what was next, the monitor went to a blank screen (I don’t use a screen saver since I’ve had problems in the past with Dell computers and sleep mode and with screen savers, so I select “none” and whenever it reaches that time limit, it simply goes to a black, blank screen). Had been working fine that way. So I reached over with my flour-dusted hands and tapped the space bar to get the screen to open up and my computer went “sssst.” The screen didn’t come up. I tried several different things (ESC key for one, more taps on the space bar). Wash hands. Then I tried CTRL-ALT-DEL to see what was running. Nothing happened. No response to my request. I rebooted it, and funny thing – I was able at one point to get to a C: prompt and discovered that my entire MasterCook program was gone. Vanished from the hard drive. That was a bit perplexing, but at that point I hadn’t realized that I’d forgotten to tell Carbonite to back up everything. It was backing up most things, but NOT my recipe files.

Anyway, that began a long saga. I spent about 5 hours (over several days) on the phone with Dell/India trying to repair the problem. Nothing worked. One of the solutions was for them to send me a USB drive to take the system back to factory settings. But that meant it wiped out everything else on the hard drive. They thought the problem was the Windows program itself (I guess it was, but that was just the beginning of the problems). It took many days for the USB drive to arrive, and I finally took it back to factory. But it still didn’t run. Windows wouldn’t load. More hours on the phone with Dell/India. Then they decided I needed a new motherboard. First they updated the BIOS, hoping that would help. No. So I waited many days (with a frustrating lack of communication from Dell about when they were coming to do the work). Finally that happened, but Dell contracts with people to come and do the motherboard installation but not anything else. When the repair person turned on the computer after the install, my screen was seeing double. A full screen, side by side, but squished so the print was unreadable. The motherboard installer said I’d have to take it up with Dell. So, more hours on the phone with Dell/India. They did another session of remotely running my computer. Their end showed a normal screen, but mine was still seeing double. Many hours later with my cordless phone about to run out of juice because it had taken so long, he said well, we’ll need to schedule another motherboard install. I went non-linear. NO. Not doing that again. At that point I’d been without my computer for 2+ weeks. I simply said NO, I want a new computer. I guess they don’t normally do that, but after reviewing my Dell buying record, they relented and shipped me a new computer. And of course, on the day it was delivered I happened to be pouring some precious kitchen sink water onto the very thirsty outdoor plants on the patio and missed hearing the FedEx delivery person at the front door. They wouldn’t deliver without a signature. Talk about frustrated. Finally got it delivered a day later. That was last Tuesday, so I’ve been working ever since trying to get everything working correctly, loading a variety of programs I use for my blogging. But in that interim I’d realized that my MasterCook files were AWOL. What I do have is a copy of my recipes (contained in about 15 different cookbooks by category) that date to 2011, and I think I have another set dating from 2013. So I’ve lost all the recipes I’ve collected online, from cookbooks, for the last 2 or maybe 4 years.

Recipes on my blog are retrievable FROM the blog. Thank goodness! But, I probably had about 1000 recipes in my to-try file (in the MasterCook program) that are gone. SSSST. Just like that. Gone. But it’s totally my fault – I can’t blame anyone but myself. How many I’d added in the last 2-4 years I don’t know. And can I think of any one specific recipe to go look for, no. I haven’t started trying to figure out what I do have or don’t have. I haven’t integrated the old cookbooks with the ones I do have. It’s not a simple process, believe it or not. I’ll work on it eventually.

So, there’s the saga. My computer guru guy is coming tomorrow to help me get one of the programs linking up with my blog (the FTP file transfer which I can’t seem to get running correctly), and to set up the network so I can see my upstairs files, and my upstairs computer can see my downstairs files. I’m pretty savvy with computer stuff, but the FTP thing is beyond my ken. It’s probably something very simple I’m not doing right.

I’ll only add one more subject into this post. I’m so frustrated with passwords. I use a handy-dandy password program and mostly I’m consistent about adding to it and clarifying or correcting it when I make changes. But I’m password weary. Everything wants a password. Some insist on one or more numbers in it, and not consecutive ones. Others require at least one capital letter with lower case letters. Some insist on some oddball character also. And I’m really beyond comprehension about my apple ID and password. Unfortunately when I got my first iPhone, the salesperson told me to create an apple ID, which I did with an email address at @me.com. Well, I never use that, but even though I’ve changed it, some of my apple programs are still linked to that original email address. This confounds me. Just more complicated. I don’t want Windows to remember my passwords (that’s not so safe, in my book) and particularly anything that might be financially related. There has to be an easier way. I hope the techies in the world who work on this are doing so, finding an easier way.

And yes, in answer to your question, I went onto Carbonite yesterday and told it to begin backing up everything again, including my MasterCook cookbooks. I hope to goodness I never make THAT mistake again! Carbonite is a great program, but it’s only as good as the operator – ME!

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These days I’m a family of one – well, I was until about 2 weeks ago when I gave in to the urge to have a pet. One of my granddaughters (Sabrina) volunteers at a pet rescue center in San Diego, and she’s a huge cat lover, so she’s been chiding me, pleading with me, begging me to adopt a cat. I started off with all kinds of parameters – my want list was: adult cat, very lovable, talkative, preferably a snowshoe cat, and already declawed. Oh yes, and short haired. Spayed or neutered too, of course. She’d identified several cats over the last 9 months or so, but for a variety of reasons (like I was going on a trip in 2 weeks, or no, it’s long-haired, I don’t want that kind; or no, it’s not declawed . . . the list went on). Finally, though, I told her about a month or so ago that I was finally ready and within about 2 weeks she’d found the perfect cat for me. I set up to drive to San Diego the next day and get him, and no, my granddaughter wasn’t able to put him on a hold. Just before I drove out of my garage I thought I’d best check online to make sure he was still there. Oh, darn. He’d been adopted that morning. My granddaughter was heart-broken.

A week or so went by and my daughter called to say she and Sabrina were coming up to Orange County for the day (a trip to Knott’s Berry Farm was in the cards for grandson John and 2 of his friends). As soon as they arrived Sara was online looking at shelters in my area. Well, one thing led to another, and off we went to a cat rescue center. I looked at the adult cats and didn’t have any “feeling” for any of them and the only one I kind of liked nearly bit me. So much for that. On our way out we walked through the kitten room. Oh, I should never have let the employee there hand me a kitten. My downfall. This kitten is 4 months old, isn’t declawed (and if most vets and cat friends had their way no cats would ever be declawed, I understand) and he wasn’t a snowshoe, although he has sort of similar markings of one. He’s neutered, chipped, and has his shots. But oh my gosh, he’s a KITTEN. Kittens are a lot of work – they almost never slow down.

I love him to pieces. He’s very sweet and talkative. He does let me hold and pet him some, though only on his timetable, not mine. That’s normal, I know. Yesterday I took him to the cat vet and had “soft paws” put on his nails. It’s like acrylic nails for cats and they’re attached with super glue. They’re supposed to last 4-6 weeks, but I can tell you little Oliver has already, 24 hours later, chewed off 3 of them. The vet said I’d probably have to have them done a 2nd time – by then it’s hoped he’ll realize that he can’t use his claws for much. And I won’t have to declaw him. I had them do it to all 4 paws as he’s already using both front and back claws for climbing onto chairs and sofas. He’s pretty good about scratching on his cardboard scratcher and short sisal tree.

After returning from the vet’s office Oliver was glued to me. On the drive to and fro I had a hard time listening to his plaintive meows from inside his cat carrier – which he just HATED – the meowing was so pitiful as if he was in terrible pain.

I won’t even TELL you how much money I’ve spent on litter boxes, litter, toys, dry food, wet food, more toys and more toys. Two of the upscale dry food choices I’ve purchased he won’t eat. Gee, he’s only a kitten and he’s already pernickety about his food? Oliver gets very bored and I shut him up in a windowless bathroom when I go out somewhere – I feel sorry for him closed  up in that room for several hours at a time. But I’ve been told to never give him fish (too much mercury), even the canned cat type. I do have a fish-flavored treat type that’s tuna flavored and he’s all over that. Also learned that cats are lactose intolerant. But he craves milk – he nearly drags my coffee mug out of my hands every morning trying to get to it. I’ve given him a few little licks of yogurt. And did you know that cats don’t develop a taste for catnip until they’re 6 months old?

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To say that I’m flummoxed is an understatement. I bought 2 new Dell all-in-one computers (as in blurry photo above) about 9 weeks ago. My kitchen computer, the one that houses my entire recipe collection and my photo software, the one I use for all my blogging etc. just quit working a few days ago. Hours and hours have been spent on the phone with Dell (of course, they don’t want to replace anything yet). They’re very reluctant to do a major fix until they have to. They want me to start from scratch. Am not sure I’ll do that – yet. I have a great local guy who works with me on computer stuff, networking, wi-fi, etc. when it’s beyond my ken, and his assistant is working today trying to see if she can restore the unit.

I have everything on my system backed up (files, recipes, but not the programs, of course) on Carbonite, so I HAVE everything, but it may be days or a week or more before I’m able to get back in operation. I use google photos, so fortunately not more than a few weeks ago I finally got all my photos linked up with that. And fortunately, I was completely up to date with the posts I’d completed. 

Maybe you won’t notice anything different – maybe by the time recipe posts I’ve already done go live (there are a few in the bank), my computer will be back in operation. I could try to restore everything onto my upstairs office computer, but it’s awfully hard to run up and down the stairs all the time. I suppose I could move the upstairs one downstairs. For now. I’ll wait a day or two I think. 

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So what’s this, you’re thinking? Huh? Veggies and a pork chop? Well, no, it’s probably not all that significant to most people. But it was significant to me. In the last 15+ months since Dave passed away, my darling DH, I’ve done a bit of grilling – a few times I’ve done meat and once or twice I did some veggies. When friends have visited, I asked them to “man” the grill. It’s been awhile, though, since I’d done it myself. I wanted to grill the yellow squash, but it seemed like a waste to fire up the grill for just veggies. The same could be said for a pork chop. It could be done on the stove top.

I know the mechanics of grilling. I know about how hot the grill should be to sear meat, and how it needs to be lower to do veggies. I know about searing, then pulling the meat aside so it’s not over direct heat, but still leaving the grill up medium-high. But I’d never really done it. I own a bunch of barbecue/grilling cookbooks, and I’ve attended my fair share of grilling classes. But there’s a difference between book learning and actually hovering over the hot grill with tongs or a long-handled fork in hand. This time I did it. For me, that was a hurdle I needed to get to, up and over.

With Dave, I just gave him the instructions and reminded him of the finished temperature of the meat and he went with it. The grill was his friend. I don’t know that I can say that – yet – that the grill is my friend. I’m not exactly afraid of it, but it’s a big-honkin’ thing – it has enough surface to grill about 30 steaks, for sure. I used just two sections for this dinner – one for the veggies and one for the pork chop. But before I took them off the grill I snapped a photo. To say I’d done it. To savor the accomplishment. Maybe not a big thing for you, but it was for me!

And yes, the pork chop was cooked perfectly (yes, I was a bit proud!) and the veggies were just barely soft and had lots of grill marks. That basket made it very easy – I just stirred them every few minutes. I feel like I’ve graduated from grilling boot camp.

But then after I was done I turned the burners to high and put down the lid, with the intent to return in an hour to vigorously brush off the grates and turn off the burners. That was a trick Dave used to do. Guess what? I forgot all about it – discovered 24 hours later that the 2 burners were still on high. Gosh darn. Maybe I didn’t graduate from boot camp after all.

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I’ve always loved ceramics. And many years ago I took classes (this was about 50 years ago) learning only how to paint them, not form them with the clay. These pots above I thought were particularly beautiful. They were sitting in a window sill at the Masseria Cervarolo.

Puglia is known for its ceramics. Umbria is also, and is probably the more well known for the town of Deruta, where most of the world-famous plates and dishes are made. So it was a surprise to find that Puglia has its own reputation for ceramics as well.

The Masseria had a number of lovely things sitting around, and we found out that the town where most of them are made, Grottaglie, was about 15+ miles away. So on one of our forays out to nearby towns to tour, we made a detour to visit the ceramics shops.

The photo at left is a large piece (probably 2 1/2 feet high) that sits in the living room of the Masseria. I’m not a fan of cactus, but I’d suppose some people must be, otherwise nobody would make such ceramic sculptures! I found it so interesting that they’d make one, and also that it would be white.

There at right is a grouping of 3 very tall vases (the tallest one is probably 2 1/2 feet tall). It sat in a corner in the same living room at the Masseria.

We found out who the ceramicist was (name and shop name) and went in search of his workshop in Grottaglie. Imagine our dismay when we discovered the shop was closed. It was Friday afternoon, Good Friday, so we supposed all the shops must be closed for the holiday. We walked around some more, did find a couple of shops open, but they had nothing like what I was looking for. I wanted to buy one piece, or maybe 2 or 3 in a grouping that will sit on my very large kitchen island. I’d also seen a particularly cute artichoke at the Masseria that I wanted to find.

There at left are two steps at the Masseria where they’d set out some fresh flowers. Note the very rustic walls. So simple, but yet so pretty.

Well, anyway, we wandered into another shop and I knew immediately this one would probably have something I’d like. The proprietor came towards us and after saying hello, I asked: “do you ship to the United States?” He was so very funny – he said “of course, is Nordstrom good enough?” We all laughed. He spoke very good English and had a beautiful store. Fasano Ceramiche.

Wandering all over the large store, I found lots of things I liked. If I could have, I’d have purchased about 100 things and shipped them all. Puglia is known for one particular shaped thing, called a pumi. It’s egg-shaped with a flared base so it will stand. All over the region we’d see them on the top corners of buildings. On the top of walls, on patio fences. Sitting on front steps, in windows. I asked about them, and was told that they’re a Puglian good luck symbol, and often women use them as a fertility good luck charm, so to speak. Well, the things I bought aren’t pumi, but they are similarly shaped.

The shop had dozens of pumi in different colors and sizes. This was a distant shelf with them in many sizes. The pumi always is shown with leaves around the bottoms.

What I bought is a bit different – they’re ceramic egg shapes with decorated tops, in a mosaic kind of loose pattern.  And no leaf patterns. See photo below.

I purchased the lower set of 3, but they’ll be in a gold/mustard color in the mosaic design (which will blend in with the streaky granite I have on my kitchen countertop). I also bought one artichoke. It’s so cute. I have no specific idea where the artichoke is going to go in my house, but I wanted it, that’s all I knew. The artichoke is about 11 inches high, I’m guessing. Photo below.

I’m supposed to receive them in the next week or so. Customs inspection permitting.

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Early this morning, a year ago, my darling Dave (my DH) passed away. I knew today would be a rough one and it is.  I have plans to be with friends later today and with daughter Sara tomorrow. But this morning I’m home, letting out my grief. And I decided to write. Here. To share it. I hope you don’t mind.

Last year, a week or so after Dave’s death, my friend Cherrie gave me a really pretty decorated box (with sand, shells, ocean, birds on the cover) and into it I put Dave’s most personal things. And all the dear, dear cards sent to me after he was gone, with the heartfelt notes of sympathy. And of memories shared. Words of encouragement, appropriate bible scriptures, hope, love, caring.

The one year anniversary of a spouse’s death (or the death of any dear one) is a milestone. A hurdle, a huge emotional hurdle. And maybe more so with a spouse. But it’s a journey we must take in our grief path. A walk of tears for sure. As I write this, I’ve been going through that box. I haven’t been in that box at all, except to add an item or two that had been misplaced in my house. Someone told me – or maybe this was from the griefshare class I took – I can’t recall – to not delve into the box until the one-year anniversary. And then it’s an appropriate time, that one year milestone, to go through the things. To cry over them, to savor memories and to be warmed mightily by the loving and caring cards from my friends. And then you can put away the box for another time. Maybe the 2nd anniversary. Or maybe not for a long time.

So, this morning, I read about half of the 200+ cards I received. They make me cry. And as I kept digging down in the box there were his glasses. I hugged them to me. I came across the x-rays of Dave’s brain, showing the bleeding from his stroke. I didn’t dwell on those. But then I found the little baggie the nurse at the hospital gave me with clippings of Dave’s hair. I think that made me cry the most. I opened the bag and hoped to find his scent. No, unfortunately. His wallet is in the box. Still with the little bit of money he had there from the day before his stroke. I just can’t seem to take that $36 out of his wallet. At least not yet. I tucked his passport in the box too. That also made me cry – a lot. For all the trips we’ll not be able to share in the future.

And then I came to his watch. I pulled it out and hugged it to my heart. You just never know, when you’re grieving, what is going to be an emotional trigger. He loved this inexpensive Seiko watch. It was his everyday watch. And I couldn’t believe it when I looked at it and realized it’s still running. It’s a sign. I just feel it in my heart – it’s still ticking – and Dave wanted me to know he’s okay. He’s in heaven and he’s whole, happy and his heart is ticking in lockstep with Jesus. That’s what I choose to believe. (Disregard the fact that it’s a good battery in that watch and that it’s sat still and unattended for a year . . . no, I choose to believe it’s a heavenly sign.)

A dear friend of mine sent me an email message this morning – her husband died 3 years ago, so we often share grief feelings. I thought this paragraph she wrote to me was very meaningful: This is a special day for recognizing the loss.  It is a day of celebrating the life of Dave. Grieving stems not from the death itself but from the loss—the change in your life. The loss of laughter, love and the connection past, present and future that we mourn.

Back to the box: I started taking a few notes as I went through the cards – one, a reminder to send an email to some because of what they wrote or something about the card itself, and another I wrote down because of how the words or the message struck me. I thought I’d share a few.

Love never dies

Eventually the sun will shine again . . . (maybe I’m seeing a glimmer)

Blessed are those who mourn for they will be comforted . . . Matthew 5:4 (this is one I chant to myself often)

Every ripple a memory, every memory a blessing . . . (this was in a card with a picture of a lighthouse and the ocean beyond)

The heart that has truly loved never forgets . . . Thomas Moore

Friends comfort the hurt, share the sadness, soften the grief and inspire the healing . . . (and I’m so very blessed with many friends)

To reach the port of heaven, we must sail sometimes with the wind and sometimes against it,—but we must sail, and not drift, nor lie at anchor. (This last one, my favorite, a quote from Oliver Wendell Holmes [from his book The Autocrat at the Breakfast Table], which is so appropriate because Dave was a sailor. Dave’s college girlfriend Meredith wrote that on the card she sent me.)

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Many of you probably read Bon Appetit already. If so, you’ve likely read Andrew Knowlton’s annual article about what’s hot in the food biz (in his not-so-humble opinion that is). Just in case you missed it, here it is, culled down to the basics:

1. Gyros are in.

2. Cold brew coffee pulled from a tap like beer, infused with nitrogen so it’s a smoother, creamier drink.

3. Bacalao – it’s a dried fish ubiquitous to Portugal and Spain – you have to soak it in milk to get out all the salt and not-so-pleasant flavors – people are eating it on pizza, in sandwiches and ravioli. Hmmm.

4. Even top chefs put tacos on their menus – he mentioned four specific chefs/restaurants in NYC, Charleston, Chicago and San Francisco.

5. It looks like marijuana cooked in food will eventually make it onto menus (yes, really).

6. Shake Shack (burger and fries chain with global locations).

7. A grapefruit liqueur (Crème de Pamplemousse) is hitting every mainstream bar (it has mild sweetness and immense aromatics).

8. New restaurant names – lots will use some very weird methods to come up with a name. Knowlton says they’ll use something like – fill in the blanks here:  “your spirit animal” or “Grandma’s name” or your “favorite ingredient” PLUS words like “luxury, “provisions” or “luncheonette.” What you’ll get from that are things like: “Sea Otter & Sons Luxury,” “Anise Hyssop Provisions” or “’Ma Knowlton’s Luncheonette.” (I must admit that restaurant names have been more unusual of late – even I’ve noticed that.)

9. Bing Bread – had never heard of it until now – it’s Chinese, full name is shaobing –  it’s a flaky flatbread often eaten at breakfast with things like baked potato, bacon and scallion in/on it with sour cream on top.

10. Beef Tongue. ‘Nuf said. I won’t be having any; sorry. There’s something about the texture I don’t care for.

11. Upscale beer bars – yup – for beer nerds he says, featuring specialized glassware, sleek taps and very worthy food to go along with. He calls them “grown up bars.”

12. Cocktails from the 70s like Long Island Iced Tea, White Russians, Grasshoppers.

13. Kolache (koh-laa-chee) – it’s a Czech inspiration – but American chefs have taken the filled pastry to new heights with fillings like jalapeno, cheese, sausage, black beans, corn and chorizo. Traditionally kolache are sweet pastries, and the best ones are yeasted. At the moment these savory styled ones are in Houston, Austin and Brooklyn.

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Knowlton also wrote an article in the December issue about the things he didn’t like in 2014.

A Few Things I [Andrew Knowlton] Didn’t Like:

1. Seeing the same damn menu items all over the country (deviled eggs, oysters, carrots with yogurt, steak for two).
2. The thought of paying for prime reservations.
3. Being told how to order.
4. “Everything will come out when it’s ready.”
5. Uni-exploitation. [excuse me, but what IS that? I found no explanation on the ‘net.]
6. Too-many-ingredient cocktails.
7. The Wall Street-ification of bourbon.

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At our wonderful Christmas concert at our church, I happened to be seated on an outside edge, so my cousin took some photos of me. We did two concerts, nearly 2 hours long with our adult choir (120 voices), the high school kids’ choir (about 50), orchestra (about 18 or so) and bell ringers (12). When you’re a singer, though, you have to learn how to sing Hallelujah. It’s HAh, then ley, then LOO, then lower your jaw with the jah. It’s not ya, it’s jaaah. Got that? Oh, good.

We sang 3-4 parts of Handel’s Messiah, including the final one, the Hallelujah Chorus. At our church, many years ago, someone stood up when the choir began to sing the Hallelujah Chorus, and it’s now a tradition – everyone stands, and those who know the music sing along. It’s huge. The high school kids were intermingled with our choir to sing the Messiah, so there were about 170 voices singing plus all the people in the audience. It was glorious. Absolutely beautiful, even for me!

I’m hoping all of you have a lovely Christmas, when we celebrate the birth of Christ. I’ll be with family both Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. My cousin Gary is visiting, and we’ve been very busy, for which I’m grateful. My darling DH, would have sung all of the Messiah from memory. It was one of his favorite pieces of music.

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