Author: BeverlyArmyWilliams

If wishes were horses, beggars would ride. (17th c. proverb)

Still, it doesn’t hurt to wish now and again, and Carole asked me to share Ten Things I Wish I Liked.

1. Fish. To eat. I think they are neat alive, but I’ve never acquired a taste for them. It would be good for my brain to eat them, but even as I write that, I’m pretty sure I wouldn’t be willing to be a pescatarian. I’m just thinking that my brain would benefit from a bit of grilled salmon now and again.

2. Coconut. The texture of flaked coconut turns me off. It looks pretty, though.

3. Reading autobiographies. I’ve enjoyed plenty memoirs, yet autobiographies often bore me. I’m going to tender a guess that memoirists concern themselves with the craft of writing a bit more, but maybe that’s just a sweeping generalization.

4. Moss stitch. It looks so nice, doesn’t it? Maybe I should give it a try now that I knit English. Perhaps it is only a pain to knit in Continental.

5. Group exercise classes. I’m more of a loner when it comes to working out. Some variety might be nice, I suppose (hear the dragging of my feet?)

6. Mud. Or, more precisely, mud season. If I liked it, I could anticipate instead of dreading it. Once we build our mud room, I’ll be better equipped to handle it, and I may end up not minding it. That would be an improvement, right?

7. Driving. I’d be so much happier if I could take public transportation every where I go. I do okay driving, but it brings me no pleasure, other than as a means to an end.

8. Heights. The things I would see if I were not so scared of heights! I may look collected in that photo taken from tour Eiffel; inside I was wondering how quickly I could get back on the ground.

9. Insects. Some of them are like little jewels. If I liked them better, I might enjoy their beauty more instead of feeling creeped out by them. Heaven knows, my neck of the woods abounds with insects. Plenty of opportunity to learn to like them?

10. Cleaning the tub. I love to take baths; I hate getting the tub clean so I can do so.

What do you wish you liked?

 

Last night, at about 9 p.m., I hit “submit” and sent in my students’ final grades. I had a lot of seniors this semester, so the pressure was on to get grades in quickly, which worked out just fine for me: I am officially done for the season! I’ll have prep work for my fall classes, and a grant-funded project to keep me busy this summer, along with my personal projects. Still, my schedule is (essentially) my own until September.

To make sure I accomplish my goals, I’ll be drafting up a lot of lists, so when Carole asked for a spring to-do list, I was ready! Here, then, are Ten Items on my Spring To-Do List:

1. Clean and organize my studio. That, my friends, is how my desk looks this morning. It is NOT acceptable, yet that is end-of-semester at play. ETA: desk is cleaned! I can do more to organize, but at least I can function serenely in here now!

2. Join local CSA. I finally admitted, to myself and Neal, that I am not as good a gardener as I like to imagine. I’m investing in a CSA membership and limiting my veggies to a few pots with tomatoes and a bigger herb garden. ETA: I pick up my first share on 6/5!

3. Krylon our two plastic Adirondack chairs. They are hunter green and not at all adorable. I’m looking forward to giving them a spiffy, bright, adorable new look. ETA: for less than $15, the chairs are now aqua. They look so sweet!

4. Set up a new laundry line. Well, this one is actually on Neal’s list, whether he realizes it or not. He’s taking down the deck, where I usually string my line, to build us a screened-in porch. (Yes, I am beyond excited about this!)

5. Move the wood pile. After the fall storm, our amazing friend Brian of Arborworks dropped off a whole lot of wood to help us through the power outage. Neal stacked it next to the driveway, but it needs to be moved to the back of the yard. Since I want to strengthen my arms and prefer activity to workout routine, I have volunteered to take on that task. I’m expecting buff arms by the time I finish.

6. Dress the windows. I have had material to make Roman shades for my studio for about two years. It is time to make them. I’d like to get the other windows in the house new curtains, too.

7. Decide on fruit tree varieties. Since I’ve declared myself a gardening failure, the large open area on the side yard is no longer destined to be a mini farm. Instead, I’ll get the mini orchard I’ve wanted. One of my colleagues just planted a number of heirloom apple trees, so I’ll pick his brain as a start!

8. Cull clothes and shoes. I have some lovely pieces that I no longer wear since my minimalist approach to style took hold. It is time to go through the last remaining extraneous clothes and sell or donate them.

9. Create a list of spring/summer meal plans.

10. Get back in my letter-writing groove. I was going gangbusters on letter writing, then the semester ran away with my spare time. Now that I am the mistress of my schedule, I can get back to work on my 52 letters in 2012 project!

What’s topping your spring to-do list?

Goodness gracious, there are plenty of eggs in my fridge, and I’ve got plenty of ideas about fixing them. Carole’s timing couldn’t be better with this topic!  Here are ten of my favorite ways to prepare eggs:

1. Cheesy eggs. These are simply scrambled eggs with a smidge of cheese tossed in.

2. Poached eggs (scroll down for Mark Bittman’s method). A tale: When I was newly separated from my first husband, I had a lot of anxiety about my finances and my food. I worked like crazy to make sure I could pay my mortgage and other bills, but the food anxiety was less simple to resolve. My ex had been in charge of cooking; my skills were limited. I didn’t have much of an appetite for a long time, either. One of the few foods that made me feel more in control and pleased with my life was a poached egg. Eggs aren’t expensive, and a neophyte can feel fancy poaching an egg. And even a woman with little desire to eat will find it hard to resist that clever little egg she has made.

3. Omelet. Julia Child style.

4. Hard boiled eggs. I rarely make them, but with a dash of salt and a grind of pepper, these make a satisfying snack.

5. Deviled eggs. Before yesterday, I had never made deviled eggs. I like them low on mayo with relish. I’m eager to try them with mustard, too.

6. Quiche. Leek is my favorite. What’s yours?

7. Egg and cheese on a roll. Before I became a vegetarian, it was bacon, egg, and cheese on a roll. You have to say it all as one word for proper effect. This is a New York deli standard. It’s not the same unless you’re in Westchester or NYC. Sorry, Long Island…my experience is that you don’t get this right. This is the cure for all evils, from hangover to broken heart. I promise you.

8. Over hard and broken. It’s the proper way to fix an egg for egg and cheese on a roll, but I also like them this way on their own.

9. Egg white and spinach omelet. This is especially good if the spinach has been sauteed in olive oil and garlic.

10. Huevos rancheros. These are best when eaten in New Mexico. Really.

How about you? How do you prefer your eggs?