abraham lincoln o'neill

We had to put our sweet little dog to sleep yesterday.

Needless to say, our hearts are broken, and already we miss him like crazy.

scenes from a weekend

Farmers booty.

More farmers booty: to keep me company while I proofread crap.

Couch Jedi.

Couch Jedi with a view.

I was wrong about peaches: Thanks, Candy!

The sweetest boy in the world.

Moto photo.

The Kitchen Table: Thanks, Beej Rog!

Very, very wrong about peaches. Seriously: thanks, Candy.

i'm not exaggerating when i say he's the best dog in the world

Hello, frenemies. It's been a tough day here at GFD HQ. I rolled out of bed at 7:15 a.m. (which is a full hour earlier than I usually rise, and two full hours earlier than I like to get up) to get started on the redonkulous amount of work I have to do (still!). I'd made a tight little schedule (7:15: wake up; 7:16: pee; 7:17: drink a glass of water), but the best laid plans of mice and men and little dogs go oft awry.

At 7:18 our little dog sneezed; at 9:30 we were still sopping up the blood from his hemorrhaging nose. When the vet used the word "euthanasia" on the phone at 9:44 a.m., I laid on the recently mopped floor and sobbed for two hours. Which was not on the schedule. Then I euthanized the vet, and around noon got down to work.

All of which is to say, I don't have much energy for bl*gging. So I offer you Mojie's ace-in-the-hole, which she served to me this past Saturday night. It was a farm-to-table dinner, the farm being Mojie's front-yard garden, the table being one I eat at as regularly as I can invite myself over, and the dinner being delicious.


Linguine With Tomatoes and Basil

4 ripe tomatoes, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
1 pound Brie cheese, rind removed, torn into irregular pieces [Mojie did not use brie, thank god -- any ripe, soft-ish cheese will do; see Mojie's other recipe notes below.]
1 cup cleaned fresh basil leaves, cut into strips
3 garlic cloves, peeled and finely minced
1 cup best quality olive oil
salt to taste
1/2 tsp freshly ground pepper
1 1/2 pounds linguine
freshly grated imported Parmesan cheese (optional)

1. Combine tomatoes, brie, basil, garlic, 1 cup olive oil, salt and pepper in a large serving bowl. Prepare at least 2 hours before serving and set aside, covered, at room temperature.

2. Bring 6 quarts of water to a boil in a large pot. Add the linguine and boil until al dente, about 10 minutes.

3. Drain pasta and immediately toss with the tomato sauce. Serve immediately

[Notes from Mojie: "I didn't use brie and I used some big tomatoes and some sun golds and I didn't bother with the parmesan cheese."]

And because we were celebrating the yachtsman's birthday, my stepmother made a blueberry pound cake from an ancient family recipe (speaking of dogs, it seems relevant that I mention here that my stepmother was called Candy growing up, and she had a dog named Bimbo; I'm just sayin'):


And because we were celebrating the yachtsman's birthday, Mojie provided some fancy, local red meat. Here's what the big boys ate:


I'm thinking my little dog deserves a nice steak right about now. He can eat the ribeye while I crawl into that bottle of pink wine.

spam for dinner

I really may be serving Spam for dinner tonight. In my mad rush to get out of town yesterday I forgot (1) the FOUR QUARTS of strawberries I'd bought to make shortcake, (2) the shallot and balsamic vinegar to make dressing for the roasted beet salad, and (3) the special Italian tuna for the pasta. (My frantic day yesterday included non-food-related catastrophes, as well, such as nearly overdosing the dog on morphine -- let's just say he had a really, really, really mellow afternoon.)

Now I'm hiding in the little internet hut, searching for recipes I can make with the limited ingredients I have on hand, namely penne, beets, capers, and canine morphine.

my investment portfolio

It's been a busy weekend here at GFD Headquarters International Ltd. Lots of buying low, selling high, etc. And then I invested heavily in the peony market.

farmer booty

My take from the farmers market included rainbow chard and baby beet greens, D'Avignon radishes, three kinds of cheese, a kale-and-garlic stuffed bread from Naga (where they grow and mill their own wheat -- welcome to Vermont, party people), more microbasil...but I think the highlights are the first strawberries of the season (I feel like I've been waiting my whole life, but in reality winter was a mere nine months long)


and fresh eggs.


While the yachtsman dreams of living on a boat (please don't make me), I fantasize about keeping chickens; if I could have a couple in our 740 square foot apartment, I would. This week, however, I bought my eggs from Boucher Family Farm, where the chickens have more square footage then I do, the lucky bastards. I mean, bitches. I mean, chickens.

P.S.
In an unfortunate turn of events that involved my dog bleeding profusely from the nose while I chased him with a wad of paper towels and cried hysterically, I was unable to make it to the first Summer Fry Fest. But the event was attended by the (vocal) majority of GFD's readership, who promised to take photos while they rudely had fun in my absence. I will post an update when I am updated.

this afternoon

The littlest sass and the cutest dog nap in the other room...

while I eat the last of the deliciousest cupcakes.

his & hers & abe's

Lunch today.

Preparation (his).

Preparation (hers).

Glamour shot (his).

Glamour shot (hers).

Eating (his).

Eating (hers).

Preparation/glamour shot/eating (Abe's).

Recipe (his).

1. Toast bagel.

2. Apply turkey and cheese.

3. Add chips.


Recipe (hers).

This is from my step-sister-in-law; I add dried cranberries, probably because she told me to. I did all of the heavy lifting last night (actually, there is no heavy lifting, unless you count stirring those damn nuts for five minutes), but the dressing keeps well, and if you can stop yourself from eating them, you'll have plenty of leftover nuts.

Salad:
1 head romaine
Gorgonzola cheese

Dressing:
2 tbsp lemon juice
1 tbsp red wine vinegar
3/4 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp fresh ground pepper
1/4 cup walnut oil
1/4 cup olive oil

1. Whisk everything together.

Spicy glazed pecans:
2 tsp butter
1 tbsp sugar
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp fresh ground pepper
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
1 tsp water
2/3 cup pecan halves

1. Melt butter over medium heat.

2. Add sugar, salt, peppers, and water. Cook until bubbling.

3. Add pecans and stir constantly until well coated and sugar has begun to caramelize (about 5 mins).

4. Spread pecans on baking sheet to cool.

Toss all that shizz in a bowl, yo.

before & after

Yesterday was very productive: In addition to the purchase-free trip to Costco, I went out to dinner, and then I went to a dinner party. That's right: It was a two-dinner Sunday (one meal for each thigh).

I also finally got around to putting together the before-and-after photos of our recently renovated little apartment. Although I (obviously) cannot take credit for doing any of the actual construction, I can take credit for not committing a homicide or checking into a mental hospital while the renovation was under way.

I've posted a few photos here; to view the whole slideshow, click HERE.

well that's a fine how-do-you-do

It's snowing up in here.


And bleak and ugly.



But the Crazy Pet Lady offers you this small consolation:


The Crazy Pet Lady is going to offer herself breakfast at Libby's Blue Line Diner as consolation (and also as physical, spiritual, and mental preparation for a trip to Costco; pray for me).

couch with a view

I was planning today to upload before-and-after photos of our apartment, but this would require that I (a) get off the couch and take the "after" photos and (b) get off the couch, find the jump drive, and move the "before" photos from Chris's computer to my computer. And I just don't think all of this getting-off-the-couch business is going to happen. The urge to lie here is strong in me, much like the Force was strong in young Luke Skywalker. I'm not lazy, I'm a Couch Jedi, and like Luke, who used his power to fight the Dark Side, I, too, am using my innate gifts, namely to lie here with the computer on my stomach while I download an episode of Gossip Girl.

So instead of the before-and-after tour, I offer you the following, photos I was able to take without disrupting my Couch Jedi training.

Views out two of our windows (the Flynn Theater sign is one of my favorite things about this apartment...



though I also love the geometry of fire escapes and duct work and roof lines out the window next to it).


And while I know that with this photo I will have exposed myself as a Crazy Pet Lady, I am woman enough to acknowledge that I am both a Crazy Pet Lady and a Couch Jedi.


My Couch Jedi Master Gossip Girl is ready now, and I dare not keep her waiting.

this morning

Instead of being bitter that on this, the first day of spring (or maybe that's tomorrow?), it's the coldest it's been in a week, I'm doing that half-glass-full shizz I'm famous for. Temperatures may be low, the wind frigid, and spring far, far away, but the sun sure is pretty.

I'm off to Johnson to have dinner with my friend Margaret, hopefully at the Winding Brook, but if not then (god forbid) at the Hoob.

Happy weekend!