1) Move a few things out of the way (in this case in the study) and find all sorts of things: a souvenir oil lamp Mother brought back from Rome in 1977, a piano key from one of the Baker House Piano Drop pianos with an inscription from an MIT friend, given to me on my retirement in 2019; a beautiful piece of wide silk ribbon, elaborately woven with a design of Coventry Cathedral, a gift from my friends in Coventry in 2019 . . .
1a) . . . and the head of Frankenmae, which had been a badly creased foamcore figure of Mae West that probably came to me from Arthur Friedman in the 1990s. What a souvenir of my 30s! Only the head remains; no idea what happened to the body.
1b) I need to spend more time this month going through the house. Who knows what will turn up?
2) Lunch was late today as I was trying out a new (to me) recipe for basil lime chicken thighs, since I had all the ingredients and needed to use up a few things. I read the whole recipe before I got started (scroll about 75% down), and I’m glad I did, because the instructions should have begun “Prepare all ingredients.” I would not have wanted to start zesting limes or peeling garlic, etc., halfway through this recipe, with seasoned chicken thighs coming out of a sizzling skillet.
2a) Even though it took awhile, a most savory and excellent result. I will cook this again.
3) It is difficult to believe that I’ve been home almost a month, but also that I’m actually at home and not still traveling.