7 Quick Takes: All the Random Things

I haven't done these for a while, but I have some odds and ends to blog about, so here goes!

~1~

Valentine's Day always coincides with the eve of one of our Twelve Great Feasts: the Presentation of the Lord in the Temple (also called Candlemas in the Western church).  So it has always been a rub.  

My husband isn't really one for romantic gestures or gifts in general, so the whole breakfast in bed thing didn't happen, but we did have a nice dinner as a family on the 13th.  He made risotto (an old favorite of ours) and it was delicious.  The kids didn't really like it (more for us!) but it was fine.  I'm not much of a one for alcohol, but we had a bottle of Prosecco, and that was nice.  I got some mini chocolate cheesecakes for dessert from Whole Foods and they were wonderful.

~2~

The best part of having risotto is making al-salto afterward with the leftovers.  It is basically a big buttery cheesy rice pancake.  (My apologies to my Catholic readers who started Lent on Wednesday; we're still in Cheesefare week, so bring on the dairy until Monday!)

~3~

I finished another cowl:

I didn't have quite two full skeins, so it is a little skimpy on the circumference, but it gets the job done.  Black Swish, size 9 needles, 45 stitches wide, gartered until I ran out of yarn and then seamed up the middle.  Easy-peasy.  I wet-blocked it in the washer and stretched it out on my drying rack to make it slightly bigger.  I made a red one just like it to go with my Christmas flannel dress.  (For the record, I didn't make it for Christmas, just for the winter, but ended up wearing it on the day).

~4~

Orthodox Lent starts on Monday.  'Nuff said.

~5~

I'm revisiting the mid-to-late 1990s with my movie watching lately.  I couldn't say why I suddenly went back to a bunch of films that were important to me at that time, but there it is.  (For anyone interested in titles, they are, in no particular order: Firelight, Dangerous Beauty, City of Angels, Dejavu, Passion of Mind).  I just found out that City of Angels is based on a German art house film, and I'd like to see it to compare.  (And yes, I know the theology in that movie is seriously messed up, but I still like the story).  I also have in mind to rewatch Message in a Bottle and Moulin Rouge at some point as well.

~6~

I picked up The Shires' album Brave after seeing them perform on an old episode of Graham Norton.  I think it will be a good album.  I've been listening to Home Free on amazon music (I have all their albums).  They are just.so.good.

~7~

My kids are off school from today through Tuesday for President's Day week (what the freaking what??) so I don't think I'll be getting much done in the next five days.  I have to say, after almost six solid weeks of illness, plus the 2 week winter break that proceeded it, I'm having a hard time getting back into the swing of things.  

And just for the record, between January 1-February 15, our family has three major Church feasts, one birthday, three namesdays, one baby memorial day, one secular holiday, and, this year, the Lenten Triodion.  It has kind of felt like a feasting free-for-all, and I'm having a hard time staying track with my diet.

Scratch that.  I was actually doing just fine until last week. That was when Ponchik had her adenoids out, and I was still pretty sick, Birdie got a secondary ear infection and both girls were up all night the night before the surgery.  I've kind of been off the rails since then (I gained almost five pounds in the past week--argh!)

I realized (again!) how much sleep affects my ability to make good decisions in the kitchen.  I'm still getting over the illness, and have to pace myself so I don't get too tired, so that is a factor as well.  (Hence all the movie watching in the past few weeks--I am not writing very much, but I am getting a lot of knitting done!)  I suppose it is good that Lent starts on Monday; I'm hoping it will help me find my discipline again.

That's all for me!  Go see Kelly for more Takers of Quick.