Eats, Shoots & Leaves....

A note from Washington Hospital Center regarding paperwork submitted this afternoon:

 

Hello Mrs. Cavanaugh , I received all the information , I just forwarded to Mrs. Groome witch is the person who is reviewing your case , if you have a question please call him at 202-877-6667, ask for Mr. Jim Groome @ Financial Clearance .

 

Thanks so very much!!!!

Coconuts and Avocados: Staffs of Life

I'm polishing off the last of the truffle studded goose liver pate while reading my care and handling instructions: The Heart Healthy Low Sodium Diet.

I am feeling very virtuous because goose liver pate (please supply your own accents throughout this piece, I am too limp to bother locating them) does not appear on the taboo list. And whatever minimal issue there might be is entirely offset by the salt-free Carr's Tablewater Crackers that carry each schmear to my mouth. 

Actually, there is no taboo list. They have divided the thing into three columns, noting only that one should "eat less" of the the items on the far right. This is kinder than a sharp "No!" and a rap across the knuckles with a  ruler as I imagine nuns do, or did. Being Jewish, this is what I imagine.

Have I become Redundant?

Since I am almost entirely useless, Monica designed our gorgeous Thanksgiving table and centerpiece this year-- without one single word of advice from me.

She also took charge of the turkey and and took in stride the assistance of Uncle Bill, who has become extremely enthusiastic about cooking since his retirement.

This was a follow-up to last week's Resurrection/Birthday Fiesta she and Greg arranged for 42 friends: margaritas, salsas, beef and/or veggie soft tacos, chicken tortillas. All from scratch.

Monica says: "It's like I've become the mommy and you're the baby." How true. And there's nothing she seems to like more than saying things like: Mommy stop! Just stop. Do NOT lift that. Do not DO that.

I Did Say this Blog is Tangentially About Flowers Didn't I?

There are purple and yellow and palest pink orchids in the wee, glass walled, conservatory off my second floor office. Last year at about this time it was an open porch, but then I batted my eyelashes and said to my prince...Could you put up maybe some plastic so I could hold over the tropicals?

And lo. It was done.  

Besides the orchids, I've got a Meyer lemon, with an actual lemon just turning lemon colored, a key lime, a grapefruit, a Honey Bell orange seedling, and several varieties of jasmine.

The absurdly unfloriferous red hibiscus has been yanked from the earth and put in a pot. The pink geraniums from the front window boxes will be enjoying their second winter indoors; amazing how bushy and happy they are, if they had tails they'd be wagging. The ferns are on their hooks. The palm's in the corner.

It's all very splendid, though it smells a bit like an indoor swimming pool since the prince sprayed bleach on the backs of  the wonderful Alice in Wonderlandy wicker chairs that we picked up on last month's Tallulah trek.

It was last month, wasn't it? Somehow I've lost track. A few weeks ago, that's right, isn't it? When I thought I had the flu? But then it turned out I didn't.

It's increasingly amusing (to me anyway) that I chose Alice at the Mad Hatter's Tea Party to illustrate my blog. Leap with me down the rabbit hole: