Sunday, September 7, 2008

Some Questions Answered

One, at least. The blog still lurches along. I am not posting my menus here though in good weeks, I do jot them down on an envelope so I can shop smart for the week. But I am trying hard to cut down my computer time, and so doing all the links and copying of recipes, etc., is taking too long. Besides, I'm not sure how inspirational anything I make is to anyone else (except for the poppyseed chicken casserole--thanks for the cheers, Lynn!), and it can only be less so with no time to link, etc.

But the latest question answered came via our town paper, which had a photo of some teenagers loading a truck with their uncle's world-class record collection which he was donating to the Bloomington Symphony Orchestra. They are building their library of recordings--all eras, all genres. In exchange for the donation (in effect), they will do an appraisal of the collection for tax purposes, and the records will be cataloged and available for public use. Hurrah! This is what I was looking for, as most of the used record places were either too picky about what kind of music it was (and for some of these things, I wouldn't know!) or too chintzy to make it worthwhile. And while I don't know whether these recordings will be worth the gasoline it takes to drive them out there, I'm comforted that these things might go where someone can use them. And did I mention that they will pick them up and drive them back for me? It'll be six months before the guy is here again but that gives me time to round them all up.

A future post (or series) will be on the Camp Mommy events of the last month with observations on all the kids' attractions we visited in August. I'm still recovering.

And at some point I'll be linking to some great recipes I tried. Tonight's new favorite: Smitten Kitchen's Crisp Rosemary Flatbread. It really was that easy, truly yummy (well, I thought so, but no one else particularly grooved on them. more for me), and would probably be fun with the kids now that I've made it once myself. Also: got to get out my rolling pin for the first time in...ummm...can't even guess how long at this point.

Finally, I was mesmerized this weekend when I should have been doing something (anything) else by the story of NieNie. I don't even remember how I found her blog and her sister's blog, c jane. But the story is: blogging mom of four kids under 6 got in to terrible plane crash; one died, she and husband are in intensive care for burn treatment. Internet rallies 'round. Her blog is beautiful, and it really made me catch my breath to see her lovely face mugging for the camera with one of her kids, and knowing she's in a burn unit right now as they try to rebuild it. So heartbreaking. Apparently I wasn't the only one hooked; even the New York Times Style Section picked it up today. I could kick myself for getting involved in other people's tragedies online; we have plenty of drama here in our own lives (extended family mostly and thankfully nothing this major; just the daily bleah of backed up sewer lines and madly chirping computers that are keeping my photos hostage). But these blogs are really lovely to look at and I am happy for her familiy that they will always have that as a record of "before."

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