Saturday, with Water Lilies and Kitchen Agenda

Whew, that was a close one, but I made it to Saturday.  What a long week!  It was a very productive week in the lab, though I think it was the kind of productivity that looks more like two steps forward, one step back.  Ah, experiments!  If it weren’t for weekends, I’d have to throw in the towel on this way of life.

But thankfully, there are weekends, and this one is going to be good.  I can just feel it.  I’m of two minds about my weekending.  One very tempting idea is to be as lazy as possible, leaving the couch only for snacks and drinks.  I’ve got my old copy of Walden to keep me entertained; my Book Club is reading Thoreau and I haven’t even started my assignment yet!  But one cannot read Walden in a hurry any more than one can read poetry without time to linger over the words.  These things must not be rushed.

Just the idea of being lazy this weekend makes me feel better.  But then I think about all the delicious things I could make this weekend and my belly gets really excited about all the cooking and baking we could do.  I’ve got my eye on Shauna’s new granola recipe, and I’m planning to make a big pot of vegetable soup tonight.  There’s a loaf of sourdough bread on the counter, melon in the fridge, and bars of chocolate in the cupboard.  Oh, and a new block of my favorite cheese.  I like to keep a well-stocked kitchen.

I’ve been riding my bike a lot lately.  I should clarify that “my bike” isn’t really my bike; it’s a bike that a kind friend loaned to me.  This kind friend also made me the most amazing Indian food on Thursday night.  The food was so good that instead of having dessert, I had seconds.  I dream about being able to make food like that.  Anyway, with my borrowed bike I’ve been riding all over town for errands and for fun.  I love seeing the dusky Texas sky overhead as I pedal forward.  In the evenings, with a gentle breeze on my skin, this Texas summer is pleasant.  It’s still awfully hot every day as long as the sun is shining, but the evenings here are kind of magical.  I want to remember them when the sun disappears at 5 PM and the land feels dark and grey to me, even if it isn’t cold.

I’m off to fix some lunch and bake some Walnut Wafers.  Have a groovy weekend, friends!