The View from Here

Hi there!  Those of you who read my running blog may already know this, but ta-da!  My Dell laptop made its triumphant return to me, and we are like two peas in a pod.  Or like an obsessive woman and her key to the world outside the biology lab.  Either or.

I am happy and relieved to have the computer back in my paws, but I’m also kind of overwhelmed by things I want to write about here.  I have too many threads, too many ideas, unfurling themselves in my brain, and I know not where to begin.  So let’s begin with something very simple.

I have a new stove.

It came as a surprise to me!  It’s so modern-looking, with its glossy black surface and hidden burners.  My apartment complex is under new management, and they have wasted no time upgrading things around here.  Along with the stove, there is a new refrigerator and dishwasher in my kitchen, and I think the four of us are getting along just fine.

In other news, I’m eating a lot of potatoes these days.  I was really inspired by Ashley’s post about grocery shopping every other week.  I have a soft spot for a well-stocked pantry, and that’s essentially what Ashley is after with her strategy.  Buy in bulk to save money and then save money again by cooking your meals at home using basic, not-too-expensive ingredients.  Buying in bulk is something that even we singletons can do, at least with some pantry staples.  And with the “buy in bulk” mindset, I’m willing to do things like buy a five-pound bag of organic potatoes in the hope that I can be as creative and kitchen-productive as Ashley.  I can’t remember when I bought this bag, but I’ve made a pretty good dent in it.

The great irony of this kitchen thrift is that I’m offsetting it by dating someone new, and we can’t help ourselves: the meals we’ve shared together at my place have all featured wine and some sort of expensive cheese.  It’s hard for me to feel bad about it because I’m enjoying myself too much, despite my looming unemployment.  For now, it’s all homemade calzones and broiled halloumi and bottles of red wine.  I’m pretty happy to let myself float along with this plan.