The Journey's the Thing…

I woke up this morning feeling the same old dread over my future. It seems that the ghosts of my past have decided to haunt me today and make me feel worthless. I know that this is not true. I have an intrinsic worth, as do all beings. But how I wish I could go back and change what has happened. At its worst, I feel that my life is ruined and over. Done with. Finished. These feelings come at the dawn of my going back to school and finishing what I had barely began 20+ years ago. So in a way, I guess I am going back and changing what has already happened.

I’m meeting my attorney this morning for a cup of coffee and a chat about some things going on in my head. She’s a wonderful woman, very patient, and I’m lucky and grateful to have her confidence. I am applying for my Irish passport, being a dual citizen and all. Unfortunately the paperwork I wish her to sign is not complete so I’ll have to make another appointment with her to complete those items. I still need to have 2 pictures taken and to have her sign the pictures as well as the witness section. No hurry on this.

My basil is going crazy, so I think I’ll make pesto this afternoon. I need to pick up some really good Parmesan cheese and maybe some more pine nuts. My recipe is pretty straightforward.
First you need lots of fresh basil, cleaned of dirt and sand. Toast the pinenuts lightly. Grate the cheese. Keep all of these things separate. Grind up all the basil and lots of garlic in a blender or something, with extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) as a medium. When you have this paste, transfer it to a good sized mixing bowl. Crush up your pine nuts by hand, using the backside of a saute pan, or a few quick passes of a knife. Add the nuts to the paste and blend in with a spatula. Season with Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. Then add your grated cheese and mix thoroughly. Check your seasoning, add more oil if you want, and voila! pesto. Pesto freezes really well if you divide it up in small ziplock bags, flatten them out, and pop them in the fridge.

Use your best judgment for measurements. I go by taste and texture. Remember, there is a lot of room to move with food, and no chef, no matter how well respected, has the definitive recipe. Also remember that most, if not all, great recipes are based on peasant dishes–poor folks food, country cookin’, whatever. Use the ingredients at hand. Bon apetit!

Johnnyboy

I feel like I should really do absolutely nothing of any consequence today. It’s now just after 10am and I haven’t been awake for even an hour. A good start, IMHO. It is raining, off and on, which gives the outside a pleasant sound of hissing and frying. The birds are busy talking about bird stuff and my mom is downstairs watching golf. My cat is probably snoozing somewhere, as is Henry, my sisters 15 year old Westy. He sleeps a lot anyway. I would too, if I were 105. I plan on going to Copake Falls tonight at around 6:30, but that’s hours away. I think I’ll work on a model for a bit and then do the one constructive activity I wish to accomplish: vacuum my office. The scattered carcasses of many bugs are lining the window sills, and for some reason, the baseboard heaters. Break out the Electrolux.

There is an article in today’s New York Times about Croatia, and what a wonderful travel destination it has become. In a way this is sad, because for over 100 years, Croatia has been the Europeans secret little haven and vacation spot. When I was there, I was blissfully aware that there was a dearth of Americans. Now I fear that the scene has changed. It’s not that I don’t like Americans–people are people, there are obnoxious French as well–but Americans seem to be, more often than not, the kind of travelers that wave around large sums of money and speak in loud, American voices when they don’t know the local lingo. As if yelling helps with the translation. Thankfully I think that Croatia is safe, though. Most Americans couldn’t find it on a map if they tried.

Sorry if I sound bitter, but there was a radio article on the current state of the media the other day that made me depressed: most Americans are not interested in foreign news. We seem to live in a vacuum. The United States of Electrolux.