"Prometheus"

I was really looking forward to Ridley Scott's "Prometheus".  Bruce and I rushed to a Marcus big-screen cinema on my day off, ready for a fantastic movie.  And we were vastly disappointed.

Disappointed with most of the secondary characters, because particularly the engineers are really stupid.  Why spend years and millions to send an engineer to another planet who doesn't want to be there?  Disappointed in the plot, because there are big holes in it.  Disappointed in the score, because there was very little going on in it.  And disappointed that what was supposed to be a spooky sci-fi movie turned the corner into iffy plain horror about a third of the way through.  And the details of how the alien looked were different from the original. Too, there were some "oh wow" technology items that had superfluous scenes wrapped around them. I was ready to walk out before half the movie was over.

This was a classic case of "we've got some great ideas, but we don't have an ending.  Don't worry, we'll figure it out."  Fell flat.  I wasted my money and time.

Just add Vindaloo

Just got some pork tenderloin, and am anticipating tonight's dinner:  Bruce's crispy fried potatoes, peas and corn with leeks in a Chardonnay-coriander sauce, and Vindaloo-parmesan coating on the meat.  If you haven't tried Vindaloo curry yet, you're missing a great melange of flavors that includes a hint of sweet cinnamon that adds an exotic element. I haven't yet met a vegetable it doesn't compliment, and it tastes great on chicken, pork, or turkey.  It's also wonderful in chicken salad or egg salad.  I get mine from Penzey's Spices, which is soon to be another blog subject. 

Sinusitis, Bronchitis, and all that Gunk

Once upon a time, about eleventy-fortain years ago, I discovered the hard way that I have a weakness for these diseases:  I got them twice a year, every year, between April 17-May12, and any time from the end of November through the New Year.  When I moved to Wisconsin, I started getting them every 45-60 days.  When I asked my ENT what I could do to dodge these unwelcome visitors, he shrugged.  "They're allergy-based.  Stay healthy, and be careful."

I eventually became more used to Wisconsin's pollens, and discovered echinacea.  It's been six or eight years since I had them.  Then boom, someone at work started hacking and sneezing.  Of course, the beasties made themselves right at home in the next susceptible person:  me.

Several weeks later, I still have nasal drainage and a cough that gets worse with exertion, dust, fumes, smoke, and sometimes nothing.  A friend has been teasing me about my abnormal husky alto. And sounding like a cat with a hairball is getting old. 

New Percival story

Bruce Heard and I are working on a new Percival St. Croix story called "The Hand of Justice".  The scenes of 1915 Cairo are very intriguing, as is the history involved.  We'll have it up on Bruce's blog in a few days.

Excellent dinner

Yummy dinner last night:  sauteed thick beef tenderloins, laced with Penzey's Sate seasoning and dried parsley, finished with sauce made by deglazing the hot pan with a splash of Little Penguin 2009 Shiraz and a generous pinch of French thyme.  Served with lightly steamed asparagus with just enough leek to suggest that sweet onion flavor.  Mmmmmmmm...with cooking like this, who needs to go out for meals?

Spring and Longhairs

Spring is a hard time for longhaired cats.  Furballs become more frequent.  I think I'm brushing cats thoroughly, but it never seems to be enough.  My tiny Brika projected a huge furball this morning, and got a raspy voice for her efforts.  She's now is sleeping it off in a pool of sun on my desk, poufy tail over her nose.  She's cooked!

What Peter Hildreth found II

I can't believe that Peter unearthed this song!  Tracy and I had the sillies big time when we did this!

What Peter Hildreth found

Wow!  Peter Hildreth found this in a pile of old papers.  Thank you, Peter, for saving things like this!  Brought back a lot of good memories.

Hi--I now have a blog!  This is going to be about four things I really love:  writing, knitting, cats, and cooking.  Not in that order, of course. Sometimes they'll get tangled up together, sometimes it will be just one at a time.  I hope I don't get the cats IN the cooking!