Random thoughts on a Friday evening

~ Giving away clothing because it is too big is a wonderful feeling.

~ Giving away your children's clothing because it is too small is bittersweet.

~ Can you feel Spring? I can. It is in the starting gates, chomping at the bit waiting for those gates to open.

~ I adore the Habitat for Humanity Restore. It may be hit or miss, but I can find some lovely things there and feel good about supporting a good cause. If only there was one closer to me.

~ There are far too many recipes for chocolate cake out there. I am trying to find one that I had saved somewhere for a bittersweet chocolate buttermilk cake with a chocolate and mascarpone frosting. Where could I have put it? I need a chocolate cake for the party tomorrow and I want to make this one. It seems like I can find every recipe but this one.

~ Two more weeks until I can start my seedlings for the vegetable garden. Two! Hurray! Itty bitty broccoli and tiny tomato plants! Little basils stretching to the lights next to diminutive pepper plants. I have been reading the Jung's catalog, but I keep changing my varieties. Decisions, decisions.

~ I made some bread earlier this week that was out of this world good. I might still be working on my rye techniques, but wow, the sourdough baguettes I am making these days are on par with anything I have ever purchased from an artisan bakery. My father-in-law requested that I make him some Cuban bread, which made me feel fantastic.

~ I wish the family was more adventurous with their palates. I have been playing around with non-Italian Mediterranean and Indian foods, but the only one who really likes them is me. Sure I will cook for myself, but it takes the fun out of it. I truly enjoy cooking for others. At least the kids are enjoying fried sweet potato chunks when they would not eat sweet potato before. Luis likes some of the Indian dishes, but mostly prefers pasta dishes with simple butter/wine/garlic sauces and meat of some sort. And his eggs. That man can eat eggs more often than anyone I know.