Jessica made the meal to end all meals tonight. Oh man, so tasty. Three dishes with two woks. That’s right, she DOUBLE WOKKED! The recipes were from a new book her AMAZING husband got as a present (I had heard it talked up the mpr cooking show). Our kitchen was turned into a sizzling and chaotic mess of weird dried mushrooms and bubbling red peppers, but the result was really quite delicious. The kids ate very well, as did their grandma Bubbe who joined us. Jessica may update later with info about the recipes.

Says Jess, “I LOVE cooking ethnic feast! It really is a great cookbook. Every recipe has been like a fine Chinese restaurant. I wish it had even more recipes!”

And a bonier free range egret (at Powderhorn Park):

This weekend Josh and Ashley invited us to grill hot dogs and swim at the park near their house. So we did!

This weekend I sang with the U of Mn Summer choir. We did Carmina Burana, one of those pieces that just about everyone has heard in movies or commercials but doesn’t know what it is. Anyway, it was a blast! And Art really wanted to come. Luckily the piece is only 55 minutes long and it was the only thing on the program. So he and I listened to the CD several times together, and danced, so he would know what to expect. The music sounds really grand and important, but actually a lot of the movements are about basic human desires like food (there’s a movement sung from a swan’s point of view as he roasts on a spit), sex (lots of songs about sex) and drinking (the longest movement is all about getting completely inebriated). Anyhow, according to Ben Art was really into it, leaning over several times to cue him in like, “Papa… mmm mmm mm… this one is about… mm mmmm mmm. girls trying to look pretty” and things like that. About 40 minutes along or so Art said, “Papa, I’m sleepy for real,” and moved to Ben’s lap. Then they left a little later.

It was great fun for me to be with a lot of my choir buddies and to sing an alltime favorite. I wish you all could have been there!

p.s. “Oh, four tuna!” is what the latin sounds like, but it is really oh Fortuna. Ha ha.

Art and Nanna, Feb 2006:

Art and Pops Aug 2006:

Today we visited Bubbe at the hospital where she works. She’s working in a new area after some union rigmarole and her new job isn’t as fun for her as it was before. In part cause the ladies she works with are CRABBY OLD TOADS. I put that in red since I know Bubbe checks the blog from work and I hope one of the toads reads that over her shoulder. HI TOAD! I was hoping to meet one today and tell them how lucky they are to be working every day with one of my favorite people in the whole world.