It’s been almost three weeks since I, in one of the occasional troughs of my blogging “career”, asked my faithful readers for help in generating content in this space. Since then, by force of circumstances, I managed to ignore the resulting questions (although, coincidentally, a large portion of my recent output dealt directly with the house-hunting question posed by Vince and echoed by Cheryl). I might never be able to get another response to a similar questions call if I procrastinate any further.
To be fare, a number of your responses were suggestions rather than direct questions. I will attempt to use a number of them in the days to come, but I cannot do them justice unless I take time to think them through.
In the meantime, I’m sufficiently embarrassed by my long avoidance of a follow-up to answer a few easier questions.
From Tania: Food is always good – what you like, what you don’t, why.
A little over a year ago, I addressed a lot of my culinary affinities and dislikes in this fun meme. To summarize, I am a relatively adventurous omnivore with likes and dislikes often rooted in my childhood memories. I like practically every type of meat. I am reasonably ok with most of seafood. I appreciate many ethnic cuisines. I rarely touch cooked vegetables, but enjoy fresh ones. I don’t have a sweet tooth at all (although, lately I realize that I tend to exaggerate my abhorrence of sweets in public; in addition to my fondness for one specific recipe of cake – mentioned in the comments to the meme – I am not above having a chocolate or a gelato; and very recently, I was reminded that I am quite partial to halvah). I don’t drink hard spirits, but very much enjoy wine or beer, depending on the situation.
In short, I am quite easy to cater for when I come to visit. With apologies to my vegetarian friends…
Also from Tania: Boxers or briefs?
Boxer-briefs, actually. Just the right level of comfort for me.
From Vince: How are you daughters adapting to being back?
In short, Kimmy has been in seventh heaven since we returned, and is happier than ever in the new house and at her current school, while Becky admittedly misses London, her school-friends there and the amount of self-sufficiency that she enjoyed on account of widely-accessible public transportation.
I’m working on following Geo’s excellent suggestion to have them discuss their recent experiences themselves in this space. Stand by for that.
Also from Vince: How much wood could a woodchuck chuck if a woodchuck could chuck wood?
Forty-two. For other views, go here.
Ah, the same answer as the question to life, the universe, and everything. Works for me :-).
That is the answer to everything, right? 🙂
Ah hah! Another halvah fan. Hard to find these days, but when I get into certain neighborhoods here that have a good deli, thanks to the local Jewish & Middle Eastern populations…yum.
Wendy, no Russian groceries in your neck of the woods? I have about four in a radius of approximately two miles. Every single one of them would carry a couple different varieties.
Yuck to halvah. TheHusband loves the stuff, though. I don’t mind buying it for him, because it is a fattening food that I can keep in the house without wanting to eat even a teensy bit of. My cousins bought some halvah in NYC several years ago that everyone (except me) thought was smashing. I’ll ask her where/what kind…
There is a very small Russian/Eastern European population here in the Atlanta area. And while they seem to live on my side of the city, I have yet to wander across a local market that caters to them.
My section of town is more Hispanic, Oriental & Middle Eastern at the moment, as is my neighborhood, plus I’ve known where the good intown Hebrew markets are for years. Including two big-box grocery stores, each under strict rabbinical supervision to run the Kosher counters!