the busy heart

Only one student showed up for my class on Whitman today. Count him, ONE. The two of us found this very disturbing. We discussed the possibility of a grand plot against Whitman class. We discussed alien abduction. We discussed mass stomach bugs. And then we went home. Now I'm considering the possibility that no one likes me. Worms, anyone?

Pardon me for being a doting cat-mom, but is this not the cutest Meatsock you've ever seen in a dryer? No idea how he managed to hop up there. But oh he charms me. (Sorry for the sideways view. I'm too lazy to fix it in picasa. And I kinda like it that way.) Also, Sam and I watched Arachnophobia for the first time last night. Why do people make movies like that? Movies that make me screech when my sweater, sock, or hair touch me? Movies that cause me to stand up on my couch, screaming and stamping my feet? And that was just me. Even Sam, who watches horror movies for FUN, was freaking out. We had to watch stupid TV just to get over it.

We went to this place: A bed and breakfast on Cape Cod. Late at night, in our pretty room called "Moonglow," we sat in reclining chairs facing a big window, looked at the stars, held hands, and talked and talked and talked. Today we drove all the way to Provincetown. It's at the very tip of the Cape. Sam and I have decided that the Cape looks like Popeye's flexed arm. (We don't know if this is a cliche. Has anyone heard this before?) Look: So we were on Popeye's knuckle. We ate lunch. This is Sam eating lunch: Then we tried to get close to a lighthouse and failed. But we did find a beach and spent 1.5 seconds on it until we decided it was COOOLLLLDDD and literally ran back to our car. I can't tell you how much we needed to go away. Since our wedding was quick and the cross country move followed on its heels, we didn't really honeymoon. This was kind of a mini-honeymoon. A minimoon. We've both had a rough time adjusting to all the ch...

I love Sam.   I mean, I really love him.

This is my favorite sandwich in the world, I think. At least for tonight. I made this for the first time a few years ago, and I keep coming back to it and back to it. Ohhh, it's lovely. And healthy. And stuff. Okay, here. Make it, eat, be happy. Black Bean Burgers with Spicy Cucumber and Red Pepper Relish Ingredients Relish: 2/3 cup finely chopped peeled cucumber 1/2 cup finely chopped red bell pepper 1/4 cup finely chopped red onion 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice 1 tablespoon honey 1 teaspoon finely chopped dill 1/8 teaspoon salt Dash of ground red pepper Burgers: 1 (15-ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained 1/2 cup dry breadcrumbs 1/4 cup minced red onion 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin 1/8 teaspoon black pepper 1 large egg Cooking spray Preparation To prepare relish, combine first 8 ingredients in a medium bowl. Cover and chill 2 hours. To prepare burgers, place beans in a large bowl; partially mash with a fork. Stir in brea...

Today, at lunch, Sam held up a piece of lettuce, a heart of romaine that looked like a pale green spine. “I wish you could see yourself in this piece of lettuce,” he said. “Uhhh, hmm. I don’t think I get it,” I said. “I wish it was a little mirror, and I could hold it up like this, and you could see how pretty you are, sitting over there.”

My visiting-teachee has cancer. (For non-LDS, this means a person at church that I visit once a month and make sure she's okay.) I know this, even though I technically shouldn't. She doesn't seem to want people to know. She told me it was a possibility, and then seemed really really bothered that she had. So, it's not like we're dear friends. I can't just call her and say I'm sorry and what can I do. She doesn't like scheduled visits, since she never knows how she'll feel. They don't need meals. I'm not even sure she likes me. And yet, my heart aches. I want to be able to DO something. Bring flowers? Bring flowers and leave them on her doorstep? Just pray from afar? Anyone have any ideas?