Rained all day

I have an appointment Thursday for a haircut. I feel like I've seen their board and haircuts are up a dollar. But how could I see it? Ann told me she raised every price a dollar.

Getting back to business is so weird.  Wisconsin has no guidelines she knows of. Ann has every other kennel empty, and she has staggered arrival times to not overlap. But, Memorial Day approaches, and she has only received twenty reservations. In the past all forty kennels have been reserved, with a waiting list.

Two books I've finished lately deserve a mention. Tonight I finished Scribbling the Cat, by Alexandra Fuller. It is, I think, her third book I've read. Another compelling read; she is a fine writer. 

The first book, Don't let's go to the dogs tonight, is obviously shaped by Africa's many recent wars and long standing oppression.  But very much from a child's perspective. Scribbling is how the participants fill in the hollows of their lives, if they can. She goes on an odyssey with two or three soldiers of the war; four if you count her as one, too. Another good and frequently compelling read.

Before that I read Officer Clemmons, Francois Clemmons, only just released. I put myself on a waiting list to buy it. This is a book that makes me want to rage, or cry hopelessly. Clemmons was mentored throughout his career by Fred Rogers. I would have read it in one sitting, except I started it in the afternoon. I overstayed my bedtime as it was.

I had a good dinner tonight (and a quarter of my blueberry crostata). Last night's from scratch dinner was not too appealing, except for a quarter of the blueberry crostata. It was noodles, asparagus and mushrooms and onions and garlic in a buttermilk rue. I only made it because of the buttermilk I continue to have left from making cornbread.

The remainder did not go in the freezer because I knew full well I would not work on resuscitating it. So tonight I brought the skillet up to sizzle and turned all those noodles brown and crispy. I sliced a cucumber in another dish and called it supper.

I keep getting happy notes about the crostata. I've made three, to date. I also bought a little jug of clotted cream, but have not yet picked a worthy crostata. I have a couple of apples to turn into a crostata. I cut them into four pieces and make them last four nights. Otherwise......

The last of my mother's day flowers, plus an allium from outdoors. It suffered a tragic accident.