I want to do that again! -- Hillsborough Hog Day

Yesterday, we went to Hog Day in Hillsborough. We went two years ago and this year was much better. Now, Owen can enjoy rides. Alas, Zoe has grown so tall, that some of the rides are too small for her. Bob & I just pay for everything and try not to loose the kids. Owen emerged from every ride shouting, "I want to do that again!"

There's an annual BBQ contest that is taken very seriously. We sampled bbq pork sandwiches with cool coleslaw and lively vinegary sauce. We needed cold drinks after that. We gladly paid $5 for a large home made lemonade. The hog was very yummy, even for us yankees.

We tried a few more rides, and talked to the local political groups and candidates.

We even managed to vote early before we left Hillsborough.

Owen sliding down the big ship slide!

Riding the mechanical bull was scary.

Happy New Year to all

First, we want to wish our friends and family a very Happy New Year. 2008 is going to be a great year. I'm sure of it.

We had quiet holidays spending time with the kids and resting. We snuck in some work too. We caught up with a stuff in the house. Since Bob is self-employed he has lots of trouble slowing down.

Bob worked too much and we squabbled about it. The kids alternated between being very demanding or becoming zombies by television. We rented DVDs and tried to fit in some time outside when it wasn't raining. We limit them to 1/2 hour or less a day with more on the weekends. It's just not feasible on a very wet long winter break.

We did more cooking and eating than usual. We made some treats and some traditions. We made Latkes to instill the tradition even though neither of my kids like them. We made cookies and brownies--big surprise--they do like them. I made a few experimental journeys in the kitchen. Thanks to Cooks Illustrated, I learned how to make French Onion Soup from scratch and Almost No-Knead Bread. The soup was amazing and I will make it again. The bread was still too much fuss for me. Since bakeries with good bread abound, it is better to leave bread to the professionals.

We caught up on some reading and crafting. The kids did some painting with watercolors and of course I knit. I'm catching up on several projects and trying to resist starting new ones. Even so, I started a simple Aran vest for Owen. I'm nearly done with the back. And, Zoe is really enjoying the Harry Potter books. She is deep into book five.

Bob & I celebrated the anniversary of our marriage in style with two kids in tow at a local fish restaurant. No, it was not romantic, but at least we were together. We will have many more with just the two of us. Our kids will have their own agendas. For now it's the awesome foursome.

Of course there were some missing things, first we missed all of you. And, we wished for snow. Even though we desperately need the rain here, we were sad that it didn't snow.

Licking the spoon

Owen loves chocolate. He is absolutely, definitely, 100% positively my son.

Carrboro Farmers' Market

Today we visited the Carrboro Farmer's Market.

We bought garden plants, cut flowers, cheese, eggs and pork. Zoe and Owen were thrilled with the pussy willows. We just had to buy a bunch of them. I remember loving pussy willows when I was a kid. I remember stroking their fuzzy tips. They grew in a neighbor's yard. We were always excited when they bloomed in the early spring.

I grew up a city kid. We used to take drives to the country to pick apples or buy pumpkins. We didn't know or understand about locally-raised produce or local farms. Our food came from the supermarket in plastic bags.

Now, I appreciate local produce and crafts. I try to visit the market with my kids at least once a month. And, we go on the farm tour, and try to grow some herbs and vegetables. It's all a part of why we moved here to improve the quality of our life.

Julie and Julia

Last night I went to see Julie Powell, the author of Julie and Julia: 365 Days, 524 Recipes, 1 Tiny Apartment Kitchen: How One Girl Risked Her Marriage, Her Job, and Her Sanity to Master the Art of French Cooking. The book is now out in paperback and she's out touring to sell it.

Of course, being from Boston, I love Julia Child. I can see how some people feel she exploited Julia's fame. She addressed some of that in her talk. It's clear she developed a connection to Julia and she expressed her homage to her.

I enjoyed Julie's book and recommended it to friends. In fact, I sent my copy of the book to a foodie friend. Scroll down to January 22. She has over 100 cookbooks!

Julie Powell is much younger than I am, and I was surprised at her disclosure. For example, I would never write about selling my eggs if I had the ovaries or cojones to do it.

I went to the talk with a knitting buddy. I was late due to kids, getting a bit lost, and no parking. So, I missed some of the reading. The Q&A was good. Of course, I would have wanted to ask more questions.

Julie Powell is clearly smart and good with an audience. She's a clever writer, and sure had a lot of time on her hands to cook and blog. Given her intellect and her under-employment, she was bound to be an author at some point. She was very lucky in that her blog was picked up by the media and she got an audience and a book deal. I'm not clear how she got her audience.

Overall, I wonder how you get traffic to your blog. I guess you have to have a unique project or a special hook. Of course, it helps if you are a good writer.

Afterwards, we went out to a Mexican joint full of college kids. It was good to be out but it's a young crowd in this college town. I drank a Negra Modelo and had a steak burrito. Negra Modelo is my favorite Mexican beer. Just tasting one brings back memories of a Mexican vacation with my sisters long ago, but that's something I'd never blog about....

Mother's Day

Yesterday was Mother's Day. I got to sleep in a bit while Bob made breakfast. Zoe and Owen were not helpful, but were allowed to watch TV. It all came to an abrupt end when the smoke detector went off five or six times. He was burning bacon and filling the house up with smoke.

Bob is very well meaning. Alas, he can't cook very well. He had two hungry kids to deal with. So, I came slumbering down at 7:30. We had waffles and coffee. The bacon was not bad despite the drama.

We had basically the same menu last year. This year of mothering has been a great one.

Zoe is maturing bit by bit. She has learned a so much this year and works hard at school. We still struggle with her attention and focus. She is getting stronger with gymnastics and now horseback riding classes. These are great for her confidence and stamina.

Owen is a force to contain and direct. He is trying so hard to talk. He studies what we say and copies Zoe the most. When she jumped into the van tonight and shouted. "you're the best!" Owen parrotted her with "the best!"