Tuesday

Did a color wash, had breakfast, and whipped up the heavy cream for the strawberry buckle. It's actually a kind of streusel type, I guess, since the recipe calls for a hint of cinnamon. Whipped cream stores well in the fridge, so I had it ready for later. 

I wanted to serve the buckle warm, so didn't want to start it until 5:00 or so for our little birthday party for Vickie at 7:00. Decided I'd like to eat out--meaning in this case, somewhere outside. I thought the hospital veranda would be a good idea; there are tables and umbrellas, and when I ate there before, it seemed very pleasant. So I packed a lunch, got my cart, and took a bus to the transit center, then walked to The Market near the hospital. Got  paper plates, so I can have Suzanne and Vickie take most of the buckle home. Walked to the hospital, but when I got to the veranda, I saw there were a number of white coats there having lunch. I felt self-conscious--did I look like a bag lady, pulling my cart?--so changed my mind. Walked to the transit center to bus home, and had lunch--pleasant enough--on my patio.  

After, I chopped three of my six large onions to store in the freezer; the others I'll just prepare as I need them. Started the buckle at 5:00; it was a bit more complicated than the ordinary blueberry buckle I usually make, but it came out beautifully:

Took it next door to Suzanne's at 7:00, Vickie came in, and they raved about the dessert. I have to say it was good and to prove it, I had two pieces, along with plentiful whipped cream. Vickie showed us on Suzanne's laptop seventy-five pictures of churches in France, which a friend had sent her. We chatted for a bit longer, then broke up a little after 8:00. 

I called Jim when I got home to invite him for lunch today, since I have a slice of the buckle remaining. However, he has a doctor's appointment, so declined. We talked for some time and will keep in touch.

An interesting happening: A Facebook friend and artist, Sergey Rauzin, does wonderful colorizing of photos from the 1900s and he did Albert Einstein today. He posted it, along with a little bio of Einstein. I jokingly mentioned in the comments that I have Einstein's cat, having bought it at a house sale in Princeton--the very house where he had lived until his death. The woman who sold it to me swore it had been Einstein's and I added this picture of it:    

To my surprise, Sergey, said it was a piece by Bordallo Pinheiro, a well-known (in certain circles, I guess) artist and ceramist from Portgual. Sergey put this picture on of Pinherio's work:  

I looked it up and my cat may be worth something, but not more than a few hundred and I wouldn't part with kitty for less than a thou. But it was interesting...