day 2 et seq.

Hi Folks -

The radio silence was not due to us making a point about our unreliability, but due to our having moved to our house which *alas* doesn't have internet. Yet. That's 72 hours from landing to having a house, phone number, and foreign bank accounts in multiple currencies! But no, no internet.

But this letter isn't about our logistical hoops. At mom's request, this letter is about food.

Our new house is located across from the neighborhood soccer field, and right next to the soccer field is the local barbecued goat joint, and that's where we had lunch after we moved in. It was billed as the best goat joint in town, and it was fine. I really prefer pork, though. It was served with this totally tasteless stuff that is called ugali in Uganda and Tanzania, and maybe here, too. Really, it's like something that that Catalan chef would have come up with: imagine that you ran your food processor fast enough, and long enough, so that air itself started to form into an airy froth and then, if you keep it going lander and faster, it thickened up into an air-like paste and then, if you leave it overnight, it finally came out as a thick sticky dough of air that still tasted like air. That's what ugali is like. Some people find it's nothingness to be so mysterious as to be actually unappetizing, and I really sympathize with those people. But you can also look at it like snails and lobster, as a vehicle for goodness. The ugali was served with sauteed onions liberally dahsed with a pretty hot spice, and the onions with the ugali with the goat was all pretty good.

Saturday afternoon we walked around the neighborhood to find grocery stores and things, and we did manage to find a very close dry-goods store, and a close vegetable stand, and a not-too-far place with some meats. When we got back we were able to make ... spaghetti with red sauce. That's a bit disappointing but, at the same time, a consolation. We did make the sauce from scratch, but still. In the morning we had coffee and omelets. Tonight we found a source for chicken (which is surprisingly hard to get -- there are stores for beef and pork, but I guess most people are able to get chickens sort of on hand, so you don't need to buy them anywhere) and made chicken masala. We went crazy and threw cassava root in there (because it looked like sweet potato at the vegetable stand and -- in our defense -- was called "sweet potato" in french) and it came out not like soft pieces of sweet potato but still pretty good. So good, in fact, that Clara has proposed a cook-off: go ahead and try to best our cassava-root-chicken-masala. As an appetizer we seasoned up an awesome big avocado and spread it on some bread.

Our house is a nice little starter home: it's sort of ranch-like, 2-bedroom (to be converted to a 1-and-an-office) with a nice front patio and a lot of flowers around. We're one block off of the lake. The sun sets over the mountains across the lake in Congo. That's if you're standing up. If you're sitting down, the sun sets over a wall with a coil of concertina wire on top. Whatever.

Bradford

Sarah's Back!

She arrived back home last night, 17 days and 28 national trust houses later. She has much to tell us...Peanut could not believe his eyes! He did a jig and then sat on the sofa the better to watch her. Then he jumped down to run over to get a closer look. Then back to the sofa. Back to her...Last night I used the tagine to cook a paella. Interesting results. Took much longer than the oven and remained much more moist...The baked corn, by the way, was a success. Now I want to try it with a package of frozen and see whether the difference merits waiting a whole nother year. We are about out of corn here...Why is the "posting" function of our blog now so different than before?

nice

Thursday evening Lauren came over with a sewing project--her machine was not working well so she came to use mine and get a bit of help as needed. We had a great time until we got the part of trying the top on to see if it fit. It did--sort'a--but it would not go down over her hips and it was going to have to do that once the one-piece jump-suit was completed. So we needed to start over. Found a piece of fabric she liked among my 'stash' and we started over. Then at about 10:00 she tried it on and the top was too short waisted (why could we not see that before?) Boo hoo. We toyed with the idea of altering it then but were encouraged by Karen to continue Friday afternoon.

The other part of 'nice' was a surprise Lauren brought me from Chris. He has written another book--very personal and very wonderful! I was thrilled. So I stayed up way past my bed time reading everyword. Friday I was really dragging from being up too late.

Friday afternoon Lauren came back and we successfully completed the alternation. It looked so cute on her--because she is so cute! And has such a great body! Oh, to be young again.

Today I went to a shower for Ruthie Judson who is getting married Oct. 16. A very nice luncheon shower hosted by her future mother-in-law and sister-in-law at the Guenther House (on the grounds of Pioneer Flour Mills--across the street from Blue Star). I guess there were about 25 people there. I gave Ruthie little sushie plates that I made for the occassion. They seemed to be appreciated.

On pecking orders...

I took a picture of our better-off-than-before hen; the one who had been so badly henpecked as to look pitiful. Unfortunately, I do not know how to get photo from iphone to mzj blog. So you will have to wait until I learn. Trust me though, she is looking much better. Thank you, Bradford.

Sarah returns Monday from her two weeks (plus) holiday in Great Britain. Next time, I am going to keep her horse and put Peanut off on someone else. The horse stands alone all day; Peanut is underfoot all day. All Day. ALL DAY. He's a pretty good boy, but so very needy. And a barker.

This morning I stopped at the farmer's market and got the usual: lobster, corn on the cob, tomatoes. When I came home from North Berwick, I fully intended to prepare all of that, starting with some aiolii, which Emily lauds at length. And because I was out of plain old Hellman's. But the hand-made version from Deborah Madison calls for egg yoke at room temperature. So while waiting for my refrigerated egg to warm up, I ate an entire (small!) jar of pickled herring. So now I am not hungry. So probably the aiolii won't get made tonight.

But tomorrow is another day...

A life well lived

I bring sad news today so that the MZJ family knows that some of us lost an important person in our lives.

Our 96 year old grandfather, Forrest Underwood, died at home in Midland, Texas on September 23. Forrest was Margaret and Claire's grandmother's second husband. Even though we weren't blood relations, as he said to us many times, "we couldn't be closer or love one another more if we had been."

I spoke with my sisters this morning and both are grieving the loss. He was one of our favorite people--intellect sharp to the end, a loving and responsible husband, father and grandfather, and a man we each admired greatly.

We are grateful for all the wisdom and love he shared with us over the years.

Day 1

... just because this email is called "day 1", don't think that you're going to get emails every day.... :)

Clara and I have having cold ones on the little balcony of our hotel. What else is there to say?

Slept in this morning -- way in. That was after having claimed, in a previous email, to have arrived well-rested. I guess there was more work to do. The good sleep testifies also to a decent hotel. Cool temp, comfy enough enough mattress, and -- once we put the bug net in place -- no bugs.

Today was surprisingly productive. Surprisingly because I was sort of avoiding having a first day be a productive day. I didn't want to hit the ground running, I wanted to wander around first. But: it's a busy city, it's a little bit warm in the middle of the day, and pretty soon moving around without a mission felt, well, unproductive. Anyway, we got a bank account and a phone number and an appointment with a real estate agent to look for a house tomorrow am. Sheesh. And completely by surprise we were tracked down by Clara's future colleague, the Technical Director of the Burundi Film Center, Papy. He found us at the hotel to invite us to a screening tonight of the first five short films produced by the center. Nice!

Back to the beers!

"and they're off"

That's a reference to our visit to the best (tied for first?) fair in Maine a couple weeks ago, where some of us bet on horses for the first time and all of us learned, for the first time I think, what a "2-4-6 quinella box" is. That was at the Windsor county fair, which we all liked, and might only be bested by the Common Ground Fair since the Common Ground Fair is all organic and green and stuff. But it's a close one. Anyway, it was a really nice time. And we won $7!

It's also a reference to the fact that Clara and I are at the airport headed to Burundi. It was a really nice few weeks at home, wagers and all. I spent a lot of the time working, so I wasn't always very present, but actually I liked it that way: it gave a reason to hang around a lot longer than I have in a long time. And more time means more great eggs in the morning (thanks, Mom!) more great martinis in the evening (thanks Dad!) and an all-around great time!

So Clara and I are going to spent the next day on airplanes and then move ourselves into a hotel in Bujumbura. I'm wicked excited. I feel like I've only recently started following the news there, a symptom of my one-move-ahead mentality, something that makes me think I either need to stop moving around so much or change my mentality. (Side note: but isn't moving around what is supposed to help change mentality? TBD.)

celebrate

I feel like celebrating--finally got ONE of my boys to join the family blog! Welcome a'blog, Ben!

And I could celebrate a wonderful evening last when Ben and Callie came for a visit--a real person-to-person visit!

Jim was home for about 36 hours! (Nice!) He is off now to see his dad and then out to stay with Ruth. George is not doing well this morning--which the boys attribute to poor practice on the part of the doctors and hospital. Jim and Jeff had been pushing since Wednesday for George's heart doctor to be contacted--but there was no follow-through and now George is in pretty bad shape. I don't know all the details but it is a black-eye on the medical practice at the Methodist.

I've been painting zinnias!

A Good Eater Back from Brooklyn

There are numerous downsides to my unemployment status, however, an upside is the availability to travel with my husband when his work itinerary includes a great city. We just returned from a week in Brooklyn. I've always wanted to walk across the Brooklyn Bridge and this trip gave me my chance. We stayed in Brooklyn Heights, the first neighborhood across the bridge. Went into Manhattan often, but also spent time exploring Brooklyn which seemed to be a "softer, gentler" borough.

Highlights: Being at Ground Zero on 9/11; phenomenal spaghetti Bolognese at a restaurant called Queens in Brooklyn; walking the Brooklyn Bridge; pizza at Lombardi's; walking uptown and downtown and through Central Park; orange ricotta pancakes (I ordered them 3 times in 7 days...that's how good they were); fresh bagels spread with chopped liver (MaMaMa would have approved); fresh bagels with cream cheese and lox (of course!!!); Greenmarket tomato salad and osso bucco pappardelle at Union Square Cafe; courses upon courses at a private party at the penthouse restaurant in the Ritz-Carlton.

On my way to Weight Watchers now, but trust me...it was worth every bite!

hello all!

this morning went with a couple of colleagues from work for a hike in the mountains just outside of madrid. it was an easy walk and so we talked all the while. was so nice to get out of the city to come back in again.

when we got back, i felt like i still had a whole day still. i made a fish soup with a tomato, a potato, a carrot, onion and clove of garlic, seasoned with pimentón and saffron, topped with alioliiiiiiiiiiiii!

haven’t stopped since… got my lunch ready for tomorrow, romescu and pesto sauces for the week, gave the floor a quick mop.

today joe talked to his parents who have received pam´s care-package; they were surprised and grateful. yesterday i skyped with daniela for hours and hours; she had such a time with you all in oaxaca.

with love, emily

If new challenges keep us young...

...then I will be going backward in years, but only if I meet those challenges, which I haven't yet. Gay pointed us to a new and interesting posting on Facebook--why not on MZJ fam blog???---with the catch that I had to be on Facebook to see the posting. But I am not on Facebook and have no interest in being on it. But not wanting to be a good sport I signed on. Rather, I started the process of signing on. Still haven't completed the process and thought--assumed--that I could still back out, but then--lo!--I get a half dozen acceptances of friendship. This is not my cuppa tea. Would love to persuade Ben to join us instead of me joining them...

Wall Photos

facebook Gay Judson 2:49pm Sep 18th Wall Photos To gjudson.spanoak@blogger.com   I just discovered this today, by accident! Thought you might be interested. Guess he put it out right after his return from Oaxaca. To reply to this message, follow this link: http://www.facebook.com/p.php?i=1395128503&k=Z3LYX365U4TF6BD1PGVYSVXZR3IB4U2LPSETC&oid=1611612372952 If you do not wish to receive this type of email from Facebook in the future, please click here to unsubscribe. Facebook, Inc. P.O. Box 10005, Palo Alto, CA 94303

our blog

Thanks for the heads up...They do make a cute couple and Callie seems like a keeper. I am really loving the blog and I hope we all continue to post. I wanted to ask you more about your Asian art class. Are you learning Chinese characters? Next semester I have to take Chinese calligraphy and I was curious to know if you are doing something similar with the brush and ink stone. I have really enjoyed hearing about your goings on and already feel much more connected to you all. Isn't that horrible! I have mixed feelings about a blog being the way I am able to stay in touch with everyone but I will take what I can get. Hope all is well and a hug to Kenny and Jim.
Best,
Margaret
PS this is a note Margaret sent in response to mine to her. I thought it made a good promotion piece for blog participation so I took the liberty to post it to the blog. Gay

Grandmother's shower

Today I went to the grandmother's shower for Toni Goldsmith. I am so out of circulation I did not know that Joanie (her beautiful daughter who was one of the early students at JMS) had had a baby (3 months ago) nor that she and her husband had moved to Austin (from NYC).

There were lots of people there--maybe 50--most of the ones I knew were from JMS! Several of our students! One who was so eager to tell me about her children and asked if she could bring them over for Jim andme to see because she thinks her little 3 year old is just like she was at that age and wants to see if we think the same!

Toni told me she sees Ben frequently--at all the art gallery openings! We agreed that he has created a good life for himself.

Jim is still with Ruth in Boerne. She seems to be doing very well with Jim. Lots more walking than usual, very alert and co-operative. Jeff is staying with or checking in on George. Steve has gone hunting. We won't see much of him until February when the season is over.

administrative notes

These cryptic messages are hard for me to follow! Took me a bit of trouble to figure out Bradford's post--and after Twinkie's prickly post I had a hard time getting my head straight about Claire's date...

BUT I'm very exited to see that the blog is getting a bit of a run.

Howerver, I can't get the Yahoo connection to work. Maybe we don't need it. I just think our blog would work better if we got some kind of notice that a new post is up on the blog so we know to check in.

I'd love to get Ben to agree to be one of the member authors...don't think I'll have much luck with Justin or even Chris. So sad...they have lots to share...

Re: The Power of a Family Blog...

Us too!

http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?ie=UTF8&hl=en&msa=0&msid=100323587583629685047.0004907e4b1d84ebb3421&ll=-3.382231,29.366519&spn=0.006008,0.008926&z=17&iwloc=0004907e4b3dee89ef418

Date night with Benjamin

Ben and I just finished a romantic dinner for two. We finally got a little alone time,Massie is working, and decided to treat ourselves with some luby's fried fish and mac and cheese. Dinner with Ben lasts about 45 seconds since he has the attention span of a fly and I usually end up eating both meals, tonight was no different. After dinner we decided to do some painting. We finished two beautiful watercolors when all of a sudden he jumped up and said "stay here! I'll be right back". I asked him where he was going, "potty!" he replied. When I asked if he needed any help he said no, he needed privacy. I left him to do his business and when I went to check on him he was totally nude standing in the bathtub. He said he was ready for his bubble bath now so that is what we are doing. He is fishing, cooking, and swimming in the tub while I write. I think we'll watch a movie snuggled up on the couch next. I love date nights with Ben!

Finally figured this out!

Oh my Gosh I can't believe I couldn't figure this out! Frustrating!!!!

The power of a family blog...

So, I think what this new blog needs is some juice. I am here to provide: Ben has a new address!

Re: [MZJ family] New comment on just a test.

Well, maybe it is I just got this notice of comment posted to MZJ blog and sent to me via Yahoo.....

sent from my email on my computer....

On Sep 16, 2010, at 6:15 PM, Sister Creek Potter wrote:

Sister Creek Potter has left a new comment on your post "just a test":

Nothing is working as far as I can see....x@$@@%



Posted by Sister Creek Potter to MZJ family at September 16, 2010 4:15 PM

just a test

to see if the yahoo connection will forward posts to our emails.

Wednesday

Today Jim had to be in Boerne with his parents early--7:30--to see that Ruth took her once-a-week medication BEFORE coffee, breakfast or other meds (which he had gone up early to do yesterday arriving just after she had had her coffee and taken her morning pills). He saw that she had her medication, fixed breakfast for them and went to the local HEB to pick up their meds. He was on his way home when he got a call that George had collapsed on the porch at Morningside Manor. He went right back. They took George to the near-by hospital and ran some tests. He was suffering 'renal failure'. So he is being moved to San Antonio hospital to be under the care of a specialist. Jim will return to Boerne to spend the night with Ruth. Don't know what follows.

I did not learn about this until after (or at the end of) my Asian Art class--which I really enjoyed. Tonight my clay buddies with be here for a couple hours.

Bel Canto, my reading group--named after the first book we read as a group, just met on the 7th anniversary of that first meeting. We have come a long way in terms of format; even in terms of content (no more The Monk in the Basement or Five People to Meet in Heaven). But I am not sure our thinking skills are much improved. This month we read Address Unknown, a (very, very) short Nazi story first published in 1938. The Hitchcockian ending separated it from others of its ilk. And when the discussion takes place over dinner, well, all is good.

Do you notice all the commas? Thank you, Clara. My handed down Mac is smooth as a butter. And has only working keys. Ahhhh, all is good.

today-Tuesday the 14th

Basil brought lunch today to have with Kenny, which he does frequently. Kenny seems to enjoy it and looks forward to those visits. Tuesday is also the day that Valerie comes to help Kenny shower and visit with him a bit. So two nice breaks in his day.
I've spent some time today trying to figure out the results of my latest firing which did not go exactly as I expected! It was not a big disappointment--but a conundrum. Tomorrow my clay buddies will come over for our monthly meeting. They may be able to help me figure it out.
Tomorrow I have the first class for the new semester of Asian Art. I think I am finally getting a feel for it--or for my brushes. My teacher calls it Japanese Ink Art--but I think of it as Chinese Brush Work. Any way, I am wanting to get enough control of my brush to enjoy painting on my clay work. Hopefully, I am getting close! My friend, Lani, is coming to have lunch with Kenny. They worked on a painting together a while back. Kenny has completed the picture and wants to give it to Lani. So she is coming to collect the painting and have a little visit with Kenny. And we expect Alice to be here--so a big day all around!

we are working on this

Tonight Bradford and Clara helped Twinkie and me send posts (and photos) from email--and we hope from our iPhones.

It worked great as you can see. Hey, everyone, get on board!

Love, Gay/MOM

Hi

Here we are trying to make this great idea bear fruit!

Help is on the way

A Day at the zoo

After a busy day with Benjamin, I was heading to what I thought was going to be just a little short planning meeting with another teacher for the Tuesday - Thursday Zoo School class. Imagine my surprise-and horror-to find that instead of talking about reptiles I was going to go play with them! We all know that I have great respect for the animal kingdom, so much so that I allow them lots and lots of their own space and vow never to knowingly invade theirs-personal or otherwise! So the first thing one does when entering the relatively small room that houses a variety of amphibians and reptiles is you put each shoe in a bucket of disinfectant-while it is still on your foot. This is to insure that nothing from the outside gets in as apparently these are rather delicate little creatures. In the center of the room (remember how it is not such a very big space) was a black vat of sorts as I was leaning over to see what little creature might be hiding beneath the rocks, water, and debris looking stuff-I was physically pulled back and informed that this is not the cayman's regular little habitat. It is their temporary lodging while renovations are underway on their larger more spacious home over there in the corner. These little caymans are in the crocodile family-really just smaller versions of the one that chased Captain Hook all over creation. Just ask Ben, he will tell you all about it. One is advised to keep a certain distance as they have a tendency to jump up-as in the direction of your face or any other body part that is conveniently located where they can snap it up. After much discussion about washing-no soap when handling amphibians or snakes. Use all the soap you want when handling salamanders. When handling any animal with shoulders one picks said creature up just behind the shoulder blades. Salamanders actually have very sweet faces. On their cages are numbers-when one is signing them out you do not use their goofy name given them by their handler like Speedy the turtle or Tony the salamander. There are numbers and they are code for the gender of the species and the number of little guys and gals in the cage-actually guys and gals are separated, no coed dorms at the SA Zoo. The only animal that didn't totally freak me out was the turtle-he wasn't squishy or slimy or icky in any way. There are these giant, centenarian zen turtles in the tiny tot area that are truly amazing! Those guys know some major stuff! I am told that they brought in a female over the weekend and that it is quite scary to be walking by as the two old boys rape the new addition. Rape is the word used by the person doing my animal handling training. I do not know if that is a scientific reference or just her projection. Will have to get back to you on that next week. The snake is all slithery and forever sticking her tongue out at you. She is extremely long and you can be holding one end of her and she somehow manages to stay fairly erect in midair. Quite fascinating. I hope I get better at this. Today was not particularly stellar. This is too long a post so maybe there should be a word limit for those of us who simply do not know whent to quit! I am a better Ben handler than reptile person. To be continued...

come join the fun, family

I've had positive responses from Pam, Emily and Margaret. Ben silently became a 'follower' but I what him to become an author! I hope everyone will contribute posts from time to time.

As I get positive responses I send out an 'invitation' to become a contributor (author). To become an author you must have a google account--easy, no problems. ( If you have a gmail account you already have a google account.) Then you are listed as one of the authors. When we get it all set up I'll restrict readership to the authors--so no secrets get outside the family! ; )

To open a Google account just go to this link--its simple!

大家好！(hello everyone)

I am thrilled that Tia set this up. What a great way for us to stay in touch. It seems I live my life online these days so sadly this is the best way for me to stay connected. I look forward to reading what you are all up to.
再见 (later),
Margaret

all together now

I am proposing that we share a blog.

Just 'all MaMaMa's children'.

Just a way to keep in touch with each other.

I guess it would be a sort of private family journal.

Yesterday I received a nice, newsy note from Margaret that I enjoy so much.

And today I had a note from Kate mentioning that she and Chris are in NYC where Ben and Callie had been over the weekend. And I wished I could be in closer contact with all my family--with my sisters (we do a pretty good job of staying in touch), with my boys and their families, with my nieces and nephew and their families.

So my idea is that we all are contributors to this blog. Each member will be able to post to the blog and each will be notified of new posts without having to remember to check in on the blog. We won't rely on the comments to contribute to the bolg. If it works like I expect it will be like passing around emails to the whole group.

Willing to participate?

Some of MaMaMa's children....