Hot Night Baking

Originally published September 2, 2008

Twice. I made one and decided it was not sufficiently plumful. So I immediately made another and used up the rest of the plums. The original one, which will stay on my counter, was at least tasty. My plums were a little tart, so after I cut them I rolled them in turbinado sugar before I plunked them into the batter.

Not as pretty as this one, but good. I think it would have been much better if I'd had small plums to simply cut in half rather than big ones to cut into quarters, but this is what Whole Foods had yesterday.

(I like my background tea towel, too, bought here.)


Last night I was sitting on the edge of the bed on the computer and one of my cats was up against me, as she must always be in all weather (and as she is now). Her dainty paw position charmed me.

Her eyes are about the color of the darker blue on the quilt, but you rarely notice since her pupils actually appear to be round rather than elongated, and they often take up much of the blue. She's also very shy, unlike her boisterous (adopted) sister. My other cat will greet you (loudly) at the door, explain in detail the food situation and what you really ought to do about it, point out how what you did about it was rather insufficient, describe to you any bug or floaty thing in the apartment, tell you about her day (and complain if you were gone longer than she had anticipated) and, if you're male, she's likely to cuddle up to you and flirt.

They're both goofballs, but I love 'em.

I'm not really loving the hot weather, or the fact that my earphones appear to have died. Both of these things are keeping me from walking at lunch. It's all threatening to undo my five weeks of good diet and exercise. I've wobbled, but I can't let it pitch me off the straight and narrow altogether.

I'd been doing well, when within sixteen hours I had three personal upsetting incidents with three different important people. I kind of lost my steam. And then the heat, etc. But I need to pick myself up and keep going! I'm getting too old to keep screwing this up.