New week, end of my favorite month, novel way of thinking and it all swirls into the point that I am excited. Excited about the future, excited about the opportunity to change my life (and the same goes for my sweetheart of a husband, Greg).
Let me begin by telling you that I, before the recent flooding, decided to capture, with my camera last week, the town we now live in before we leave and the few parts that enchanted us disappear from memory. The tendency to see the more positive aspects of an area occurs, for us, often AFTER we’re long gone. To be fair, sometimes it takes being away to realize the endearing qualities of an area.
I’m going to share my photos that I took 2 days before the flooding hit in Northfield, Minnesota. That’s where we live at this moment and it most likely will change in the next 6 or so months. Maybe but that’s another post. Many of the photos will be on my flickr account by the end of this week. There are flood pictures there now.
I’ve also decided to give this town a chance-more of a chance that is-because I haven’t been too kind to it in the past. I’m not saying I love it but it has its charms, especially on a September morning with the sun shining and chill in the air, moseying around as I did this morning. (What place wouldn’t….in the states…in the fall?) This walk will happen again until I can’t stand the weather.
The notion to walk around the town this morning generated from the need to move our car, not some life-changing idea to feel one with the town…not in the initial reason. Ru2, our Forester, sat on the street for the weekend, instead of being parked in the back tenant space, due to the flooding and that area being blocked off behind the building. Greg didn’t take my advice to drive to work instead of carpooling so I am privileged this day to move the car around every 2 hours as is the law of the downtown land. There’s 2 hour parking through the week 8AM to 5PM.
Not one person, in our year downtown, has been given a ticket-none that we’ve seen and we pay attention since it affects us. What did I see when I woke up early this morning though? Someone, on a bike, writing the license plates of all the vehicles on the street before 8AM on his notepad. The timing was perfect, or at its utmost annoying factor, arriving the very moment that I rose from the bed, peered through the partially turned blinds and there he was, casting doubt to our thoughts that the town would be reasonable with the blocked parking area. Perfectly aggravating.
This prompted some choice words because a) there’s high water and the tenant parking is blocked off and b) never seen a ticket or warning on any vehicle so what’s the point? For sure, Greg and I thought a reasonable person might think “gee, this is probably someone’s car that lives downtown and can’t park in their normal spot-there is flooding and blockage….plus, it’s before any stores are open so this must be the vehicle of someone that lives downtown” but apparently not. 2 + 2 doesn’t equal 4 to whoever is in charge of this (too often this is the case here)… and it’s that old way of my thinking that I decided to monitor. If I get a ticket though, all bets are off. The National Guard, helping with flood control (rather mostly people monitoring), in town might have to subdue me in that case-the one time we park on the street during the week. I’m still not thrilled about moving the car every 2 hours today. Greg will have it the rest of the week and my car-moving chains will be broken. Hooray!
I found this funny but the Guard blocked off the town square where the post office and a box are located so we got to hand over our Netflix dvd to a kind guard who then plopped it into the box for us and can now add ‘Netflix deliverer’ to her repertoire while in the service.
I think I lied when I said I was going to reduce my “chitchat” segment to just talking about food. Life happens. It makes me feel better to toss it out there, maybe sharing a frustration that you have experienced or perhaps reminding you of something that has happened in your life. Do share.
Hold on, I need to go move the car again. Really, I do at this very point.
Where was I? Oh yeah, over the weekend, a little under the weather were we, and thus a simple, rustic lunch was needed. I don’t know if you’re aware of the online magazine/site, Sweet Paul, (I’ve mentioned it before) which is the epitome of my style…if I created a magazine anyway. The fall edition came out weeks ago and contains several recipes and inspiration for autumn cooking. I chose to recreate the chevre and honey open-faced sandwich with 4 ingredients. I bet you can guess which ones but I’ll still supply the recipe.
Chevre and Honey Open-Faced Sandwich from Sweet Paul
Serves 2 to 4
Ingredients:
4 thick slices of hearty bread (of your choice)
4 slices of apple (of your choice)
2 oz. chevre (goat’s cheese)
4 tbsp honey
Place the bread on 4 plates, dividing the ingredients, top with the apple slices, cheese and honey. Simple is good.
Seriously, I spend so much time with the chit-chat that my blog can’t be considered a food blog or an anything blog, really. It’s purely stream-of-consciousness-Sharyn which often involves food, because I’m food-obsessed.
So glad you got the photos, before and after the flooding. There was a period in my life where I spent a good deal of time in Northfield. You’ve brought back some nearly forgotten memories.
Oh, and that sandwich looks delicious, of course.
Glad to hear it, Sharyn! I think I need a week of “silence” to make up for the last week of blabber.
I love hearing your chit-chat. Please keep “it” and your recipes coming! I’m so sorry about the flood, but I am glad you were able to capture the before and after of the town. It makes your realize how quickly life can change. Your sandwich made me so hungry. I love cheese and honey!