...and Goldilocks said, "This roll is too sweet, plus she should have let it rise for at least another half hour."

Then she said, "This roll is okay, but needs butter rather than shortening, and it doesn't smell like a proper cafeteria roll."

Finally, she found a lump of dough in the fridge. "Yo, that dough looks weirdly flat. Is there any yeast in there? Do you think I should poke it?"

To be continued...

All in all, I'm thankful that life is simple enough:

How better to give thanks than show some joy:

Dave Brubeck's "Thank You," which is in honor of Chopin, but it has a lovely November mood:



Developed into an ensemble piece with sax, with ad in front and during piano solo(!):


Thank you - Dave Brubeck
Uploaded by boberwig. - Music videos, artist interviews, concerts and more.

Have a Happy Thanksgiving.



That's Einstein, not Charles Gore.

Now, y'all. My sister-in-law has some experience with this:

Posted: Dec 25, 2009
Reviewer: from Atlanta, GA
Overall: Rated:5 stars! Comfort: Rated:5 stars! Style: Rated:5 stars!
Shoe Size: Felt a half size smaller than marked Shoe Width: Felt narrower than marked

Unfortunately, these shoes are cute but much, much narrower than sized (the W size is even narrower than a NORMAL size), and at least half a size smaller. My tiny little mother is less than 5 feet tall and weights 95 pounds, and has a 5.5 size foot. I got her the 5.5 W and she couldn't even get her foot into it! I'll be sending these back and trying another brand -- thanks Zappos for your great return policy

Un hunh. Of course, her mother bought a 5.5 when she was 25, had three children, then insists that she wears the same size at 87.

Lyman's sister took her mother (size 5) shoe-shopping in Baton Rouge. We made sure her favorite salesman at Dillard's would be on site at the time she arrived. When he offered her a six to fit her foot, not only did she think he was out of his mind, but wouldn't even try it on.

She wears slides now.

This is not a political post, and I'd appreciate it if you'd accept it that way.

I have been nearly blind with envy since Bristol packed off to do her stuff with Dancing With The Stars. Yes, yes, a ton of work, but tons of hours working with a professional dancer at the network's expense.

I have a sense of music, and rhythm, and could rise to Florence Henderson's level even if my legs aren't as pretty.

As consolation, I'm thinking of buying these shoes as moderate dress shoes.

I wore out a pair of nude-colored Capezio's that I bought for the community theater stage, they were so comfortable. That was more than 30 years ago, though.

But it's Zappo's return policy, so where's the worry?

UPDATE: I don't think I've ever lived a day when I could have balanced a Louboutin.

Alrighty, then. A juvenile Malay Eagle Owl that likes a good rub.

At this blog we call it allopreening. Charles Gore has since decided that Lucy won't (they are separated because we don't want her to gouge his eyes out), and welcomes the rub on the back of the neck from pals.

(Thanks, Tim Blair.)

Jimmy helps us with the yard. He isn't married and doesn't cook much. So when Lyman offered him leftover meatloaf, sauce, and mashed potatoes, he piped up with the quip of the day:

I've got a mouthful of taste for that already.

Who is the young athlete with the Washington Redskins who can do a standing back-flip in uniform?

The southern rains drifted through here last night, so today was a good day to drive to Baton Rouge -- overcast skies, but dry pavement.

Shopping was charmed.

Patel Bros. does not have a shop in Baton Rouge. But Fashion India expanded with a grocery department. We found asafoetida, fenugreek seeds, cardamom seeds, tamarind paste, garam masala, black mustard seeds, amchur powder and curry leaves. The leaves are fresh, but the ladies assure me that they can be frozen. I saw rose syrup, then forgot to pick a bottle up. I remember rose lassi from my days in New York.

Almonds in the shell were $3.29/pound at Fresh Pickins produce. Pomegranates 69 cents apiece. Call it the bird stop.

Whole Foods sells half-pound blocks of Callebaut chocolate in milk, semi-sweet, bittersweet and white.

Then to Tony's Seafood for turtle, shrimp, stuffed crabs and a treat of boiled crabs.

Let's not forget Gas Lane No. 17 in Woodville on the way down for a fresh snack of chicken-fried chicken gizzards. (Lyman says they're not as good as the ones at Shell in Bude.)

UPDATE: Lyman is trolling (fisherman's term) the couple of Indian cookbooks we own. (Thanks, Jordana.)

Peg Britton points to a video from Random Acts of Culture.

Two local restaurant managers gave thumbs up to Chocolate Molten Souffle last night.

So that's dessert for the Christmas luncheon, and one of the easiest I've ever made.

I'll go online with King Arthur's Flour (thanks, Tony) for some higher-quality chocolate for the final product.

UPDATE: Whole Foods will carve Callebaut semi-sweet chocolate off the big block for customers, $8.99/pound. I haven't been to Baton Rouge since Lucy took her fall.

Surfing around today, I found that local Regina Charboneau is writing a food column for The Atlantic Online.

Due for a trial run this weekend.

I read Nashville Chrome by Rick Bass this weekend. It's a novel treatment of The Browns' biography. The "chrome" in the title is a reference to their polished harmony.

Bonnie there was romantically tied to Elvis Presley before he became famous. They traveled to England to help The Beatles with their harmonies. They were produced by Chet Atkins at RCA.

I don't remember hearing them before.

UPDATE: A recent interview with Maxine Brown, with song clips.