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stoutfellowYet another week has passed without much achievement. This time, though, I have an excuse: I've been fighting a cold since Tuesday. I did, of course, visit Piece of Mind on Tuesday, and I went on campus for brief meetings with my two students on Wednesday, but for the most part I've been holed up at home with the Quil brothers.
I've begun reading Grant's memoirs. The man can write; he's got a dry sense of humor, and he knows how to tell a story against himself. He is not subtle, though, in his moral pronouncements. For example, speaking of Richard Ewell, he writes: "He was a man much esteemed, and deservedly so, in the old army, and proved himself a gallant and efficient officer in two wars - both in my estimation unholy." (He's referring to the Mexican War and to the Confederate side in the Civil War.) I also like this passage:
I blitzed through the next two volumes of the Kate Conner series (and I can't believe it didn't hit me until now that her daughter's name is Allie...). Some improvement, I think, but Demon Ex Machina is an unfortunately appropriate title. I've moved on to continuing Cherryh's atevi series, with Deliverer, and I've gotten pretty well caught up in the story. For some reason I remember the earlier books as a bit tedious, but the last couple have certainly not been.
On the culinary front, I made a batch of fettuccine alla Romana this week, and after eating it I'm pretty sure I'm never going to buy pre-made spaghetti again. If a mere hour's labor can produce something so much better, why go the frozen route? (My new frying pan made its debut, and was quite successful, but I think I'm going to have to go back and buy another, smaller, pan for stuff like scrambled eggs.)
I hope this cold gets better by Monday. I really need to get cracking on things.
I've begun reading Grant's memoirs. The man can write; he's got a dry sense of humor, and he knows how to tell a story against himself. He is not subtle, though, in his moral pronouncements. For example, speaking of Richard Ewell, he writes: "He was a man much esteemed, and deservedly so, in the old army, and proved himself a gallant and efficient officer in two wars - both in my estimation unholy." (He's referring to the Mexican War and to the Confederate side in the Civil War.) I also like this passage:
I do not believe I ever would have the courage to fight a duel. If any man should wrong me to the extent of my being willing to kill him, I would not be willing to give him the choice of weapons with which it should be done, and of the time, place and distance separating us, when I executed him. If I should do another such a wrong as to justify him in killing me, I would make any reasonable atonement within my power, if convinced of the wrong done. I place my opposition to duelling on higher grounds than any here stated. No doubt a majority of the duels fought have been for want of moral courage on the part of those engaged to decline.Reminds me of Cazaril, a bit.
I blitzed through the next two volumes of the Kate Conner series (and I can't believe it didn't hit me until now that her daughter's name is Allie...). Some improvement, I think, but Demon Ex Machina is an unfortunately appropriate title. I've moved on to continuing Cherryh's atevi series, with Deliverer, and I've gotten pretty well caught up in the story. For some reason I remember the earlier books as a bit tedious, but the last couple have certainly not been.
On the culinary front, I made a batch of fettuccine alla Romana this week, and after eating it I'm pretty sure I'm never going to buy pre-made spaghetti again. If a mere hour's labor can produce something so much better, why go the frozen route? (My new frying pan made its debut, and was quite successful, but I think I'm going to have to go back and buy another, smaller, pan for stuff like scrambled eggs.)
I hope this cold gets better by Monday. I really need to get cracking on things.
