It’s a rainy Sunday morning, and my family is in town to visit. We’re doing a lot of shared meals together this weekend then heading in to the work week tomorrow just as we usually do.
We also recently got a new rug for the living room floor, much bigger and fluffier than our old one, and so David and I are spending a lot of time getting on our hands and knees on the ground with the little ones. It’s so strange to notice how what’s in a room can change the feel and use of that room so much. This new rug just invites play time at their level.
Here’s what I’m eating and reading this week:
WEEKLY MENU PLAN
All the options below are dairy-free and soy-free recipes now that we’re managing a dairy- and soy-protein intolerance in our little one.
Sunday: This caramelized scallion paste with noodles… which was going well for 35 of the intended 40 minutes but burnt and separated in the last 2 minutes on the stove, so we made this ramen bowl with rotisserie chicken
Monday: Leftovers
Tuesday: Steak tips, rice pilaf, and my favorite kale slaw
Wednesday: Chinese chicken salad with rice
Thursday: Leftovers
Friday: Taco night at my sister’s
Saturday: Creamy chicken and tomatoes with baguette and roasted zucchini
WHAT I’M READING AND ENJOYING THIS WEEK:
Why so many children’s stories are about mice
14 famous writers on whether on not to have kids
These strawberry pistachio sweet rolls that turned out looking like this
Have heard so much about Nanette – it’s up on the queue for the week.
BOOK REVIEW
Title: Circe
Author: Madeline Miller
Date: 2018
Format: Book
Both my sisters and I read Circe for a book club hosted by my sister’s alma mater. It was so fun to go talk about bigger themes and wider contexts in a group setting, led by a woman who really knows her stuff. I really liked the book, and I’ve added two more to my TBR list: Miller’s first book, The Song of Achilles, and The Odyssey translated by Emily Wilson. I’ve read a lot of novels based on the classics recently (see also: Home Fire, which I recommended to a lot of people who liked Circe, and House of Names) and I guess I’m not done.
The novel tells the story of Circe, one of the goddesses from The Odyssey. While Odysseus and his family are also central characters, there is so much more here. Some story threads are pulled from the classic texts like Homer’s poems, but some was invented based on Miller’s firm command of the material. I haven’t read either The Odyssey or The Iliad, and I don’t think it hurt my enjoyment of this book.
