I probably just like the idea of having two forks

Here's the thing: I'm pretty certain no one is less interested in my gloomy inner monologue than Martha Stewart. I was going to throw in a humorous alternative example but I actually literally cannot think of anyone who cares less than Martha. Like, maybe Fannie Farmer would have been in the running, but she has sadly but human-life-span-appropriately passed. So I knew Martha Stewart's Dinner At Home: 52 Quick Meals To Cook For Family And Friends would be just the thing to snap me out my brooding state and into my wondering how a meal can be described as "quick"when it involves four different components state. Perfect!

Pasta Shards with Fresh Herbs and Poached Eggs with Arugula and Avocado Salad

I like the phrase "pasta shards" because it sounds vicious even though it ends up just being floppy noodles. Like an idea she picked up in prison, maybe. And I actually DID injure my finger trying to snap those lasagna sheets apart. I mean, it's not…it didn't leave a mark or anything. But for a few seconds I really thought it might.

Every one of the menus in this cookbook involves a dessert, which is good, but it also involves making a dessert, which, I dunno. I was supposed to make tiramisu with the Pasta Shanks, presumably because the caffeine and booze would act together as a painkiller, easing the sting of your various stab wounds. But tiramisu has…so many steps. And I didn't think I could find ladyfingers at HEB. So I skipped around and picked another Italian-ish dessert, Amaretti-Ricotta Sandwiches.

Oh hey guess what I couldn't find amaretti cookies at HEB.

Once in a while I find cause to bemoan the dearth of Italian influence in these grocery-parts, but honestly I didn't care that the almond-y cookies were Belgian because they were stuffed with lemony sugar-cheese. I'll probably just try it with Oreos next.

So, Taisia Kitaiskaia over at The Hairpin made a really beautiful case for summer that moved even me, A LITTLE BIT. It also made me wonder if I have a secret line of Russian heritage because that would explain some things. Anyway, I'm trying to be more open to the non-irritating elements of this time of year, such as postprandial family walks.

This is Anna stopping mid sentence to examine a slug because she was tired of us trying to explain how you can guess at the definition of words by figuring out their roots.

For some reason, Dan and I independently came up with the word "bifurcate" as the best example.

It's an interesting word.

Bifurcate.