The Only Problem Muriel Spark Page: 461

The Magic Mountain Thomas Mann Page: 381

I made risotto for dinner tonight. I’m in love with the Italians. How did one culture give us spaghetti, lasagna, risotto, pizza and the wonderful glories of Parmesan cheese? So much goodness, so little time.

Jared and I leave tomorrow for a backpacking trip. This will be the first time we’ve been in the mountains since Alex was five months in utero. We are both ridiculously expectant. We hope to read a lot, enjoy the fresh air and each others company. Jared has plans to take three books while I’m busy deciding whether I should take several books or just one or two long ones. It would be fun to take six books and finish all of them but not so fun to pack them in. It would also be fun to say that I read Moby Dick in one day. What do you think? Should it be Kafka, Nabokov, Cather, Grahame, Morisson and Burnett? Or should it just be Melville and Dickens?

Of course the other great consideration is that we are leaving the boys behind. I’m worried. Not worried that they won’t be happy, after all they are staying with their grandparents and will be well taken care of. No, I’m worried about me. Selfish I know. I just hate to be away from them so much even while looking forward to a little break. Here’s to being completely absorbed in my books!

I finished my second batch of applesauce today. Pictured below are the results. The clear jars on the left contain apple juice. I think it looks like a productive project. Not pictured is the jerky I made. Jerky is not very photogenic.