All the good things

A summary of my sublime sensory experiences over the last five weeks

Well, hello Wednesday!

I don’t know about you, but the week is flying by. Probably because we just spent a long weekend away, and I sit here wondering how is it possible that already a week has passed since I was finding my warm clothes and making my packing piles?

So we’ll start with one fun thing I did since we last spoke, which was go up to NH for the annual New England Pond Hockey Classic getaway.

(I’ve been fortunate to be a part of that traveling crew since 2017, started writing this back in the Fall of 2020 (speaking of time flying by), and in 2021 COVID wrought havoc on our plans…so if you want a little history on that experience over time, you can check out 2022 Part 1, 2022 Part 2, 2023, and 2024’s trips (Part 1 here and Part 2 here). Looking to kill some time? Have a read.)

If you’re new to this New England Pond Hockey Classic weekend, I’ll summarize:

• Location: Meredith Bay, Lake Winnipesaukee, unless weather is uncooperative and it gets moved to the “little” lake, Waukewan.

• Over 275 teams. Over 500 games. 26 outdoor rinks. In other words: party on the ice. (Also known as “My Dad’s Heaven.” Being on the frozen lake always makes my heart happy, because I feel him there. Pretty sure if he had lived long enough to discover this event, he’d have found his way onto a team now, at 83. ❤️)

• I don’t skate. However I am the #1 fan of the Red Hot Chili Puckers, the most fun team in the Women’s Duster Division, and one of the greatest groups of gals I know. (I only call them “gals” for the alliteration—no disrespect intended.)

• Shenanigans are a-plenty. Schnapps and Tennessee Whiskey shots, science experiments, songwriting, frozen beers on the grill, you name it, we’ll have fun with it. Three nights hardly seems long enough, though my liver tells a different story.

  

  Science experiment, 2023. When the temps are low enough, boiling water does freeze immediately when thrown into the air.

  The results of the collaborative songwriting (lucky to have a real musician in the group!):

  

  Beers on the grill, 2018.

• We’ll never learn. Despite our best efforts to streamline and coordinate we still somehow managed to go home with more food than we brought. We introduced a list this year in an effort to tighten it up and we did a bit better (e.g., we did not have over 200 King’s Hawaiian Rolls, but we still had too many), so next year’s goal will be list management and adherence. 🤣

• Maslow’s Hierarchy of (Pond Hockey Weekend) Needs is overrated. There always seems to be some critical thing missing that we manage to laugh our way through. Last year it was no water for the first 24 hours. This year it was no heat our last night, when temps dropped below zero outside and well below 60 inside. We’ve also had a few Pond Hockey weekends that involved neither ponds nor hockey—too hot, too cold, no ice, slushy ice, etc., etc..

  

  Water, prairie-style.

  

  That explains the chill we were feeling.

• Thanks to our aforementioned skill in the shenanigans department, every year it’s a winner, no matter what. And the stop at The Common Man rest stop in Hooksett for a Dirty Spiced Chai Latte on the way home is the perfect way to say “until next year.”

First pic on the ice Friday.

Game ready.

Last pic on the ice Saturday.

In addition to that fun weekend away, plenty of other stuff has been going on too, so let’s get to it.

On the TV

All the talk surrounding the start of The Traitors (Season 3) led us to jump on the bandwagon. We were told we didn’t need to watch past seasons, but we wanted to get in on the ground floor (albeit a day late and a dollar short) and so we started with Season 1, which we watched in its entirety. Same for Season 2…and now we have started Season 3, though all the episodes have not yet aired. It’s a very fun watch. (And no spoilers…but Boston Rob needs to stop saying “sus.” Also Kerri said that with all the crying it’s kind of like an arch support commercial for the Good Feet Store. 🤣🤣🤣)

I also watch Deal of No Deal Island. I like a good social experiment, and this fits the bill. But some of these reality “stars” need to get over themselves.

Speaking of social experiments, I watch the Real Housewives… but “only” the NY and SLC editions of the franchise. NY because it’s the original and SLC because somebody knows somebody on it so why not? While many of the real housewives aren’t actually housewives, for several reasons I enjoy the manufactured drama. Maybe it reinforces my gratitude for my very small (but very full and very happy) life in the suburbs. Both shows have finished airing their regular episodes for the season and are on to the explosive multi-part reunion shows, and I’ll summarize thusly: lots of cringe. But still I watch. And to illustrate why the show isn’t called Smart, Strong Women of (Whatever City/State/Country), here’s one gem from the current season of each:

1. On RHONY, there was a big blowup about something and they were trying to work through things…and Jessel magnanimously proclaimed that she would extend “an olive leaf.” Apparently she was still too mad to extend the whole branch. 😂

2. On RHOSLC, there’s a new fringe character, Britani. She’s a real piece of work. Anyhow there was a heated discussion in the Sprinter van during the ill-fated girls’ trip to Puerto Vallarta…and the other housewives caugt her secretky videotaping them. Now while I agree that what she did was wrong, when you film a reality show that airs on Bravo, you can’t make the argument that “we’re only vulnerable with each other.” I mean, you are all flipping out because someone is filming you *while you are being filmed*. 🤔

Despite my ongoing issue with its characterization as a comedy, we watched (and enjoyed) Season 3 of The Bear. What I really liked about this season (and maybe it was the case in past seasons and I simply wasn’t attuned to it) was exactly how much storytelling was done through music, closeups, and clips of dialogue…and how much emotional depth and breadth they manage to get out of these snippets. (Bonus points for the soundtrack itself. The music from Seasons 1 and 2 was a true joy so the bar was high. I feel like at this point the music is as important to me as the plot.)

In our attempt to watch at least one Oscar-nominated movie we turned off all the lights a few weeks back and settled in to watch Conclave. No spoilers here, fret not. As someone raised Catholic, who remembers several New Pope Alerts, the whole notion of the conclave was extremely interesting (like what happens before they can send white smoke out of the chimney?) and the film also raised a number of important issues. We enjoyed it.

I’ve watched a bit more TV the last five weeks than is customary, mainly on account of me having that nasty cold that had me down and out for a solid 11 days. Last week at this time, even though I was prepping for the trip, I *still* wasn’t sure I’d be able to go. I was at about 95% for the weekend and now I’m at probably 98%. Just can’t shake that last little bit of congestion. But anyway, when I was sitting up trying to sleep I watched a few things of note, namely:

• Sex Lives of College Girls. Season 1 of this Mindy Kaling-produced show was great. Season 2 was “meh.” Season 3 gave me the entertainment I needed.

• When Nate Bargatze hosted SNL earlier this season, the George Washington skit had me laughing harder than I have in a while. So when his new comedy special, Your friend, Nate Bargatze, was recommended to me, I put it on. Good, clean, relatable comedy. Again, no spoilers, but if you’re a person of a certain age, you’ll laugh your a$$ off at the “hotel wake-up call” bit. Lots of laugh

  Also, in the SNL bit, Bargatze actually was reprising a role. So here are those two skits, for your enjoyment:

• Cedar Rapids has been hanging out on my “To Watch” list of shows for a while so when I saw it was streaming and only 90 minutes long, I thought “perfect.” It was funny, in a ridiculously juvenile way, though seeing Anne Heche in it made me kind of sad—some people just have really f-cked up lives, no matter what. Best line from the movie? “I’m really sorry for my role in the malfeasance in the pool.”

Music

The aforementioned soundtrack from S3 of The Bear is a winner. Combined with the other two seasons, you’ve got yourself a good day of listening. Same as past seasons, S3 reminded me of forgotten great songs (like Counting Crows’ “A Murder of One,” (which reminded me that August and Everything After is such a great album ) and Cocteau Twins’ “Pearly-Dewdrops’ Drops”) and also introduced me to some new ones (like “Joy” by The Sundays, “The Morning Fog” by Kate Bush, and “Spinning Away” by Brian Eno and John Cale). And all you TSwizzle haters who loathe her pop music and bristle upon seeing her face all over NFL Sundays, well, listen to some of her less mainstream songs, like “Long Live (Taylor’s Version),” featured in the show. No way you can listen to it and not give her songwriging props, at a minimum.

I got a text the other day from a friend inquiring whether I had listened to the new Mumford new track, which I hadn’t—I had no idea they had a new song. Well, “Rushmere” was an instant hit with me, and the subsequent musical journey Spotify took me on was perfection. Can’t wait for the album to come out at the end of March.

After the weekend away, I was exhausted and despite my best efforts, I did not make it through much of the Grammys at all. But I was up long enough to see Chappel Roan sing “Pink Pony Club,” a song I loved before it (and she) got super popular. Every now and then I’m in front of the trendy tunes and artists. Go figure. (I also was up long enough to see Beyoncé’s borderline wardrobe malfunction of a dress. 😱)

I got a Facebook memory from 2018 in which I recommended the Cranberries 2017 album Something Else. I revisited it, and it was better than I remembered.

Speaking of the Cranberries, I came across their cover of Fleetwood Mac’s “Go Your Own Way” and—as an amateur cover song junkie—I highly recommend it. It’s fantastic.

Other notable covers that I’ve been listening to lately are “Romeo And Juliet” by The Killers, “Friday I’m in Love” a complete reinvention of The Cure’s classic by Phoebe Bridgers, “Time After Time” by Iron & Wine (joining a long list of quality covers of this great song), “Don’t Stop Believin’” and “Blinding Lights” by Teddy Swims (anyone else think Teddy Swims, Post Malone, and Jelly Roll were separated at birth?), and lastly two covers of Grateful Dead songs—“Sugar Magnolia” by Susanna Hoffs and Matthew Sweet and “Ripple” by Dusted and Eric D. Johnson.

That covers the covers, for now anyway.

And don’t forget, the Pedestrian Pundit Reader Faves playlist is always open for submissions any time. Get me your one song, no questions asked, and I’ll add it to the playlist—then when I listen I’ll think of you.

Food and Bev

A subscription to NYT Cooking is an absolute must for anyone who enjoys cooking and is always on the hunt for new recipes. Other than encouraging you to subscribe my only other comment would be—if you do subscribe—to urge you to read the comments, which are pure gold. So helpful.

Here’s what I’ve cooked from them since the last time I wrote on a Wednesday:

• Pork and Ricotta Meatballs with Marcella Hazan’s Tomato Sauce. This was the perfect meal on a chilly Saturday afternoon.

  

• On a bit of an Italian food kick, I made this Sausage Ragu for company and we all loved it. One thing about this recipe (and the Tomato Sauce recipe above) is to leave much more time to cook it than the recipe indicates—I find the sauces take much longer to reduce than the recipe will tell you, but it’s worth it if you have the time, and your house will smell great!

• For dessert after the Sausage Ragu, it was this Chocolate Whiskey Cake, only with bourbon, because that’s what I had in the house (and the comments made it clear that that substitution was ok). It was so good—just make sure you take it out on the shorter side of the cooking time to keep it fudgy.

  

• Harissa and White Bean Chili. It’s soup season here in the Northeast and I’m game to try anything that sounds good to me—and this one intrigued me. It was pleasantly spicy—not like “oh my God get me a glass of milk, stat” burny, but more like you’re eating it and enjoying it and then you realize your eyebrows, under eyes, and upper lip are all pouring water like Niagara Falls.

  

• These Easy Burritos should probably be called Pretty Easy Burritos, though in my experience the taste far exceeds the amount of work. I’m sure they’d be good with any ground meat, and I can tell you firsthand that if you don’t have a tomato, diced tomatoes and salsa also work great (they just take longer to cook down). My sis made them Monday night ant my urging and I was sweating it out between the time she cooked them and she gave me her review. She loved them!

• I bought some bananas so that I could bake something with them (a number of recipes were in play). At first the bananas stayed there on the counter, defiantly green. “We will not be baked,” they seemed to taunt me. Ultimately, they pulled an avocado and went from green to black but I was able to salvage enough to make a batch of these King Arthur Flour Banana Crumb Muffins. Delicious. I’m a sucker for a streusel though.

Then, in terms of other eats and drinks (non-NYT Cooking stuff):

• When I was in the desperate “I’ll try anything” stage of my cold, I went with an old reliable recipe, Tortilla-less Soup for the Sick Person’s Soul. It didn’t do sh-t for my cold in general but it sure did hit the spot.

• From there we moved on to this Turkey and White Bean Chili. Kerri wanted a white chili, we had ground turkey in the house, so I searched for a recipe that sounded right to me. This one’s a keeper. (Bonus points for a recipe where you don’t have to drain the beans—same for the Burritos above.) (Also our package of turkey was only one pound so I threw in an extra can of beans and kept the rest of the recipe as is. Worked out great.)

  

• Afogatto. I saw a social post, remembered we had some decaf espresso pods, my sore throat was crying for ice cream, so this was a perfect solution. No recipe needed. Scoop as much ice cream or gelato as you like (I used vanilla bean Talenti gelato, but use your judgment—I think this is a matter of personal preference or what you have in stock). Brew some espresso (single or double, decaf or regular, whatever you like) pour it over the ice cream/gelato, and enjoy.

  

• Fueled by the desperation that was my cold, I also treated myself to a Hot Toddy. Bourbon, hot water, lemon juice (roughly equal portions, adjusted to your personal taste) and however much honey you enjoy. Soothing if not medicinal.

  

• Homemade Honey Cinnamon Lattes. On a real honey kick, this one was straightforward. Brew the espresso over the honey, mix it in, froth the milk with a bit of cinnamon. Pour that on top the add another dash of cinnamon for looks. I might need to make one of those this morning.

  

• The Dirty Spiced Chai Latte from The Common Man that I mentioned earlier. If Chai Latte is your jam, make it dirty—add a shot (or two) of espresso. You won’t regret it. (In fact, if you haven’t had a chai latte and have no idea whether it’s your jam, give it a go.)

• And this one might seem a tiny bit random, but if condiments intrigue you in any way shape or form I’d be remiss not to give a shout out to Inglehoffer Sweet Hot Mustard with Honey. We were on sandwich duty for Pond Hockey Weekend and in addition to regular mustard and avocado mayo, we threw this into the mix—it was a huge hit all around. And if you’re stuffed up, you’re sinuses will love it. (Don’t be fooled by the German-sounding name—it definitely is related to that little plastic container of mustard you get at the local Chinese restaurant.)

Miscellaneous

Here are a few other odds and ends of things I’ve had going on:

• Long on my list, on many “Best of” 2024 lists, and available in Libby when I was looking, I checked out and read Grief is for People by Sloane Crosley. It was a touching, deeply personal, in-the-moment story of all-consuming grief. And despite the deeply personal nature of it, reading it didn’t feel like an intrusion or a violation…her grief felt accessible, somehow. It was an emotional book though I wouldn’t call it sad. Regardless, I enjoyed it. Next up, I think I might try audiobooks again. People keep saying they listened to this great whatever and I’m all “I can’t find a way to integrate them into my routine.” So maybe I’ll give it another go.

• I’ve also—like many people—been trying to sort out what in the holy hell is going on in DC. What a sh-tstorm. Is anyone willing to cop to having voter’s remorse? Right now I wonder whether The Cheeto is sitting in the Oval Office yelling “psych!” over and over? “I’m not funding grants…psych.” “I’m imposing tariffs…psych.”

  

  Whether he’s trying to psych us out or not, he’s acting even more irrationally than he sounds and it’s scary as f-ck. The whole breaking news about his plan to turn Gaza into a U.S.-controlled Riviera is something I can’t get my head around. But it sounds like a f-cking disaster to me.

  While he campaigned, it scared me how many people did not stop and say “what he’s saying isn’t right.” And now that he’s elected and acting like this, they still are silent. Are they too stubborn/dumb/racist/homophobic to care about practical things, like their personal well being? I’m kinda like “send the $500M worth of condoms to Gaza if it gets prices back to normal.” Forget MAGA. Try MGAA—make groceries affordable again. But seriously, if you want immigration reform so badly that you’re burying your head in the sand, you’re being short sighted and myopic. If you think tariffs don’t matter because you don’t like avocados or Corona, you just don’t get it. I’m not going to name call over that but I certainly am going to exhort you to pay attention to cause and effect and to think long and hard about whether you’re really ok with A, B, and C in order to maybe get a minuscule piece of D? If things are broken, we can fix them…we don’t have to throw them away and break down lives to do this. A little critical systems thinking, some clear goals, and a bipartisan plan we can stick to sounds good to me. But what do I know

• Speaking of sh-storms and wondering “what do I know?,” I continue to navigate the sh-tstorm that is my professional life—trying to discern my best path forward, but having no idea how to define “best.” Guaranteed income? Living out my “dream” work? Something I’m missing? What. A. Disaster. I feel like it shouldn’t be so hard. But it is.

OK. That’s enough. I need coffee.

Anyhow, I hope you’re sheltered from life’s sh-storms and that lots of good stuff is going on with you. Thanks for taking shelter here with me—your company means the world to me.

Love you too.