this and that (and a chicken recipe)

This has been a tough week in suziebeezieland for the gals who just drop in here for pictures and notes from the Bailey domestic front.

"WHAT are all these WORDS about GOD, I just need a CHICKEN RECIPE and maybe a photo of a puppy or FLOWER, THANK YOU VERY MUCH."

:D

The camellias are starting to bloom out back. They are the only pretty thing in my backyard right now.

I've been on the lookout for a cushion to put on top of my hope chest (that my dad made for me long ago, and is my favorite piece of furniture) where Hannah Cat sits to pine out the window. She is not sitting there in this picture because she knew I wanted to take a photo of her. She is sitting there right now as I type, however, because she knows I do not want to take a photo of her.

Everything was too expensive, but then I found this one on clearance at Crate and Barrel for $20. It's covered with Sunbrella-type fabric, which is nice with pets. :)

It has been sliding around a bit, so I think I'm going to have to secure it with a little Velcro. I am afraid that if anybody sits on top of it when she comes over to visit, she'll go flying onto the floor. :)

Bob and I are headed to London in a couple weeks. We're going to hang out for a week and celebrate our fifteenth anniversary. (It was on December 22nd. Our anniversary always gets swallowed up into Christmas and we never actually celebrate it, so this is kind of a cumulative celebration.)

Claire is going to stay here with her cousins. She is super excited. 

We're staying at a hotel in Bloomsbury, which I am excited about because 84, Charing Cross Road is one of my top-ten favorite books. :) Marks & Co. doesn't exist anymore, but we will walk over and browse around Foyle's.

We employ more than 80 expert booksellers who will be happy to offer any help or advice you may need. Whilst these days most bookshops are stocked by books bought centrally from head office and distributed across the chain, at Foyles our heads of department are also our buyers, so they truly are experts in their stock and subjects.

(I might not ever leave Foyle's. You might have to come get me.)

It's nice because you can order so many tickets online ahead of time, and avoid a lot of lines. We're going to go see Windsor Castle (last year we got there after it had closed, so I'm excited to go inside this time) and we have a couple museum days (The Victoria and Albert Museum, which I am mostly interested in, and the British Museum, which Bob is mostly interested in) and some general sightseeing (we love the Big Bus hop-on, hop-off tours) and walking around. We're doing a few of these London Walks, and we're also going to tour the Tower of London and go see Wicked. There are a few fixed events, but I always leave a little wiggle room in the itinerary for things like weather, fatigue, and a general desire to sit around drinking coffee tea. :)

I'm trying to finish my novel by April 29. I don't know if it will actually happen, but that's my goal. A pretty good chunk of it takes place inside Windsor Castle, so it will be nice to see at least some of the interior. I have the floor plan memorized. :) Dork.

Hey, awhile back my mom and sister and I spent a weekend in Palm Springs, and my sister made this pasta dish for us for dinner, and it was extremely delicious. I made it a couple weeks ago here, and it was still delicious. Phew.

Both of us added chicken to it.

My sister made it without the feta. I added the feta when I made it, because I look for excuses to eat feta, but the feta kind of overpowers any other flavors, so I will probably leave it off next time. Even though I am a feta monster. :)

Farfalle with Tomatoes, Onions, and Spinach

1 tablespoon plus 1/4 teaspoon salt
8 ounces uncooked farfalle pasta
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
1 cup vertically sliced yellow onion
1 teaspoon dried oregano
5 garlic cloves, sliced
2 cups grape tomatoes, halved
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
3 cups baby spinach
3 tablespoons shaved fresh Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3/4 cup (3 ounces) crumbled feta cheese

1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil with 1 tablespoon salt. Add pasta, and cook according to package directions; drain.

2. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion and oregano; sauté 12 minutes or until lightly browned. Add garlic; sauté 2 minutes. Add tomatoes and vinegar; sauté 3 minutes or until tomatoes begin to soften. Add pasta and spinach; cook 1 minute. Remove from heat, and stir in Parmigiano-Reggiano, remaining 1 tablespoon oil, remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt, and pepper. Sprinkle with feta.

Tomorrow I'm going to talk about God's love for us. :) I'm just sayin'.