Friday Roundup #22

Bykara
A cast iron skillet on a granite countertop filled with quartered Roma and cherry tomatoes, whole peeled garlic cloves, two bay leaves, and a generous sprinkle of dried oregano, ready to go into the oven.
Tomatoes, garlic, and oregano going into the cast iron before they hit the oven. The smell while these roast is reason enough to make the sauce.

The weather has been beautiful the last couple of days. I’m hoping it holds through the weekend because I have plans.

  • USA Women’s Hockey took the gold. It was a hard-fought game and Canada was a worthy opponent. But our women brought it home and I was thrilled to watch.
  • Alysa Liu’s long program was stunning. Absolutely stunning. Happy to see her taking the gold for USA as well. After Malinin’s heartbreak earlier in the games, it was wonderful to see the US come away with gold in figure skating. (Can you tell I’m all about the skating? Because I’m all about the skating.)
  • Seed starting this weekend if the weather holds. I’ve got my 31 packs of Burpee seeds ready to go. The beautiful weather has me feeling optimistic about spring. Probably too optimistic, knowing Georgia weather, but I’m going with it.
  • The Grammys. I never watch the Grammys, but I did enjoy hearing about Bad Bunny’s historic win – the first Spanish-language album to ever win Album of the Year. That’s a big deal. And I loved seeing the plethora of “ICE Out” statements and buttons. Artists using their platform to speak out against what’s happening in this country. Billie Eilish, Bad Bunny, and others making it clear where they stand. Good for them.
  • What I’m Reading: Stolen in Death by J.D. Robb – The latest in her Eve Dallas series. It’s a fun, if slightly predictable, murder mystery. Of course Eve and Peabody will catch the killer in the end and everyone will live happily ever after – until the next murder. But it’s fun getting through to the end.
  • What I’m Watching: I haven’t had much time to watch anything with any focus lately but Zach has been watching 10 Minute History on YouTube and I have to admit that every now and then it’s drawn my attention and held it.
  • What I’m Eating: Homemade pizza, with homemade tomato-garlic sauce (recipe coming on Tuesday).

What are you reading/watching/cooking/dealing with this week? Let me know in the comments.

P.S. The tomato-garlic sauce is embarrassingly simple. You’re going to wonder why you ever bought jarred sauce.

P.P.S. Alysa Liu. That’s all. Just … Alysa Liu.

P.P.P.S. Spring is coming. I can feel it. (Please don’t let this jinx it.)