Saved By the Bell

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This is a couple months old, but I couldn't resist posting it!  Who could forget the Zach Morris phone?  And don't even pretend that you didn't watch this show or that you weren't relieved when Zach and Kelly finally ended up together.

Where Did July Go?

I can't believe it's been that long since I posted!  My goal is to try to post once a week.  In case you're curious about what's been going on in Abell-land, here are the highlights:

A last-minute weekend getaway to Chicago.  Who would think that you would need to pack long sleeves for a visit to Chicago in mid-July?

Our fabulous hotel.  Due to the triangular shape, 

there is not a bad view in the entire building.

A delicious breakfast at South Water Kitchen.

The world's saddest cowboy.  

He would stand there completely still until you tossed some money in the bucket. 

 Then, he would "come to life" and perform a juggling or rope trick.  We just thought he looked so sad, standing there with his head down like a discarded toy.  

He's probably independently wealthy.

Oh, I can't forget to mention that I had the scariest cab ride in my entire life.  Bear in mind, I've been in cabs in Africa and Haiti.  I was in fear for my life, hence no pictures.

Also, we took a Wendella architectural tour of the city.  It was a beautiful sunny day and I took many pictures.  However, I'm not going to bore you with 30 pictures of various buildings.  I recommend this for any Chicago visitors looking for an educational and relaxing outing.  By the way, it's good form to tip the tour guide at the end.  I think.  The poor girl was drinking water and sucking down Ricola's like they were going out of style, so I guess she earned it.

Next, fun with tomatoes!

 

Ensalada caprese

Israeli couscous with cherry tomatoes, diced cucumbers and dill

And, because I was bored one day, the adventures of Tiny Tomato...

Tiny Tomato in a blizzard.

Tiny Tomato goes rafting.

Tiny Tomato and his older brother, Roberto.

Tiny Tomato takes a nap in a 1/4 teaspoon.

A couple of weeks ago, we rescued a little stray that had been hanging around our neighborhood for the past month.  Let me clarify - a stray cat.

We are currently trying to find a good home for her.  She is approximately 6 months old, spayed, and has all her vaccines.  She is affectionate with people, but doesn't care for other cats.  We've started calling her Maggie.

If you know of anyone who might be able to give her a good indoor home, please let us know.  We've got another cat who may be in need of an outdoor country home.  He just doesn't seem happy indoors.  I'm starting to feel like I'm running a cat sanctuary.

Little Maggie

Other current projects include stripping wallpaper, rearranging furniture, and learning Spanish.  I'm hoping to share a new recipe sometime this week.  It's an improv on an old Italian standby.

Talk to you soon (I promise!)