Long Weekend!

Friday night, The Colonel, Shadow, Gladys and I headed off in the land yacht for a delightful mini-vacation! We spent two nights at Long Beach, and then headed over to Mt. Saint Helens for a brief repast before heading back to Seattle.

Shadow was his usual dependable self, but Gladys was - as Gladys always is - prone to hysteria and separation anxiety. I'm not sure that she'll be joining us on future trips. (We're hoping to do a tour of City Light's dams next month, and perhaps a stately jaunt up the Columbia River Gorge in September)

I should have taken more pictures, but you know how that goes. All I can say is that Sunset cocktails from our improvised lanai at Mt Saint Helens were simply divine!

Happy National Tapioca Day!!!!!

....And what a day it was! Not since my long-lost catering years have I composed such a foo-foo menu, and never has the dining table at Chez Vel-DuRay experienced such a foo-foo repast - a meal fit for the living skeletons who used to grace the various ballrooms of my past, all for a fashion show for this charity, or that disease. The only thing missing was the purging in the ladies room afterward.

The main course was a salade composee of green grapes and last Sunday's leftover chicken, tossed in a curried yogurt and served on a bed of mixed greens (an old Vel-DuRay recipe, that I learned at the knee of the lovely Laura Peterson, who I hear is now lurking in DeKalb, Illinois. Should you read this, Laura Dear, please phone home - Danny longs for your insults). Some delicious hard rolls on the side, just to hold that gossamer offering down long enough to digest, and the whole thing washed down with a cunning little Chardonnay.

But The Star was, of course, Tapioca!!!

Actually, it's a really good thing we have National Tapioca Day, because having Tapioca once a year reminds us of why we never have Tapioca: Even dusted in cinnamon, it is a close second to blancmange when it comes to dreary. But today was National Tapioca Day, so we had Tapioca.

I must say The Colonel was an awfully good sport about this: Being pretty much a meat and potatoes guy, I didn't know how he'd react to cold salad and bland desert, but he ate it up and even had seconds. Now that's a guy!

Here's some pictures to feast your eyes on. You'll notice I kept the table low-key, with just the everyday Franciscan, but the candleabra added a festive touch, don't you think?

And don't forget: July 17th is National Peach Ice Cream Day!!!!!

In the meantime.....

I know you're all nervous and edgy about National Tapioca Day (Believe me, my nails are STUBS!) but life does go on.

In that spirit, I offer you this little number from That Star of the Scopitone, Joi Lansing. I may have posted this one sometime in the past (they do all tend to blend together after a time) but what of it? It's still world-class entertainment.

Enjoy - and brush up on your tapioca recipes - time's a'wastin.....

Happy (belated) Pecan Pie Day!!!

How could I have forgotten?!?!? There's nothing like a Pecan Pie to make the fillings ache and the trousers strain!



And just in case I continue this flakiness - don't forget that Tuesday is National Tapioca Day!!!

Happy National Baked Bean Month!!!!!

Here at Chez Vel-DuRay, we have been sampling the various kinds of prepared baked beans throughout the month. (I inherited from my Mother the firm belief that life is too short to make your own baked beans, when the sad fact is that the ones from a can will be better)


I find I'm partial to Van Kamp's Pork and Beans, but The Colonel has a fondness for Bush Brand.

So far, We've had them with Barbecued Ribs, and Fried Chicken, as well as en casserole from a recipe in the Betty Crocker "Good & Easy" cookbook (something no kitchen should be without)

For a serving piece, the only real choice is a West Bend Electric Bean Pot. While these have a very limited application (mostly all beans, all the time) they do a great job: Just plug them in, dump in some beans, and it will slowly warm them to perfection, using clean, flameless electric cooking. Really, what more can you ask from a bean pot?

Movin' on up!

Darlings, it's been a busy, busy, busy few weeks at The Major Concern. I am now the Electrical Service Representative for the downtown Seattle, Capitol Hill, Central District, Leschi, North Beacon Hill and Mount Baker Districts!

Of course, I'm still strictly residential: I leave the big buildings to the crew-cut and slide-rule set, but it is an exciting, dynamic area to work in - some of Our Best Homes, after all, are in my district, from the stately mansions that grace Lake Washington to the ultra-dig new Downtown Seattle condos that are the last word in luxury and upscale urban living.

Of course everyone - from the lowliest pushcart vendor to the highest and mightiest "Dotcommer" will receive the same gracious and attentive attention from me that The Major Concern is known for. True, things are a bit "crazy" while I settle in to my new "digs", but I'm confident that the neighborhood will soon notice a marked improvement in their electrical service.

I've already done my first public service announcement. What do you think?