gfrancie | Proust had a madeleine. Imagine if it had been a cheesedoodle.

I suspect that this weekend (when I am not being social or starting on the painting of the guest room) I might make some marmalade. The citrus season is ending, there are oranges to be had and I have jars on hand.
Let the long process of cleaning jars to perfection begin.

This morning I met up with

meowlet for pastries and adoration of handbags and Senor Onion. We also stopped at Fran's and bought chocolate and looked upon one fat baby. He was only six months old but he seemed larger than Senor Onion. The baby made me think of Augustus Gloop from Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. He was a very serious looking little man who held onto his elephant with severity. Senor Onion thought he was absolutely interesting and kept pointing and hoping Augustus Gloop would point back. He was a little disappointed.

I have spent most of the afternoon working on an exquisite migraine. I stuffed my face with pills and chocolate. Things are a bit better now. As they should be.

I am slowly reading this vast book on the history of Venice. The author plays like it isn't very complete or all that terrific. Someone ought to hit him with his own book. The weight of it alone might land him in the hospital. It is certain interesting. Mind you we are still in the dark ages and there are eunuchs and the Lombards have a habit of taking over (as they are apt to do) and sometimes there is a visit from the Visigoths -and of course they never bring a hostess gift. This is why they aren't invited back to dinner and so they invade.
In the end all this reading does is make me long for Venice. I always wanted to go there. I had the incredible pleasure of staying there for a few days during my honeymoon and it was made all the more pleasurable by being with one of my favorite people (the super amazing Mr. Jenner) and while the place doesn't give itself up so easily; it can make you want it more and more after you have left. While I can't have Venice on a whim I tend to collect books on the subject. Venice at night is the best. You can wander half the night getting lost. Looking in closed shop windows, finding a 24 hour gelato stand or a bar that sells absinthe to university students -all the while there is the constant wet scent of history and time surrounding you. Paris can be like that too. The smell may not be traditionally pleasing like flowers or baked goods but sometimes dirty and stale scents can be recalled with fondness later on.