Here we are- another cold, wet, grey February day in Paris. Wait- I’m not in Paris- I’m in Houston! Where has this winter come from, anyway? Most of my friends are grumbling about the cold that just keeps coming back, but I am content in my little cocoon, cooking and reading and occasionally venturing out with Wonder Chien. Although walking the dog in the yuck is not fun, it’s probably the only reason I have not stayed in my pajamas on these cold days, so for that I thank him, I guess. I just wish he would learn to wipe his paws before coming back inside.
Yesterday I felt a hankering for pulled pork, and the aroma of the meat slowly cooking in the oven all afternoon made my townhouse even more cozy. I used this recipe from Food Network but cooked it at 300 for 4 hours rather than in a slow-cooker. It was fabulous.
For weeks I have been reading Donna Tartt’s new novel, The Goldfinch. If you have been living anywhere but under a big rock, you probably have heard about it, or at least seen it on lists of notable books of 2013. Weighing in at 800 pages, it’s not a book to be undertaken lightly (especially if it’s a hardback like mine). The title comes from a painting of the same name which figures prominently in the story. The book is about life and art and how the two influence each other. I just finished it this afternoon, and was thinking about art, when I read a blog post from a fellow Houston blogger about a new app called Waterlogue. It converts photos into beautiful watercolors! What will they think of next?
Isn’t that fun? Yet another way to waste time on a dreary winter day. Thanks, Carrie, for contributing to my mismanagement of time!
So what have you all been doing to evade the Winter Doldrums?
Mais Oui Paris 
I also nested at home. Had to read all afternoon because it’s REQUIRED for my job. That’s my story, and I’m sticking to it. After having a lackluster opinion of the first part of “Under the Wide and Starry Sky”, I decided to stick with it and was glad I did. Now back to the real world….