Brussels sprouts with a little cheese over pasta

MBWF is back from her trip, but sadly had patrons eager to take advantage of her collections during lunch. So I took my dish of sprouts over pasta out to the alcove with a magazine. I couldn’t focus–the review of the new Garibaldi biography plunged me right into the back seat of my father’s car driving too fast around a corner, and then my mind went ranging over memory a la Sebald–so I put on a record conducive to reverie and stared at the sky. A storm cloud, edged all around by sunny blue skies that I could see, moved in, over, and past me, spitting rain just a little when it was right on top of me. I’m more than due for a soaking from wide open skies, but I guess it’s not my turn quite yet. I passed the Gryphon on my way back into the library–they’re taking shots of it ‘in action’ for next year’s viewbook.

 

Green beans over pasta with lots of water

My house so closely resembles a convection oven that I considered carving off a baked slice of myself and having that for lunch. Instead, I quickly steamed up some green beans and tossed them over pasta, my body still reeling from yesterday’s track snacks. I chased that down with several glasses of water while sitting in front of the fan, listening to the mix MBWF made for me (pop music, you guys, Rihanna!) and leafing through the latest C&RL. Snarky text messages were exchanged with M. I ate about as fast as I could without getting sick–the sooner I’m done, the sooner I can haul my homework around the corner for some pay-what-you-wish air conditioning.

 

Cauliflower and tomatoes over pasta and an oatmeal cookie

MBWF (peanut butter and jelly sandwich and a yogurt) was free for lunch! It’s been damp all day, so we opted to eat in the staff lounge instead of outside. I had two small pieces of personal drama to resolve, so MBWF gave me a hand while I ate my dish of cauliflower with tomatoes over pasta, an old K. and P. favorite meal. Still hungry and suspicious that the thaw ‘n’ serve mini cream puffs may have been sitting out awhile, we walked over to the Pub in search of an additional snack. We ran into M. on the way, occasioning an extensive discussion of the merits of Cherry Grove and its sandy beaches–he had me sold on taking the ferry out there some Saturday this summer. Treats were few and far between. MBWF refused to pay $2 for a brownie (”What?! It’s so small!), so we opted for the oatmeal raisin cookies instead. It took some back and forth, but we decided to share a package of two instead of each getting our own.

 

Yellow squash and tomato over pasta

I have so many last little things to do before heading to the airport that I almost went with a fried egg and toast, but that made me want to cry. So I popped down to the grocery and picked up two plum tomatoes and a yellow squash and sauteed them and put over some pasta. I ate while answering some queries for T. and trying not to worry about the part where the cable is very fuzzy. I’ll probably also treat myself to some garbage food at La Guardia.

 

Brussels sprouts over pasta with a little cheese

Tried and true lunch: Roast some vegetables, put over pasta, add some cheese. Eat half for dinner and the rest for lunch. Brussels sprouts are among my very favorite, even though they make the entire staff room smell like brussels sprouts. I ate with MBWF (rice and beans, banana, and a cup of applesauce), and lunch took on a certain urgency once we realized that I’m out after Wednesday for a trip to Milwaukee and she’s out next Monday and Tuesday for a trip to Boston. So we tried to cover all our bases: an appropriate bridal shower gift for a colleague; whether we loved or hated Murder, She Wrote; what time the senior staff meeting will be today; and which of us has the best wolverine impression. I wished I had a banana to supplement my meal, but the ones at the fruit stand this morning were too bruised.