Saturday, March 7, 2009

In non-blanket related news

Has anyone ever made potato salad for 70? It's a big task. It requires large bowls, large pots, large knives and large muscles. I think my arms are about to fall off. Besides which, I'm haunted by a fear that somewhere deep within the giant bowl of potato salad, there's an unmixed portion, potatoes without mayonnaise, radishes huddled together, uncut onion, a whole egg, waiting for the moment when someone whose opinion matters to me decides to sample my potato salad. The bowl's too big to be certain. It could happen.

Besides the lingering fear, I have singed thumbs; I mix the mayo into the potatoes when they're still warm so that it creates a smooth, creamy, smashed potato-type salad. This requires cutting the potatoes right out of the boiling water. I manage this by gently maneuvering the potatoes around the cutting board with my thumbs and the point of a knife. The knife is fine.

Sunday, March 1, 2009

Not convinced about the Snuggie

Here I thought the Snuggie was a phenomenon restricted to the internet and friends of mine with vaguely snuggly names - like Panda and Warm Fuzzy - when really it was taking over the world. Imagine my surprise this evening when it transpired that the Snuggie had achieved the glory of a New York Times article.

That fame aside - and who doesn't want to follow the NYT - I'm still not sold. I can't say that I have ever wanted a blanket with sleeves, and if I did, I would wear a housecoat. A fuzzy, warm housecoat that wraps all the way around my, comes to my ankles, is made of flannel or fleece, and has both sleeves and pockets. Admittedly, I would find it tricky to wear to a sporting event, but I like to rock those with my coat/blanket combo, which gives the best of both worlds.

So though some of you may sing the praises of this new technology, I'm going to stick with my trusty flannel housecoat.