my personal thermometer

since moving away from a temperate climate, i've learned a few things. during the winter, the difference between 20 degrees and 10 degrees can't really be felt right away. the difference you feel is in how long it takes your toes to get numb, or how long it takes your nose to thaw once you get back inside. for the summer? the difference between 90 and 100 is how fast i turn from resigned to cranky. this is one big, cranky town right now: the freshmen move-in was yesterday (and, somehow, this was the day i decided to drive to campus to meet brian for lunch?), it was 100 yesterday, 99 today, and supposed to be 97 tomorrow. needless to say, not a lot of cooking is going on. and i'm grumpy. the heat index is 94 degrees, and it's 9:00 at night. for crying out loud! we're OVER it. i can't even putter around the house for more than 10 minutes without carrying a high-powered fan, so i end up in the bedroom watching documentaries about penguins. all this is to say: sometimes, the sustainable kitchen throws in the towel, so to speak, and makes pasta with jarred sauce and toast for dinner. then gets the hell out of the kitchen. i'm okay with that.