On a pretty Sunday morning . . . The food part

1. There is Cinnamon Cream coffee from Green Mountain in my mug! Yay. Earlier in the week, I opened an old Budweiser Christmas mug, because there were no other mugs around, and it conveniently holds nearly the entire contents of my press-pot. It is very convenient.

2. Today will include shopping. I want to get some beef for a stew. Not Portagee stew beef this time, but rather a recipe from the Lake Placid Brewery for a stew with beer.

3. zarhooie turned me on to something called "quark" lasy week. It is a apparently a delicacy in these here parts and is basically a cultured cheese spread. (I" got your culture . . . "). I found it yesterday at the Farmers' Market. Yee-ha.

4. I also picked up a big eggplant. I am going to make the beginnings of Eggplant Parmagiana. Why the beginnings? I am going to bread and fry it, but then I am going to eat it, sans cheese and tomato sauce. Just like I did when my sainted Portuguese grandmother made it.

5. Speaking of Wawa (my grandmother, not the convenience store), at some point soon, I need to introduce alethea_eastrid to "Peas and Little Meatballs." Guess what's in it.

6. Yesterday, I made one of my grandmother;s favorite comfort foods -- pastina with milk and butter. The other favorite is "Chourico and Potatoes." Boil 'em up, add butter, mash and eat. (And you wonder why I am XXL?).

7. Today's gonna be busy getting the apartment set up and running errands, but there may be time for "pick your own raspberries."

8. I found myself amazed that I spent so much time picking over vegetables at the Farmers' Market, but that's part of the "Greening of Liam" project that alethea_eastrid has embarked on. We had healthy hot cereal for breakfast yesterday.

On a pretty Sunday morning . . . the friends and family part

1. Mazel tov to goldsquare and nudgeprincess. I wish we could be there. Have a great time!

2. Oh, and for bronxbaroness -- Good morning, Your Majesty. May your reign be full of joy.

3. To evilnicola and theresat: You are continuing to make me proud. Keep it up. Go off and learn good.

4. To my teacher-friends, including artisticphoenix and lisagw, good luck with the kids. You are underappreciated.

5. To my special Yankees' fan friends, fireroseboudicc and theloriest: Thanks for sharing the no-hitter with me last night. Thanks for appreciating good baseball, and good luck next season. ;)

A great job ad . . .

I have seen a lot of opportunities during my job search, but this is the best so far.

Boldface is mine.

The Lake George Forum is looking for an enthusiastic person interestedin learning some new skills. Mechanical aptitude important. Make ice. Drive the Zamboni, Building maintenance. Must have a valid driverslicense and be willing to work weekends and nights. This is a full timeposition. Contact Iggy at 668-2200 ext. 17 or email to Iggy@LakeGeorgeForum.com

Little things that make me smile . . .

1. The fact that since my wife is a fighter, she has an armor repair kit. This allows me to opened a much-needed beer even though she is off picking raspberries and has the keyring with the opener, and her can opener doesn't have a bottle opener, and everything else is still packed.

2. Hearing John Sterling says "It is high...it is far...it is gone," when it's someone from Tampa Bay hitting a three-run dinger.

3. Noticing that Clay Buchholz wears No. 61.

4. Realizing that living in upstate New York means giving directions via the Stewart's convenience stores, not the Dunkin' Donuts.

5. Being able to buy about a half-dozen Sunday papers.