Cats and Dogs and Kids and Nerds, Oh My!

Rose and I were supposed to go to Yogawood this morning, but she wasn't feeling well (something about her medication) and called it off. I just made a trip to the library instead for this week's volunteering. It was a nice day, still chilly and windy but not nearly as bad in either respect as yesterday, with a sky as blue as a robin's egg. The Haddon Township Library wasn't too bad when I arrived around 10:30AM. I mostly shelved DVDs and children's books. It was starting to pick up around quarter after 12, so I headed out after taking out two Calvin and Hobbes comic books (Weirdos From Another Planet and the 10th anniversary book) and the two newest Garfield comic books.

I made a quick stop at Super Fresh for aluminum foil, which I was out of and had forgotten to get at work yesterday. I ran into Dad doing his own shopping while I was there. Dad had apparently spent yesterday painting in his room, which is why I never saw him while I was doing the laundry.

The blue cruiser bike wasn't behaving today. The chain stayed on, but it made the most ghastly squeaking noises. I don't know if it needs oil or if the chain's on the verge of coming off again, but I'm getting sick of this. I really wish I knew which gear or lug nut I'm supposed to be fixing to tighten the chain!

After I got in, I had a simple yogurt-and-kiwi lunch, then did some baking. I ran out of the Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies I made yesterday. I was still craving chocolate, and I wanted to get rid of the last of the coconut, too. I ended up using a simple fudge brownie recipe and making Fudge Coconut-Chocolate Chip Brownies. They came out soooo good and very chocolaty. (I used cocoa powder instead of baking chocolate. It's lower in fat, and I like the texture better.)

After the brownies came out of the oven, I decided I was bored with reading comic books and watching Sailor Moon episodes and went for a walk. It was still a very nice day, in fact even nicer than earlier. It felt a bit warmer and less windy around 4:30. I walked down to Kendall Boulevard, then to the park behind the Oaklyn School. Everything was looking so green. Some trees had huge flower buds that looked ready to explode into color at any second.

I wasn't the only one out and about today, either. Packs of kids and whole families walked down the street, taking in the sunshine. People walked their dogs. Pre-teen boys and slightly older girls played on the playground behind the schoolyard. I was almost reluctant to go home and make the baked chicken legs I'd planned on for dinner, but I didn't really feel like eating out. (And I'm glad I didn't. The chicken legs came out really well. I just rubbed them with the basic garlic-salt-and-pepper and cooked them in water, red wine vinegar, and Worcestershire sauce. The sauce will make an excellent chicken stock for soup later in the week.)