Hello readers! Andy and I are going to have a baby! I even redecorated my blog for the occasion!  I would have taken a picture of buns in the oven, but I don’t make buns, I make biscuits, so I thought that would suffice.

This photo was taken in early October at our first doctor’s appointment.  At that time the baby was 3.76 centimeters long, but he/she will have doubled in size since then and should now be about the size of a lemon! And look decidedly less like a gummy bear!

I’m not gonna lie to you, reader- the first few months of my pregnancy weren’t the most fun I’ve ever had.  I felt sick a lot, and really sleepy.  I ate a whole lot of Pirate’s Booty (aged white cheddar, of course). And for a long time, it made me feel queasy to read my beloved food blogs and cookbooks.  But I feel a lot better now! And I’ve been cooking a lot too, which makes me feel more like myself again, so hooray!

I’m really really excited 🙂 Imma keep you posted on all the developments too.  Next up: we’ll find out the sex of the baby December 20- huzzah!

In less than 24 hours, Andy and I will be off to Seattle for the annual National Puzzlers’ League Convention! This convention is one of my most favorite things in the whole world- several days of hanging out with the most brilliant, creative, and kind people, playing amazing and wildly innovative games and solving equally amazing and innovative puzzles.  Also! This year a few of us have scored seats at the private table at Salumi, a Seattle eatery specializing in cured meats. Yes. Yes. And it’s owned by Mario Batali’s parents, which is neat!

Anyway, a few years ago I met an amazing fellow named Mike Selinker at an NPL Con.  Mike (aka Slik) first wowed me with his brilliant homemade Jeopardy game, Slikardy!  He’s also the President of Lone Shark Games, which collaborates with Wired on lots of fun puzzle-y projects.  To sum up, he is both cool and awesome.  Several months ago, dear Mike approached me about turning several of my recipes into crossword puzzles, and I said that sounded totally amazing, and he did it! And now you can see these puzzles and my very own recipes in the current issue of Games World of Puzzles magazine! See? It’s even listed on the cover! Mike has taken all the key ingredients out of the recipes, so you’ll have to solve the crossword puzzles to fill in the blanks.  I think it’s terrific fun, and I’m so happy to be a part of it!  Thank you, Mike! I can’t wait to see you and all our puzzling friends! One more day!

I find the pastrami to be the most sensual of all the salted cured meats.

Here’s a list of all of the stuff I want to do this summer, along with a list of restaurants I want to try.  I’ve written these down here for several reasons: 1. I like to make lists. 2. I think this might help hold me accountable, so I might actually do some of these this summer.  I’ll cross things off as I do/try them. 3. I want your ideas for fun summer activities (and corresponding snacks, if applicable!). If you know of a not-to-be-missed summer activity, let me know.  That is all.

Summer of George To Do List

• Slip-n-Slide + Hebrew National hot dogs
• Shakespeare at Winedale + Royers
• classic movies at the Paramount + Sandy’s Frozen Custard
• Schlitterbahn + Taco Bell (I can’t help it.  One must eat Taco Bell after visiting Schlitterbahn.)
• Zilker Hillside Theatre (Annie!) + pigs in blankets
• Anthony Bourdain at Book People June 29 (!)
• tubing + zucchini bread
• beach/camping + s’mores
• Blanton Museum/Austin Museum of Art
• see the bats at the Congress Ave. bridge
• learn the Single Ladies dance
• see a movie at the outdoor theatre in Wimberley

New (to me) Restaurants to Try

Justine’s Brasserie
Pluckers (Yes, Pluckers.  I’ve never been, and I’m a girl who enjoys a good chicken wing).
El Arbol
Lulu B’s
East Side King
Lamberts
Dai Due Supper Club (I’m going next Saturday! Yahoo!)
Franklin Barbecue (Said to rival Lockhart)
Ryu of Japan
Fabi + Rosi
Man Bites Dog
Longhorn Po-Boys & Falafel
Foreign & Domestic