North By Northeast
6:27 p.m. - 2009-09-21


We took a drive up to Sacramento with the EGs on Saturday because it was my FIL"S birthday and he deserved an outing. We went to the Antiquarian Book Fair at the Scottish Rite Temple (I had never been there before, it's over on H Street, nice shady parking). I usually never find anything to buy at the book fairs, mostly because the books are rare and first editions, so very expensive, but this time I got about half a dozen old needlework pamphlets, and a really fabulous old Frederick Herrschners catalog from 1924. The illustrations are super, and there are even some full color pages. I am using an idea from the catalog to make myself an apron to hold clothespins when I am hanging out clothes. I am using a vintage embroidery design on the front of the apron, practicing my machine embroidery skills, such as they are.

After the book fair, we were going to take the EGs out to a BBQ place, but when we got there, it was closed. The spouse had seen another BBQ joint down the street, so we drove over there, only to find that it was also closed. Not out of business, just closed for Saturday lunch. We were starving, and saw a restaurant across the street called Charlie's Grill. It turned out to be a real find. We all had breakfast for lunch, and all the food was delicious and much better than average restaurant fare. The waitresses were very nice and friendly, and when I snuck back to ask for a cake for my FIL's birthday, they whipped up a birthday strawberry shortcake for him and all the waitresses came and sang Happy Birthday to him. It was a lot of fun.

My MIL wanted to get a wedding present for Tim, our old pastor's son, so we stopped at the Vacaville outlets on the way home. Unfortunately, the Mikasa outlet is no longer there, but Grandpa was delighted to make a stop at the Jelly Belly outlet and stock up on candy. I got a whole bag of my favorite flavor, Buttered Popcorn.

On the way home, I asked the EGs what their first cars were, and was rewarded with some funny stories about their early autos. Apparently one of the old cars was lacking a back seat so Grandpa made one of lumber and bolted it in there. The seat was too splintery, so for the comfort of the two small boys who would ride back there, he upholstered it in burlap. Hope it didn't take the skin off their legs. I love their tales of the 'olden days'.

Today I am working on the apron, and I made a quick trip to check out the new Asian supermarket they put in last week. It is totally fabulous.