Boards by Joel

Photo from Canoe

I've been eyeing these absolutely gorgeous crosscut boards on Canoe (which is an awesome online shop in general). They ran out of the 12" board, but upon zooming in on the image, I saw that the lightly engraved words on it are "boards by joel." And lucky for me, because you can buy directly from boards by joel, a Minnesotan business. The 12" Ash board was a mere $20, and the coasters were $3.50 each. Definitely cheaper than buying from Canoe, as much as I like supporting Portland. I had to get them, not because I needed another cutting board (the cork ones are doing great!), but because I love love love solid pieces of grainy wood. Maybe I can hang it up in the kitchen.

I also made a quick trip to the Home Depot today for a canvas tool apron. It was a mere 77 cents, but it was also unfortunately made in China. I plan to test out the apron while cycling for storing my wallet, cell phone and keys. Objective two was to check out their Klein Tools selection. An employee asked if I was an electrician, and I remarked that I simply liked Klein Tools canvas bags. I got a zipper pouch. Also went across the street to Marshalls for an Anchor glass measuring cup and glass container with lid. I'm trying to slowly building my BPA-free food storage collection. Besides the apron, everything I bought today was made in the USA. Woohoo!!

I'm currently reading Angel's Game by Carlos Ruiz Zafón. I definitely recommend it for a breezy summer read. It has all the catchy elements without being cheesy- intrigue, romance, drama, and book love.

Going to Dallas for Memorial Day weekend. To be honest, I never really look forward to the trip, but by the end of it, I'm always happy that we went. It is good to see my family and get to know B's family a tiny bit better. Last time, we took Mema to a highly rated on Yelp Japanese restaurant. What made it stand out were the $1 sushi specials and authentic dishes rarely seen in American Japanese places, such as okonomiyaki, ramen and oyakodon. I suspect we'll be going there again. Also, according to my brother, there is a stellar chicken and waffles joint as well. I'll report back on that. Oh, and I gotta remember to pack my sleeping pad and bag. Sadly, the guest beds at my parents' house are close to 20 years old. They are abysmally uncomfortable. Last time we tossed and turned for hours and woke up with searing neck and back aches. Not good. They may or may not be moving in the near future, so replacing those in not high on their list of priorities. We'll probably head back on Monday. Any readers up for an impromptu afternoon trip to Krause Springs or another swimming hole?