A Little Violence

A few weeks ago I received Terry A. Del Bene's The Donner Party Cookbook. It's tremendously funny if you keep an open mind, but don't read it right before bed. It's a very detailed account of the events that left several unfortunate pioneer families stranded and helpless, beginning with a misguided shortcut through the nearly impassable and then uncharted Wasatch Mountains of northern Utah. (Take Parley's from Park City on in to Salt Lake on a weekday morning and you'll get a sense of what they went through.) The book includes accurate recipes of the era and a section with recommendations for throwing your own "Donner Party." I love it. Terry, ya done good.

I killed my biggest hobo spider yet this morning, the first this summer. He came zipping out of the VHS tapes in my entertainment center and headed straight for the less brave of my two cats, who was sitting on the rug. BC jumped and ran, which is smart because a hobo bite could easily kill a cat, even a giant one like BC. I jumped off the rower and smashed the bastard with a black leather Steve Madden ballet flat. It was very satisfying.