Tag: meal

In and Around The Compound


I know you’ll all be glad to hear that both my watches have been re-batteried and are up and running. The one on the right, by the way, is the one whose dead battery all those years ago prompted the purchase of the one on the left, as described in my previous post. I had the new batteries put in at Silverlust, one of my favorite shops in Montrose. I have a ring from there that Tom bought me, and another ring that my mother and parents-in-law jointly gave me one birthday. Not only does Herschel custom-make some incredible jewelry, but he’s a longtime donator of merchandise for Scout’s Honor’s silent auction fundraisers. I was lucky enough to win a silver pendant with a citrine stone (LOVE citrine) in 2010.

Several years ago when I took in the watch on the right (it was a Christmas present from Tom about twenty years ago) for a battery, Herschel also replaced some of the marcasite. He takes great care of his customers.

Another Houston place I’ve been meaning to talk about is Happy Fatz Cafe in The Heights. If you love hotdogs, you HAVE to visit this place. And if you don’t love hotdogs, be aware that one of the owners originally got into the food industry by making some TO-DIE-FOR desserts. You can visit their Facebook page for more information and to see their menu. They will substitute veggie dogs for their Hebrew National Kosher Beef dogs. Kathy S has treated me to great lunches there twice.


A sample of their delicious desserts.


Walking in to order at the counter.


Kathy S’s Lotus Blossom.


I like my dogs basic (mustard and ketchup); their scrumptious bread makes this a real treat.


Happy Fatz also supports local artists; I’m working on a series that I hope to hang there later this year.

Just off of Heights Boulevard on White Oak, Happy Fatz is the place for desserts and dogs.

Speaking of dogs, when my sister was here in November, we had a talk about foster dog Penny. As those of you with dogs and cats know, the annual cost of caring for a companion animal can be a little daunting. Tom and I budget for Margot and Guinness, and Tim budgets for Rex and Pixie, and it didn’t seem possible that we could make sure another dog would always have the care s/he needs. My sister told me that if we decided to adopt Penny, she would pay dog support. That was generous, but I still wasn’t sure we were Penny’s best option. All of The Compound foster dogs have gone to what I think were the perfect forever homes for their needs and personalities.

Then a few nights ago, Tom, Tim, and I were talking, and I said, “Seriously, who can offer Penny a better home than the one she has here?” She adores Pixie and Rex, and their level of play is just what she needs. She and Guinness are good napping buddies, and even Margot has almost played with her on occasion, which is HUGE. She has come a long way from being a dog of the streets, skittish around people and reluctant to accept affection, to being a full member of the pack at The Compound. She even plays with Sugar when she visits, lets Jim, Lynne, Rhonda, and Lindsey (her original rescuer!) give her affection, and happily curls up next to Kathy S for a good scratching.

So really, Tim’s post today just made it official.

And now Pixie has a true forever sister to cuddle with.


Pixie P. Lambert and Penny D. Lambert.

Where has all the crafting gone?

Lately, we haven’t been doing much crafting on Craft Night. Last week we might have, but instead we just created a big breakfast feast. No one’s sure why we all love breakfast at dinner. Some of us had parents who did breakfast suppers now and then. One had a mother who would never do it. But there’s something cozy and friendly about breakfast at night, especially when everyone’s pitching in. Including the fresh fruit above, some of the other choices were:


Rhonda’s wonderfully fluffy scrambled eggs. Also, cantaloupe and honeydew melon.


Here, I’m just showing off a Beatles glass, one of a set of four given to me by The Brides at Christmas.

Then there were hash browns, ham, and bacon. Tom manned the pancake griddle and took requests, which is how Lindsey ended up with Barney and T-Rex:

She settled on dinosaurs after he refused to do a Picasso or a Monet for her. Though if she’d said Manet instead:


Manet, White Peonies, 1864

Here’s a white Penny, 2012.

A Very Compound Thanksgiving


Me, Kathy S, Debby, Tim, and Tom

The menu: turkey and dressing, cranberry sauce, ham, mashed potatoes and gravy, green beans, corn, rolls.

Later, The Brides arrived with a thermos of freshly brewed coffee to share in our coconut cake, pumpkin pie, and peach pie, along with a snack tray prepared by my sister with cheeses, salami, pepperoni, crackers, and dip.

To keep Kathy and Debby from arguing over who got to do the rest of the dishes, for dessert, we broke out the special paper plates Lynne gave me with my Christmas loot last year, which Lindsey displays here:

I’m not sure if Rhonda is going after peach pie or Bella with her fork.

I have so much to be grateful for–a house full of family and friends, hilarious dogs (Margot managed to get at part of the turkey after dinner), and good wishes from other family and friends throughout the world. It’s a good life.