A fix-er up day for me. Or as my mother-in-law Dot calls it, maintenance (I love that term!). Haircut, highlights and blowout (right), pedicure (left), manicure (although the manicure was just a buff, I've pretty much given up on polished fingernails, just too high maintenance, and a short, buffed nail is quite elegant, thank goodness). At Spalon Montage, where Nisa has done my hair, and LJ my nails, for years now. Love those girls! It's been awhile so feels g.o.o.d, I'm all spiffy. Just in time to cook dinner and monitor homework, ha. That's OK, I had my night out last night and it sure was fun. And as a little bonus, my friend Kathie was getting her hair cut, also by Nisa, right after me! Just a coincidence, but a nice one, I always love to see her. Everyone loves to see Kathie, that's just how she is. Purely awesome.

Tonight I'm making a Salad Nicoise, I've had a craving for it since Bowen was talking on Sunday about how he often carries one out from Barbette. Barbette does a killer Nicoise, but I decided to make tonight's version myself. Romaine, tuna, onion, hard-cooked egg, tomato, potatoes, green beans, all with a mustard-y, garlicky vinaigrette. With popovers. Mmmm...love it. For the kids, a plainer version of the same salad, the popovers of course, and soup (canned) if they like. Easy enough!

Salad Nicoise hit the spot, as did popovers, those naughty, tempting, crispy puffs of eggy heaven. Why, oh why, do I make them? I LOVE them (with a little Hope Creamery butter, couldn't resist, prrrr...). With a tasty St. Innocent Pinot Noir. Nice dinner (recipes for popovers and Salad Nicoise in comments, below). Except for Nathan, who said he didn't feel well, and fell asleep, on his own, at 6:00 p.m. Again, just like a couple of weeks ago. So here we go again, poor little cutie. His friend Vivian, Susie's daughter, was home sick today too, it's going around their school. Damn, I hate when he's sick, I don't like to see him uncomfortable...