Potatoes were uncommonly cheap as well, and mayonnaise was a bargain, so there'll soon be an abundance of potato salad, not to mention goatloads of other potato-laden repasts. In fact, but for the occasional supplement of fruits, vegetables, and milk I'll be needing, there's now probably enough food on hand to keep me stuffed for a couple of weeks. The local farmer's market resumes this coming Tuesday, its long seasonal hiatus ended at last, so I expect the supermarkets to reduce prices on those items it stocks to meet the competition. All this means that my food budget, which I have reached or exceeded frequently for the last few months, will probably be lower, thus arresting for a time my slide into poverty. Plus, melons, soon!
The torrential rain has abated for now, though the sky has returned to gray following a brief outburst of bright sun that made steam rise from the wet rooftops, the wisps of vapor mingling with smoke from chimneys. The poppies and sourgrass blossoms have been closed all day, adding to the wintry atmosphere. But the forecast says that the temperature could nudge 80 degrees Sunday. We could be in for a seasonal whiplash, going from glistening raindrops to glistening sweat in a weekend. This is being a strange year.
