Summer Sandwiches and Phenomenal Care Packages

The cover story on Bon Appetit a few months ago was an open-faced heirloom tomato and feta sandwich. We found some heirloom tomatoes at the store and decided to try it, we didn't have all the ingredients, but I winged it and it turned out great.

Spring mix, fresh-cracked pepper, extra-virgin olive oil, balsamic vinegar.... They turned out pretty delicious. I toasted them a little and it helped bring the flavor out in the tomatoes, and the feta melted juuuuust slightly. It was perfect.

But as excited as I was about those sandwiches, I was even more excited today, when we got no less than THREE simultaneous packages in the mail.

Firstly, we ordered a fountain for Quorra! It arrived today, as well as a year's supply of filters (it's a fountain and a water filter, because our cat is SPOILED.)

Allow me to explain our reasoning briefly. Cats don't drink water unless they're dehydrated, and they generally don't show a lot of interest in standing water (as with a water bowl). As a result, it's extremely common for them to develop kidney problems later in life. One of the simpler ways to keep them hydrated is to give them a fountain. It's fascinating enough that they drink from it fairly regularly - and it's stimulating! So there ya go. I hope Quorra figures it out...

Okay, okay, but I really need to tell you about the care package my mom sent us, because it was awesome.

My mom bought Brandon and I a hilarious gift, totally out of the blue. I mentioned to her once a while ago that I'd love to have a vintage phone, just for fun. Well, she apparently found one online for cheap, and it's in phenomenal condition!

Brandon explained that Bell was the Apple Computers of its time... Although I'm suspicious that he didn't mean that in a *good* way. 

The first thing I want to do with the phone is make it battery-powered and blue-tooth capable. We're going to hook it up to my cell phone, and make all the buttons functional again - so I can actually dial it and talk on it, just like it was meant to be used.

But Brandon has a PHENOMENAL long-term plan for it. He wants to put a tiny Linux computer inside it, and hook it up to an intercom at our front door, so we can answer it, then use it to unlock the door and let people in. Obviously, this is a years-long project, and our current apartment doesn't even have an intercom, but still I think it's a seriously cool plan. I would love to give this beauty its own little table, and make it an every-day use item...

But that's not the only thing my mother sent! Last year at Christmas, my mom contributed to my vintage luggage collection. This has been an ongoing project for me, but since she pitched in last year, I feel like I finally have a full set. In any case, I couldn't bring it all home with me at once, and the last piece has been sitting at my mom's house forever. But I apparently nagged enough that she sent it along... Here's my collection!

The orange and green ones are a decent size for a weekend trip. The red one (the one my mom shipped us this week) is really more of a carry-on item for airplane trips, and the floral one I usually use for toiletries or odds and ends.

Honestly, these photos don't do them justice. I need to find better lighting - the orange suitcase is a SCREAMING orange, the teal is a rich, bright teal, and the red is a legitimate ruby red. The floral case is really the odd-man out, it's made of fabric rather than false leather, and it's a darker shade. It's also not in as nice shape.

I was posing them together for photographing when Brandon reminded me of my green train case! I use it for my sewing kit, so sometimes I forget that it's technically luggage.

I love this collection. They were all such phenomenal finds, they're in great condition - totally usable, even on an airplane, and they really pull together into a funky little collection. (can you tell I'm excited?)

Okay, lastly, my mom included a couple very special gifts for Brandon. A while back I bought him a level attached to a metal square ruler. My mom found a fun little vintage book that outlines how to use this tool. Additionally, she dug up my grandpa's old pocket slide-rule and decided Brandon was the one person who would really appreciate it.

It's a perfect fit because I already got Brandon a slide rule, and he just loves it - but he didn't have a pocket-sized one. But also I think it was very sweet of her to send him something that belonged to my grandpa. It was a very cool and thoughtful gift.

What a fun week! Oh gosh, it's only Monday....