Even when we're away from home, Bob walks every day. When we visit San Diego, his morning routine consists of a three or four mile trek along the ocean at Pacific Beach, a party beach full of mostly young revelers and oglers, tanning and styling. PB compares to Venice Beach in LA, about the way that San Diego compares to Los Angeles—cleaner, less flamboyant, and without the chainsaw juggler. There is, however, "Flash" also known as "Naked Man" who routinely skates up and down the boardwalk wearing a minimal thong and a seasonal costume. We've seen him skate by dressed as Santa Claus, the Easter Bunny, Jesus Christ (complete with cross), a tulip field, a dandelion, and a stalk of asparagus.





Living in Puget Sound requires few warm weather duds, so our visits to sunny California force us to dig deep into the closet for weather-appropriate clothes. Packing for our December trip to San Diego last year, Bob found an old pair of Ron Jons he got in the 90's while working in Florida. Although the shorts showed more pale skin above the knees than is stylish these days, he tossed them in "just in case".

The "just in case" happened and Bob ventured out onto PB one bright, sunny day in his shorter-than-average Ron Jons. Now, these weren't Walt Frazier/Wally Walker Phys. Ed shorts, they were slightly-above-the-knee, play-tennis-in-them, used-to-be-too-long shorts. It wasn't long before two twenty-somethings skated by and shouted, "Hey! Whereja get those shorts!!" They snickered and hooted, blown away by the sophisticated insight of their fashion commentary. Bob carries the scars of that day with him and vowed never again to show that most private area above the knee.

Fifteen years ago, those two skaters would have dissed a pair of long shorts. Larry Bird would not have stepped onto the court wearing a pair of today's basketball shorts. You know, the long baggy ones that look exactly like ladies' cullottes. So hold onto those shorter, leaner shorts. Just like poodle skirts, they will return.

Strawberries are out in Puyallup and I made shortcake this week using my old recipe but found it to be tough and not very flakey. Let's try this one out of the 1953 Better Homes and Gardens Cookbook.

Strawberry Shortcake

• 4 cups hulled, sliced strawberries
• 3 Tbs. granulated sugar

Biscuits:
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 4 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3 tablespoons sugar
• 1 stick butter, chilled
• 1 beaten egg
• ½ to 2/3  cup half and half, buttermilk, milk, or cream

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

In a food processor (you can use a pastry cutter or fingertips) combine the flour, baking powder, salt and sugar and pulse to mix. Pulse or cut in butter until mixture is like coarse crumbs, but with a few pea-size chunks of butter left in the mixture.

Combine egg and milk; add to the dry ingredients, pulsing or stirring in with a fork until just moistened. The dough doesn’t have to hold together at this point.

Turn dough out on floured surface. For individual shortcakes, pat dough ½” thick and cut to desired size.
Bake in 450 degree oven for 15-18 minutes.