I referenced this in my answer to Why do guys pretend they don't understand when the girl they like gives them all hints of liking them too? While attending my MOS AIT in the US Army (good lord, was that 25 years ago???), a few of us had a hotel party. It didn't get too crazy as it was mainly to get off post. If I remember right, after some folks left, there was one couple, a couple girls (maybe 3?), and myself who stayed over. I had known them all for a month or so and had spent a ton of time hanging out at the barracks or around the school area. The couple took one bed, the girls took the other, and I took the floor at the foot of the girls' bed. About the time everyone started to nod off, one of the girls woke me, asking if I would share the blanket, as the bed was too crowded. She and I had both recently gotten engaged to people two plane flights away and had been nothing more than friends previously - with no hint of anything else I thought nothing of it and said sure. After a few minutes, she said she couldn't sleep and asked if she could snuggle up a little. I thought nothing of it and said sure. I started to think hunh this is peculiar After a few more minutes, she asked if I minded if we kissed a little. At that point, I started to get the idea but that was as far as I thought anything was going to happen as I thought, hunh, OK, maybe she misses her fiance. I know I do. Then we progressed to (very quiet) sex at her request. As far as we knew, everyone else in the room was asleep - at least they never hinted at knowing. We dated another month or two while we were both there. I was so clueless as to how she felt and it took FAR too long to figure out what was happening. Question: What is probably true of the girl Options: - she has questionable morals - she is much older - she is not a good person - not enough information === The correct answer is
she has questionable morals

(Question)
I have never been a stop-and-smell-the-roses type of person. For me, there's always something that has to be done. In fact, the biggest complaint that my husband and two children have about me is that I'm "always busy." Seventeen years ago, when my oldest son was about a year old, he woke up in a very fussy mood. Instead of being his usual cheerful and compliant self, he just wanted to be cuddled. A mother's dream, right? Well, not for me. There was too much to be done; I didn't have time to hold him. I was well aware that in addition to some projects I was working on, there was laundry to be washed and ironed, breakfast dishes to do, a house that needed cleaning. My usual response would have been to try to coax my son into cheerfulness, or to put him back to bed to sleep it off. But it was clear that he was unwell, so against my usual inclination, I decided that I would just hold him. The chores could wait another day. So I settled into the recliner chair in the lounge room and held my son while he slept. I dozed occasionally too, waking up now and then to enjoy the feeling of snuggling my baby and looking at the world beyond the window. It was a cold day, but clear and sunny. The trees rustled in the gentle breeze, and birds and butterflies flitted about the garden. Inside, my son and I stayed snuggled together under a blanket for most of the day. He slept while I, for one of the few times in my life, just drank in the beauty of the world and the happiness of sharing this time with my son. Better mothers than I am must have done similar things many, many times with their children. But for me, this very small decision, this day of 'laziness', became a treasured memory. Question: What did the mother and son snuggle under? Options: - not enough information - dishes - laundry - blanket === The correct answer is
(Answer)
blanket

I have known, and admired, Julia Busuttil Nishimura, for many years now and always felt connected through our love of Italian food, Tuscany (Julia lived in Florence and in Orbetello, just 10 minutes away from where we lived in Porto Ercole while I was writing Acquacotta) and Japan. So I have been eagerly awaiting her debut cookbook, Ostro: The Pleasure that Comes From Slowing Down and Cooking with Simple Ingredients, and it is a beauty it is full of food I want to make and eat. It's also a joy to look at, as it is presented so beautifully with photographs of Julia (and often her darling little boy Haruki) at home and tables full with food that look Caravaggesque. I have already made her everyday banana loaf, several times, after years of searching for my ideal everyday cake, it is now my go-to banana loaf. I tested her ricciarelli (soft almond cookies from Siena) and pork braised in milk (a classic Italian dish that I have always loved) when she was writing the book and I have long-known her absolutely wonderful, incredibly moist lemon olive oil cake (which is also divine with blood oranges). I absolutely love her homemade approach to everything, including all the wonderful handmade pasta like trofie and orecchiette (look at those beautiful dishes below), but also things like classic tiramisu homemade savoiardi, homemade mascarpone (yes and yes, I absolutely believe that for the freshest, most delicious mascarpone, it needs to be homemade especially if you live outside of Italy). Yes, these are all things you can also buy in a packet, but Julia's point is, it is a pleasure to make these things by hand, and the ingredients are so simple water, flour, cream, eggs, you probably have them all in your house already. She is a woman after my own heart. Her book inspires you to give it a go. Question: What is the author of the articles background in food? Options: - Enthusiast - Food Critic - not enough information - Chef === The correct answer is
not enough information