A day of getting things done today: catching up on paperwork and filing, writing a few emails, weekly planning, setting up our new voice mail, studying the first of Kieslowski's The Decalogue with two more to follow tonight, then a dinner of duck, potatoes and sugar snap peas.

I marinated the duck in orange juice, grated ginger, lemon and lime zest after seasoning it with salt and pepper, seared it, then finished it in the oven to medium-rare. Sauteed some thin slices of Yukon Gold potato in the rendered duck fat and a lemon-infused olive oil we bought at a store at the Grove the other day -- a store whose Paris location we visited when we were there a few years ago, carrying home tins of wonderful olive oils in our carryons. Deglazed the pan with the some Zinfandel which I was also serving for dinner; in retrospect I would use something a little crisper with more citrus. Added some glazed orange slices to the wine as it reduced. Blanched some peas and sauteed them in some butter and orange juice. Altogether it was very tasty, although the wine was a little overpowering, the potatoes a little too crispy, and the peas a tad overcooked. Lessons learned for next time.

Watched the Cubs lose to the evil but ludicrously talented Cardinals. G and I went down to the Farmers' Market for ice cream; I got bubble gum flavor. G wanted a couple of scoop but -- horror, no hot caramel sauce. We tried another venue but the sauce they had was like that ice cream shell type stuff, unacceptable. G was disappointed. Another errand on the way home and now it's time for more movies.