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My dad had his second knee replacement surgery three weeks ago and I’m pleased to report that he is doing super great. He’s up and about and I keep joking that he’s ready to play for the Phillies. Keen observers of Vocabulary School know that my dad just turned 69 and the age gap between him and oldest active Phillie, reliever David Robertson, is thirteen days longer than his age difference with me. His shoulders are also reconstructed hamburger meat, so I don’t know if he can throw a ball to first base to tag out any runner, even a slow one. The last time my dad reacted quickly was when I screamed last week when a bird flew into the patio doors while I was sitting at his desk. Regardless if “Squiccimara” can fit on a jersey or not, the Phillies have had a pretty good run in the New Left Knee Administration. The Phillies need to maintain their ok-plus/good work because my dad doesn’t have another knee to replace—this one will have to do!
To celebrate the success of the new knee, we’re going out to the movies on a THURSDAY NIGHT to see The Grateful Dead Movie in IMAX which is from an October 1974 show. In 1974, this was believed to be one of their last shows but then they carried on for a good long while in their original form, keyboardists notwithstanding. I’ve seen it before, but never on a big screen so I’m looking forward to giving it my undivided attention. A little something to take the edge off of the last few days of being a Taylor Swift fan. I deserve 2 hours and 32 minutes of peace. I’ll even take less if I can have popcorn and a mini can of coke that I will be putting in my purse.
This Week’s Vocabulary List
We have our first Vocabulary School reader submission this week! This comes from a beachside text message from my friend, Rebecca, who is reading Girl, Anonymous by Christina Dodd.
If you see a word while you’re reading and would like to see it in Vocabulary School, send it my way! Reply to a newsletter, send a message in a bottle, or just text!
Chary (adjective): cautious especially to protect something; slow to give, accept, or expend
In the context provided, Alex compelled to display affection to Mrs. Arundel which is surprising to Maarja who has known Alex for a long time and Alex does not easily give affection.
The author doesn’t use “wary” because Alex hasn’t exhibited any suspicion, her manner of being is simply withholding for her own good reasons.
I have never seen this word before in my life and its usage is fairly uncommon. This is one of those words that an author has in their toolbox that replaces a word that is less specific but perhaps more frequently used. “I know this word and it’s about to become your problem now.”
April from Parks and Recreation is a great example of someone exhibiting chary behavior. Her oddness keeps people at arm’s length and that is of her own making. She’s standoffish and aloof and bristles at the positive reinforcement she’s showered with by her work family (derogatory). If she’s withholding, she can’t get hurt or disappointed.
Practical Applications
Last weekend, we had a great stretch of weather. Sure, it was hot but it wasn’t too humid so even 90 degrees felt so good. However, the swamp has descended again and it’s so gross. Our next door neighbors’ air conditioner broke and I can see their open windows and I was miserable on their behalf even though my own air conditioning is keeping me very comfortable.
I have long espoused the virtues of pasta salad as a hot weather meal, especially in the “I would rather do hot yoga wearing a mothball infested fur coat” space of the summer. But what to do if you’ve hit your limit with pasta salad? I often push past the feeling of being too hot to cook. Last week, I made a multirecipe burrito which was great but ultimately too hot. My chary1 resistance to haircuts has resulted in hair past my elbows that weighs on my neck if wrangled into a ponytail. Readers, I am hot and cranky regardless of whether or not I’m cooking. I am certainly cooking under the canned heat of a ceaselessly heating planet. Bad mood or not, a woman needs dinner.
Ice cream for dinner is always on the table as is a charcuterie plate or movie theater popcorn and a fountain soda so crisp, it injures the epithelial lining of your esophagus. Summer tomatoes, especially the ones you get in the sweet spot of August are a great dinner option. I struggle with eating tomatoes if conditions aren’t perfect. The inside of a tomato is really none of my business and it’s taken me years of practice to not throw the guts down the drain and my tomato-specific chariness2 includes only being able to eat a cherry tomato if it’s sliced. Currently I’m all about pan con tomate which is just grated tomatoes on bread. Take your box grater and grate your tomato until only the skin remains. Throw the skin in your stock back or eat it— it’s your America. Shake a little bit of salt on the tomato shreds and gently mix with a spoon. Drizzle your best olive oil on the guts, stir, and drizzle a little more in the name of love. Spoon onto some crunchy bread (how it gets crunchy is up to you!) and enjoy. I add a thin layer of the tomato to the bread and let it soak in and then add more on top. Use both a red and a yellow tomato for additional drama.
Love,
Andrea
Thanks for stopping by Vocabulary School!
In this sentence, chary describes the resistance I feel about getting my haircut. I put off getting my hair trimmed because I want to keep my heart rate normal and my hair mermaid-esque. After getting a non-consensual Jennifer Aniston bob in college, I get physically nervous for all haircuts even if they’re only little trimmies.
This derivative noun form of chary demonstrates my lifelong attempt to be an avid consumer of tomatoes or a “tomato girl” but I protect myself from my own disgust in talking about “tomato guts.” I’m the problem, perhaps.
squiccimara can go on the back of a phillies jersey, but not an ll bean boat and tote