The number one question I expect someone to ask is "What's with your blog name?"

Well, some years back, I happened to be sorting through some old hangers left by a bankrupt dry-cleaning shop, and I came across a solid, wooden one that said "skindleshanks." I thought, "Hmmm, that's probably not a common name--maybe I should use it for something someday."

In retrospect, I expect it's just a misspelling of the character "Skimbleshanks" from the musical, "Cats," whose costume once hung on that old wooden hangar.

As for the Cafe part--I've dreamed of having a little cafe someday, with a cozy, eccentric interior, and an unusual menu of goodies I've seen around the world (like hot ginger coke and spicy chocolate). It probably won't happen for a long time, so I'll put a bit of my eccentricity here for now.