| Ravings: So, apparently I came off a little harsher than I intended. Given that, I would like to publically apologize to CJ. He really is a good kid. He’s had a tough upbringing and that’s really what bothers me the most and I should have made that more clear. And he is just a teenager. I’m really proud of him for telling me that the blog post upset him, and quite flattered that he’s reading it (what teenage boy wants to listen to some middle aged lady whine about life!) and really impressed that he felt comfortable enough to come to me and tell me how he was feeling! Sometimes screw ups can lead to really good conversation. Cravings: We went to a family dinner last night, so no cooking for me. Sometimes it's nice to have a night off and let someone else do the work. I had a great time with my new family. Thank God for comfort food, wine (although not good wine! love you Suzy!), and great company. My sister and I are headed out in a little bit to spend the weekend with my dad. My step-mom is out of town and I'm really looking forward to having some daddy-daughter time. It doesn't matter how old I get, daddy is still daddy! We have some yummy dinners planned though, so I will return with a couple good cravings if all goes well. |
Friday, October 21, 2011
Lessons in life
Thursday, October 20, 2011
At a loss, in so many ways!
Ravings: How do you raise someone else’s child once they’re already grown? That’s the dilemma I am faced with every day. How do I get him to value a hard day’s work? How do I get him to take pride in himself and the things he does? Aren’t these all things you instill into a child as they grow up? How do I take an 18 year old and shape him into an adult? I really am at a loss. He doesn’t seem to care about much at all, although he would argue that point.
God, clearly, has a sense of humor on this one. This is not exactly what I had in mind when I said I wanted a child. I wanted an actual child. Not this man-child being who argues with everything and thinks I’m a materialistic, out of touch Martian, and breaks everything in his path! This is exactly why babies are born so cute and cuddly. So you can look back at those sweet times and curb that desire to lock them out of the house and pretend you don’t know them! I didn’t get that cute, sweet smelling baby time so can someone please tell me how I can keep from secretly moving in the middle of his 4 hour shift?
Cravings: I absolutely adore spaghetti squash. I even adore it knowing full well what a PITA (Pain in the ASS!) it is to make. Pomegranates and spaghetti squash are permanently adorned across all corners of my kitchen. I am sure of it. To start the job, I cut the squash into fourths and clean out the seeds and seed pulp. I doubt that’s the official name for it, but I have no desire to google spaghetti squash seed pulp and see what comes up. Just not feeling it today. Similar to the butternut squash I put the pieces into a pan bit a bit of water and put them in the microwave for 10 mins. I cut the squash into 4 pieces because that’s what fits in my microwave.
In the meantime, I chopped up about a half a sweet onion and then sautéed it with a couple heads of garlic, mashed. I added a small can of chopped green chilies and a can of enchilada sauce. You can make your own, which I’ve done, but it was a Wed’s evening so I went with the canned. I then added some salt, black pepper, dried thyme, and dried oregano. I covered it and let it simmer on low while I did the rest of dinner prep. Once the squash was cooked a cooled enough to handle with a towel, I began the scraping process. I did my squash in 2 batches, so while I was scraping the first batch, I was nuking the other batch. After a bit of yelling because the dishes weren’t done (see above rant!) and my kitchen isn’t even as big as a walk in closet, I had a bowl of spaghetti squash which I then added to the sauce.
While that was simmering a bit, I chopped up the rest of the rainbow chard and sautéed it with some olive oil, butter, and quite a bit of garlic (probably like 4-5 heads). I also added just a small bit of butter and salt at the end once I turned off the heat, just to finish it. This is my favorite way to eat it. It’s pretty (although you can't tell from this picture!) and so yummy!
I served the spaghetti squash with some grated white cheddar cheese alongside the sautéed rainbow chard with a glass of Layer Cake Shiraz. What a perfect meal! Oh, and I also had a scoop of Jeni’s pistachio and honey ice cream later in the evening. Food makes me happy!
God, clearly, has a sense of humor on this one. This is not exactly what I had in mind when I said I wanted a child. I wanted an actual child. Not this man-child being who argues with everything and thinks I’m a materialistic, out of touch Martian, and breaks everything in his path! This is exactly why babies are born so cute and cuddly. So you can look back at those sweet times and curb that desire to lock them out of the house and pretend you don’t know them! I didn’t get that cute, sweet smelling baby time so can someone please tell me how I can keep from secretly moving in the middle of his 4 hour shift?
Cravings: I absolutely adore spaghetti squash. I even adore it knowing full well what a PITA (Pain in the ASS!) it is to make. Pomegranates and spaghetti squash are permanently adorned across all corners of my kitchen. I am sure of it. To start the job, I cut the squash into fourths and clean out the seeds and seed pulp. I doubt that’s the official name for it, but I have no desire to google spaghetti squash seed pulp and see what comes up. Just not feeling it today. Similar to the butternut squash I put the pieces into a pan bit a bit of water and put them in the microwave for 10 mins. I cut the squash into 4 pieces because that’s what fits in my microwave.
In the meantime, I chopped up about a half a sweet onion and then sautéed it with a couple heads of garlic, mashed. I added a small can of chopped green chilies and a can of enchilada sauce. You can make your own, which I’ve done, but it was a Wed’s evening so I went with the canned. I then added some salt, black pepper, dried thyme, and dried oregano. I covered it and let it simmer on low while I did the rest of dinner prep. Once the squash was cooked a cooled enough to handle with a towel, I began the scraping process. I did my squash in 2 batches, so while I was scraping the first batch, I was nuking the other batch. After a bit of yelling because the dishes weren’t done (see above rant!) and my kitchen isn’t even as big as a walk in closet, I had a bowl of spaghetti squash which I then added to the sauce.
While that was simmering a bit, I chopped up the rest of the rainbow chard and sautéed it with some olive oil, butter, and quite a bit of garlic (probably like 4-5 heads). I also added just a small bit of butter and salt at the end once I turned off the heat, just to finish it. This is my favorite way to eat it. It’s pretty (although you can't tell from this picture!) and so yummy!
I served the spaghetti squash with some grated white cheddar cheese alongside the sautéed rainbow chard with a glass of Layer Cake Shiraz. What a perfect meal! Oh, and I also had a scoop of Jeni’s pistachio and honey ice cream later in the evening. Food makes me happy!
Wednesday, October 19, 2011
Is this a movie?
Ravings: Did everyone see the news about the wild/exotic animals that escaped in Zanesville, Ohio? Holy crap! That is some scary stuff. I can’t imagine living near there. One article that I read stated that “One animal that got away, described as a big cat, was hit by a car on a highway some distance away…” Can you even imagine that? You are driving down the highway and out pops a lion or a Bengal tiger. Do you think they stopped and got out of the car? I’m not sure what would be running through my head, other than “Holy shit!” The article also said that one of the escaped monkeys was eaten by a lion. Remember that movie, Jumanji? I totally flashed to that movie when I read that. Those monkeys were everywhere!
I don’t mean to make light because this is just sad and scary on multiple levels. Another article reported that Ohio is “one of fewer than 10 states that don’t regulate private ownership of dangerous wild animals….” I have always had mixed feelings about the zoo, and I have a problem with the circus, but I have no earthly idea why someone would want to own and house a big cat, a bear, or a wolf. These animals are aggressive and cannot be tamed. Many years ago I was working at a hospital on the neuro-intensive care unit when a circus trainer was bitten in the head and leg by a Bengal tiger. He had been in the circus animal training business since the age of 4, and, according to his family, had raised these animals. I saw the teeth marks in his legs. Do you have any idea how big a Bengal tiger tooth is? These are not pets!
I’ve been reading the comments on the articles from people who are outraged that these animals are being shot. While I think it’s sad that they had to be killed, are people really that naïve? Ok, I know that’s a stupid question, but really people, this isn’t the movies where animals can just be caught in a net and thrown into a box. I’m sad and angry that this man was allowed to even have these animals to begin with. Like I mentioned, I even have mixed feelings about the zoo. But these animals were kept in what amounts to large dog cages, and from what I understand may have been abused in some way. However, that doesn’t mean they should be allowed to roam free in a neighborhood where children are walking to the school bus. Should they just be allowed to feed freely because Ohio’s policy allowed them to be privately owned and housed in cages? I am just full of rhetorical questions today.
Cravings: Moving on to food. One of the pitfalls of being adventurous with food is that it sometimes doesn’t work! Last night was one of those “I would be ok if we didn’t have that again” meals. Isn’t he sweet?! That’s Jason’s way of telling me dinner sucked. I didn’t feel that strongly about it, and CJ actually liked it, but I did think there was room for improvement, so I’ll tell you where and what I would change as I go.
I’ve made stuffed peppers many times, so was apparently too arrogant concerning my ability to just wing it! I started with lentils (French lentils, which I’ve never used before so that may have been the start of the problems.) which I pre-cooked by boiling them for about 20-30 mins until they were almost done. (Here is my second problem. I think I should have boiled them longer because they never really softened up.) I then sautéed some onion and rainbow chard, added some of the dried mushrooms that I had reconstituted, and mixed in the lentils. I then added about a cup, maybe a little less of this chipotle greek yogurt dip that I’ve had in my fridge for a while and really needed to use soon! I used 3 red peppers, cut them in half and cleaned out the seeds. I spooned the lentil mixture into them and put them in the oven at 350 for about 45 mins. Besides using different lentils or cooking the French lentils longer, I think it really needed a tomato sauce. The top layer of lentils got crispy, which I didn’t mind so much, but Jason hated that part. I think he may have scraped that off and given it to Shadow! Oh and Jason said it needed ground beef! He’s a reluctant non-meat eater.
I also made dessert last night! I just mixed up some blackberries and blueberries with a bit of sugar (probably less than a tablespoon because I like the tartness), put them in a ramiken and covered it in a mixture of oats, brown sugar, and butter. I just mix them together until it’s not dry. It baked in the 350 oven for about 20 mins. Yummy!!!
I don’t mean to make light because this is just sad and scary on multiple levels. Another article reported that Ohio is “one of fewer than 10 states that don’t regulate private ownership of dangerous wild animals….” I have always had mixed feelings about the zoo, and I have a problem with the circus, but I have no earthly idea why someone would want to own and house a big cat, a bear, or a wolf. These animals are aggressive and cannot be tamed. Many years ago I was working at a hospital on the neuro-intensive care unit when a circus trainer was bitten in the head and leg by a Bengal tiger. He had been in the circus animal training business since the age of 4, and, according to his family, had raised these animals. I saw the teeth marks in his legs. Do you have any idea how big a Bengal tiger tooth is? These are not pets!
I’ve been reading the comments on the articles from people who are outraged that these animals are being shot. While I think it’s sad that they had to be killed, are people really that naïve? Ok, I know that’s a stupid question, but really people, this isn’t the movies where animals can just be caught in a net and thrown into a box. I’m sad and angry that this man was allowed to even have these animals to begin with. Like I mentioned, I even have mixed feelings about the zoo. But these animals were kept in what amounts to large dog cages, and from what I understand may have been abused in some way. However, that doesn’t mean they should be allowed to roam free in a neighborhood where children are walking to the school bus. Should they just be allowed to feed freely because Ohio’s policy allowed them to be privately owned and housed in cages? I am just full of rhetorical questions today.
Cravings: Moving on to food. One of the pitfalls of being adventurous with food is that it sometimes doesn’t work! Last night was one of those “I would be ok if we didn’t have that again” meals. Isn’t he sweet?! That’s Jason’s way of telling me dinner sucked. I didn’t feel that strongly about it, and CJ actually liked it, but I did think there was room for improvement, so I’ll tell you where and what I would change as I go.
I’ve made stuffed peppers many times, so was apparently too arrogant concerning my ability to just wing it! I started with lentils (French lentils, which I’ve never used before so that may have been the start of the problems.) which I pre-cooked by boiling them for about 20-30 mins until they were almost done. (Here is my second problem. I think I should have boiled them longer because they never really softened up.) I then sautéed some onion and rainbow chard, added some of the dried mushrooms that I had reconstituted, and mixed in the lentils. I then added about a cup, maybe a little less of this chipotle greek yogurt dip that I’ve had in my fridge for a while and really needed to use soon! I used 3 red peppers, cut them in half and cleaned out the seeds. I spooned the lentil mixture into them and put them in the oven at 350 for about 45 mins. Besides using different lentils or cooking the French lentils longer, I think it really needed a tomato sauce. The top layer of lentils got crispy, which I didn’t mind so much, but Jason hated that part. I think he may have scraped that off and given it to Shadow! Oh and Jason said it needed ground beef! He’s a reluctant non-meat eater.
I also made dessert last night! I just mixed up some blackberries and blueberries with a bit of sugar (probably less than a tablespoon because I like the tartness), put them in a ramiken and covered it in a mixture of oats, brown sugar, and butter. I just mix them together until it’s not dry. It baked in the 350 oven for about 20 mins. Yummy!!!
Tuesday, October 18, 2011
Thoughts of Autumn
Ravings: I have mixed feelings about autumn as a season in general. I love the leaves and the crispness in the air, but I hate the impending feeling of doom it brings. For us Clevelanders, autumn is just a fast track to freezing cold, dark and grey, miserable winter. There are some perks of winter, like my neighbors staying inside their houses and fuzzy socks, but other than that it’s just something I endure! Autumn, however, I like to relish a bit. The smells and colors of autumn are breathtaking. The smell of a crackling fire or brightly colored crunchy leaves in a big pile. I wish I had a picture of the Basketeria stand at the West Side Market. There are the heirloom tomatoes of all shapes and colors, the dark purple sweet peppers, the saturated orange of the pumpkins, the dark green acorn squash, the fleshy butternut squash, and the bright rainbow colors of chard. It feels like a place of infinite possibilities! Good think I always make a list. Then those hues turn into yummy goodness, filling the house with aromas of smoky earthiness. Autumn is the time for thick, creamy soups and dark rich stews. This is the time of year when my crock pot gets a workout. What’s better than filling that bowl with all those veggies, some broth and some herbs and letting the house fill up with smells of onion and garlic and mushroom and rosemary!? This is making me hungry!
Cravings: After all that talk of autumn vegetables, this meal will fit right in. I cut a butternut squash in half, cleaned out the seeds (which you can roast like pumpkin seeds, btw) put a bit of water in a microwave safe dish and put the 2 halves in the microwave on high for about 10 mins. Peeling butternut squash is one of the worst tasks in the kitchen. I am surprised that I still have all of my appendages each and every time I complete this task. So this was my attempt at trying to make this task easier. It worked, to a degree. I didn’t have to wrestle with it, but it still wasn’t what I would call easy. Anyway, after the microwave I just let it sit for a while to cool off enough to handle.
Once I was ready to start dinner, I got out a great big skillet, sautéed some diced red onion, threw in some chopped rainbow chard, stems and leaves, and then added the cubed butternut squash. I then added about a cup of stock (I used vegetable stock because CJ is a vegetarian and when we do veggie night, I do it all the way so he can enjoy what we are eating as well), and a handful of dried porcini mushrooms. I then sprinkled in a little ground red pepper, some black pepper and some salt and then added a couple leaves fresh sage and a couple sprigs of fresh rosemary, both chopped. I also added a big tablespoon of some hot pepper mustard that my sister made. It simmered, covered, while a fried a couple pieces of bacon (for Jason and I). I served it in big bowls, sprinkled with the crumbled bacon and some grated parmesan cheese. So yummy and warm and full of autumn!
Cravings: After all that talk of autumn vegetables, this meal will fit right in. I cut a butternut squash in half, cleaned out the seeds (which you can roast like pumpkin seeds, btw) put a bit of water in a microwave safe dish and put the 2 halves in the microwave on high for about 10 mins. Peeling butternut squash is one of the worst tasks in the kitchen. I am surprised that I still have all of my appendages each and every time I complete this task. So this was my attempt at trying to make this task easier. It worked, to a degree. I didn’t have to wrestle with it, but it still wasn’t what I would call easy. Anyway, after the microwave I just let it sit for a while to cool off enough to handle.
Once I was ready to start dinner, I got out a great big skillet, sautéed some diced red onion, threw in some chopped rainbow chard, stems and leaves, and then added the cubed butternut squash. I then added about a cup of stock (I used vegetable stock because CJ is a vegetarian and when we do veggie night, I do it all the way so he can enjoy what we are eating as well), and a handful of dried porcini mushrooms. I then sprinkled in a little ground red pepper, some black pepper and some salt and then added a couple leaves fresh sage and a couple sprigs of fresh rosemary, both chopped. I also added a big tablespoon of some hot pepper mustard that my sister made. It simmered, covered, while a fried a couple pieces of bacon (for Jason and I). I served it in big bowls, sprinkled with the crumbled bacon and some grated parmesan cheese. So yummy and warm and full of autumn!
Monday, October 17, 2011
Big annoyances come in small packages
What a fantastic weekend! I feel like I was in some kind of time warp. We were able to get so much accomplished and I feel like I actually got to spend some good quality time with my new husband! What more could you ask for from a weekend. I also made my niece a dress! Told you....some weird time warp!
Little annoyances (Ravings): Remember the socks I bought for Jason? Well, one of those chores I accomplished over the weekend was laundry. That never-ending pile of drudgery. I hate doing laundry. Can you tell? It’s the folding and putting away that I dread. Ugh! But I digress, because prepping new clothes for the wash is another crazy, completely unnecessarily time consuming chore that typically just serves to piss me off. Anyway, the socks. It’s a package of six dress socks, hanging on that little plastic hanger, wrapped with the ring of cardboard around the middle with the brand name, size etc. So I take off the cardboard ring and am met with the gauntlet of little plastic thingies. This is what I have been calling them all weekend. I have since googled them and they are called barbs, fine barbs to be exact because they are small and thin. There were 12 of them holding these socks together! And we all know what it’s like to get those things off. You have to carefully get the scissors in there to cut them, without cutting the fabric, which would create a hole. This means you have to gently pull the fabric apart, being careful not to pull that little barb right through, which would create hole. I had to buy these socks because he puts holes in them with his toenails! He doesn’t need a tiny hole to help him get started!
What is this trend to pinning and stapling and fastening everything so that there is no chance of movement? I don’t understand it. They are socks! I paid like 5 dollars for them. Seriously, I’m totally ok if they shifted a bit. I have noticed this with children’s toys as well. Getting anything out of its packaging takes multiple and various tools, infinite time, and unending patience. Not to mention that you have a 5 year old standing there making you feel like a complete useless mass of cells for not getting the pony out of the box fast enough! Clearly, I’ve had this experience and have not yet recovered because I recall also having to get this plastic piece that had been sewn in out of its mane.
What I’m eating: (Cravings): I took the day off from cooking on Friday and asked Jason to handle dinner. We ended up ordering pizza. And by we, I mean me! I really have no idea what that man did before I was feeding him. So, clearly, this was not a gluten free meal! Oh well, I’m back at it on Sat morning.
Saturday night I made flax and parmesan crusted tilapia with spinach salad. Basically, I ground up some flax seeds ( I never measure when I’m cooking so I will guess it was about a ½ cup for 2 fillets. ) in a coffee grinder, then added some (maybe a ¼ cup) shredded parmesan cheese, and put it on a plate. I dredged the fish is 2 beaten eggs and then the flax and cheese mixture and pan fried it in a tiny bit of olive oil. Right before it finished cooking I added about a tablespoon of butter. You don’t need the butter but Jason is a very picky fish eater and he likes it so I only do it to appease him. For the salad, I just chopped up an heirloom tomato and a bit of red onion (really thinly so it’s not overpowering) and put that over some baby spinach. I then sprinkled on some feta cheese we had leftover and a bit of Annie’s Goddess dressing, which I’m obsessed with. I have figured out how to make my own but sometimes it’s just too time consuming. The next time I make it though, I’ll post the recipe I use!
Sunday we had Jason’s family over for his birthday dinner. I made a citrus roasted chicken. Super easy and it just cooks all day. Put a whole chicken in an over bag, rub some butter on the skin (not sure if this actually does anything!) and then put the rest in the bag. I think I used a little over a ½ a stick. Pour in some chicken stock (about ¼ - ½ cup), then cut 2 lemons, 2 limes, and 2 tangerines into pieces (the first time I made this I used oranges, but tangerines were on sale at the West Side Market last week) and throw them into the bag. Then I added some fresh rosemary, lemon thyme, sage and parsley, tied up the bag, put it in an uncovered roasting pan and threw it in the over at 350 for about 4-4 ½ hours. Note: This was like a 10 lb chicken, so decrease your cooking time accordingly. About an hour before I served dinner, I cut up some fingerling potatoes, coated them with lemon olive oil, salt and pepper and put them in the oven with the chicken. Then right before dinner I blanched some green beans and then sautéed them with a tablespoon of butter and a few tablespoons of balsamic vinegar for a few minutes. At the last minute, I threw in some sun dried tomatoes and then put them on a serving plate and sprinkled them with some leftover crumbled goat cheese. I was afraid I didn’t have enough food, so I also threw a bag of buttered brussel sprouts in the microwave! If I had more ambition, and a bigger kitchen, I would have used the juice from the chicken to make a gravy, but I had neither, so no gravy was had!
Little annoyances (Ravings): Remember the socks I bought for Jason? Well, one of those chores I accomplished over the weekend was laundry. That never-ending pile of drudgery. I hate doing laundry. Can you tell? It’s the folding and putting away that I dread. Ugh! But I digress, because prepping new clothes for the wash is another crazy, completely unnecessarily time consuming chore that typically just serves to piss me off. Anyway, the socks. It’s a package of six dress socks, hanging on that little plastic hanger, wrapped with the ring of cardboard around the middle with the brand name, size etc. So I take off the cardboard ring and am met with the gauntlet of little plastic thingies. This is what I have been calling them all weekend. I have since googled them and they are called barbs, fine barbs to be exact because they are small and thin. There were 12 of them holding these socks together! And we all know what it’s like to get those things off. You have to carefully get the scissors in there to cut them, without cutting the fabric, which would create a hole. This means you have to gently pull the fabric apart, being careful not to pull that little barb right through, which would create hole. I had to buy these socks because he puts holes in them with his toenails! He doesn’t need a tiny hole to help him get started!
What is this trend to pinning and stapling and fastening everything so that there is no chance of movement? I don’t understand it. They are socks! I paid like 5 dollars for them. Seriously, I’m totally ok if they shifted a bit. I have noticed this with children’s toys as well. Getting anything out of its packaging takes multiple and various tools, infinite time, and unending patience. Not to mention that you have a 5 year old standing there making you feel like a complete useless mass of cells for not getting the pony out of the box fast enough! Clearly, I’ve had this experience and have not yet recovered because I recall also having to get this plastic piece that had been sewn in out of its mane.
What I’m eating: (Cravings): I took the day off from cooking on Friday and asked Jason to handle dinner. We ended up ordering pizza. And by we, I mean me! I really have no idea what that man did before I was feeding him. So, clearly, this was not a gluten free meal! Oh well, I’m back at it on Sat morning.
Saturday night I made flax and parmesan crusted tilapia with spinach salad. Basically, I ground up some flax seeds ( I never measure when I’m cooking so I will guess it was about a ½ cup for 2 fillets. ) in a coffee grinder, then added some (maybe a ¼ cup) shredded parmesan cheese, and put it on a plate. I dredged the fish is 2 beaten eggs and then the flax and cheese mixture and pan fried it in a tiny bit of olive oil. Right before it finished cooking I added about a tablespoon of butter. You don’t need the butter but Jason is a very picky fish eater and he likes it so I only do it to appease him. For the salad, I just chopped up an heirloom tomato and a bit of red onion (really thinly so it’s not overpowering) and put that over some baby spinach. I then sprinkled on some feta cheese we had leftover and a bit of Annie’s Goddess dressing, which I’m obsessed with. I have figured out how to make my own but sometimes it’s just too time consuming. The next time I make it though, I’ll post the recipe I use!
Sunday we had Jason’s family over for his birthday dinner. I made a citrus roasted chicken. Super easy and it just cooks all day. Put a whole chicken in an over bag, rub some butter on the skin (not sure if this actually does anything!) and then put the rest in the bag. I think I used a little over a ½ a stick. Pour in some chicken stock (about ¼ - ½ cup), then cut 2 lemons, 2 limes, and 2 tangerines into pieces (the first time I made this I used oranges, but tangerines were on sale at the West Side Market last week) and throw them into the bag. Then I added some fresh rosemary, lemon thyme, sage and parsley, tied up the bag, put it in an uncovered roasting pan and threw it in the over at 350 for about 4-4 ½ hours. Note: This was like a 10 lb chicken, so decrease your cooking time accordingly. About an hour before I served dinner, I cut up some fingerling potatoes, coated them with lemon olive oil, salt and pepper and put them in the oven with the chicken. Then right before dinner I blanched some green beans and then sautéed them with a tablespoon of butter and a few tablespoons of balsamic vinegar for a few minutes. At the last minute, I threw in some sun dried tomatoes and then put them on a serving plate and sprinkled them with some leftover crumbled goat cheese. I was afraid I didn’t have enough food, so I also threw a bag of buttered brussel sprouts in the microwave! If I had more ambition, and a bigger kitchen, I would have used the juice from the chicken to make a gravy, but I had neither, so no gravy was had!
Friday, October 14, 2011
My heaven is mundane!
So here I am Friday morning, sitting at work with my second cup of coffee, which in reality equals 4 cups because I have one of those huge coffee mugs, but some days I need an IV drip of coffee to get through the morning. As I was pondering what to write about I realized that the last 2 days have been, well normal and mundane. My first reaction is to panic because I don’t really have anything exciting to write about, but then I find this smile creeping up inside me. I crave normal and mundane in this wild hectic schedule of mine!
Wednesday evening I met my sister in North Olmsted for a chemical peel. (I can’t say facial anymore because Jason, who is really still just a 12 year old boy can’t stop himself from making a sexual comment each and every time I say the word, so I now have an aversion to it!) We had purchased them several months ago on Living Social (great concept, btw. Why didn’t I come up with that?) and haven’t been able to coordinate our schedules enough to schedule the appointment until now. Technically, the voucher had expired, but since we called a few weeks ago before it expired, they still let us use it! So, for an hour or so on Wednesday evening I got to be girly. Even as I write this, I have to stop and savor that moment!
Of course, after the appointment, it’s on to some errands. I tried to extend our girl time but my sister had to get home to the sitter! Her schedule is worse than mine! I admire, and envy, her energy! I run to Target to get Jason some socks because he had these dagger toenails that rip right through them. I have had socks for years. He goes through socks monthly! While I’m there I decide to pick up some food since I haven’t been to the grocery store in almost 2 weeks, and then I head home to hopefully eat and spend five minutes with my husband.
Last night was almost like heaven! I snuck out of work about ½ hour early and ran to the store to get Jason some pants. He has to dress up for work every day and clearly we haven’t been able to get the laundry done quickly enough each week because he’s been running out. He needs at least a week’s worth of clothes, since I have 2 closets full! I get home about an hour after he gets home and he’s sitting on the couch with Shadow. The two of them are all snuggled up under the blanket looking all cute and inviting that I just plopped down on the couch with them! He said that Shadow had decided tonight was a no projects night! I took a few minutes to just snuggle them both, and then I forced myself to go make dinner!
We had a sort of ground beef ragu over mashed potatoes and parsley root with a side of roasted veggies! It didn’t take me too long to make it and we settled in for a family night. CJ even sat down and watched The Office with us when he got home from work. I did have to make a menu plan and a grocery list, but surprisingly it didn’t take me very long and I was able to finish it while Jason was on the phone with his brother. We even got to bed early! I love these lazy, snuggly days of fall!
Wednesday evening I met my sister in North Olmsted for a chemical peel. (I can’t say facial anymore because Jason, who is really still just a 12 year old boy can’t stop himself from making a sexual comment each and every time I say the word, so I now have an aversion to it!) We had purchased them several months ago on Living Social (great concept, btw. Why didn’t I come up with that?) and haven’t been able to coordinate our schedules enough to schedule the appointment until now. Technically, the voucher had expired, but since we called a few weeks ago before it expired, they still let us use it! So, for an hour or so on Wednesday evening I got to be girly. Even as I write this, I have to stop and savor that moment!
Of course, after the appointment, it’s on to some errands. I tried to extend our girl time but my sister had to get home to the sitter! Her schedule is worse than mine! I admire, and envy, her energy! I run to Target to get Jason some socks because he had these dagger toenails that rip right through them. I have had socks for years. He goes through socks monthly! While I’m there I decide to pick up some food since I haven’t been to the grocery store in almost 2 weeks, and then I head home to hopefully eat and spend five minutes with my husband.
Last night was almost like heaven! I snuck out of work about ½ hour early and ran to the store to get Jason some pants. He has to dress up for work every day and clearly we haven’t been able to get the laundry done quickly enough each week because he’s been running out. He needs at least a week’s worth of clothes, since I have 2 closets full! I get home about an hour after he gets home and he’s sitting on the couch with Shadow. The two of them are all snuggled up under the blanket looking all cute and inviting that I just plopped down on the couch with them! He said that Shadow had decided tonight was a no projects night! I took a few minutes to just snuggle them both, and then I forced myself to go make dinner!
We had a sort of ground beef ragu over mashed potatoes and parsley root with a side of roasted veggies! It didn’t take me too long to make it and we settled in for a family night. CJ even sat down and watched The Office with us when he got home from work. I did have to make a menu plan and a grocery list, but surprisingly it didn’t take me very long and I was able to finish it while Jason was on the phone with his brother. We even got to bed early! I love these lazy, snuggly days of fall!
Wednesday, October 12, 2011
Welcome to the Land of Bitter!
It’s Wed and I’m sitting down to eat my lunch. My intention was to write a recap of the last 2 days, but first I need to vent. I just went into the cafeteria to warm up my lunch of rice and veggies, with a side of organic pear and cheddar cheese, and I encounter another woman warming up her lunch. Normally, I don’t care what other people eat and I’m used to being made fun of for my restrictive whole organic food diet, but it’s one of those moments that strikes me and sends me to bitter land. She’s heating up a plate of mini pretzel dogs and has a can of coke sitting next to the box! Bad enough, right? Here’s where I go to bitter! She’s like 5 months pregnant!! I know, I know. Time to let it go. There’s more that makes me angry about the situation, but I can’t go to the bitter AND judgmental place. I’ll just stay here in bitter land while I eat my pear!
On to the recap: Monday was a blur of working. I hate those days when I am working 2 jobs and there is that awkward amount of time in between. It’s not really enough time to go home and do anything productive, other than maybe irritate Shadow and use the bathroom, but its way too much time to head straight to the appointment. So you are left with going early and wasting time, which is what I did. It worked out well though because I’ve been playing phone tag with my sister-in-law and I was able to have an actual conversation with her and get caught up, so ended up being time well spent.
It was about 9:30 when I got home, starving and exhausted, and walked in the house to find my kitchen destroyed. We have had some ongoing, although periodic trouble with our dishwasher leaking. Jason decided to rip it apart, find the leak and fix it. But of course, he did this before the dishes were done! So the dishwasher is in the middle of the kitchen and dishes are covering the counter. And they didn’t make the dinner I had told them to make, so there was nothing to eat! I just turned around and walked upstairs to change into my pajamas. Jason did make me some leftover chili and I finally crawled into bed.
Yesterday was a great day. It was Jason’s birthday and I was excited to have a real date! I only worked one job, so I got home at 5ish, and he arrived shortly after. CJ also started his new job yesterday and I was excited to hear about that, but he wasn’t due to arrive home until like 8:30. After getting caught up on our neighborhood drama because my neighbor couldn’t even wait until I got out of the car to come tell me the gossip, we left for our night out!
We ate dinner at Lago in Tremont. What a wonderful meal. The food was phenomenal and the service outstanding! I would highly recommend this place! It was almost like we were dating again. There was laughter, romance, food sharing; all the markings of bona fide date night! Being the constant observer of people, I couldn’t help but notice the “couple” at the table next to ours. They were an odd couple to begin with, but their demeanor and behavior made it all the more impossible to resist. I found myself studying them several times throughout the night. He was the quintessential nerd, ipad in hand, and I overheard him talking to the manager about not being able to access their wi-fi. She was a gorgeous black woman, dressed professionally. Odd couple, even in appearance alone. He stared into space most of the evening and she concentrated primarily on her food, occasionally looking at him with an expression that seemed exacerbated to almost disdainful. But they didn’t speak. At all! I couldn’t help but wonder aloud about their story! They didn’t appear to have that almost obvious look of a first date gone terribly wrong, and other than the occasional look of contempt or frustration, they appeared almost like strangers. Jason’s contribution to my musings was that the woman could be an “escort.” He has no imagination, or maybe it’s no interest. Either way, I disproved that theory when she was handed the check for dinner. She signed the receipt, got up and leaned over the table and said something to him, turned and walked out. He followed.
Of course, I do to ask our waiter about this odd couple and he confirmed that they are, in fact, a couple and come to the restaurant all the time! He continued on, telling me that they always act like that. They never interact with one another, they take turns paying, and he typically spends the evening on his ipad or his iphone. He also added that they don’t tip well. It really does take all kinds!
On to the recap: Monday was a blur of working. I hate those days when I am working 2 jobs and there is that awkward amount of time in between. It’s not really enough time to go home and do anything productive, other than maybe irritate Shadow and use the bathroom, but its way too much time to head straight to the appointment. So you are left with going early and wasting time, which is what I did. It worked out well though because I’ve been playing phone tag with my sister-in-law and I was able to have an actual conversation with her and get caught up, so ended up being time well spent.
It was about 9:30 when I got home, starving and exhausted, and walked in the house to find my kitchen destroyed. We have had some ongoing, although periodic trouble with our dishwasher leaking. Jason decided to rip it apart, find the leak and fix it. But of course, he did this before the dishes were done! So the dishwasher is in the middle of the kitchen and dishes are covering the counter. And they didn’t make the dinner I had told them to make, so there was nothing to eat! I just turned around and walked upstairs to change into my pajamas. Jason did make me some leftover chili and I finally crawled into bed.
Yesterday was a great day. It was Jason’s birthday and I was excited to have a real date! I only worked one job, so I got home at 5ish, and he arrived shortly after. CJ also started his new job yesterday and I was excited to hear about that, but he wasn’t due to arrive home until like 8:30. After getting caught up on our neighborhood drama because my neighbor couldn’t even wait until I got out of the car to come tell me the gossip, we left for our night out!
We ate dinner at Lago in Tremont. What a wonderful meal. The food was phenomenal and the service outstanding! I would highly recommend this place! It was almost like we were dating again. There was laughter, romance, food sharing; all the markings of bona fide date night! Being the constant observer of people, I couldn’t help but notice the “couple” at the table next to ours. They were an odd couple to begin with, but their demeanor and behavior made it all the more impossible to resist. I found myself studying them several times throughout the night. He was the quintessential nerd, ipad in hand, and I overheard him talking to the manager about not being able to access their wi-fi. She was a gorgeous black woman, dressed professionally. Odd couple, even in appearance alone. He stared into space most of the evening and she concentrated primarily on her food, occasionally looking at him with an expression that seemed exacerbated to almost disdainful. But they didn’t speak. At all! I couldn’t help but wonder aloud about their story! They didn’t appear to have that almost obvious look of a first date gone terribly wrong, and other than the occasional look of contempt or frustration, they appeared almost like strangers. Jason’s contribution to my musings was that the woman could be an “escort.” He has no imagination, or maybe it’s no interest. Either way, I disproved that theory when she was handed the check for dinner. She signed the receipt, got up and leaned over the table and said something to him, turned and walked out. He followed.
Of course, I do to ask our waiter about this odd couple and he confirmed that they are, in fact, a couple and come to the restaurant all the time! He continued on, telling me that they always act like that. They never interact with one another, they take turns paying, and he typically spends the evening on his ipad or his iphone. He also added that they don’t tip well. It really does take all kinds!
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