So...whats for dinner?
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That is an excellent question Carole. We are in the deep cleaning phase. I spent the day repairing and whitening grout on the guest bathroom floor. A "hands and knees" task, for which I am ill suited. This and the master bath are the only places left to do this and are probably the most time consuming and arduous items on the to do list. After the cleaning is completed we still have some outdoor cleanup such as washing the siding and trimming and weeding. We have called in reinforcements so DSIL and DBIL are coming over to assist. They should be here in the next few days. Then we can call the realtor. I am so ready to get this show on the road.
Carole, your chicken inspired me to make oven fried tonight - wings and legs for me, breast strips for DH. The only side will be a yellow squash casserole - the first of the season courtesy of my truck farmer friend.
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Tonight was the last of the chicken pot pie
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Tonight was homemade pizza with Alfredo sauce, chicken, turkey sausage, onipn, bell pepper (red and green), mushrooms, black olives, parmesan and mozzarella cheeses. No need for a salad!!
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DD made a vegan macaroni & "cheese" tonight. She came over to see what all we have in the way of camping gear and bags. (Edited......roller duffels)...
I have a perfect bag, but it's got all of my uniforms and deployment gear in it...so that one is "off-limits". So, we'll be getting another one.
Auntie, if you don't have a pressure washer, go buy, borrow or rent a small. I set mine, a 1,200 psi one that does just cold water, for a fan type spray and I was able to clean the outside of the house in about an hour...and it did an amazing job.
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I missed your post, Chi. Thanks for the route info. I passed it on to DD. Once she gets to the he hotel, she gets on a bus for a 4 hour ride to the festival.
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I heated up the four pieces of leftover chicken, two thighs and two drumsticks, in the "grill as oven," and made a large salad for dinner last night. The chicken was delicious.
I bought two eggplants yesterday so a layered eggplant casserole/hot dish is in our immediate future.
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Nance, now that you've mastered “Major House Prep", if you want to continue on that roll, I have the perfect place for you to do it! I'd hate for you to let those skills go to waste! 😉 Congrats to your city and the Blues! I never have a problem with teams from cities “needing" a championship defeating our currently successful Boston teams. Boston was in that position some years ago for a very long time. Now we are like the “damn Yankees" of old! I was even more enthused to root for the Raptors to defeat the Warriors this week, and even belted out the Canadian Anthem at the start of the game to send good luck! And, after all, one never knows if they might need to move there one day. 😉
Things have continued to be pretty crazy here since my last post. While still coping with my dislocated jaw that seems to be needing a GPS to find its way home, and DH struggling to ascend stairs with the hip that clearly needs replacing, we have had oodles of family events going on. The docvegan crew arrived Sat and we all spent the afternoon together at DS2's oohing and ahhing over the baby. The usually very active grandkids were actually very sweet and gentle with their tiny new cousin, both thrilled to have chances to feed her. It was a beautiful day for a change, so we spent a lot of time on their roof deck, which was a much better spot for the bubble blowing with which DGD1 was heavily involved.
After that visit DS2's family took me out to dinner for my birthday. It was at a trendy restaurant in the Seaport district, (DH had researched nearby restaurants with food choices that would cover us and our vegans). They offered small plates including vegan choices, of course. But we all found ourselves gaping at the steady stream of young “scantily clad" women arriving to check out the bar scene there. We were one of TWO families in the place. We learned that sheer lace clothing and mini skirts are IN with the recreating young professionals on Sat night in Boston. I think even our son and his wife felt old after that scene. LOL
As they were visiting here on Sunday, I received the call that my brother finally passed. Sadly, hearing that news re-triggered both grandkids about their very beloved maternal grandfather's death last year. I felt so badly for them. So DGS took his typical solace in shooting hoops in the driveway, while DGD blew bubbles while dancing her energy off. The adults all sat and watched (some shooting hoops, and me joining in the bubble making) and our next door neighbors came over to join us. It reminded me of old times in the 50s when my relatives and neighbors would sit on my aunts front stoop, just chatting and laughing through the evening. Fun!
Even though, DS2's family was having brunch before coming here on Sunday, I knew they'd probably want to eat if they stayed a while. They did! So, fortunately, I got up early and made a very vegan-friendly pasta salad, and a big fruit salad, which were well received. The weekend went well...
Since then, unfortunately, my brother's death has set off more family dynamics than I have energy for at this moment. It might just be DH and I heading West to the memorial service. It will be a pretty quick trip. Then some of my cousins want us to hold a service for him in their area where we grew up...300 miles from here. I can't even entertain that idea right now. We'll see....
Minus, this week, the fish monger had no cod, so I used sea scallops in the Putanesca dish, and we had it over farro. I prefer it over orzo or “little ears". But the scallops were an interesting, tasty alternative. Soooo pricey tho!
Special, I hope your daughter is healing well. Yikes....scary!
And Carole, I hope your DH recovers from his cold. Awful to be up coughing, and keeping another up!
Am posting pics of the pasta salad the vegans enjoyed (as did we all week!), and three stages of the putanesca dish prep.
Tomorrow, new daddy is bringing baby Mila here for me to watch while he helps DH do some house chores that require strong (functioning) legs. DDIL2 may enjoy the day to herself after taking her mo and sister to airport after a week's visit.
So, I think I'll make some gazpacho, grilled chicken breasts, butternut squash, and romaine salad for the dads. And I will eat the soft stuff. It is killing me not being able to eat salad with this jaw pain. I now have a ridiculously expensive mouthpiece to wear, but not back in place yet!
Beaver, your salad sounded soooo delicious, as did the pizza! Yum!
Here are the pix...
Oh....and Happy Father's Day, Eric! I like your attitude about your DD's experiences in the world.
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Oh Lacey, I'm so sorry about your brother although in some ways it must be a relief that his suffering has ended. I know those bittersweet feelings well. I hope you and your family have many happier memories of him.
Alas, as much as I would be thrilled to visit with you in person, I must decline your house prep invitation. I hope never to have to do this again lol!
The food pics were wonderful!
The St. Louis Blues victory joy has been magnified due to the mediocrity of my beloved Cardinals. St. Louis is most definitely a baseball city, and all of that pent up frustration about the poor performance of the baseball team translated into an intense enthusiasm for a team that made an incredible turnaround. I quit caring about hockey years ago (after the strike actually) but I found myself sucked up into the intensity of the final run.
I don't know what's for dinner but I know what's for dessert. DH requested a cherry cobbler for fathers day and he requested that I make it today. What goes with cherry cobbler (besides ice cream?)
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Lacey - I too am sorry to hear about your brother but understand the relief. Hope the trip to SoCal will not be too difficult. Take you time about agreeing to host something later. No rush. Last time I served the Cod dish on Ancient Grains. Delicious & vegerarian/vegan. Rice, Bulgur wheat, Barley, Wheat berries, Red Rice, Oats & Quinoa. I think I got it at Costco but it appears to be available at WalMart & Amazon, etc. https://www.walmart.com/ip/Medley-of-Rice-Ancient-Grains-with-Quinoa-3lb/596166070
And for the left over veggie mix, I served with poached eggs on top. Really good. But yes, the scallops look wonderful too. Glad you're getting to see so much of your kiddos, but sorry about your jaw and DH's hip. Oh well, we're not 25 anymore (or 45 for that matter). Sigh!!
Nance - oh darn. I wanted to get on the list behind Lacey for your services. I've been trying to do more around here since helping my friend Pat prepare to sell her big house. Thursday & went through a huge bunch of framed photos & prints - many of them poster sized. Took out all the pictures and got the frames ready to donate. I haven't been able to toss the one picture of my baby brother at age 2, but it needs to go. He died in 1994 and my other brother definitely wouldn't want the picture. My son has pictures of his uncle at the age he remembers him. Hopefully I can tear it up this week. But amusingly (not), I loaded my trunk with frames to drop off at the battered Women's Home Friday on my way to the medical center yesterday. Alas, they are at capacity and not accepting any donations for the time being. Grrr.
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Minus, you could scan that picture of your brother before you discard it. Then if for some reason you want it later, could print another one! As a genealogist I really value family pictures.
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My condolences on the death of your brother, Lacey. And I, too, am glad you are spending time with your sons and their spouses and your grandchildren. Had to chuckle when you mentioned your new granddaughter's name. My brother's new granddaughter is a Mila. I thought it was an unusual name, but evidently not.
Last night's dinner was store-made cheddar cheese brat's (dh's favorite) cooked on the stove top in a frying pan. Side was leftover chili made with ground beef and navy beans.
Today I spent time in our small kitchen making two layered eggplant hot dishes/casseroles. The sauce was Rao's marinara with the addition of home-made ground turkey Italian sausage. The cheese was grated asiago and bagged mozzarella. Once again instead of brushing the eggplant slices with oil, I sprayed them before browning on the griddle pan. Quicker and more sparing with the oil.
So tonight's dinner will be one of the eggplant dishes and a salad.
It is cool enough that we have switched from martini to old-fashioned for our before-dinner cocktail.
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My sympathies on the death of your brother, Lacey. May his memory be for a blessing. At least his suffering is over. Amazing that you can still be in "organizer Mom" mode through all this.
Went to the Palm for an early Father's Day dinner. "Gigi" salad (shrimp, egg, avocado, green beans, romaine), of which I took home half. Then we split a 4-lb. lobster (which actually has only 1 lb. of meat, as you New Englanders know). Took home my half of the tail, plus the legs & roe. Side dish was spinach aglio e olio. This a.m. brunch was an egg white, chevre, spinach & sun-dried tomato omelet. Ah, the joys of living la vida lo-carb. Which IS working.
Going to Ravinia tonight to see Peter, Paul (and no Mary, RIP). Probably take along some leftover salad and cut either leftover lobster or roast beef into it. Bob might buy a gourmet sandwich. Maybe have some sparkling wine there---but we're driving to & from the train, so maybe seltzer instead. (Too cold and my muscles hurt too much to walk). Thank goodness we have pavilion seats! (Only hope there are enough chairs & benches for sitting & eating, because no food allowed in the pavilion. Restaurants were all filled up, so no reservations available.
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Beaver - the photo itself is 11x14, not counting any border around the head & shoulders. I'll probably just take a picture w/my camera and put that in my computer. Believe me, I understand the interest in genealogy and have tons of old history & pictures myself, but it is my opinion since there are not going to be any direct descendant grandchildren in my parent's line - no far flung cousins will care about a giant picture of a 2 year old's head. I've saved pictures of him from HS & College graduations and a lot from his adult years before he died just days short of his 40th birthday. In fact it will be 25 years next week since his death. Anyway - I have to deal with a ton of stuff that my parent's saved so that my 50 year old son (who has no children) doesn't have to after I die. (including everyone's baby teeth & 1st grade paintings, etc.)
Sorry - didn't mean to get on a rant. There's just SO MUCH stuff - which I'm sure Nance can attest to in her present 'cleaning' mode. I want to cry sometimes that no one is left who will care about a silly little vase that I bought at Woolworth's with my first babysitting earnings when I was 12. But it has to go.
Making Pasta Rosa tonight over Penne. I was going to pull shrimp from the freezer, but decided I should use up some of my saved rotisserie chicken. We'll see if I have enough tomatoes to make it w/o adding any extra pasta sauce. But I'm NOT going to use the garden tomatoes from the country. They are too delicious on their own.
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Spent the weekend in Palm Beach and Fort Lauderdale - visited my husband’s younger brother and his wife, the last handoff of the family photo album project. Then had a nice lunch with my MIL’s BFF who just moved into a fancy assisted living - she has a gorgeous two bedroom in a high rise building. We had fun watching ducks and iguanas on the golf course below her balcony. She is thriving and it made me a little sad that my MIL didn’t do as well.
lacey - I’m so sorry about your brother, it’s hard to lose a sibling. I will be sending strength to you for the difficult days ahead.
I AM available for organizing, cleaning, and clearing out - I know, I’m a weirdo - but I love doing it!!!
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So here we are at Ravinia. June 16 and it’s 54F before sunset. No problem getting a table outside because people are waiting till the last minute due to the temperature. Waiting to see what Bob chose inside the Marketplace: pizza, panini, salad, burger or sandwich. In this weather, likely a good stiff drink too. Easy-peasy getting here too
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Lacey, my condolences to you and your family. Even when it is expected, it's still a difficult time.
DD is slowly getting stuff ready for her trip. Chi, she did take your advice and is going to get an Uber ride from where she would transition from Orange to Red lines.
The rolling duffel should be up to it, as mine just like it has rolled multiple miles through mud, crud, junk, dirt, sand, gravel and cracked pavement and has survived over a dozen
trips through baggage Hellairline trips.She's loaded her backpack camping stuff into it and she's about 1/3 full--both for space and weight (the rolling duffel is 9 pounds, empty), so she should have plenty of room for "everything else".
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Condolences Lacey.
Last night's dinner was shaved steak grinders with peppers and onions
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Thank you all for your kind condolences. The grief connected to the death of a sibling is difficult. The drama within the family responding to this loss is another layer with which I feel little energy to cope....but cope I will...despite the fact that it may take quite a while.
On a happier note, for Fathers’ Day, DS2 brought sweet pea Amelia Anne (Mila is her nickname and is taking a while to get used to since they pronounce it “meela”) here. DH looked up baby names, and learned that it is trending these days. Who knew?! So DS2 helped DH do some heavier household chores while I enjoyed the sleeping and eating baby. Two sets of friends and neighbors who are very fond of DS2 came for brief visits. It was fun to share our joy, and wonderful all day to see what a devoted and competent dad our son is becoming to his tiny baby girl. It was no surprise to see him take her on a tour of the house in which he grew up, and have her ”try out” her visiting crib.
We had a very early dinner (4PM!) for us since the young papa was eager to reunite sweet pea with her mommy, who had been bringing her own mother and sister to the airport, and then taking some solo relax time.
I’d made gazpacho (a recipe from Barcelona that was a bit more spicy than tomatoey given the store-bought June tomatoes I used, so I augmented it with tomato juice and it was fine), marinated chicken breasts DH grilled, corn on cob (which I could manage eating by cutting off the kernels:), and a garden salad for the guys. For the first time in 36 years, I needed to cut up DS2’s meat since he was eating one handed while holding the baby. It was a funny and sweet moment. For dessert I’d planned fresh strawberries dipped in sour cream and brown sugar. I ended up packing some for DS2 to enjoy with momma bear at home, and DH and I enjoyed ours later.
Today I am driving DH to the only “local” motor vehicle registry where one can immediately get a temporary handicapped parking permit. It is situated in the most congested area of Boston with no on site or close parking...a daunting challenge for anyone with an ambulatory disability! Supposedly, this is to deter fraudulent applicants. More likely, it seems a total deterrent to anyone who has a disability! I suppose the gov feels disabled citizens can wait a month to get it through the mail. End of rant!
Tonight dinner will be leftover grilled chicken and whatever else I come up with while making 32 bookmarks for my second graders who did a great job in our social-emotional problem solving classes.
Had to share sweet Amelia trying out her suburban crib. Thanks for indulging me. 😌
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Awww, too sweet!
I call dibs on SpecialK!
I think pork chops are on the menu with cheesy brown rice and broccoli.
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Lacey...indulge?????? I don't think so.
We would be disappointed if you didn't post pictures of DGD. :-)
Today has been busy.
The exterior paint is done and that stuff has been cleaned and put away.
The security screen door has been taken to the sand blasting place.
As soon as I'm done typing this, I'm taking the old sofa to the land fill.
I've got the "splatter finish" stuff out so I can finish up fixing the dent that DD put into the wall when she was moving some boxes.
The dogs used the space between the sofa and the wall as a "dog den" and the oil in their fur has made the wall very dirty. I've tried cleaning it with less harsh things and they haven't worked. Next on the list is TSP.
The wall will need repainting, but matching the color, when nothing is small enough to take to the store for a color match, isn't easy. So, I think we'll go with something "not too close" and paint the whole wall...and call it an accent color. :-)
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Wow, SpecialK! I wish I had just a particle of your organizing gene! My DDILs both seem to be good organizers, too. And DS2 and his wife have in the past offered to come here to help us with clearing out the 40 years worth of “prized possessions” in this house (I think we have missed that opportunity now that they are “busy”. 😉I get hung up on worrying about “indiscriminate tossing” by others, worrying that either confidential info from former jobs, or other valuable info is going to be put in trash or recycle bins. I just need to get to doing all the paper disposing (shred, shred, shred!) myself...🤔
Eric, the accent wall solution sounds like a good one! An architect friend has accent walls in their house and it makes for interest....and a relatively easyway to solve a problem. You should be feeling massively accomplished with all you’ve done this past couple of months. Kudos!
Last night we had leftover grilled chicken with gazpacho (still have one more meal’s worth left...love that soup) and baked sweet potatoes. I was tired and didn’t even make DH a salad, instead I opened a giant bottle of marinated mushrooms for our “salad”. They were so tasty!
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Many years ago dh and I travelled around Spain with no knowledge of the Spanish language. DH discovered gazpacho and ordered it often. I made it occasionally back at home. It's delicious with ripe home-grown tomatoes and cucumbers. No raw onions in my portions.
Last night we went to LaPasta with John, an elderly Texan who spends his summers here in MN and fishes almost daily. I had a baked penne pasta dish with cheeses and three varieties of sausage. It was very good. I ate half and brought half home.
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Carole: I have to chuckle at the mid-70s temperatures you posted on another thread. We managed to hit only high 90s yesterday, but OH the humidity. I know you're not missing that!!!
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Tonight is another night of steak, pepper and onion grinders. In other words leftovers from Sunday night!
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I organize, and reorganize, trying to optimize my organization, lol! Weird hobby, right? I should have turned it into a career. Maybe it’s not too late? Although I did start collecting Social Security so I should accept that maybe my employment opportunities might be in the past.
lacey - I adore gazpacho - my mom made a great one, but DH doesn’t like raw tomato, tomato juice, cucumbers, or cold soup. I try to eat it in restaurants, or make it at home when he is out of town.
mommy - your grinders sound delish! All stuff I love!
minus - I share your weather - 90’s and raining. The multiple episodes of rain cool it down, for a minute, but the heat makes it super steamy in short order. I’m over it and it’s only June.0 -
They are. We usually eat two on the first day and then there is enough for one grinder a piece on the 2nd day.
Well hubby just changed it from the grinders to the leftover chick Parma from last night
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The heat here in Phoenix hasn't been too bad this month--we've had only one day above 110F (112F).
Despite the joke that's made from, "But it's a dry heat.", the low humidity really does make a difference. I'd rather have 110F and low humidity than 90F and drizzling rain.
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eric - same! I am a California girl - give me some dry heat, I have never adapted to the humidity here!
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The thawed pork steak went into the refrigerator. I was too tired last night to cook a real meal. Fortunately there was half a pack of Nathan wieners in the refrigerator and frozen hot dog buns. So hot dogs for dinner.
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WE ARE ALL DONE with the outside painting/fixing other construction mistakes project, except for the front screen/security door and we're going to wait until fall for that. So, today I've been putting the tools away and putting everything else "back together".
As for the "accent wall" color. We finally remembered that we had a file folder with all the paint chips, along with notes about the paint brand and gloss type. So, we were able to get a near perfect color match. The "dented by DD" wall was the same color so that worked out well when I painted over my patch/refinish job.
The only issue is keeping the curious animals (2 dogs and 1 cat) that are all shedding, away from the wet paint.
Sharon is cooking dinner tonight but I've not been inside long enough to see has going.
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