So...whats for dinner?

Maggie, I spoke too soon on no SEs for Covid shot. I was on my way to exercise class and realized I didn't feel up to exercising. Returned home and took it easy for the rest of the day. Listened to the Supreme Court questioning on whether Trump's use of tariffs is legal.

Maggie, your luck on contractors has to change. At least dinner was good.

We had roasted chicken thighs that were cooked perfectly for a welcome change. The side was steamed cauliflower with cheese sauce. Funny note. My recipe was for light cheese sauce with nonfat milk. DH's 2 percent milk was a little low so I used h & h. At least I didn't reach for the cream. The spices were mustard powder and paprika. I used paprika I bought on our Viking river cruise.

Today I plan to cook speckled butter beans from the freezer section with sliced smoked pork hocks. DH ok'ed that menu. This morning he suggested I put meat loaf on the To Cook list.

Speckled butter beans are a southern favorite like field peas. They were grown in gardens and eaten fresh in past times and are usually available in the freezer section of grocery stores.

Carole, It was a good idea to take it easy rather than go to exercise class. I spent most of the day on my back and drinking coffee. I didn’t get a headache but my lower back is sore. It took the neurologist five tries to get the spinal fluid. He told me he has been doing lumbar punctures for 38 years. Maybe it goes with my hard to access veins.

DH loves broad beans but I prefer the younger lima beans. When we watched his parents’ farm in the summer when they went on vacation we would eat almost all the broad beans in the garden. Fresh is definitely better.

Minus, Kudos for having the rest of the week’s meals made. I’d love to see Porgy and Bess again but that’s unlikely to happen. I hope your son is able to spend his layover with you.

Dinner tonight was surprisingly good orange chicken takeout from the Chinese restaurant for me and a McD’s burger for DH.

I've been crying most of the day. Just such nonsense with the dishwasher. Someone answered our NextDoor post…took 2 weeks but he finally showed up. By then, DH had sawed off more floor and we got the old one out.

He went to pick up parts yesterday and has not returned. UGH. Called today (supposed to be here at 12 -1, nothing). I've decided I need to take mechanics classes and electrical classes so I don't have to rely on the sub-standard services around here. WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA and RANT!

Last night was canned chili because we had hopes this guy would have returned.

Tonight, I'm making shrimp yakisoba.

I'm tired of crying. I'm tired of getting bad news. I'm blah, blah, blah, blah………………I know things can always be worse but still….

Carole, It’s hard to get fresh okra here but every once in a while it shows up in the supermarket. Then I make Alabama chicken stew.

Wally, I’m sorry there is nobody reliable near you to install the dishwasher. Things like that are the downside of living in a rural area. We are supposed to get the furnace repaired next Thursday, 2 1/2 weeks after it died. When I called about the warranty the rep said that any of their dealers could do the job. The nearest dealer other than the local one is over 50 miles away so that’s not much of a choice.

Intolight, I hope your cold clears and you feel better soon.

Dinner tonight was stuffed peppers for DH and leftover orange chicken for me.

I am going to hate it when I get so old that I can't take care of nearly all the home and auto repairs myself.

I've told DD over and over that my engineering brought the money home and knowing the trades kept the money home.

Wally, if I were closer…

"into", hopefully the colds quickly go away and the cheesecake helps. Cheesecake is the best!

Minus, we had to hustle to get our garden picked before the frost hit. We had 2-3 days in the mid 20F degree range and then it warmed up enough that it "not quite" freezes at night. You sound like us when talking about "leaving the home"…for us, the mortician will be the one taking us out of the house.

Tonight I was working in the garage while Sharon made a "no recipe" rice-vegetable-pepper dish with some ginger and Thai sweet chili sauce. That was good. I hope she remembers it.

We just put down the deposit for DD's wedding venue for next October…..exciting times ahead…. :-)

I loved small town life but one of the big minuses was the lack of reliable "fixers". Fortunately DH was good at fixing a lot of things and we did find a good hvac guy and a plumber but anything else was hit and miss. Like Wally's experience they either didn't shore up or wouldn't even answer the phone. It was being frustrating. Now we have lots of choices. And a handyman. For a price of course. I have 22 windows and 4 skylights in my villa that were just washed yesterday by a window cleaning company and it was worth every penny. I hope you can get some satisfaction soon Wally.

We had to get all our plants in last weekend too. I have three large Thanksgiving cacti that are ready to burst into bloom. They love summer and early fall on the deck.

Dinner tonight is flat iron steak, baked potato and a salad. The steak is from Costco and the first time seeing it there. Although I generally like their meats, I've found their steaks to be lacking so we'll see.

Mae - oh my - no running water??? What a mess.

For a special dinner, my favorite for several years has been Eddie V's. We go to the one on Kirby. Seafood & steak but a fairly quiet atmosphere and not many children so you can hear yourself think. They have a good happy hour & often have a 3 piece combo in the bar & a small dance floor. "Best restaurant reviews" keep saying Capitol Grill is the best steak (T&C center off I-10). I haven't been there in several years but I remember good food & pricey. My son insists we go to Guard & Grace. (One in Denver and one in downtown Houston.) I will comment at the end of the month, but I know there web site says "casual elegance", dress shoes & no athletic wear. That doesn't really suit my preferred lifestyle (Hokas & levis).

After Porgy & Bess tomorrow afternoon, we're scheduled to meet up w/the rest of my nephew's family for dinner. Based on the weather reports of high winds & dropping quickly from 80 to 40 degrees, I may cancel & just head for home. Hard to believe since it's 86 today.

wally - how well I remember "home economics". I still have the apron I made somewhere. And I still use that HS recipe for white sauce. No way would they allow females to take auto shop or electronics. Luckily my Dad encouraged me to help all of his projects. I learned enough to be a helper & ask intelligent questions of contractors, but not to feel competent doing the work myself. YOU GO GIRL!!!

My carrots were delicious. Cut carrots 1" on the diagonal. I use a bag of baby carrots & cut in half. Saute chopped onion & garlic in butter. Add carrots and toss to coat. Add 1/3 - 1/2 cup bouillon & 1-2 tsp of honey. Bring to a boil. Add dill & rosemary ( or tarragon), cover & cook on medium for 15-20 minutes. Remove lid & cook another 5 minutes until all liquid has cooked down.

I had to really push, with the help from my parents, to be allowed to take "typing" in 8th grade. I was the only guy in the class. That skill saved me a lot of money in college.

My last year at high school I was taking advanced chemistry, advanced physics, advanced calculus, auto shop, metal shop and wood shop. I have repeatedly told DD that knowing the trades keeps a lot of money in the house. She can do some stuff and the rest she knows enough about to avoid the "we'll cheat the little lady vermin."

I looked here at our house…the dishwasher can be slid out from under the counter…..

Dinner tonight…each of us had a slice of "gas station pizza" and the dogs had some beef sticks. We went on a 5 mile hike, and both 15 year old Frankie and 2 year old Daisy were happy to have gone along…even at the end of the hike. Daisy is snoozing and Frankie is hoping for another walk.

I took typing in high school. I think there were boys as well as girls in the class. Don't really remember. Typing has come in handy as a life skill. DH has to hunt and peck and he can't spell. I also took shorthand in preparation for working as a secretary. I didn't think I could afford college. Then I won a scholarship that covered dorm and classes. On graduation I got an assistantship to the U of GA for graduate work. I liked school so I kept going to school.

Dinner last night was leftover butter beans and rice with a side of coleslaw.

I took both typing and college shorthand (called Notehand) in high school which helped me get a secretary job right out of high school. I didn't go to college until three years later which made me the oldest student in most of my classes. Like Carole, I liked school a lot and thought I could go forever. I eventually got tired of bring broke and ended my academic career short of a masters degree.

Cold and windy today. Not my favorite combination. At least the sun is shining.

I've opted out of doing after Thanksgiving dinner this year. It's not the cooking but the cleaning up that's a killer for me. Even with others helping, my kitchen is small and there's only so much others can do. We'll still go to DH s sisters for the day. I'll make my usual dinner rolls and an appetizer to take. Turkeys are 57 cents a pound here so I'll snag one for the freezer.

DH has promised blueberry waffles for dinner and I'm all for it.

We keep hoping for nine at Thanksgiving, but MIL keeps declining….she says she's too tired to make the 45 minute ride here. So, it will be eight; "Dr Vet" and his wife, Sharon and I, "Friend since 1985", her husband, son and her brother.

The kitchen is big enough to have 3 helpers and that makes things a lot easier.

My mom received a bachelor of science degree in organic chemistry from the University of Akron. She was the only woman to receive that degree in her graduating class.

DD won't be here for Thanksgiving, but will be here for Christmas. She just started a new (higher paying and more interesting to her) job and her vacation time is very limited.

And….we just paid the deposit for DD's & future SIL's wedding venue. October 2026!!!!!

Eric - where is the wedding venue?

Took my niece-in-law to Houston Grand opera this afternoon to see "Porgy & Bess". Wonderful performance but a bit long. Then my nephew treated us all to dinner at the Asian restaurant where they had their wedding rehearsal dinner over 10 years ago. We set a place for his mom in memorium. (my Sister in Law). Their 9 year old daughter is better than I am with chopsticks.

If anyone knows a marine, wish them Happy Birthday. Today is the anniversary of the formation of the US Marine Corps.

Dinner last night was beef stew made with cubed beef from Costco. Veggies were carrots, potato and big chunks of onion held together with toothpicks. My choice would have been beef soup but dh chose stew when I gave him the options.

It was 30 degrees when I got up an hour ago. Now my laptop says it's 35 degrees. It will warm up and we'll be headed back to 70's and 80's by the end of the week.

I'm leaning toward a white chili for tonight.