So...whats for dinner?

Lacey12

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. 😌

auntienance

Awww, too sweet!

I call dibs on SpecialK!

I think pork chops are on the menu with cheesy brown rice and broccoli.

eric95us

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. :-)

Lacey12

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!

carolehalston

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.

MinusTwo

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!!!

M0mmyof3

Tonight is another night of steak, pepper and onion grinders. In other words leftovers from Sunday night!

SpecialK

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.

M0mmyof3

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

eric95us

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.

SpecialK

eric - same! I am a California girl - give me some dry heat, I have never adapted to the humidity here!

carolehalston

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.

eric95us

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.

MinusTwo

So Eric, do you want to come take care of my painting & patching before Special comes to sort through 25 years of stuff collected by never moving (plus what came from my parent's house). LOL Oh I forgot, you don't like the humidity. 98 degrees & 98% humidity doesn't make outside OR inside painting much fun. Oh well...

Had a delicious cold plate last night after water aerobics. A real tomato, cucumber sticks, radishes, cubes of Monterrey Jack and Jarlsberg, hard boiled eggs, a couple of crackers and a lovely red wine.

Beaverntx

It hit 100F here today. Dinner was corn on the cob and a big chef's salad with rotisserie chicken--decided someone else could do the cooking since I felt partially cooked myself!

eric95us

Today, I think it was 103F here in Phoenix, but I'm sure the Phoenix 103 was much more comfortable than Houston's 100F temperature.

carolehalston

Dinner last night was a fish fry on Mary's deck. John caught and cleaned the fish, small-mouth bass. He also cooked it. Mary made cheesy potatoes using cartons of hash brown potatoes. I made a tossed salad. There were jars of pickled green tomatoes and pickled beets. Eight of us enjoyed the meal and the camaraderie.

Tonight will be dinner at Clancy's restaurant with the couples golfing group.

ChiSandy

Barely made it to 60 here by the lake. Last night's wine dinner was fun--and my only true cheat was trying half of a small cheese-and-speck dumpling in veal broth (I figured the cheese & meat halfway canceled whatever starch was in there, a la The Zone). I picked out the veggies & cheese from the veggie strudel, leaving the dough over. When the trout came, I didn't touch the spaetzles. And the duck breast arrived on a bed of creamy polenta--I ate the duck and packed the polenta to go. Finally, I had them pack the Sachertorte & cream for Bob and I relished each of the five blackberries. My dining companions were five gay men from the neighborhood, who are brunch & wine dinner regulars, and we had a really fun time.

Tonight Bob came home early for dinner (well, early for him) so I pan-seared wild sockeye salmon fillets, sauteed asparagus in (ordinary) balsamic, roasted what was left of a couple of Brussels sprouts, and sliced the remaining half tomato with homegrown basil. I had the lion's share of the tomato because Bob had all the polenta. I have enough asparagus left over to wrap with Serrano ham or lox slices for breakfast. Hoping to make the farmers' market before it closes at 1--this is peak strawberry season and the farmers have some wonderful varieties that are red all the way through. Then will hightail it to the post office to mail off a return package for some items that didn't fit (too big!). The sooner they get my return the sooner they'll send out the right size stuff.

SpecialK

It has finally stopped the all-day raining for a couple of days, hot but not unbearable. I have to do short forays outside - pruned a couple of plants, came inside to do stuff, back outside for a chore, back inside for one. Too much heat aggravates my lymphedema, and I was bitten extensively on both arms while at dinner on the water last weekend in Miami, ugh. So far my arm is ok, but I’m babying it.

Working on a closet revamp - have a great custom closet but no other dresser in the master bedroom. I was not storing jeans in a way that I could see them all at once, so they are now stacked in the shoe shelf, and some shoes have moved to bins in a back bedroom which I will label. I put all the black heels together, all espadrilles, etc. I have more shoes than Imelda Marcos, and have pared them down a bit and have also been weeding out clothes I will never wear again.

Dinner last night was ricotta stuffed shells with marinara and turkey meatballs, with sautéed zucchini and yellow squash, red onion, lemon olive oil and crushed red peoper

M0mmyof3

Thinking burgers on the grill with potato chips

ChiSandy

Farmers' market was sold out of berries by the time I got there, so I bought some lettuce, other greens and tomatoes instead. Called around and found a place that had the IN strawberries featured last night, so I bought a box. (Will wash, cut & freeze the supermarket ones I have left).

MinusTwo

Dinner was a delicious Prime strip steak from Costco. In fact I cooked two on my inside electric grill so I'll have left overs. I don't eat much beef and it's probably been more than 3 months since I've had a steak. Served with lovely fresh asparagus sauteed in olive oil then simmered with lemon/& herbs.

carolehalston

Tonight will be ribeye steak and baked potatoes. Yum.

M0mmyof3

Pork loin, baked potatoes and a salad

SpecialK

Reverse searing some small sirloins, then finishing on the grill along with extra chicken that will be used for the coming week. Making some lemon fettuccine with pesto as a side. Clarification - I’m just cooking it - not making from scratch.I have asparagus as well but DH is convinced he is allergic to it (he’s not) and has now refused to eat it, lol! Maybe I will add carrot and artichoke hearts to the pasta and call it good.

ChiSandy

Last night was “zoodles" (half a large zucchini) with pesto I got from the Amish natural food store where I bought the berries. Needed salt but didn't add any because the nut & basil taste was so intense (and I don't want to go back to taking Lasix). Followed up with four of the largest strawberries in the box—not sweet, but so very “strawberry" in flavor all they needed was a dip into 4 drops of real balsamico (the good, 25-yr-old stuff from Italy), most of which was still in the min-prep-bowl after eating the berries. Then an almond milk “breve" (part cream) cappuccino and a teeny piece (1/32 of the bar) of Lily's sugar-free dark chocolate. No alcohol.

Dismayed to discover my Nespresso Aeroccino 4 refuses to froth anything but fresh (3 days old or less) 1 or 2% milk, or the professional coffee-shop “barista series" almond milks that are thickened with a bit of sugar and are as carby as regular dairy milk—all no-nos on this diet. And oat milk, which froths beautifully and tastes great? Nope—twice the carbs of the FairLife dairy milk I'd been buying (and will no longer buy due to animal cruelty at its IN dairy) and half again as carby as regular dairy milk. Cream is okay, as are unsweetened almond & coconut “milks," whether plain or vanilla. So I had to fire up the big espresso machine to make my drink—which takes 20 minutes to warm up and uses considerable power once it's on. Steam will make most milk-alternatives froth, to varying degrees. I remember from my previous low-carb days that “espresso macchiato" (espresso topped with foam) with up to 2 Tbs milk foam is okay—so maybe I'll just get a small container of organic 1% for the Aeroccino. I’d need a much smaller pitcher to not have to throw out the excess milk froth after using th steam wand In the past, I found that cream diluted 50/50 with water works decently—but only when frothed with the steam wand.

In case you’re wondering, the Aeroccino whips milk as it heats it (or can make cold foam, which is OK for iced lattes but not much else). And though the interior is nonstick, bits of milk solids still stick to the bottom and have to be carefully cleaned out with a rubber basting brush after each use. Pain in the butt, but faster than waiting for the big espresso machine with the steam wand to heat up, and much more eco-friendly.

Moonflwr912

wow! Everyone is so busy, and working so hard. Specialk, i hope your DD heals well.

Lacey, so sorry about your brother. And my newest DGD3 is Amelia Maeve. They call her Millie. You know, the totally midwestern "Amillia". LOL.

Nancy, getting a house ready for sale is the pits. Did it 3 times. Thats enough. But the prepping for when we finally pass, are ongping. We dont want to leave it to the kids. The flood last August really jumpstarted it for us, but here it is 11 months later, and we"ve still got so much left to do.

Speaking of time flying, its almost July 4th weekend, and thats when DH broke his neck when riding his bike. So far this year hes ridden i

We have t, but not yoo much. Because like a lot of us her, health usnt going great here. Weve both been sick over the past 3 weeks, taking turns on antibiotics, and Dr. Visits. Along with sitting for the kids on Th, And Fri. And this Sat as well. I hope we are both well enough by then. Im out of bed for the first time today. DH is back in his.

Food has been whatever we feel like, and whatever the other can fix up. Between soups, oatmeal, eggs, toast, weve had BurgerKing, Mcdonalds, , etc. Since our stomach isnt what hurts(sorry ChiSandy) we are rolling with it. LOL

Much love tk all.

illimae

Lunch/Dinner was lobsters, clams, corn and potato at a clambake in Maine on vacation. It was delicious!

ChiSandy

Last night I pan-seared sea bass, over a bed of wilted lambs' quarters (a green I got at the farmers' market), with a side of sliced vine-ripened tomato and radishes sliced thin and sauteed in butter. Not sure about tonight--maybe some chopped liver or guac & egg on low-carb toast, salad on the side. If Bob gets home early enough, we may hit Cellars for $6 burger night (mine will be in a lettuce wrap, with veg. instead of fries).

eric95us

Hi Moon. Good to "see" you again. Good that the broken neck is "behind" him, but not good about the need for antibiotics.

Special, how's DD doing?

Our DD is heading out tomorrow for Midway Airport and on to the Inn of Chicago where she will, after a couple of hours wait, get on the shuttle up to "Electric Forest" in Michigan. It's sort of like a well organized Woodstock as this event has been happening for several years.. I'm a bit nervous, and I'm sure she is too--it's her first time on an airline since she was 7--but when she gets back, she'll (and me, too) be "YESSSSSSSSS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" :-)

Dinner tonight was a kimchi-tofu-rice dish. I had kimchi when I was deployed to Hawaii and really liked it, so this was a welcome dish.

Edited to add....

Illimae....that's a huge serving of good looking food.

Chi...that sounds good. Every other month, I'm at a meeting and afterwards we'll go to Fudruckers..... and I'll get a burger..don't tell DD or Sharon. :-)