So...whats for dinner?

Deb and Debbie - thinking about both of you and your families.

The chicken alfredo was great. Threw in some rough chopped onions, celery, garlic. Cooked some kind of mini pasta 1/2 box leftover. DH had 2 helpings with a snide comment about the # of mushrooms in it. Had a Parmesan mixed grated cheese - Asiago and others - on it. And it was just yummy just now warmed up. I dug out most of mushrooms for mine.

Made it to optometrist today. Says eyes are fine except for the glaucoma and very minor beginning cataracts. Didn't change lenses last year and for $550 or so change is so minor he says not really needed. Think I will save my money. Though I may go to Lenscrafters or whatever their name is now and at least see the price. I haven't bought glasses in years except at his office. I could never get them to fit right at other cheaper places.

Eric - thank you for telling us about Apple's birthday. I, too, bookmarked the YouTube video of her playing. Miss her dreadfully and wish I had had the pleasure of knowing her longer and in person.

Happy almost Friday.

MinusTwo - I forgot about a place that has been talked about on here. Mailorder "Zenni". I'm going to put a message on the "girly things" thread later and ask again about ordering there. I'll let you know, maybe in a PM unless other members here don't object to a bit of hijacking.

The Pina colada smoothie sounds great. I, too, love being on here. I found BCO while I was home after my LX. Wish I had known about it sooner.

Everyone make it a great day.

Today is pretty warm here in FL!  I have taken the dog out twice and needed to come right back in.  I was wanting to walk this evening to see how my knee is, but I am not sure at this point if it is too hot.  We are having a home-made 3-bean salad, rice and turkey tenderloin medallions in tarragon cream sauce.  We had a lot of cut veggies left over from the party - people just don't want to eat healthy things at parties! - so I used the last of the red peppers in the bean salad.  DH has been eating broccoli and cauliflower all week for lunch at work - good news is he loves them!

Whoo, I got two pages behind in this thread. 

Dinner tonight was simply so delicious. Pork apple sausage sauted with turnip greens and a splash of sherry vinegar. Steamed baby turnips on the side. Chocolate for dessert.

Wow....great story Laurie....yes, believing is beautiful! Have a good visit to the house tomorrow....nice that DB will be going too.



Had a sad bit of news today from one of our NH friends (we see them a lot in the summer). Their son-in-law who is 45 was just diagnosed with stage 3 colon cancer. His family is in the midst of opening a new entertainment venue in NH, and he will now be busy travelling to Boston for chemo, radiation and then surgery afterwards. Cancer sucks!



Carrie, I sure hope you get your own shift REAL soon! Can't imagine that gal mentoring anyone! Yikes, scary to think of who can rise to positions of authority these days. I worry about who might be administering to me if I have the misfortune to land in a nursing home some day.....just can't see many of the "me generation" being caretakers. That is probably an unfair overgeneralization......and I would actually be cared for by many Mother Theresa types.



Really warm and polleny (!) out today...gave me the urge to get a bit more planting done.

I was happy to shower the pollen off afterwards.



We had soup, lamejan (sp? picked up at a Middle Eastern grocery store) ) and a caprese salad for dinner.

carberry - your 23 year-old mentor comment made me laugh - my DD is 23, so I can relate.  She pitched a hissy fit when my DSILs were here for her graduation because she had to go to work and I washed her uniform pants and forgot to dry them - now they think she is a spoiled brat!  Honestly, it was my fault because I took the pants without telling her and washed them and left them in the washer because I was too distracted - she had 10 minutes before she had to leave for work and she kind of lost it in front of them - now of course, it is gossip fodder for the rest of the family - they think she is "immature".  Of course the fact that she was supportive and helpful to me after diagnosis, and took great care of me through 8 surgeries and chemo (along with DH), all while working and going to college counts for nothing to them.  None of them has faced anything like that, or really anything critical in their whole lives - nothing more serious than a hangnail.  It annoys me that they are judging her - but it sounds like you have every reason with your mentor, lol!

laurie - def believe that you and your brother were getting a message.  All of my immediate family has passed, mom, dad and only sibling - they "talk" to me all the time.

I'm glad I get to drive the school bus.  The kids I drive are great kids.  As long as the whiners don't "win", they'll take good care of the world.

left over pasta with peas, onions, tomatoes in a wine sauce.  I have all the sudden loved tomatoes...can't get enough of them.  I even put them in my chicken salad now.

Kids are having waffles and fruit.

Right now I am cleaning like a mad woman in hopes to actually maybe possibly have a relaxing mothers day....as much as you can with a 5 and 3 year old!

I'm probably going to mix up a yeast type waffle batter tonight. So, for us, the waffles will be tomorrow morning....again on the ancient waffle iron.



I'm still thinking of what to do for a meal tomorrow....3 moms here, Sharon, my mom and Sharon's mom.



Eric

SpecialK,



As a proud Mom of a 23 year old young lady (and recent Master's degree grad) I read your previous post and thought... The people who are casting judgement either do not have daughters or have totally forgotten those overloaded, hormonal, teenage days we all went through where the slightest problem was just a catastrophy...



My DD is like a light switch... She's either totally content and loving life (most of the time) or having a meltdown over something that seems, to me, to be nothing but clearly to her at that very moment is an issue....



I have to laugh because, while many, many moons past the hormone overload of my early 20's I now am experiencing many of the same emotions due to menopause and tamoxifen! And I'm not sure I'm handling it any better...lol



Hoping my relatives aren't all talking about me.. Lol! But, if they are, F 'em... The relationships that I value the most are with my immediate family and branching out from there...



Laurie,



Loved your story about the lamp... I have had several such moments where I just knew someone was watching over me... and, yes, I believe!

Have a wonderful Mother's Day, all nurturers! I always feel the targeted population for this Hallmark holiday should be a broad one. There are so many, many nurturing souls (think this very thread!:)who have made such a difference in the lives of people they have touched. I hope everyone enjoys tomorrow.....



And how lucky are we to have a resident expert on caste iron cookware maintenance....priceless!

Chabba, that's why I have always appreciated the thoughtful teachers who encouraged their students to include other than just their biological moms when making cards to bring home for this weekend. No one in the family or neighborhood tapestry should feel left out......Have a lovely day!

Thanks for the info, Eric!



Two more real newbie questions.... Is it ok to wash the pans when we take them out of the box before seasoning them? And when you say to let them dry in a warm oven before doing the shortening, at what temp and for how long? Oooooppps better make that 3 questions.... lol... Do you put the shortening on the outside of the pan, too or just on the inside?



Chabba,



I second what Lacey said! Some of the most caring women I have met are moms and grandmas by 'choice' if not by blood! In my eyes, that makes them pretty darn special!!

On the Mother's Day for those who do not have biological children of their own - most of my long-time good friends never had children, but have always been aunt/friend/support/etc. for my kids.  I am so fortunate and glad that my children have had the opportunity to see that nurturing comes in many forms, from many people besides their biological parents.  My parents were both naturalized citizens and we had no blood relatives in the United States - just my mom and dad, brother and me.  My parents also cultivated many lifelong friends who functioned as family for me too - my parents have both passed on but I am still close to those folks and count them as family.