So...whats for dinner?

Dinner tonight was our favorite meatloaf, yellow potatoes and zucchini with a glass of 2015 Primitivo.

Last night was chili and coleslaw. The chili was made with canned beans. We added grated cheese and sour cream to our servings.

It's chili weather here in northern MN with frost the last two nights.

DH and I are following the CDC guidelines and have stopped wearing masks. I do carry a cloth mask in my purse.

Dinner plans are for a roasted turkey breast, potatoes gratin, green veggie tbd, salad.

Bob is stuck down in Oak Lawn tonight, despite it being his weekend off. As he left the hospital, his car's "check engine" light came on; the nearby Ford dealership can't get to it till tomorrow at noon (so he has no idea whether it's safe to drive home), so he got a room at the Hilton. I'm not joining him overnight--have nobody to feed the kitties (Happy tends to vomit if he gets too hungry). Southbound traffic is brutal, not the least because a sudden gust caused a huge oak tree to split in two and fall across Lake Shore Drive, totalling two cars and sending one person to the hospital. And the storms are about to roll in again. He'll get his freebie breakfast at the hotel, then read echoes at Christ Hosp., and will call me from the Ford dealership to tell me either he's safe to drive home or "come and get me." No rental cars to be had, of course; and an Uber is >$100 each way even without surge pricing. So I'll either have to be his chauffeur or give him my car so he can go to & from the hospital (a "day off" for him means he still works mornings, lest some rival doctor get the consult and therefore the fee), meaning I am stuck at home indoors--quarantine redux.

Meanwhile, I have settled into my usual weekend rut of being finicky Heidi's waitress and cling-y Happy's "mattress." (Another reason I can't join Bob at the hotel: the cats have to eat on schedule, otherwise Happy will puke if he gets too hungry. And the kids are out in the Grand Tetons right now, for Leslie's sister's wedding in Jackson Hole, so they can't fill in for me--they had to board their dog while they're away).

So the ribeye I'd planned to cook--indoors because it's too cold & wet out to grill--went back into the freezer. Not gonna waste it on just myself. I checked my deli-drawer: found some kielbasa & chicken bratwurst, plus a slice of good thick bacon, an unopened pouch of probiotic sauerkraut, and about half a cup of flat champagne. So I will make myself a choucroute garnie.

Today is our first Saturday at the Farmers Market, 9 to 1 pm. We are both up early to get in some coffee drinking time. Once we set up, I usually go to McDonald's or Burger King for a breakfast sandwich.

Last night's dinner was chicken piccata made with boneless skinless thighs. Steamed broccoli and romaine salad.

Tonight will be a thick ribeye.

Wow.....

sandy, our friends from Louisiana handle it but DH can do it too, I’ll just sit back and watch/eat.

When Gordy was two years old, we went to a local Cajun restaurant (long since out of business). We ordered a platter of boiled crawfish. He went nuts when he saw them, exclaiming "Oh, boy--baby lobsters!" I extricated a piece of tail meat and gave it to him. He responded, "AH! AH! My teeth are spicy.....gimme another"). There's an eponymous Zachary Richard song whose chorus ends "Boil 'em up till they good & red. Squeeze they tails and you suck they heads...CRAWFISH!"

Last night we walked to Cellars. Started with excellent gazpacho (sign that summer's on the way--a cup for me and a bowl for Bob). I then had grilled salmon over julienne veg. and grilled sweet potato slices, and Bob had "ravioli verdure," cheese-filled and topped with Italian-seasoned vegetables. At home, for dessert at home, I had an Atkins brownie. It's the best prefab keto bar I've ever had: taste & texture like a normal brownie and only 2gm net carbs.

Sandy, that’s a fun crawfish story.

Tonight is Crawfish Etouffee

A respectful Memorial Day to everyone.

We are in Las Cruces, NM. Tomorrow will likely be Big Spring, TX, then Oklahoma City, then Rolla, MO, then somewhere near Chicago and then on to Traverse City, MI.

We're doing about 400 miles a day which in the day of the 75mph speed limit, isn't that much per day. If Gypsy is in the car too long without moving around, her hips just about "lock up" for 5-10 minutes...so we stop every 1-1/2 hours or so for 10-15 minutes to let the dogs get out and walk around. We aren't in any big hurry...we just need to get the few boxes we have (most went in a small shipping container) there to Traverse City before June 14.

The oxygen sensor replacement shouldn't be terribly expensive.

Dinner tonight was "split personality"...BBQ pulled pork and a vegan potato salad. I've been working down the freezer and cooked the pork before we left, so we don't have to do a lot of heavy duty cooking in the camper. That was the last pork roast in the freezer..

Eric, we spent some days in Traverse City one year when we were doing a lot of rv traveling. The cherries were in season and not only were cherries available at roadside stands but cherry pies were available, too. The cherries were washed so we snacked on them as we drove around, doing sightseeing in the truck. The rv park where we stayed had a large section reserved for Airstreams, most of which were seasonal and had beautiful landscaping around each unit. Your mention of Traverse City brought back pleasant memories.

Dinner last night was leftover chili and a salad, the meal supplemented by smoked chicken legs and slices of a rolled green tortilla with a chunk of pickle and cream cheese. The chicken legs and tortilla slices were a gift from one of the "weekenders," who had a potluck noon meal. We weren't impressed with the chicken legs but the tortilla slices were tasty.

Tonight's dinner to be decided.

I love cherries! I have just been seeing them in my local stores and should get some soon!

eric - I hope you are enjoying your road trip, all of our moves in the military seemed to be across an ocean or across the country - we were surprisingly coastal for an Air Force family! I think that DH and I will drive to CO in the late summer or early fall to see DS, looking forward to it. I have been leasing cars for a while after some exceedingly costly repairs for the last two I bought. My latest one was leased on New Year's eve of 2019 and I really have not put miles on it due to the pandemic - it has less than 7,000 currently. I never get that close to the cap but the current mileage is very low, so we will take it on the trip since I won't be in danger of passing the cap when the lease expires.

chisandy - for the record, I think you've been cautious in your approach to dining out, from what you've written it seems like you have assessed each situation and walked away when you felt unsafe. I envy the variety of restaurants you've been able to access, and that you have supported local independent businesses. I am surrounded by mediocre chain restaurants out here in the burbs that I never dine at anyway, the only one I care about - a local group with Tampa Bay area only locations - is thriving, so no worries. Dining outdoors here becomes problematic as the summer approaches. We don't have mask vigilance, and have lower vaccination rates, because...Florida. I am immuno-compromised so I have been super careful and am still masking/sanitizing/distancing everywhere I go, even though I am fully vaccinated. In my immediate community people seem to be about 70/30 masked now but closer to downtown, not so much. The City of Tampa would like stricter guidelines but the Gov of FL would not. Many of the businesses now have signs on the door that say masks are "recommended" but no longer required.

I am now formulating my plan for food in the house since my surgery is a week from today. I prob need to do a calculated grocery shop since I can't drive or lift for several weeks. DH seems to be eating almost everything now, had his first salad this weekend with success, lol! I took a big tri-tip out of the freezer, conveniently to make room for make ahead meals and for Mem Day dinner. Win-win. I thawed it and made a sweet/heat marinade from a Traeger recipe, wrapped halved Vidalia onions in foil with crushed beef bouillon cubes and butter, and DH delivered both to DD to smoke in the Traeger. She is sponsored by them so has a new supply of pellets/rubs/sauces. The meat was perfect, she rested it while driving it back to my house with her DBF, lol! She photographs everything and posts to social media - she took many photos of the food, which was beautiful and yummy! I made potato salad with teeny red potatoes with a Pioneer Woman recipe that was new to me, but good - sour cream/mayo with Dijon, white wine vinegar, dill, salt and pepper, celery and bacon. Also sweet potato waffle fries with sriracha mayo dipping sauce, and the copycat recipe for Whole Foods cabbage crunch salad - shredded cabbage, sliced almonds, black sesame seeds, with a honey, apple cider vinegar, veg oil dressing. I had some frozen cookie dough that was oatmeal/choc chip/M&Ms so baked those and got that out of the freezer too. Everything was so good and it was nice to share the cooking. DD's BFF stopped by to say hello too. We got rid of our patio dining table and chairs and purchased a propane fire pit table with comfy chairs - DH and I have been enjoying sitting out there in the evening when it cools off, the fire at low level doesn't put off heat, just adds ambiance. The lid to the fire pit makes it turn into a table big enough for four people to eat around it. We got an umbrella stand for our over-sized market umbrella and it looks nice out there.

Special - I have been wondering how soon your surgery was coming up. Yup - start all over putting things is smaller containers and down on the counter top so you don't have to reach. And I remember making a ton of 'freeze ahead' meals. Will the doc let you stay overnight? Love the description of your new fire pit & chairs.

Eric - hope you continue to have a wonderful trip. What a lovely, lazy summer excursion.

Mommy - Sometime before I 'give it up', I want to go to Mackinac Island. It won't be this year, but...

Lacey - we miss you. How is that cute little grand-girl? Are you babysitting w/any regularity? Hope your back issues are subsiding.

Carole - I was sorting & tossing in the closet today and thought of you when I pulled down a box of sweatshirts. Definitely the wrong time of year for those in Houston (or LA for that matter).

chisandy - we do have Instacart here and also Shipt, but my local grocery store (Publix) also has their own shoppers and a designated park area where they bring it out to the car for you - you just have to pop the trunk. Initially DH shopped, which was a real learning experience for both of us. I found that I was creating the same list for him over and over, and that he had to shop more often so meals were becoming too repetitive and he had too much exposure. Also, he had surgery in Sept of 2020 for a serious sinus situation so I also questioned his immune system sturdiness, then eye surgery in Dec of 2020, so I needed to go back to the food procurement, lol! I end up shopping about once a month and maximizing the pantry and two freezers, then filling in with produce from the large outdoor stand nearby more often. If I am downtown I will pop into Whole Foods and Trader Joe's, which are usually not crowded at the times I am there. My closest Publix is still pretty masked up even though it is no longer mandatory - both shoppers and employees. They have wipes available for the carts and I have sanitizer with me, and I double mask when I shop. I'm vaxxed and so far, so good. I just had a CBC done in prep for surgery next week and my WBC has come up slightly, which is a nice change since it had been moving in the wrong direction for two years. Maybe the vaccine and the case of shingles woke up my tired old bone marrow.