a happy birthday...

...to Auntie L! I hope it was good enough, although I know it could have been much better. Here's to a wonderful year!

Love,
v

let's dish*

This weekend, and last week actually, we didn't do a great job of sticking with any kind of menu. I wrote one out. I was quietly ambitious, but then I was weak. So, this week, we're back to being frugal and making meals here. So, here's the tentative menu for the next few days (please note the lack of frozen pizza):

Mon: zucchini, brussels sprouts (with apples and turkey bacon)

Tue: baked triple-bean pot, sandwiches

Wed: possibly dinner with friends, as Cardo is going to go in early -- we'll see what the plan is, but we'll have a ton of baked beans and I might try for some popovers (no salty-times-infinity chicken, though)

Thu: enchiladas, Coach J-style

Fri: vegetable soup, popovers

Sat: lemony quinoa with spinach

Not ambitious, I know. Pretty tame. Just the kind of stuff I can handle.

I recently checked out the New Moosewood Cookbook from the library (after having seen it in use over at The Blankie Chronicles) and I have a whole slew of recipes I'd like to try, eventually, from there. They are as follows (get comfy, it's a long list of so much goodness):

Soups:
- cream of asparagus
- light cream of celery
- miso soup
- summer vegetable soup
- vegetable chowder
- cream of broccoli
- cauliflower cheese soup
- split pea soup
- Hungarian mushroom soup
- mushroom bisque
- homemade croutons (for some of the soups)
- herbed carrot soup
- lentil soup
- mushroom barley soup
- cream of spinach soup
- chilled cucumber yogurt soup
- vichyssoise
- chilled berry soup

Salads (mainly dressings):
- very green dressing
- basic vinaigrette
- sweet & tart mustard dressing
- tabouli
- marinated mushrooms

Baked goods and sandwiches:
- custardy popovers
- pita bread
- focaccia
- blueberry corn bread
- flour tortillas
- chappatis

Entrees:
- spinach-rice casserole
- calzone
- polenta

Desserts:
- orange cake
- Ukrainian poppy seed cake
- pound cake, and variations
- stovetop rice pudding
- baked custard
- strawberry-rhubarb crisp
- no-fault pumpkin pie
- crunchy-top peach pie
- real blueberry pie
- berry sauce and berry sorbet
- Moosewood fudge brownies
- lemon mousse

Whew! Yes, I'll have to check the cookbook (or foodbook, as Pic refers to it) many, many more times because I can't buy myself any new, or even new-to-me, books right now. ::big sigh of lament::


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Yesterday, for whatever reason, I forgot to include my declutter item, so here're yesterday and today:



Containers. The first I got in high school and used to store various pieces of stuff I've since gotten rid of. The second I got from my aunt and I believe it was filled with potpourri. I haven't used either in a very long time and it's time for them to move on. G'bye.

Maybe if I don't have some many containers for random stuff/junk, I'll have less random stuff/junk...maybe...except, I am me.

Only five more decluttering days to go before I make it to thirty days! (Only about a billion more pieces of stuff here in my home that are completely non-essential to my life.)

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*When I saying the title to myself, I kept thinking of this song:



...which I sing 'Let's dance, put on your night dish, la, la, hmm, hmm.' Yeah. I know the few words I fake don't make any sense, but there you have it.

today

While today wasn't necessarily exciting, it was a good day. First, because my parents are here. We woke up late (Cardo finally went in to check on Pic at 9:30, while I was thinking, 'Yes! She's still asleep! I can still sleep!') and made a vat of oatmeal. I had mine with a bit of maple syrup, some frozen blueberries and some almonds and it was pretty tasty.

After that, off to errands. Although I may not love paying my utility bill, I do so love to have a home with electricity and gas. Actually, I don't really mind paying the bill (with money Cardo earned, of course), I just don't love it. New ink, next, because the 'new' cartridge we put in last time didn't work. We buy recycled cartridges and something must have gone haywire.

Next stop? Lunch with Mr M and Baby K, where Pic had a bit of a weepy meltdown and I had to take her outside for a walk and a cuddle before she calmed down.

Then, our weekly visit with Grandma J (she told Pic that Pic could call her Grandma because Pic has no grandparents in Reno). Yesterday, Grandma J called to let us know she was sick and we might not be able to come over today, but she was considerably better today.

A few more errands, including getting some frozen yogurt. Cardo is the Frozen Yogurt Monster. There's a new place in town and he's obsessed. Moreso than I am with ice cream these days (I must be in an ice cream slump).

Our last outing was a trip to Coach J's new place (which she mentions here). Even before we got inside I liked the place. The patio is cute and would be a nice place for a little table and some chairs. There're a bunch of windows and I'm sure the house gets great light during the day. It was nice to get out a bit and see some good friends, some who I haven't seen in a bit and most who I don't see very often (I'm something of a hermit*). I need to get myself out so much more often and see these wonderful people.

We're settled in for the evening. No Monk last night, but there will be some tonight. What will I watch when this season, the last of the series, is over?

One final note. I almost left Coach J's without getting a piece of Ms B's pumpkin roll and, oh, what a terrible mistake that must have been. Ms B? Homemade snickerdoodle ice cream sandwiches? Homemade pumpkin roll? I'm in love!

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* I've mentioned this before somewhere, but I once went about a semester not being able to remember the word 'hermit.' I could only think 'eremite,' but I was too afraid to use it in conversation or writing because I knew it wasn't quite the word I wanted. Ah, Spenser, how you will forever influence my vocabulary.

happy friday the thirteenth...

...just because!

So, I've just seen both my parents and my child off to their respective beds (kind of, my parents are actually using my bed tonight and Cardo and I will be using the couch bed...just to clear that up) and all is well and quiet. It's nice to have company.

Pic has already wowed them (or something) with her humor and knowledge. They've been treated to her wonderfully logical jokes ('Why did the balloon go up and up? Because it was full!'). Also, she made sure everyone near us at dinner tonight was clear that 'boys have penises and girls have vaginas!'. Just to clear that up. (I haven't quite gotten into the many nuances and biological possibilities that really keeps her statement from being stark fact.)

Now, I'm off to catch up on others' blogs, watch a little Monk on the computer (possibly) and maybe do some word puzzles and/or reading. Wow, I am a party girl, no doubt about it.

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Declutter:


Disney Princess shelf paper? Something like that. I'm still not sure how Pic talked Papi into buying this for her, but here it is uselessly taking up space more than a year later. Ah, well, into the give-away bag it goes.

talking in circles

There's something about getting into bed at night that suddenly makes me want to have in-depth chats with Cardo. I'm sure he loves this (please note the irony here). When he's ready for bed, he pretty much wants to lay down, wiggle around for entirely too long trying to find a comfortable spot and then quickly fall asleep (oh how I envy those who can fall asleep so quickly). Also, I'm pretty sure the sound of my voice droning on and on puts him to sleep.

Anyhow, last night was just such a night. I wanted to have a deep conversation about our future and about my own goals that have been slowly surfacing over the last five years. I've been so busy that I haven't had much time to really think them, my goals, through, but having this time 'off' has given my plenty of time (often too much, actually) to think about what I value and about what I want out of this go-around.

And, going around seems to be what we're doing. Every time we decide something, there seems to be an 'or,' either expressed or not. We could stay and settle into this rhythm, or we could go somewhere else and start out again. I could find part-time work, or I could go right back to school (if one will have me). We could stay in the apartment, or we could find another place to rent (if only we had a few tens of thousands of dollars as a downpayment on a house...ah, well).

At times, having so many large possibilities looming makes me want to completely shut down. I am easily overwhelmed and I don't really relish change (at least not initially, but I pretty quickly adapt if I give myself a chance). The other day, as we walked, I was thinking how nice it would be if someone, some magical fairy godperson, walked up to me and just told me what would be the best choice right now. Um, yeah, not going to happen, I know. And, anyhow, I don't really take well to being told what to do.

So, I'm still unsure about our next move. For now, I'm just trying to enjoy where we are and remember how happy I am that I am a part of this family and that I have so much time with this family. I'm afraid that, by next August, so much will have changed (Pic should be in kindergarten then) and I don't want to wish this time away or spend all of it worrying.

I would just like to throw one idea out there: if all of my friends would like to come live nearby, or stay nearby, that would be great. If I owned a commune, I'd invite you all to live there with me. Or something. However, I know that we all have different places to go and be right now and in the future, so I'll just keep thanking the wonders of the interweb for making staying in touch possible.

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Declutter:

Oh, Children's Music, how I don't really love you all that much. I apologize.


This lived in my car for quite some time. The plastic case is actually crumbling. I regretted buying this almost the moment we did buy it, but, as fortune would have it, we haven't had to listen to it in a verrrry long time. Mainly, we stick with NPR or the Sesame Street Best album I got at Secondhand Prose for $1! I love it. (And, yes, forty-year-old Sesame Street deserves its own post, but it'll have to wait.)

...and...

Seriously! I own more holiday cards! Oy with the poodles!


Into the give-away bag they go.

sundaes for breakfast, anyone?

Okay, so it's a quinoa sundae, but still.... Actually, this is also what I had for dinner last night, but the avocado from last night was somewhat questionable. Obviously I lived to eat another delicious quinoa sundae. (I made the quinoa with vegetable broth. I like the flavor so much better than when I make it with water. I tried it as breakfast cereal once, made with water not broth, with some milk and blueberries, but I wasn't so into it. I hope that wasn't confusing.)

I got the recipe idea here, but I only use black beans, quinoa, avocado and cheese. I like the queso fresco casero better than any other cheese I've tried on this, but we don't always have it on hand. Oh, I just looked at Catherine Newman's recipe again. Yeah, mine's not nearly as involved, but her recipe was definitely inspiring.

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So, decluttering? First, I have to say, we went to the library booksale, for the $6/bag day and got 35 new (to us) kids' books and four movies for $12! We so had room for more in our second bag, but we were ready to go. And? All of those new books have already been catalogued! (Now, I just have to catch up on the many, many already floating around the apartment, but I've been working on it somewhat diligently these last few days.)

So, yes, I'm bringing more stuff into the apartment, but I just keep in mind that I have allowed myself a couple of collections, one of which is books.

In the meantime, I've begun to look again at our office/library (I really need a better term for this, I'm just so excited to have a place that really feels like a library in our home, albeit a completely messy library). And, oh the treasures I've found! Decluttering should be a snap (or a cinch? what's the cliche?) for the remainder of my thirty-day time limit. In fact, I'll, no doubt, be able to continue on with this one thing a day deal for a bit longer.

Today's decluttering item? A big old bag of trash that lived in my car for, um, two-plus years. Okay, so I didn't really carry a bag of trash with me for two years, although I wouldn't put it past me, but when we sold the car, I shoved all of the detritus in a trash bag and then, apparently, shoved that into the office closet. I began looking through it today and some stuff was salvageable: a couple of pencils, my umbrella, a picture of Pic from when she first started school (oh how I miss it and don't all at the same time). Otherwise? Mainly trash or shredder fodder: insurance cards and registration cards dating back at least two years, a broken visor, power bill receipts dating back at least two years, a random booklet that had been completely soaked at one point but that had since dried to brittleness (I say it's a word). Oh, yes, basically a big old bag of trash. Nothing to be given away today, but I'm definitely breathing a little easier having gotten rid of all of that crap.



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P.S. As if I need more stuff to bring into the apartment...Tomorrow is the Savers 50%-off clothing, shoes and accessories sale.

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P.P.S. I'm sure that this Veteran's Day will be especially emotional for many. I know that I spent much of this morning, listening to the memorial service, in tears of sympathy for those affected by the violence at Fort Hood and a kind of sadness that violence happens at all.

nourishment

For the first time in...two years (?), I made bread. I've been wanting to make bread for us, but it always seems like such a chore, even though I love eating freshly baked bread. I've been reading through the SouleMama archives and found an easy-looking, simple bread recipe and, after we bought a bread pan Saturday night, I actually made bread. (Well, I waited until last night to make it, because by the time we got home from gallivanting around, as my Grammie would say, on Saturday, it was too late to make bread.)

The bread is Amanda's (SouleMama's) WHO bread (there's a bread machine version of the recipe also, but we don't have a bread machine). The WHO (wheat, honey, oat) bread is super-easy to make and oh-so-quick too. (It took me maybe twenty minutes to put everything together and I'm a person who has to triple the prep time of most recipes because I'm such a slow cook/baker.) And, most important, it's good. I love it. I will definitely be making this a lot more often. Cardo and I couldn't resist sharing a piece last night, just before midnight, when the bread was ready. Then, this morning, I had two pieces and a apple for breakfast. Pic had a piece toasted with butter and strawberry preserves, and an apple, for breakfast (of course, it took her until almost one o'clock in the afternoon to finish her breakfast). I doubt this bread will last very long. I'm excited about this (if you couldn't tell)!



By the way, I love SouleMama. I have a ton of bookmarks from the blog, saving projects I want to try and foods I want to make and books I want to read. I found SouleMama through another blog I love, The Blankie Chronicles. (Kate also blogs at Cluck and Tweet.) From both The Blankie Chronicles and Cluck and Tweet, I've also bookmarked tons of posts. Each time I create a new bookmark for a new project, I'm more excited about this time I have with Pic before she heads off to school (sometimes, I need to remind myself why I'm doing this year at home).

Anyhow, I just thought I'd share the blog and food love.

In other food nonnews, this is what Pic and I had for lunch the other day:


We're kind of into making popcorn lately. Except, I tend to always burn some of it. The day before this pictured lunch, in fact, I was doing too many things at once and I burnt the first three kernels to disgusting, black bits that billowed smoke and caused our smoke alarm to chirp (but only once...huh). Oops. Any advice? Should I have the heat turned way up so the kernels will pop faster and the already popped pieces will have less time to char? Or, should I have the heat turned down so I won't scald the popcorn?

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Of course, I need to post days seventeen through nineteen for my decluttering:


Birthday paraphernalia that, let's face it, I'll never actually use. And, a book that, let's face it, I'll never read. As much as I don't like to let go of books, sometimes I just have to realize that there are some that will just lay around, unread, until they decompose.


I got this bag when I subscribed to Self. It looks cute enough, but it doesn't have a zipper or or snap to keep the main compartment closed (I prefer a zipper). It's small enough to be a purse, but I like my purses to securely close. Also, it has some weird, crinkly plastic lining that makes me crazy. It has been hanging on a door knob for almost a year now...time to give it up.