Gratitude, Day 27: Hard Pass

NOTE: I am a fan of 30-day challenges, and November is traditionally a time of two: National Novel Writing Month, and 30 Days of Thanks. As I am not a fiction writer, this year I have chosen to publish a daily blog for the entire month, expressing my gratitude. This may not be entirely food-focused, but expect recipes aplenty. Feel free to join me in the comments below. What are you thankful for today?

This is my first Thanksgiving weekend away from my child, ever.

My knee hurts.

My back hurts.

My brain hurts.

The dog won’t stop gnawing at his hot spots even though he has worn the Cone of Shame for a week.

Khristian and I are suffering from poor communication, potentially due to the first sentence of this blog today (or any other number of things that crop up when navigating a relationship that occurs after everyone packs their steamer trunks of baggage and brings them along).

The Seahawks just lost a piss-poor outing.

I just remembered that there are massive typos in yesterday’s blog that I did not correct this morning as I said I would (but I will by the time anyone reads this).

Tomorrow is my dead father’s birthday. Nine and a half years, and Thanksgiving was his favorite holiday.

I applied liberal amounts of shopping and cooking and tried to apply some football, but it just didn’t take.

So today, I am grateful that I can opt out of being grateful. 

What are you grateful for?

 

Gratitude, Day 26: Let Me Cook For You

NOTE: I am a fan of 30-day challenges, and November is traditionally a time of two: National Novel Writing Month, and 30 Days of Thanks. As I am not a fiction writer, this year I have chosen to publish a daily blog for the entire month, expressing my gratitude. This may not be entirely food-focused, but expect recipes aplenty. Feel free to join me in the comments below. What are you thankful for today?

I won’t lie – today’s gratitude was almost extended for the pecan pie I made last night and of which I ate shameful amounts today, including a decent-sized portion for breakfast and maybe another slice for lunch and probably another shortly.

This is as it should be, just a day late. Pie should be consumed for breakfast on the day after Thanksgiving. It’s pretty much a constitutional amendment, and I BROKE THE LAW by not eating any on Friday.

But I digress.

It was almost pie I was grateful for today, but then I started organizing myself to cook for people on Sunday and Monday.

I love this work.

Today, I am grateful for the fact that I get to cook for people AS A JOB, in the comfort of my own home for their enjoyment and much positive feedback.

Not only do I get to play with new flavors and foods, but I also get to feed tired, hungry people good food when they drag themselves home after a long day. When people leave their house in the dark and come home in the dark, it’s nice to have something delicious to eat.

Not only THAT, but I also get to make lists.

I am an inveterate, unrepentent list maker.
I am an inveterate, unrepentant list maker.

If I don’t have lists and things to check off, then I would not have any idea what I should be doing.

The list above is for six families this week (my max is ten), and it’s heavy on the fresh veg which is also nice to come home to when you are tired, hungry, and maybe a little grumpy.

Food is love, and I am grateful to spread that love all around.

What are you grateful for today?

Gratitude, Day 25: Irene Kalman

NOTE: I am a fan of 30-day challenges, and November is traditionally a time of two: National Novel Writing Month, and 30 Days of Thanks. As I am not a fiction writer, this year I have chosen to publish a daily blog for the entire month, expressing my gratitude. This may not be entirely food-focused, but expect recipes aplenty. Feel free to join me in the comments below. What are you thankful for today?

Today Khristian and I drove north for two hours to visit my grandmother, Irene Kalman.

The one who steals fruit from her nursing home.

Grandma with her great granddaughter.
Grandma with her great-granddaughter.

The one who turned 98 on Monday and is every bit as spry in the brain (if not more) as your average 60-year-old.

I try to see her at least once a month, as I am not sure how many more of these visits we will have, and I wanted her to meet Khristian.

Today, I am grateful for Irene Kalman and the things I have learned from her.

Every month, we talk about the Great Depression, politics, old people, assisted living activities, and her health. She sighs a lot but doesn’t complain much, asks if I am making money, and sends me home with a bag full of purloined apples, oranges, and the occasional banana.

She is my living history, and I am so grateful to have recognized that before it was too late.

What are you grateful for today?

Gratitude, Day 24: Thanksgiving

NOTE: I am a fan of 30-day challenges, and November is traditionally a time of two: National Novel Writing Month, and 30 Days of Thanks. As I am not a fiction writer, this year I have chosen to publish a daily blog for the entire month, expressing my gratitude. This may not be entirely food-focused, but expect recipes aplenty. Feel free to join me in the comments below. What are you thankful for today?

Today I am thankful ahead of time (I am writing this on Wednesday night) because I will not be online for the full length of the day. Other than talking to my kid at some point, I am not planning on having any electronic communication.

I will love your turkey pictures Friday.

Happy Thanksgiving. Go ahead and love somebody today. <3

Gratitude, Day 23: Walter’s Mother’s Gremolata

NOTE: I am a fan of 30-day challenges, and November is traditionally a time of two: National Novel Writing Month, and 30 Days of Thanks. As I am not a fiction writer, this year I have chosen to publish a daily blog for the entire month, expressing my gratitude. This may not be entirely food-focused, but expect recipes aplenty. Feel free to join me in the comments below. What are you thankful for today?

A ray of sunshine.
A ray of sunshine.

Today is the day before my daughter’s ex-boyfriend’s birthday.

I know. It’s weird.

But I really liked this kid. Smart, polite, funny, clever, and a caring human and good boyfriend.

Tomorrow is Walter’s birthday, and I still think about him.

I know. That’s weird, too.

Why they broke up is none of my business, but what is my business is the fact that just three days before things ended we all went over to Walter’s parents house (me, Sicily, and Sicily’s godparents, Mark and Kerry, and their two boys) and had dinner.

And I LOVED Walter’s family.

Funny, kind, liberal, warm, welcoming, open, honest. All of them from both kids to the parents and all the way back again.

I am not the most social of people, but Walter’s family went out of their way to make me feel comfortable, or at least that’s what it felt like, which is what good hosts do.

Walter’s mom, Susan, made me feel immediately at home as I walked in with my salted caramel cheesecake pie. I told her that I break the cardinal rule of potlucks every time, which is don’t make something for the first time for a potluck, and the cheesecake pie was no exception.

“Oh,” she said, “I did the exact same thing and always do.”

#KindredSoul

After the kids broke up, Susan and I emailed a couple times, hoping to get together, but nothing came of it, and maybe that’s as it should be (or maybe not. I am still hopeful).

I did come away with the recipe for the gremolata she served on the steak that night, and I have made it several times since that dinner.

Today I am thankful for that Walter’s mother’s gremolata.

I miss Walter and his family, but we’ll always have the gremolata.

Walter’s Mother’s Gremolata

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups packed mint leaves (I used half mint, half parsley)

1/2 cup shelled, roasted pistachios

2 teaspoons minced garlic (about 2 cloves)

2 teaspoons lemon zest

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon black pepper

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

Method

Place all ingredients in a food processor and pulse to chop. You are looking for a pesto-like consistency, not a paste, so don’t overblend.

Serve on meat, chicken, crackers, toast, whatever. It’s fucking delicious.

What are you grateful for?

(image source)