Daily Archives: August 12, 2008

More than Mussels and Salmon

Posted on August 12, 2008 by tdl1501| 2 Comments

The Fisherman’s Sweater

The scratchiness reminds me
of a sweater I once had
A cardigan of Arran wool
from my mother’s hands

She knitted it with love
every popcorn stitch
the fisherman’s ropes
filled every inch

It was another thing
that set me apart
not something a kid wants
right from the start

I wore it for warmth
it served its purpose
then on to my sister
then to service

Her daughters
so for twenty-five years
I’ve asked for new
fisherman’s gear

And Mom has said rightly
That the first one was itchy
I was a kid and
as such I richly

Deserved nothing
there’s a new cardigan
but no-one to hug, save
the knitter in Oban

DAC
May 4, 2007

→ 2 Comments

Posted in Scotland

Cooking for One

Posted on August 12, 2008 by tdl1501| Leave a comment

It’s no fun to cook for one. But cooking for two or more, and with pets, is a real responsibility. The cook has to be home at certain hours and it takes time to prepare, cook and clean up after family meals.

But I was single for a long time, before I met my prince. Some of my favorite meals include:

-spaghetti alla carbonara (spags with bacon, eggs and cheese);

-basic dry quesadilla with monterey jack and then salsa and avocado on top (if I felt rich that day);

-soups, either Julia Child’s French Onion Soup or Mom’s Mulligatawny;

-stews, Beef Carbonnade or a light veal stew with lemon I haven’t made in years; and

-the old stand-by, peanut butter on toast, standing over the kitchen sink.

While I think of it as a chore sometimes to always try to come up with something tasty and satisfying for Jim, it beats eating alone every night. But when he does go out of town sometimes that quesadilla feeling comes over me and I have to spend $1 on dinner. Ok I had everything but an avocado! But it’s necessary! It’s the “meat” in my dinner. Enjoy cooking for your loved ones. Dee

→ Leave a comment

Posted in Editorial

Tagged ,

Cooking Fears

Posted on August 12, 2008 by tdl1501| Leave a comment

Before Jim’s last job offer blew up, I made him a special dinner with roast chicken and stuffing, mashed potatoes and gravy and all the trimmings. Then the offer went “poof.” Today I bought a roasting chicken from the butcher, got it home and remembered.

He worked late and called en route so I wouldn’t have had time to cook it anyway but I was kind of afraid to do so. So I called a great pizza place and he picked up. I feel bad doing that. But I can make this chicken into Lazy Chicken or an Italian balsamico roasted chicken with onions and potatoes by breaking the bird down tomorrow.

I just don’t want any more bad luck. We’ve been self-funding for several pay periods and I’m not about to buy steaks so have been trying to go with what’s on sale. It’s not what he likes but it’ll turn around soon.

Mr. Steak and Baked Potato Man will be back in business! Oh, it’s “loaded” baked potatoes. Not much bad cholesterol in those meals!!! I do try to watch the sour cream…

→ Leave a comment

Posted in Editorial

Tagged

What’s New Today?

Posted on August 12, 2008 by tdl1501| Leave a comment

First, you’re lucky I haven’t shared yet with you Jim’s lunchtime photos. Instead of being downtown (where we live) he’s about 20 miles out on a “campus” with ponds et al. So he took pictures on his iPhone of weird-looking ducks and lots of buzzards. Apparently they leave each other alone. Unless he intends to shoot and gut and pluck one and bring it to me on ice to make for dinner, I’m not really interested. Though I might be interested in the Muscovy ducks across the Bayou…. No, I’m an environmentalist and not a hunter. Failed BB-Guns in 9th grade, so I failed as a young Southern Gentlewoman. Ok in my book.

Babies. There’s a new baby down the hall who I’ve not yet met. Another one on the way for which we have a shower this weekend. Newly-married’s down the hall. All kinds of changes going on! While Jim’s at a new job at least for now we plan to stay settled here and he’ll commute. We are checking out a second car and my main concerns are that: Jim, at 6′, 4″ fits and can drive it; the dog has a place that doesn’t get her fur everywhere (though even if I do this Jim will cheat and let her up front on long drives); and a solid place for groceries that keeps them from rolling around and makes it easy for me to put them in my rolling cart, keeps the dog from eating them and allows me to close the back gate without throwing my entire body against it.

Perhaps I should just travel with coolers? Any thoughts would be appreciated. We’re thinking of something like the Toyota Highlander but when the back seat folds flat that’s where the dog would go and also groceries.

I’ve always easily put up our groceries in the trunk in our old Accord, even with the dog in the back seat it’s not a problem because she can’t eat a raw steak out of the bag when it’s in the trunk. Not yet, anyway. She’s an inventive pup, though. Dee

→ Leave a comment

Posted in Editorial