Monthly Archives: September 2008

We just went out for a bite to a local Mexican joint and Jim is very tired after working until nine last night. A new neighbor said hello and we invited him on our journey. He had already met Jim and Zoe on Ike night last Friday, when all her friends were in the Bayou swimming but she’d just had a bath.

So we shared a cheese quesadilla and side of guacamole and Jim had the fajita beef enchiladas.

So, I spent a while on the phone with my sister Lisa today, and considerably more time with m-i-l Margie. What we came up with was unmentionable. I gave my version of the most comfortable, and so did my sister. She said Mom can’t die right now because she just bought new underwear.

Margie said that she sent both of her boys to college in tighty whities and they both came back with different solutions! Months ago I bought a pack of three cotton knit boxer briefs for my love. Two were in OK colors.

He was dressing for his first day at the new job and put on bright red shorts, what I call the Santa Pants. I said, no, no way you’re going to get in an accident on the way to work and they’re going to find you in Santa (bright red) underwear.

Lisa suggested I not go to the scene, but then I thought I should and just disavow any knowledge of him and take off these offensive undies.

If it were Mom in younger days, these would have “blown off the line.” That’s what she did with things she didn’t like. Presumably Dad’s “bum shirt” and leisure suit went that route.

It’s good to air all our clean, dirty laundry in public! Hope you’re enjoying it. Tomorrow it’s homemade Mac and Cheese with fresh grape tomatoes, and arugula and perhaps homemade cole slaw. The brisket messed me up, but I may re-heat that for guests tomorrow or Saturday. I miss seeing folks around here and have been too tired and insular.

All the best for a good evening. I am thinking good thoughts for us all. Dee

Apparently there has been a circus around Mom’s bedside the past 24 hours. She has been coherent and talking. Wish I was there.

Lisa is the youngest sister, eleven years my junior, who has taken care of Mom and has power of attorney. She has been handing me small tasks to ease her burdens and give me something useful to do. Find this package. Check out social security. Draft this. Call about storage options. To date I’ve done quite well. Very dedicated to my tasks.

In a way, it keeps me connected. We are having brisket this evening. Store-bought, frozen mesquite smoked brisket. Sorry, Bobby! Bobby is Jim’s uncle, who crafted his own smoking rig and babysits his briskets for 13 hours. Not me. I’m not standing in a parking lot to wait for brisket. We’ll go to Bobby’s house in Dallas before we do that! Probably Stubbs BBQ Sauce.

You might look up Alton Brown’s baby back ribs recipe. I combined it with “Smoked Butts…” baby back recipe (on my book list) and peppery sauce and it’s a great combo. Generally FN stinks but Alton doesn’t. Even Jim likes him, because he’s about science.

Roasted red potato wedges with thyme and olive oil and garlic. Corn on the cob, the last fresh ears I could find. Perhaps a few grape tomatoes to munch on.

I’m getting hungry just thinking about it. Just fed Zoe so she needs to go out. Zoe’s needy, must go. Dee

Mom obtained a paralegal degree while Alison and I were in high school. She went to work for a law firm and Alison and I were tasked with making dinner a couple of times each week.

We always made the same things. She made Mac & Cheese, and I made Tuna-Lemon Loaf. This goes along with our childhood board puzzle/game where I put in the US and South America and she did Europe and Africa. Now I’m afraid we’d both be lost with all the new/re-named countries.

So, I didn’t want to make Mac & Cheese because it took too long. What I did was basically a tuna souffle. Two cans tuna, three eggs, yolks in the mix and whites beaten to stiff peaks. I don’t really remember the rest but can ask my sister after the dust settles.

I don’t remember what I was going to say next as I’ve spent the last 20 minutes on the phone with Margie, Jim’s Mom, She’s a nurse and has been very helpful with information on Mom’s drugs and dying. She’s at the VA with a lot of older vets so has been through this many times.

From time to time, I do make my own Mac and Cheese, with special cheddar. The tuna souffle has gone by the wayside because Jim can’t eat anything that swims. But I often wonder how it would taste.

Thanks for sticking with me and have a great evening. Dee

When we were young, Alison and I always wanted to surprise Mom with breakfast in bed. Mom hated eating in bed but we didn’t know that in those days.

She had to know what we were planning as we got the refrigerator rolls, cinnamon and orange. Made eggs and bacon and poured juice and were good to go.

Mom would get up on Mother’s day or her birthday and eat at the table. Oh well, we tried but she didn’t appreciate it.

Now Jim and I eat breakfast in bed on weekends. OK, I have to get up and make breakfast first. Then we break Mom’s second cardinal rule – we go to the movies on a sunny afternoon. I’ve had people tell me they were calling Mom when sister Lisa and I ducked out to see a flick!

Good night, now. We’re both taking Zoe out for her final walk of the day. Dee

Tell her you love her. Now. And try to get some secret family recipes, like kugelhopf, that was never written. I can only find yeast-based versions and Mom’s is a quick bread. Great for breakfast, lunch or dinner but also makes a superb bread pudding. A little brandy in the creme Anglaise.

Now it’s time to take out our girl, Zoe. The dog.