The Bard said it best in his play "Twelfth Night"
"If music be the food of love, play on"
Let's skew his meaning a bit and see just where the love of food and the love of music takes us.
I had a decent week with meals though I did veer off a little. We ate fairly well anyway and I am usually fine when things change. Maybe this time is as close as I will ever get
Planned
1. Fish sandwich, chips✓
2. Steak, potatoes, salad
3. Veggie meal✓
4. Tuna steak, mashed potatoes, some green veggie, coleslaw✓
5. Out to eat✓
6. Tacos Forgot Cinco de Mayo was Sunday, so moved this to next week's plan
7. Sandwich meal TBD✓
VS
What We Really Ate
Sunday: We took an unplanned road trip to Decatur, then on the way home Son2 called and asked us to come by their house to see the progress they had made with their reno. By the time we finally were close to home for the night it was later than we I wanted to start cooking. Definitely not our norm but McD's came to the rescue.
Fish sandwich, potato chips, handful of grapes
Monday: I bought beautiful tomatoes, cucumbers and squash at our neighboring produce stand over the weekend. That made a veggie meal very easy.
Collard greens, sautéed squash with onions, cucumber tomato red onion salad
Tuesday: We had decided to go to The Electric for dinner and trivia, but there was nowhere for us to sit. Punted and went to Bluff Park Diner. Not where I wanted to go but it was close, open, and had empty tables.
Catfish*, cabbage and green beans (me) or Baked spaghetti, okra, and black eyed peas (TheHub)
Wednesday: TheHub had lunch at Cracker Barrel again and brought home one of the $5 small meals for us to split for dinner.
Meatloaf, tossed salad, mac and cheese (TheHub) raw cauliflower (me)
Thursday: The beautiful day screamed "Fire up that grill"
Grilled tuna steaks, mashed potatoes, coleslaw
Friday: We planned on watching the Alabama/Auburn softball game and decided it would be a perfect sandwich night.
Pimento cheese sandwiches, cucumbers and pepper slices or chips
Saturday: We did a lot of running around, then did separate projects in the house before watching The Kentucky Derby. After it was over I did not want to cook so we went out.
Jim and Nick's BBQ. Chicken plate with coleslaw and baked beans (TheHub) Carolina pork plate with coleslaw and collards (me)
What’s possible for this week?
1. Tacos and all the fixings
2. Steak, mashed potatoes, tossed salad
3. Taco salad ( had a lot left over from taco night)
4. Out to eat
5. Grilled fish or scallops, tossed salad
6. Veggie meal TBD
7. Sandwich meal TBD
Have a great week staying on plan, going off plan, or with no plan at all.
p.s. Accidental new lunch favorite.
I don't know about most of you, but for me lunch is always eating bits and bobs of what is leftover from other meals. Tuesday, I was cleaning out the fridge and found leftover sautéed squash and onions, and about 2 teaspoons of pimento cheese. I nuked the squash on a plate then put the leftover pimento cheese on the other side of said plate.
The phone rang while I was walking to the table. When I reached to answer it, the plate tipped slightly and the hot squash slid into the pimento cheese. Oh my goodness, it was delicious and something I am going to start having anytime I have leftover squash. (I will try this with other vegetables I have leftover.)
Luckily I make pimento cheese regularly, especially during warm weather, and always have some veggies left over.
* Catfish is one of my least favorite proteins, but the rest of their offerings looked horrible to me (probably because I had my taste buds set for the Americana salad at The Electric).
We did not have major plans for the week, but we did have one big event we were attending. Other than that the week both organically and/or surprisingly planned itself. Good thing because it's spring and anything can happen in spring.
Monday: I don't like to plan things for Monday's. preferring to be at home, try to organize any chaos from the weekend and set my plans for the week ahead. That and lots of laundry is what I wound up doing.
I did take my mattress pad and winter bed covering to the laundromat. I have a pretty dense mattress pad, and I usually have to run the spin cycle about 5 times to get it enough water out of it to put it in the dryer. If time is money, then I spent the best 20 bucks I could ever spend. Both items were wash, dried and folded in about an hour. (OK I did not really fold the mattress pad, just wadded it up until I walked in the front door and then it went straight back onto the mattress)
I will be doing this again, and again. I am not sure why it took me this long to figure this incredible time and frustration saver out. My name is Anne and I'm a . . .
Tuesday: I was able to go to my happy place. Being with the participants of Independence Place is my favorite way to spend my time. After I left there, I ran a couple of errands, then decided I did not want to cook. Instead we went to our little neighborhood place without knowing it was trivia night.
We were not technically playing but TheHub and I were telling each other the answers. The table next to us was playing as a team and overheard us talking to each other (One of their team members was all but sitting in my lap and could not help but overhearing) Anyway they used a few of our answers as theirs. We left before the game was officially over but I hope we helped them win.
We will be going back soon to officially play.
Wednesday: I had a library book that was due by 5:11 pm. I do mostly digital loans that disappear as soon as the allotted date and time is over. Since I was not quite halfway through I was compelled to read the day away. It was great!
Thursday: Had a call from Sluggy while she was waiting for her connecting flight from DFW to the Louisiana swamp. It is always great to talk with her. We do disagree about DFW. She hates it. If we fly American, I will only take the flight if the plane stops in Dallas. I will take it any day over flying through Charlotte. I cannot stand that airport.
I know Birmingham is a second tier airport, but it seems every flight I have ever taken from Birmingham that connects in Charlotte disembarks at the last gate in the farthest terminal then the connection is on the other terminal in the upper side of the "U". The connecting to come home is the exact thing in reverse.
Do me a favor and give me Dallas.
Son3 and DIL3 came to town. We had purchased a table at the Parkinson's fundraiser for the two of us, them and Son2 and DIL2. This year it was held at the Grand Bohemian (a local hotel) which was the best venue of any of the Parkinson's events we have been to. Hats off to the TFAC committee. Top to bottom it was the best one we have ever been to. I did bid on a piece of art (I use that term loosely) that I did not want. (I had been chatting unknowingly with the "artist" who led me to her piece that was in the silent auction. I put a nominal bid on it quite early hoping I would be outbid. I wasn't!
I might still have the addresses of bloggers who participated in the Blogger Christmas Card Exchange. Do not be surprised if one of you someday gets a surprise package containing a tree with leaves made of random earrings glued to a piece of painted palette wood. I will select the victim giftee carefully if I decide it is worth the postage to get rid of it.
Friday: Son3 and DIL3 had a quick cup of coffee and then were off to do a few things in town before heading back to Nashville. After they left I ran a few errands, came home and at least thought about cooking dinner. We wanted to eat early so we could watch Alabama's softball get slaughtered by Tennessee. Once the massacre was over we watched "We Were The Lucky Ones" which we really were enjoying.
Saturday: TheHub and I did some running around, first to the produce stand, then to gas up for an unanticipated road trip Sunday. After that we headed to the nursery to buy some plants. I am looking for hellebores and am having a hard time finding what I want. Even so, we came home with lantana, a lime tree, several herbs, and something else, but I can't for the life of me remember what it was.
Once home we had a quick and simple lunch then watched Alabama baseball. I am pretty sure at some point we both watched from our specific seats with our eyes closed, and slacked jaws.
At least I did manage to see the last two innings, which was better than the other person in the room did.
Once he woke After he quit watching things with his eyes closed we did watch the latest episode of "We Were The Lucky Ones" before halfway watching/listening to Alabama softball. While the game was on, we sat in the kitchen with the volume up while we worked on plans for our upcoming trip.
Sunday: We started the day at church, came home for about 10 minutes then headed out the door to make a quick trip to Decatur. Sone 3 had left his computer here Friday morning and needed it for work. When he called us Saturday to tell us he was going to drive here to get it, we suggested it would be easy for us to meet him halfway, grab a bite to eat and hand over the goods. Athens, Alabama is actually the halfway point, but he had never been to Big Bob Gibson's before and wanted to try it. We were so happy DIL3 came along for the ride. Even though we had just seen them earlier in the week, it was great to see them again.
On the ride home we talked with Son2 and DIL2 who asked us to come see how the work on their new place has progressed. We stopped by our house, changed shoes (I had been in Sunday shoes long enough) and were walking out the door when we ran into our neighbors. We had a nice short visit with them, then headed to their house.
I knew their plans and have been talking to them regularly about what all they were doing, but the house barely resembled the one they bought. It is a virtually new home inside the existing shell. I love every single thing they had done to it, and once they move in it will feel like they are in a vacation home. It sits on a gorgeous lake with two sunrooms overlooking the water, along with either 3 or 4 decks and porches. There is also a boat house with a covered deck over the water.
It is going to be a wonderful place for them to live. TheHub has said once he retires he would not mind going out there any time they need supervision on any projects they might have going on while they are at work. Of course he might "supervise" while holding a fishing pole in one hand.
We finally got back to the house a little after 7, ate a quick dinner then watched an episode of "Fargo" season 5.
Now it is late night, or early morning. I am listening to owls hooting and wondering what tasty tidbit they are hunting. I can spare a chipmunk or two!
April reading
How Do I Un-remember This
The Whispering Room
The Crooked Staircase
Beasts Of A Little Land
Have a great week and look for your joys. They are always out there no matter how large or small.
This past week I was not really on or anywhere near the targeted meal plan. I would like to say the lack of my adherence to the plan bothered me, but honestly I don't care. Who's sorry now?
Not Me!
Planned:
1. Huli Huli chicken
2. Grilled grouper, tossed salad, dinner rolls
3. Burgers with all the fixings
4. Salad meal TBD
5. Chicken salad open face sandwich, fruit salad
6. Veggie meal
7. Out to eat or take out
VS
What Happened:
Sunday: We had shopped at our favorite fish monger's Saturday and bought some gorgeous fish.
Grilled Tilefish, coleslaw, rolls
Monday: I forgot to write down what we had Monday. Whatever it was I had it on hand and it required minimal prep.
Something forgettable possibly even regrettable
Tuesday: We decided to run up to The Electric for a quick dinner
Wedge salad
Wednesday: Another day of not wanting to really cook
Penne pasta with vodka sauce, tossed salad
Thursday: When I was meal planning I forgot we had a fundraiser Thursday night.
Herb roasted chicken on a bed of quinoa, with brussels sprouts, mixed greens salad, basque cake with a mixed berry compote.
Friday: We usually go out to eat n Friday, but we had been to the "do" Thursday and decided to eat at home
Burgers with all the fixings
Saturday: I had taken chicken out of the freezer and was committed but did not get it marinated in time to make huli huli chicken. Instead I punted.
4. Tuna steak, mashed potatoes, some green veggie, coleslaw
5. Out to eat
6. Spaghetti with meat sauce, tossed salad Tacos (Spaghetti doesn't sound good after all)
7. Sandwich meal TBD
Have a great week staying on plan, going off plan, or with no plan at all.
*The fish sandwich and chips is a definite, because it is after dinner Sunday night as I am typing this and we have already eaten. Every other menu item is subject to the discretion of whomever is making the meal. (Which, unless TheHub brings home takeout, will be me)
We had things planned for the week. Some happened, and some were cancelled because of rain. Drats!!!
Monday: We traveled to Nashville to see/hear DIL3's album release show. Naturally we loved being there to see her preform, but we also got to see a couple of guys who went to school in New York with Son3. It was good to see them and to also see some of their friends in Nashville we have been around a few times.
It was a great show and though we were invited to the after party, we opted out. It was a night for them to be celebrating with their friends and not feeling like they had to entertain us.
If any of you ever have a chance to go to the Basement downtown, take advantage of it. It is a very cool venue.
Tuesday: We stayed at a hotel on the southern outskirts of Nashville, which made our trip home so much easier than staying in East Nashville.
We woke fairly early, had breakfast then headed home. The trip back to Birmingham was an uneventful, beautiful drive.
It is so nice to be able to drive to Nashville, see them, then head back home, instead of doing what we formerly had to do and fly. We can actually be there almost as fast as it took us to get to the airport, park, go through security and get on the plane. There is a huge joy in the simplicity of car travel.
Wednesday: I missed my class to wait at home for the guy who takes care of our lawn. We have had some landscaping work done and I needed to be here to tell him a couple of changes to the routine. Some are temporary until the new sod has a chance to take root, but some of the changes were to the sprinkler system (new heads and such).
I had a hard time getting in touch with him and the yard needed some attention badly.
It was worth missing my class to get the lawn looking better, since delaying would be iffy. The weather forecast was for high chances of rain for the rest of the week.
Thursday: This was almost a do nothing day. I had planned on going to a local garden's annual sale, but rain changed that.
I did run to the store to pick up a couple of things, but other than that it was a rainy, windy, gloomy stay at home kind of day.
Friday: I talked to 2/3 of my sons.
Son1 told me about Pip’s Listening Party. She is a huge Taylor Swift fan and it seems TS dropped a new album. She invited 5 friends to dress in an outfit based one of each of TS’s album themes, I think she claimed the newest one for herself. They listened to songs, sang, watched videos, ate dinner, and had a heart shaped cake that oozed strawberry “blood”. The cake was supposed to mean something but I am tragically unhip and have no clue what that might be. All I know is I got a video of one of the kids stabbing said cake while all the other Taylor wannabes cheered. I do love being included in her life even if it is from afar.
While the party was going on, TheHub and I went to a nearby community theater’s production of 'Fiddler on the Roof”.
One of the participants of Independence Place loves theater and was cast in the ensemble. He had been asking me to come for quite a while, so of course we went. This is TheHub's all time favorite musical. It was his 3rd time seeing the play, but my 5th.
They did quite a good job with the performance, had a couple of extraordinary vocalists, and a few very talented dancers. A play about Russian Jews is not a great fit with Southern accents but after a few minutes Tevye's long drawn out vowels just became part of the play. What did I expect? It was community theater in an Alabama town.
We did make a decision to start going to a few of the community theaters around town for some inexpensive local entertainment.
Saturday: We did our usual running around, came home to a lot of mutual reading, trip planning, and of course Alabama softball watching.
Pip Face-timed me to tell me all about the party, and talked about everything Taylor Swift. While we were talking she got her Dad's ukulele and had him show her some cords to a song or two.
Even though I personally could not care less about Taylor, I am going to start listening to her music and learn to play some of her songs on my uke, so we can have more to share when she calls.
Sunday: I want to know what sort of sorcery this was. I woke with every joint screaming at me, and got out of bed FREEZING. Ok not truly freezing but the house was cold and after my shower I had to throw on long pants and a sweatshirt. We are on the other side of mid April and it is supposed to be warm. I cried foul! Didn’t do any good, but it made me feel better. Hey April! I should be wearing shorts and flip flops. Let’s get with the program ok!
The upside? Reading on the couch while covered in a blanket was a good way to spite Mother Nature.
April reading
How Do I Un-remember This
The Whispering Room
The Crooked Staircase
Look for your joys. They are always out there even if they are small.
When I looked over the planned vs what happened list, I realized we had 5 out of the 7 nights of the week that coincided. That is almost a record for me. I feel good!
Planned:
1. Sandwich meal
2. Tuna steaks, asparagus, some sort of potato, coleslaw, Italian bread
3. Salad, tuna dip, crackers
4.Veggie meal TBD
5. Huli huli chicken, tossed salad, maybe rice, maybe not
6. Steak, baked potato, tossed salad
7. Out to eat
VS
What Happened:
Sunday: It was a perfect day to cook on the grill, so I have no idea why I chose to just sear inside. "My name is Anne and I'm . . .)
Tuna steaks, new potatoes, asparagus, sliced tomatoes
Monday. We had to be in Nashville for an evening event and wanted something to eat before hand. I packed a small cooler with a couple of drinks and sandwiches which we ate in the hotel.
Pimento cheese sandwiches
Tuesday: We drove back from Nashville and had planned a meal that required no cooking.
Tossed salad, smoked tuna dip, crackers
Wednesday: Veggie meal night. I had bought a couple of things at the produce stand Saturday that needed to be used.
Collards, squash and onions, tomato cucumber red onion salad, cornbread
Thursday: TheHub had eaten lunch at Cracker Barrel and brought home another $5 small plate for us to share
Smoked chicken, mashed potatoes, tossed salad
Friday: We had an event to go to and it lasted a little longer than we thought it would. We stopped and picked up a late late dinner on the way home.
Mushroom burger or grilled cheese
Saturday: Neither of us were particularly hungry and there was no reason to cook a real meal.
Chicken noodle soup
What's next?
1. Huli Huli chicken
2. Grilled grouper, tossed salad, dinner rolls
3. Burgers with all the fixings
4. Salad meal TBD
5. Chicken salad open face sandwich, fruit salad
6. Veggie meal
7. Out to eat or take out
Have a great week staying on plan, going off plan, or with no plan at all.
