I only need her a couple days a week, for a scattered week here and there, but Kate just does not like being home "alone" (=with Alex) for long days while I'm at work. I guess I don't blame her -- staying in the house all day for days on end probably isn't ideal. Hopefully when the nanny is there they can go out exploring/shopping a little bit. My next-door neighbor also offered her backyard pool on some of those summer days. AND I'm going to try to work out having 1 day a week to work from home during those weeks.*
It'll be great. Can you believe it's already almost summer??
That reminds me: We've had some really lovely weather lately -- cool spring mornings, very warm in the afternoons but not yet humid and miserable, which is how our summers feel to me. My plants, so far, are hanging in there and doing quite well (no jinxes!!). I still should have put more petunias in each container (they seem a little sparse) but they are flowering, I'm remembering to water and dead-head them, and I'm even rotating the hanging baskets -- which are full-sun plants but hanging in mostly shade -- to the driveway every few days to get a good dose of light. I'm super proud of myself. My Mom gave me the Grumpy Gardener's A to Z book for an early birthday gift, and I just love it.
Back to summer: Not long from now, the kids will be off on their 2-week camp adventure. Kate has a couple of classmates joining her this year, and yesterday after Girl Scouts she was so happy to be the "expert," telling them what to pack. She had a moment, earlier in the year, where she didn't want these school friends encroaching on "her" summer experience (and I can totally sympathize with that), but she is managing to be gracious about it. She told me now she wants to tell them everything, but also doesn't want to ruin the experience for them, which is sweet of her.
Instead of typing up my menu plan for the week (which was a good one, but a lot of the usuals), let's talk about summer food. The one meal we do in the summer that we don't during other times of the year is grilled chicken kabobs over rice. Peppers and onions, too.
I would like to have more meals that are specific to summer. Not necessarily grilled ones, because we still don't have a great grill. Someday. Someday when we have extra money to spend. For now our little Weber is going to have to do. But besides the grill, what feels "summery" to you? Oh, here is one that we do, because it's very spicy so we have to save it for when the kids are away:
Shrimp Durango - https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/18130/shrimp-durango/ - I love it. Love love love. Cilantro, white wine, and butter. It's like I've died and gone to heaven.
And here are some that I'd like to try, with the kids:
Lobster Rolls - https://thesuburbansoapbox.com/easy-classic-lobster-rolls/ - since we are not New Englanders, we don't eat this very often but I know I would love it
Cowboy Pasta Salad - https://bellyfull.net/2017/06/05/cowboy-pasta-salad/ - My Dad might argue that cowboys don't eat salad, but it sounds delicious!
Crunchy Asain Ramen Salad - https://www.gimmesomeoven.com/crunchy-asian-ramen-noodle-salad/ - I already love this and have made it once or twice for myself or for parties. Might add some shrimp or even grilled chicken for the boys in my house who need their meat.
I need to get to my real work, I guess, boo. Hope you're having a good week, Internet friends!
*I really wish I had been called to teaching. You'd have thought, after all the time I spent playing teacher when I was little, there'd have been some inkling toward that career path. But no. I think I was looking for the glamour of the business world. (haha!) I also played "office" when I was little. Probably I thought corporate work was somehow better than teaching --more polished, or more professional. I am sure I thought it paid more (but guess what...?) Office work certainly has a few perks, like travel (international travel in my case) and not being on my feet all day and not working with other peoples' snot-nosed kids. Heh. But seriously, Kate and Alex, when you're planning your careers, THINK OF THE SUMMERS.
That reminds me: We've had some really lovely weather lately -- cool spring mornings, very warm in the afternoons but not yet humid and miserable, which is how our summers feel to me. My plants, so far, are hanging in there and doing quite well (no jinxes!!). I still should have put more petunias in each container (they seem a little sparse) but they are flowering, I'm remembering to water and dead-head them, and I'm even rotating the hanging baskets -- which are full-sun plants but hanging in mostly shade -- to the driveway every few days to get a good dose of light. I'm super proud of myself. My Mom gave me the Grumpy Gardener's A to Z book for an early birthday gift, and I just love it.
Back to summer: Not long from now, the kids will be off on their 2-week camp adventure. Kate has a couple of classmates joining her this year, and yesterday after Girl Scouts she was so happy to be the "expert," telling them what to pack. She had a moment, earlier in the year, where she didn't want these school friends encroaching on "her" summer experience (and I can totally sympathize with that), but she is managing to be gracious about it. She told me now she wants to tell them everything, but also doesn't want to ruin the experience for them, which is sweet of her.
Instead of typing up my menu plan for the week (which was a good one, but a lot of the usuals), let's talk about summer food. The one meal we do in the summer that we don't during other times of the year is grilled chicken kabobs over rice. Peppers and onions, too.
I would like to have more meals that are specific to summer. Not necessarily grilled ones, because we still don't have a great grill. Someday. Someday when we have extra money to spend. For now our little Weber is going to have to do. But besides the grill, what feels "summery" to you? Oh, here is one that we do, because it's very spicy so we have to save it for when the kids are away:
Shrimp Durango - https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/18130/shrimp-durango/ - I love it. Love love love. Cilantro, white wine, and butter. It's like I've died and gone to heaven.
And here are some that I'd like to try, with the kids:
Lobster Rolls - https://thesuburbansoapbox.com/easy-classic-lobster-rolls/ - since we are not New Englanders, we don't eat this very often but I know I would love it
Cowboy Pasta Salad - https://bellyfull.net/2017/06/05/cowboy-pasta-salad/ - My Dad might argue that cowboys don't eat salad, but it sounds delicious!
Crunchy Asain Ramen Salad - https://www.gimmesomeoven.com/crunchy-asian-ramen-noodle-salad/ - I already love this and have made it once or twice for myself or for parties. Might add some shrimp or even grilled chicken for the boys in my house who need their meat.
I need to get to my real work, I guess, boo. Hope you're having a good week, Internet friends!
*I really wish I had been called to teaching. You'd have thought, after all the time I spent playing teacher when I was little, there'd have been some inkling toward that career path. But no. I think I was looking for the glamour of the business world. (haha!) I also played "office" when I was little. Probably I thought corporate work was somehow better than teaching --more polished, or more professional. I am sure I thought it paid more (but guess what...?) Office work certainly has a few perks, like travel (international travel in my case) and not being on my feet all day and not working with other peoples' snot-nosed kids. Heh. But seriously, Kate and Alex, when you're planning your careers, THINK OF THE SUMMERS.
No comments:
Post a Comment