Before breakfast, I went to feed and love kitties. I have this vivid memory of sitting in Momma's chair, all of the tasks completed, with Hadley purring on my chest. Closing my eyes and rocking, I felt every bit of anxiety melt out of my mind and muscles. It's amazing, really, that this little bundle of fur and warmth can have such a healing effect.
The feeling of fall seems to make everything more beautiful to me. There are certain places that always feel like fall: Nana and Grandaddy's house, my kitchen, and TJ Maxx. I can't explain it; it just is. This day was the embodiment of crispness, leisure, and solace. That's not to say that I wasn't busy, because I certainly was. But I never felt overwhelmed by the business.
Breakfast, my P90X phase one usual, was delicious, of course. I just can't say enough about a toasted english muffin with strawberry all fruit and a latte. My mouth waters for this simple delicacy. I knew that when the last crumb had been licked off of my fingers and the foam had been daintily wiped from my lips, it would be time to get to work. That's probably why I savored each delectable morsel so much.
Because I'd been putting off planning menus, today I had to finish that project, then turn the plan into a grocery list, go with Steve to buy groceries, then put everything away and clean and prep the produce. Somewhere in there we also had to eat lunch and dinner, and I had to make and pack lunch for Monday since Steve would be tutoring and I would be going to school to do some work. A year ago I would have piddled and pouted and procrastinated, rationalizing that we could wait one more day. On this day, I picked myself up and followed the advice I often give but seldom practice: just do something, and then you'll probably feel like doing more. It turns out I give excellent advice. A couple of hours later, I had the meal plan on the fridge, grocery list on the counter, and lunch to make.
At some point during my planning it had begun to rain, so lunch was perfect: Stracciatella alla fiorentina. So effort
less to make, and so gratifying to eat. It's basically Italian egg drop soup with parmesan mixed in with the eggs (or egg whites in this case) before they go into the hot chicken broth. This recipe has spinach, and I also added chicken for protein. There is nothing like a bowl of soup on a pseudo-fall day.After lunch, we headed out into the drizzle. TJ Maxx for glass lunch containers (do NOT heat anything in the microwave in plastic), then Farm Fresh and BJ's for food. Finally back home to unload and grab a quick snack of fruit and off for final pet patrol of the day. By the time we were ready to start on dinner, I was famished.
Admittedly, this meal would have been better on a warmer day, eaten on the patio under the sunshine. That's okay, t
hough. It took about twenty minutes to make, which is exactly w
hat I needed right then. Steve grilled Omaha Steaks burgers and toasted buns on the grill while I made a quick salad of tomato, basil, ricotta, and homemade balsamic vinaigrette (next time I'll use plain balsamic vinegar instead). This to me is the supreme summer meal. With the salad and veggies on the burgers, it's fresh and light, but the burgers have the char and smokiness from the grill. Mmmm...After dinner I whipped up Monday's lunch, then sat on the couch to sip a glass of wine and watch some Weeds courtesy of Netflix on the PS3. It was no night at the theater, but it was welcome rest for my weary bones. An hour later, I laid my head on the pillow knowing that today I had accomplished everything that I set out to do. Nothing makes me feel more rested than having my ducks in a row, my eggplant washed and ready for use, and my lunchbag ready for whatever tomorrow holds.
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