Well, my favorite party-colored food is pasta salad, with tri-color rotini, olives, corn, edamame, maybe some atichoke hearts, green onions, kidney beans, garbanzo beans, bits of colorful bell pepper, perhaps some fresh mozzarella chunks and what-have-you, with a light dressing. And maybe I'll make that again tomorrow.
But tonight is dedicated to a festive potato roast: white, red, little purple ones from the garden, sweet potato, all cut up and complimented by white and red onion bits, garlic, sliced mushrooms, some red yellow orange mini bell peppers, olive oil and seasoning.
What party-colored foods are on your menu?
Any and all whines and anti-whines also welcome. ;)
~~~~~~~~~
BOOK CLUB: July 10, 2013 - Les Miserables [2012 movie version]. This
was PK's suggestion -- with the movie modification because such a long
book seemed too much to ask.
Feel free to join in if you saw this, or read the book!
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54 comments:
Party! Coloured food!! Yay!!
Our pretty food tonight will be sushi - as requested by hubby who is celebrating a birthday today.
AW: Two more weeks until workshop and a week after that - vacation!!
W: Two. More. Weeks.
W: Annoying twitch in my left eyelid. It isn't so bad that anyone else can see it, but it about makes me cray. Just sayin'...
W: Wedding from he*l on the weekend. I was a guest, not the presider - thank goodness!
Bride, beautiful.
Groom, handsome.
Guests - 200+ OUTDOORS
Rain - in abundance.
Tent - leaky, cold, miserable, and LOUD!
Meal - delish when we finally got to eat, which was after 8:00 pm.
Ugh. The worst part was that the bridal party stayed in the warm dry house for 2 hours while their guests were cold, wet and hungry in the tent right outside the doors. Who does that??????!!!!
The whole thing was a trainwreck. I felt badly for MotB who is a friend of mine. She spent every waking hour for the past year making sure everything was perfect.
In the end, it was anything but perfect. When I was ready to leave (about 15 minutes after we finishe eating) three people could see I was heading to my car and asked if I would take them into town as well. Like rats escaping a sinking ship....
Ya. Good times......
It goes without saying that the Trainwreck Wedding was a perfect storm of head pain. Weather system, crazy loud tent (from the rain pounding on it) and late dinner.
Oh ya - hurtin'
Happy birthday to Sue's sweetie!!! Sushi is a great party-colored food for an auspicious occasion. ;)
Oh, that wedding does sound like a mess. I'm really not understanding the part about abandoning all those hungry guests to the cold leaky tent for 2 hours. Hope the headache has subsided.
I know! When the bridal party finally appeared, no one seemed to be bleeding profusely or distraught. Actually, they were quite happy and cheerful - unlike their guests. No wonder - they had been partying indoors for 2 hours!
At that point, only a major crisis would have sufficed as an explanation. Seriously.
Oh, Sue, that's terrible. The Baboos and I had to leave a wedding reception after being there for two hours with no dinner served. Wedding was at 3:00, no dinner till 8:00. That was a caterer issue, but still. Ugh.
Sure, it's their big happy day, but they invited GUESTS, which means they are HOSTS. The LOVE ought to extend to the people who showed up in the rain and brought good wishes (and presents).
Probably picture taking.
Pretty party food? Fruit salad. Veggie plates with creamy dill dip.
15 bean salad.
I don't believe in making guests wait 2 hours so there can be staged photos -- not of the event, but of a fake event to which the guests aren't invited.
Oooh, Liz -- lovely food suggestions!
I don't think it's justifiable, but I'm guessing that's where they were for those 2 hours.
Oof. Outdoor rainy weddings, with the whole event taking place in one location. We had about two hours of turnaround between wedding and reception, but they were in two locations, and in a city, and we asked local friends and family to make plans with the out-of-towners in between. I believe our supper was served at 4pm, because I'd recently been to a nightmare of a wedding, where we spent 12 hours in a hall about 45 minutes outside of the nearest city or town, and where the food wasn't served for HOURS, while they went away to take pictures.
And then when the reception actually started, they had "fun games" before the food! Whaaaaat?! After that, we prioritized quick access to food and a short day for everyone, for our own wedding. And a lot of food. So much food.
AW/W: So, we're moving twice after all! We toured the apartment at New Place, after committing to move there, and it's TINY. Like, put most of our stuff in storage, and some of our bedroom furniture in the entryway tiny. That was a surprise, because the square footage is only slightly lower than our house's. However, there's a giant entryway that is bigger than any bedroom, which eats up most of the square footage.
But: convenient location, central air, good kitchen, and the price is right. So, instead of doing a year lease, we're renting month-to-month (which was an option, thankfully), and then going with our original plan of moving into my cousin's basement suite when their house is finished.
AW: My cousin's house is only two blocks away from the apartment. Easy move at Christmas!
AW: It's weirdly fun figuring out how little we'll need over the next 5-6 months. Planning exactly which board games and books we want around, and packing the rest. It helps that the kitchen is good, and that most of my kitchen won't need to go into storage. But the baby's dresser? Her clothes can fit in the closet. Mr. Q's extensive Sci-Fi collection? He's read them all, and only wants to read library books right now.
It's like we're planning an extended vacation at a surprisingly nice hotel that has suites.
AW: when we first considered the moving twice option, we thought we'd have to live in a dingy single-bedroom apartment, or a friend's basement, because no one would want to take on 5 month renters. I don't care if our bedroom's tiny, if we can have a wall separating us from Li'l E!
AW: It will be fun to live in the top floor of an apartment building for a few months, but it will also be nice to move out before the baby's really walking (and banging around for the neighbours below).
AW: I don't have to let go of my lovely house sharing plan after all! Gorgeous home! Energy efficient everything! Big shared garden! Canning together! A dog to play with, and take for walks during the day, but that doesn't live in my own suite!
I can handle moving twice to make that happen.
Also, a small whine from a smaller E:
She would like to register her complaint that she's pretty sure she's able to crawl, but for some reason she keeps going backwards, and always ends up stuck under the futon. This is a source of some consternation, and to make matters worse, her parents keep laughing at her.
Aw, Lil E, hang in there! It will all click for you and you will go forward pretty soon.
QWP, glad you got the living situation figured out. I feel weighed down by our stuff every so often and fantasize about a teensy house so we could get rid of some/most of it. You'll have the best of both worlds.
AW: Best Babysitter in the World and her Mama came to pick up Baboos this morning for fun in the country. They came home at lunchtime, and I had a few hours of blessed peace and quiet at home. So nice.
W: Mini is now taking a nap, which will ruin bedtime. Sigh. She's at an in between stage, where she probably needs a nap but then she stays up all hours of the night with mischief.
QWP -- the moving backwards at first is actually a Thing that babies do! Doesn't last long.
Really great solution to the housing challenge!
Yay, Esperanza got a mom's morning off! Oy, about the in-between thing with naps -- soooo good at the time, kinda ugly later.
I just made peach freezer jam and somehow forgot to measure the peaches before I added the sugar/ lemon juice/ pectin. Duh. I hope it sets.
It's going to be fine, JenR! Maybe it will be more like syrup, but so what?
Anyway, the things that gel -- they never look like they are going to, before they do.
Oh boy! Jam adventures: I've been there. If it doesn't set, you have a nice peach sauce for on top of ice cream. I've also whisked it into barbecue sauce with some kind of spice.
W: While (AW!) Downstairs Girl found a place to move right away, she moved with my frying pan and pot. I reminded her that she has these. She said "I forgot!" and I hope I see them again.
W: Showings of the house while we're packing and moving. I told the r3alt0r that we can't promise the house will be staged or anything (we're moving a month early to make selling the house easier!), it's still going to be a hassle. Also, the house is way overpriced, and the listing doesn't mention anything about how it's As Is, and needs at least $100,00 in repairs (or to be demolished). Resisting the urge to write "CAVEAT EMPTOR" on the door.
QWP--
I am awed and amazed at the way that you are always able to look at the positive side of things. You are my new role model in that department!
:)
--Neighbor Lady
Fire-ee from last week's whining? Already moved out of town. Gone. Hope he didn't burn too many bridges. Bit of consternation on Mr. E's part, with unhappy church members. Knew it was coming, but still have to deal with it. Another meeting tonight...no Daddy eating supper with us...sigh.
NL -- awesome recognition of QWP's personal superpower!
Esperanza -- it will all work out, sometime. Have some festive BBQ with peach sauce! Or chocolate.
Nomination for QWP's award-worthy positive attitude!
esperanza - ah, the dreaded meetings. ~sigh~
Yay JenR for peachy freezer jam!! Yum!!
I need QWP as a personal life coach right now. :-/
In that spirit, here are my AWs!!!
AW: My new job is Teh Awesome. Srsly. I work from home most days. I work a standard shift with very little work outside of normal hours. My new manager and I get along and respect each other. I feel uniquely qualified for this position. The Work Albatross is history. There is so much WIN, Pixies.
AW: Both Teen Daughter and Tween Son are home for the next few weeks. I've missed them.
AW: My sometimes SIL(fh) is turning out to be really cool and she has been a huge support during this time with the Relative With Mental Health Challenges.
AW: Working from home means my abode stays cleaner which makes me happier.
AW: Working from home means I get to see my Offspring more!
For colorful food, I am bringing my Taco Soup topped with cubed avocado and sliced green onions. It is purdy. And delicious. And gluten free (did I tell you all went gluten free - I feel much better which I should have added to the AWs above!)
I feel bad for Mr. Esperanza right now with all the firing drama. And Baboos who miss eating dinner with their Daddy.
Sue, you remind me why I often do not attend weddings. My head is pounding sympathetically.
Yay, Miranda! This job sounds great.
Really nice that SIL(fh) is being helpful in the situation with your ill relative.
and mmmm, the soup sounds delicious!
Yay Miranda for some Anti-whines of Awesomeness!!
Dear goodness, do I ever want that Taco Soup. Okay, I don't want it today (soooo hoooooot).
W: The heat. Only three more weeks until central air. Three very hot weeks. We have All The Fans, and our house is almost always hotter than outside. This house is making sure that we don't miss it at all.
AW: Going to the splash pad right away, to help the baby survive the heat. And then we're buying Slushy Beverages, and I'll let her hug the cup.
AW: Downstairs Girl has moved out!
W: And she left our recycling bin overflowing with uncollapsed boxes and styrofoam. And the garbage bin with unbagged garbage, and left the lid up in a rainstorm while we were gone.
The house and Downstairs Girl are making sure that we don't miss them.
Downstairs Girl certainly knows how to make an exit! Maybe you can consider the lost frying pan a present, because that is altogether better than meeting up again. So long, DG!
QWP, you really did try to raise her right, insofar as the bins and such go. She will someday begin to appreciate the "responsibility toward others" end of the social compact.
Hope the heat cools down, for those presently sweltering.
I did try to raise her right, didn't I? I told her that she needed to do this all properly before she left, and so now there are collapsed boxes overflowing from the bin, and the styrofoam is sitting unbagged in the garbage bin. So: almost?
AW: we met (part of) the new buyers for our house, and it turned out to be a best-case scenario for everyone!
So, we got locked out of our house this afternoon (that's a story for another time), and while we were waiting for our property manager, we watched the house across the street get demolished! It became quite the event for the whole neighbourhood.
When they finished, the owner of the demolition company got talking with Mr. Q, and informed him that the same developer bought our house yesterday, and then sold the physical house to the demolition guy, who is going to take the house (minus crumbling foundation), and move it to a nearby small town, for his daughter. We met the daughter an her kids, and told her that she'll have a lovely home, once it's on a proper foundation. (It's adorable.)
So: the owners got close to their asking price, and won't have to watch their beloved home get demolished (they've spent years trying to save it), the developer will be able to put in a duplex-style condo across the street from the playground, and this lovely family gets a nice home. And we no longer have to live in this warm house with crumbling foundation.
Okay, so maybe I am feeling pretty look-on-the-bright-side this week!
AW: we only had to have one showing of this house! I can make this house chaotic with boxes and not have to worry about strangers in my home.
W: Bark. In the carseat. In the leather seats of Daddy's car. Culprit: a carsick Sweet. Co-culprit: I'm suspecting Mini as the adjuster of the rear controls on the air conditioner. All the way to heat. No wonder I thought his air conditioner was broken. (My car is getting its little plastic parts replaced this week). Hot car + Sweet = bark.
AW: at least she's not really sick.
Gross gross gross! But, I believe A Clean Person's advice for bark + handbag would apply here: http://thehairpin.com/2011/06/ask-a-clean-person-barfy-bags-and-sappy-cars
Saddle soap!
Oh, Esperanza. That is bad bad bad. Duct tape should work to keep the controls from being adjusted, but alas, a lesson learned too late.
There's a "rear control lock" button. One would think that said button would lock the rear controls. It locks the blower control only, which is the only damn thing I can control from the front. SO ready to have my car back and let Mr. E drive his beloved minivan. I will be checking the rear controls now, and Mini has received a lecture regarding pushing buttons. Surely the smell of bark all the way home made an impression on her.
You win.
Oh no esperanza. Just oh, no.
I think it's all clean now. Even after teh beloved minivan was parked in the heat for a couple hours, no lingering smell of bark.
QWP's link made me laugh -- worthless drunk boyfriends who barf in their girlfriend's leather goods. Kid bark is ever so much nicer.
And, at least that's done, Esperanza. Bleah.
Kathy A, her upcoming book on cleaning is named after that post, and rightly so.
The best AW of my week: we're hiding from the heat and humidity (it's one of those hot-on-the-edge-of-a-thunderstorm days) by taking over my in-laws' house while they're at work. We're having a sleepover here tonight, and so we came over at lunchtime. Now, on my in-laws' orders, we're hanging out in the a/c air, eating their junk food. Glorious!
(I'm a crazy person, because the first thing I did when I got here was make a cup of tea. It's been killing me that it's too hot to make tea at my house. I'm the exact opposite of Mr. Q's student who wears shorts until January.)
iced tea, QWP, iced tea. But I'm glad you're getting some free air conditioning.
Very satisfactory day, none of which was planned in advance. Hmm.
W: I am gaining weight. After a long stretch of losing weight for no discenible reason (scary! and not at all like my body), a round of antibiotics for my gut, now apparently nutrients (and non-nutrients) are being absorbed again. And, weight gain. Once I figured out the weight loss wasn't dire, I kinda started to like it you know? Now, gaining weight kinda stinks. Thyroid ok, just checked yesterday. Apparently, this is just what happens when we hit a certain age. Kinda like holding the reading material further away. BAH!
So, even with all my dietary changes (no dairy! etc.), I still can't eat as much as I want and not exercise. So, I am starting with walking, and have recruited Neighbor Boy as my "coach" for the summer. We'll see...
At least my body is behaving somewhat more like its old, annoying self, which I guess is good, but I feel blobby, and I don't like it!!!!
Wah, wah, wah.
Also, Neighbor Guy has been away at a conference all week, so it has been just me and Neighbor Boy, which has mostly been lovely. But, I am ready for NG to return, which he does tomorrow. Yay!
--Neighbor Lady
NL, sounds like the whatever has worked itself out, so that's good! NB as a coach is brilliant!
But I do hear ya on unexpected weight gain. Not that I was ever svelte, but somehow another 15 lbs. snuck in here, and it's so not faaaaiiirrrrrr.
In totally unrelated news, daughter did not get the job she really really wanted, so tonight is Food That Daughter Wants night. And she wants a cheeseburger and curly fries. She can actually use the weight, but those curly fries are going to torment me.
Awards later or tomorrow.
I forgot to AW -- my beloved got a temporary order allowing him to manage SIL's affairs, so he can start sorting the disaster. His sister now has her own appointed lawyer, and everybody will go back in August for the final hearing.
SIL's gone back to multiple daily telephone calls. "Pick me up at 3:30." "I need more clothes." "I need to go to a hotel, right away." Wanting the number of her ex, yet again, because he isn't answering her many calls. (Cluesticking finally worked on the fireplacing ex.) Unfortunately, she is also really worked up about the ex, restlessly pacing around looking for him all the time. "When is ex going to call?" "Ex will be here at 10:00."
SIL has one of the less popular dementias, one where early onset is usual and really disrupted behavior is a common feature. An exciting AW is that the Big U Teaching Hospital that diagnosed her goes out to do training for staff at memory care facilities, about the more rare dementias and behavioral challenges -- they're looking into visiting SIL's facility!
Oh, good, Kathy a. A visit from them to help educate SIL's staff might help so much. Sometimes, shifting someone's lens helps so much with increasing empathy etc.
Hugs and good thoughts for you...
--Neighbor Lady
I know! Knowing more about this thing helps -- and I also hope there are some practical tips about "redirecting" the behaviors; and about meds (some are really NOT indicated for this dementia).
A visit might also give them a chance to see SIL and do an informal assessment of her functioning, several months out from their evaluation -- which would be great. This Big U memory clinic has been enormously helpful to us, very responsive and informative. We're very interested in supporting their research, too -- there is just so much else going on that we do not know when we can get SIL back to the clinic for a followup.
AW: Excellent visit with local seniors this morning.
AW: excellent write-up in local paper on excellent visit with local seniors.
W: The comments. Lord, the comments. Three are anti, and two of them focus on DH. Who is not running. Can't a woman get a little hatred thrown her way on her own account?
Go, Liz!
On behalf of every sane person living in this state, I apologize for Texas. Good grief.
On the other hand, taxpayer funded entertainment!
Esperanza, I am so sorry about what's going on in your lege, but wow, I'm loving the activists who are standing up!
Yes, at least they are showing we're not all a bunch of idiots.
I miss Molly.
oh, excuse me? confiscating tampons, because the lege is afraid those ladies will throw them after the vote???? that is about the lamest thing i ever heard in my life.
Oh my goodness, is that ever messed up.
Petty-ish whine of I-know-it's-been-solved-but-I'm-still-annoyed: So, my friend's kid sister (A) is having a baby right away, and she has no money and is quasi-on her own (and quasi-with the no-good father). A mutual friend, T, offered to give A a carseat, because her twins are well past a year old now, and she's done having kids. She's been confirming this plan all along, and now A is coming into town this week to pick up the carseat, because the hospital won't let you out unless you have the baby in a car seat.
So, I just called T, and she told me that she decided not to do this, but instead to give A $50 toward her own, because the twins still fit their seats and she's not ready to move them up to the next size. (I honestly thought they were using the next size up already, because she said that was happening a month ago.)
Okay, I get it. And $50 is a huge amount for a present for you friend's sister. But a.) she promised something, and now it's the last minute, and it's hard to arrange something else at this point; b.) the cheapest car seat for sale is another $50 more, and that's a huge amount for someone on the brink of social assistance. I also told A to get a specific brand of stroller (the easiest to find at garage sales, and the same brand as the seat), so that she could use the two parts together, and it turns out that it's hard to find that brand of carseat in stock in the city, at this exact moment.
Well, at first we were going to help buy a seat, and I found another mutual friend to chip in, but now I found out that this mutual friend found someone else who will lend her car seat, and will drop it off today.
So, AW: an uncomfortable situation has been averted, but W: I'm still annoyed with T. I guess I'd have been less annoyed if she's come to this decision months ago, and hadn't repeatedly promised something.
Yep. Hence my apology.
Nope, no tampons allowed...but guns, those are ok?!?!?!?
Sheesh.
What is this world coming to?!
(I now sound like a crotchety grandmother!)
Yike
--Neighbor lady
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