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July 25, 2005
We Can Not Put Our Men In Frilly Pink Palaces!
I heard that line on a decorator show once while I was trapped in a hotel room with someone who wanted to watch TV, and it must have stuck in my head because when I saw that the room in our new home that is ideal for MR's office was hot pink, I knew I had to do something. There was no way that MR could accomplish the Great Work (writing the book, that is) in a room with hot pink walls. So my mother and I have been painting.
The good news is that MR's office walls are no longer hot pink -- rather, they are a very unoffensive shade of white. The two windows let in nice hazy sunshine through the giant trees outside in the backyard that should provide a pleasant backdrop as he writes. The bad news is that we're not quite done with the baseboards and the wood frames on the doors, but I hope to get those done tonight. The other bad news is that I can't figure out how to paint the radiator without causing a fire the first time the heat comes on in the winter, so MR may just have a giant hot pink radiator in his office. I hope that doesn't seriously delay the dawn of radical anti-aging biomedicine.
We also painted our bedroom, and I'd have to say that it looks pretty good. I am pleased with the soft white cloud-like effect that is created by three layers of white primer and paint on top of a very bright sky blue original color.
My mother and I have been eating quite a few meals at the new house, including a delicous Saturday night dinner of Trader Joe's meatless meatballs with Trader Joe's artichoke hearts and Trader Joe's (is there a theme here?) tri-color bell pepper mix soaked in Trader Joe's marinara. Yesterday we had Trader Joe's tuna fish for lunch with real North Carolina Mt. Olive hot dog relish and corn on the cob.
We've been eating at the kitchen island, which has two bar stools that pull right up to it, because I am saving the dining room table for the Feast for the First Night of the Orange One In His New Home. Menu to follow... I'll post it once I know he's safely on the plane and can't check the blog.
Today we had a long staff meeting to orient a new staff person who started today, and we ordered in from Panera Bread for lunch. I ate the Fuji apple chicken salad, dressing on the side, with a cup of the lowfat vegetable soup. Not bad, and so much food that I may just drink brewers yeast broth for dinner and call it a day.
Though I have made a dent in the eggwhites I picked up at Trader Joe's weekend before last, our fridge is still looking like an Eggwhite Museum. An entire shelf is taken up by $1.99 eggwhite cartons. It makes me feel safe and secure to be surrounded by eggwhites. And MR and I will go through them fast, as they are the most incredibly versitle protein source I have ever met.
More recipes soon, I promise.
Posted by april at July 25, 2005 5:35 PM
Comments
Oh, weird, I was just craving meatballs and was wondering what type are more CR-friendly than others...I shall try the Trader Joe's meatless after reading about them here! I've had some other brand of meatless and liked them very much but am needing to go to TJ's tonight anyway. Thanks for the idea!
Posted by: Stephanie at July 25, 2005 3:13 PM
April, is there some secret to using eggwhites that I'm not aware of? I bought a small carton of it, tried to make 'scrambled eggs' with it, and what resulted was not edible.. I grant that I'm not much of a cook, but eggs I have down pretty well.. so what am I doing wrong?
I'm thinking peas or garbanzo beans for my morning protein, but is there a better way? I like whole eggs, but then you get all the other gak-like stuff that goes along with it.
Posted by: Gregg at July 25, 2005 10:29 PM
Hey Gregg,
Not edible in what sense? Rubbery? Flavorless? Bitter? Sour? Burnt? Runny? Fishy?
I find egg whites scrambles to be pretty decent if you mix in some healthy oil, fresh veggies, and maybe a sprinkle of high quality Parmesan or Romano cheese (not to be confused with the sawdust that comes in a green can). Salsa can also give egg whites some good kick.
But I'm not much of a cook either. Hopefully April can help you out once she gets done de-pinking the radiator :)
Posted by: Dan at July 26, 2005 12:11 AM
Gregg: Products like Egg Beaters have some gak added to the egg white to make them look and taste more like whole eggs, so they're not ideal or anything. But they might be a good transition product, "egg whites with training wheels" as it were. Once you get used to cooking with Egg Beaters and have several tasty recipes up your sleeve, you can gently ease yourself over to just plain pure egg whites. Add 1/8 pinch tumeric to make them look yolky yellow, if the colorlessness bothers you.
Good luck!
-Liz
Posted by: Liz at July 26, 2005 5:14 AM
Wow, actually something I can answer (since I'm clearly no help on the mysteries of eggwhites). If you want to paint the radiator, you need heat-resistant paint. Dunno if it comes in cans, the only kinds I've encountered are aerosol. You can probably find it at Lowes/Home Depot/your local hardware store: http://www.rustoleum.com/product.asp?frm_product_id=39&SBL=1
FYI, the first time the radiator gets hot, it will smell a bit "painty" for an hour, but that'll go away fast.
Posted by: James at July 26, 2005 6:28 AM
Remembering that "the Internet is your friend" (a phrase drummed into my head by our own MR), I did a little research for you. According to Bob Vila (a genuine home improvement guru), you should use thin coats of either silver or bronze spray paint. Tape a big piece of plastic or cardboard behind the rad, open the windows, don a face mask/scarf and go for it! I'd suggest you leave the window open overnight, as aerosol paint fumes aren't too healthy! Good luck! JD :-)
Posted by: Judith at July 26, 2005 12:05 PM