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November 27, 2005
Family Dinners
Isn't everyone wondering how it went when MR met my parents?
It went beautifully, thank you. On Wednesday night, my step-brother, sister-in-law and niece came for dinner and to stay the night. I made pasta-less CR friendly lasagna that everyone seemed to love, followed by pears poached in port with cinnamon and nutmeg. I wrote already about our delicious Thanksgiving feast. The next day, MR, my dad and step-mother and I piled in the car to visit my grandparents and to take a trip to A Southern Season. My father wore his orange sweater too, so we had two orange men!
The sad part of the journey is that my grandfather, who is 91, is not in good health. He seemed glad to see us, but wasn't his usual self. He's been in incredible health until the last few months -- walking, going out to eat, even going dancing! But he's started to decline recently and has had to go to the hospital, something that never happened before. My grandmother, who is in her late eighties and has already survived a bout with colon cancer, seems to be in excellent health. I was glad MR got to meet both of them.
Onward we went to Southern Season, where we ate a fabulous lunch. I ate the house salad with grilled chicken on top, and I sampled the vidalia onion, sherry shallot and basil vinegarette dressings. Then off to shopping! We picked up some treats for our neighbors, who were wonderful in helping us with the locksmith issue on Tuesday before we left. There wasn't much at Southern Season that I wanted, as so much of it is high calorie gourmet food. But I did buy another baby two ounce Good Grips brand measuring cup as a mate for the one we have and love so much -- the one that MR measaures our morning juice for our creatine shot in. I suggested to MR that we have a non-marriage commitment ceremony for them. Every measuring cup needs a mate.
That night I cooked shrimp in Fire Roasted Muir Glen Organic tomatoes for the parents, along with cauliflower soup and steamed broccoli with olive oil and lemon. They seemed to enjoy the meal, and definitely appreciated my cooking. I enjoyed a vodka cranberry with my dad's Grey Goose vodka, my totally sugar free (as in so tart you can't drink it straight) pure cranberry, and some diet tonic water. We drank some excellent cabernet and then switched to a red zinfandel that was pretty good too but not as good as the cab. MR had three ounces and retired to prepare his salad for the morning.
The next morning we left for home, but not until we had checked three grocery stores to find turnip greens, which you can't get around here but are very common in the south. We stocked up, MR bought me a pair of wraparound sunglasses to protect my eyes, and drove home. We had planned to take two days for the trip but I was feeling okay, and so fortified by our second Subway meal of the day, I got us home safely by 9:30 pm.
This morning was Sunday breakfast (yea!) followed by a day of housecleaning to get ready for the week. It's amazing how much fur the cats continue to produce in our absence. Everyone had to howl and be petted. Kieffer has been extremely cute all day, cuddling and meowing at me. I'm about to go upstairs and pet Philo some more before bed. We (Philo and I) are currently reading a book called How to Simplify Your Work Life. We'll let you know how it goes.
For lunch I made cauliflower soup and a carrot-tatta for MR, kale salad with cottage cheese and tomatoes for me. Dinner was spaghetti squash with Trader Joe's marinara, oil, and a side of cottage cheese for me, eggwhites topped with brewers yeast and hazelnuts on the side for MR.
MR is toasting spaghetti squash seeds in the toaster oven and we are getting ready to head for bed. Tomorrow: back to work! But don't worry... exciting plans are afoot. Stay tuned for the story of April Cooks in Kurzweil's Kitchen...
Posted by april at November 27, 2005 6:41 PM
Comments
I can get to the dinner for £137 from Heathrow (return flight) then hotel costs etc...
that would be quite an expensive trip to have dinner wouldn't it haha. But I get to meet kurzweil? (thank him for the 3 signed books he give me!) Aubrey? and taste CR food?, cooked by April?
How could I miss this! lol
thinks.....
Posted by: Matt at November 27, 2005 9:17 PM
What an idiot, that Matt... Doesn't it show?
Posted by: zeynep at November 29, 2005 5:55 PM
I don't understand...
weird! =/
Posted by: matt at December 3, 2005 10:11 AM