Chickens?

I've been wanting a few chickens forever.  Forever.  Erik has always adamantly refused.  Flat out refusal is so...ugly.  A few days ago we had this conversation:

Erik:  As soon as you take care of [fill in trivial situation], you can get 2 chickens.
Me:  Three.
Erik:  Fine.  BUT!  I don't want to feed them, water them, clean up after them, or have to deal with them in any way.  I want nothing to do with them!
Me:  So...you don't want to eat the eggs?
Erik:  [Pause]  I'll eat the eggs.  But that's it.

So magnanimous, am I right?  ;)   As luck would have it, my neighbor's chickens are currently incubating 2 dozen eggs...some chicks are bound to come of that situation, don't you agree? 

Heartfelt (Tiny) Gifts

Tommy gave these presents to his teachers for Teacher Appreciation Day a couple of weeks ago.  Each little satchel contained a single hand-knitted 100% cotton dish rag, and a package of Honey-Oatmeal soap.  I've always crocheted dish rags, but Miss Pippa sent me several of these knitted waffle-weave version, and I have been so smitten with them that I switched over!   The downside is that, for me, crocheting takes but a moment, whereas as knitting is an eternity.

This is exactly the reason why I haven't been able to make any for myself!  Spending most of two little league games knitting up a dish rag for somebody else seems like the right thing to do; doing the same for myself seems ridiculous.  (Yes.  Two games.  I'm a slow knitter!  Plus, I get sort of distracted by the game!  Then I have to undo some of my rows....like, all of them, sometimes!)

I made this other special package using different cotton and it had two dish rags instead of just one, but the same lovely soap.  It's going out today, and I've been wanting to do this, or a little something like this, for so long....sometimes, I just need a little bit of time (*cough*) to get my act together, you know what I mean?

First Month's Budget, in Review

I'm so bad about money.  I have never been particularly interested in money, as a concept.  I am blessed beyond measure that it's never been an issue for me.  It works two ways:  one, we've both been incredibly lucky about always having good work and lots of opportunities to actually make money.  Two, we never seem to want anything we can't afford.  Erik is more of a consumer than I am, for sure, but neither of us longs for status cars, addresses, or clothing.  It's helpful to feel this way, for certain.  Less helpful?  I toss money ~ at people and situations ~ like my drunk uncle at the racetrack.  Basically, I don't value money, so I don't take care  of money.  Easy come, easy go.  That's been my philosophy my whole life.

This month, I took over the accounts.  Erik was beyond thrilled; he's wanted me to take over the finances for years.  Nothin' doin', chump.  But.  I can't say for sure what changed.  A run of bad luck with car and motorcycle repairs?  A string of electronics purchases?  Dropping a chunk of change on a new bathroom?  All of these things, combined, within a short 6 weeks?  I mean, it don't take a weatherman to know which way the wind blows.  (hat tip:  bob)

There's probably a lot that can be said here about how nutty I've gotten about money, but I'll refrain.  I just started seeing it differently...I sort of get the excitement of an account that is balancing to the penny, for example.  And, as Erik said early this month, "Congratulations, honey, you managed to do something that's never happened in almost twenty years...we are officially having a fight about money."  Oops!  I'm sure I'll relax, as I get used to this new role!  Hang in there, sweet pea.

So, without getting too technical, I had three major accomplishments this month.  First?  When I printed out our account transactions summary for April, so I could get a handle on what we spend, when, on what, and especially what's "fixed" and what's "extra" (and if you're thinking anything like:  dude, in 18 years you've never had the occasion to do this?  Well, if you're thinking that, than you are starting to get the picture) and it was fourteen pages long.  For May?  One and a half pages.  That represents some serious control we've taken back, and although I'm sure it will vary month-to-month, I'm pretty pleased!

Second?  I made a ridiculously ambitious savings goal.  I thought within a few months, we could probably hit that target each month.  I was able to hit that savings goal during our first month of budgeting.  What what!

The last thing?  I've always considered myself lucky and grateful.  Both things, equally.  But, budgeting put a whole new perspective on both things!   Early this month, I got a $7 cash back coupon on my next purchase at the grocery store, plus a $2 cash back on my neck purchase from a manufacturer.  I can't tell you how many of these things I've just forgotten about or lost.  But, because I had set a flat cash amount for groceries for the whole month, I saw it differently!  I was so happy to use that $9 on a produce run.  A colleague asked me to visit his college course one evening, and do a presentation to his students (on math) and I agreed (because I adore him) and he (quite unnecessarily) kicked me a generous gift card to Trader Joe's.  It made my month!  I have held onto gift cards for, like, years!  But I was so lucky to have this one right when I needed it.  And then, there was the gift from my mom.  My parents have some friends who live out in the valley, and they own and work the almond and walnut orchards.  She couldn't eat all the nuts that were gifted to her (and residing in her freezer) so she kicked me two huge bags.  Easily saving me $30 to $50.  We eat tons of almonds and walnuts, plus I use a lot of walnuts in my baking.  All those walnuts you see are actually almost gone after just a few weeks...but we'll be rolling on those almonds for a few months.  And, as much as I've always felt thankful, knowing that this was money I could spend on something else for my family meals, it just amplified my gratitude in the happiest of ways.

Lookit.  I'm way too old (and remember all too well actually having no money) to think there's anything cute about being poor.  It's not charming nor romantic, in my mind, to have to stress and worry about where it's coming from and where it has to go.  Having said that, that's just not the situation (knock wood) in which we find ourselves.  This budget is more about being conscientious consumers, not being wasteful out of sheer negligence and/or laziness, and, yes, amplifying our gratitude.  So far?  So good!

Laurel's Kitchen :: Canneloni

Perhaps the most ambitious LK "project" I have taken on to date was the homemade canneloni.  It's funny...when we redid the kitchen, we got this amazing oven with the 6-burner stove.  The price was inflated by an additional 30% when we had to purchase the industrial-strength hood with the enlarged outtake tube...and when I questioned the need for this (speaking with my checkbook, of course), I was told that it was a safety "thing", because if I had all six burners going at the same time, a regular hood and fan would not be able to pull the heat off fast enough to be safe.  I thanked the sales rep for the information, and when Erik and I got back in the car, I laughed and said, "Yeah right!  When would that ever happen?  It's not like we're a restaurant!"  Well, I will say for the record, I was very close to using all six burners at once with this meal preparation.  It was steamy, my friends.

Part of it was that there was so much going on!  I need to steam the fresh spinach, make the tomato sauce, boil the water, make the cream sauce, and make the ricotta filling.

Just for Brit, I even used my pestle and mortar to prep the thyme and oregano.  Because she loves that.  :P

Frankly, it was all an awful lot of work.  But, I can say, that both the cream sauce and the tomato sauce could be made any time (and in bulk, because both are used in many of the recipes, with small additions for adjustments) and I will also announce, prematurely, that it was fantastic and well worth every moment, pot, and spoon that it took to make it.  Seriously yummy.  Anyway, I've kept a container of each at the ready in the refer over the last couple of weeks, and it works well.

 One little snag?  My whole wheat dough was an epic fail.  It's that brick-like mound in the background.  It was...not good.  I blame the whole wheat flour I had on hand...after this, I replaced it (I think it was too old?) and I haven't had this problem since.

I'm nothing if not flexible, though, so I quickly scratched the offending dough and made a batch of (even more offensive?) white flour dough.  I quickly rolled it out (my little table has a handy drawer that holds several of my kitchen secrets for success...the thrifted wooden rolling pin...a brush for egg white application...and, barely visible, a tube of lipstick.  So I look good, baking.) and it was very satisfying to use the pizza dough cutter to zip-zip-zip it into perfect little rectangles!

When I was young (college, I guess) and first started making my own pasta doughs, I would always get frustrated that it would stick together in the boiling water.  My great aunt Angie did some troubleshooting and let me know that "our people" add a bit of olive oil to the boiling water to remedy that problem.  Laurel's Kitchen mentions the same tip, so in case you don't have a Venetian auntie to set you straight, there is still hope.

Okay.  Homestretch!  All ten little canneloni 'burritos' fit snugly into a 9x13 casserole dish.  (Those are Laurel's whole wheat breadsticks in the far background, and that's an awesome reusable produce bag in the near background.)  And, honesty here:  It's not too early to pop open a bottle of wine and take a little breather.  You've been on your feet for a while at this point!

Now.  Now you can officially sit down and enjoy an amazing dinner with your family.  Everyone loved it!  This version of the cream sauce has a pinch of nutmeg, and it's brilliant. 

I've featured the canneloni incidentally, when I wrote about picnics at the baseball field.  I think it was even better as leftovers...or, at least, as good as leftovers!

What's Growing?

(Grr!  There's a smudge on the uv protection for my camera, so any pictures in bright sunlight have a smear.   I've cleaned it twice, but I obviously need a new protection ring.  I also need to PUT THE LENS CAP BACK ON every time I'm done taking pictures.  Ahem.)

The artichoke plants I planted last summer are huge now, and as you can see....they are producing artichokes!  I brought in two this weekend and I'm boiling them today. There are easily a dozen grown and/or growing between the two plants.  (Do you see how the hill is no longer 3 feet tall with weeds?!?  More to come this week on that development. :)

I planted back in...I think early April?  or late March?...I'd have to check my archives (thank you blogging!) but I'm too lazy at the moment.  Anyway, these small boxes were planted with yellow squash and a tomato plant.  The squash is....failing to thrive.  I'll pull it out this weekend and add some composted soil and some new veggie starts.  It makes me wonder why some plants grow and others don't?

Like, check this out.  This tomato plant, and the yellow squash on the right and the one zucchini I planted on the left (way too close together, I might add!), are positively Jurassic in comparison.  Planted at the same time, from the same seed batches.  Not even as good soil!  I wasn't even planning to put veggies in this brick box under my kitchen window, but I had too many starts and just plopped them in on a whim.

There's even a zucchini growing in there!  Look at the size of the leaves!  It's crazy. 

It's been a cold and wet spring around here.  (After a cold and wet summer, last year.  Harumph.)  I think that might be partly to blame.  But you know what I really think the issue is?  The wind. It's been so windy at times!  It exhausts the little plants, I swear. 

I have absolutely no emperical evidence for this, at all.   Just an observation that the plants I put in the brick planter in the corner, where the garage meets the house, are protected on two sides from the wind and it also stays warmer in that little nook.  Even the second extra tomato plant I had, which I put at the other end of the planter, is only half the size of it's near-neighbor!  But it's not as protected there, because the garage isn't jutting out on that side to make a protected area.  It gets a lot of late afternoon sun there, too.

So, all we can do is wait and see what happens!  I'm still two weeks away from when I started the garden, last year!  Last year I planted too late.  This year?  It seems I may have planted too early.  I'm looking for the Goldilocks timeline...I just wish the weather would cooperate.

Pictures are Better than Bullets, But...

A busy weekend, in bullets, because I didn't take a single picture.  Unheard of.

• The last baseball game!  In fitting fashion to the typical little league game, it was absolutely freezing and windy that day at the middle school on the mountain.  It probably would have been around 90 degrees if I had forgotten my sun hat, but seeing as how I had my hat and a jean skirt...freezing it was.  Oh, wait.  Why am I complaining?  Because it's my last chance, for  a while, I guess!  Tommy had a great year.  He learned so much, he loves it so much, and we are so proud of him.
• Straight to a birthday party for Tommy's best friend.  He and I stayed until after 9 o'clock.  Don't let it end!  :)
• Early Sunday morning walk with dear sweet Linda.  It was a gorgeous sunny, spring morning and we walked the lake and then had tea at a nearby Starbucks, sitting on the patio, and just enjoying each other's company and catching up.  I am so grateful for our Sunday mornings!
• Straight home in time to see my family off to a picnic they were attending...leaving me alone in my house for the first time in...who-can-remember-when?!?  But how could I enjoy it when my sweet neighbor Bev was laboriously moving buckets of dirt from her driveway to around the back of the house to her new garden beds?  Well, I couldn't.  She's been at it for days, and I was only too happy to spend less than hour finishing it off with her.  Many hands make light work, and she's always so quick to offer help and a smile...how could I resist?
• Spent a few hours cleaning the garage (holy!) and then took Tommy to a local park where the amazing Mr. Phil (who runs the after school program at Scotty's school) had organized an informal dodge ball tournament.
• Then...Lost, people!  I haven't watched the series at all, but Erik is obsessed, so I got the kids bathed, read to, and in bed...with prejudice...then I headed into the garage to do some laundry and more cleaning up, and stayed out of his way.  

Have you ever played dodge ball?  Oh, my.  It is a total blast!!!  The kids LOVED it and it's so fun and inclusive the way Mr. Phil does it.  I guess I had a vision of little kids or weaker kids getting ganged up on and pelted, but it's nothing like that.   It's fast and, during the Parents versus Kids round, I can tell you for a fact that it's a work out.  It was close....hard to say who won that particular round, with 8 parents on one side and 15 or so kids on the other.  I guess you'd have to call it for The Kids, though, since, officially, they immediately jumped in to play the next Kid-vs-Kid round, while all we adults sprawled on the grass, nursing our scrapes and bruises, and catching our breath.   Ahem.

Tribes

When I went up to Mamaw's memorial service last weekend, I got to spend some time with Marie's kids.  I've spent time with all four of them, in various singletons and configurations, over the last six months.  But this was the first time I was with all four of them at the same time.

My older brother and I grew up with Michael and Jenny (on the right in the photo).  Jenny was a few months younger than my brother, and Michael is a few months younger than I am.  Boom-boom-boom-and-boom.  Just like that, two best friends were married and had four kids between them by the time they were 22 years old.

Toby (on the other side of Jenny) came along right around the time my little brother Jason did.  Freaky, right?  Then, sweet Jake, oopsy-daisy!  Jacob was born shortly after Mimi's tubes were tied.  D'oh! :)

Looking at them is like looking at a warped, slightly "off" mirror.  Boys where there are girls, girls where there are boys, but they are just like us...if we were wildly attractive.  They are our "tribe".  I've had that thought many times over the last few months, as we go down the bitter path of Mimi's illness.  It's not just her kids...I have a baby blanket made by her mother-in-law for me when I was born.  One of the speakers at the service was talking about how "all the grandkids" called Mimi's mom "Mamaw", and I realized that's what we called her too.  Mimi's own brothers and sisters are woven into our family history, even as my own aunts and uncles are. 

You could split in two from laughing so hard when everybody gets together...From "Close Call Albert", who has accidentally shot every person (guns, arrows, you name it), and wrecked every car (boat and bike) anyone ever owned or borrowed; to my godfather, Glenn, who was Peter Pan ~ for real! ~ to all of us having to survive the trauma that was Mimi's second marriage...the stories are dark and twisted and, truly, hilarious. 

This is Michael John.  He looks exactly like his father.  It's...unnerving, honestly.  He is, and always has been, a total honey.  I adore his wife and their son.  Their son?  Almost exactly the same age as my Tommy!  What the what?

Anyway, once when our parents were younger, Glenn had this idea to move his whole family to a commune.  He thought it would be the best thing, ever!  Everybody chipping in, living in teepees, and going off the grid.  He spent his whole life chasing that dream, in one form or another, but Mimi was far too bourgeoisie to ever be as enthusiastic as he was about such a lifestyle.  This was a woman who color coded the kids' clothes in their dressers.  She was not going to live in a teepee.  But, as Michael grew up ~ and out on his own ~ he and Keiko were part of the SF Mime Troupe for YEARS and lived the bohemian lifestyle Glenn so adored.  They were broke and happy.  The dream, indeed.

Still happy, but having moved on to more "vagabond" than "bohemian" (they bought a 'fixer-upper' in San Francisco that has them jumping from temporary housing to temporary housing) and now gainfully employeed and even, for Michael's part, considering giving up his actor's union card and fees, I can't help but think that Glenn would still approve.  Glenn was happy when you were happy.

You know what this picture reminds me of?  It reminds me of when we were little, and the four of us were playing a game...maybe it was "Kings and Queens" or something about a castle?  Anyway, George (my older brother) and Jenny were going to be the King and Queen (of course, as the oldest, they always got to be The Boss!) and I know for a fact that George was stoked to be playing opposite Jenny in this role because Jenny was, is, and always will be, so sweet and adorable.   But I secretly thought that Michael must be so disappointed to be saddled with me, as I was dumpy and freckled and, well, let's just put it right out there, I was filthy.  A real dirt-magnet, no matter how many wet washclothes my mom toted around in tupperware, seconds after being hosed off I was literally covered in dirt.   I was like that until high school, dude.  Who knows?

Anyway, there was no sense of "pairing off", I mean, I was like six or something at the time for heaven's sake, but there was still this impending sense of disappointed that (at least in my head) Michael must have been feeling.  But you know what he did?  He and I had gone downstairs to get something from our mom's, and as we came back, he put one hand on the doorknob and he gave me this exact same look that he's got in this picture, and he said, "Let's go, princess!" and in that moment, I felt...beautiful. 

Plus, as I recall, we kicked their butts in the royal battle.