muffins, squash & a smooch

While looking in the freezer this morning, I saw a bag of our beautiful Blueberries.

On the off-chance Mr. Right might stop by after an appointment, I whipped up a batch of fragrant, beautiful muffins.

While peeling squash for dinner (his favorite, not mine).  The phone rang, I crossed my wet, messy fingers hoping it was him.

He said, “Hey, could you please meet me outside in 60 seconds?”  I thought Yippy!  He wants a smooch and I can give him a couple of warm Blueberry Muffins.

perfect.

 

I went out there to hand him the muffins, he held out a glorious Latte from my favorite place.

When people ask us how we have stayed happily married…………..

Maybe Acorn squash and Lattes are the answer?

Wait!

Maybe serving squash that I loathe and he loves?

Wait!

Maybe delicious smooches out of the blue, on a Monday.

Yes. Most definitely the smooching.

Happy Monday,

In this together, friends.

Chat soon.

PS. Surprise your spouse with a treat.   You will be rewarded with a smooch.  I promise.

 

Shower coffee

This morning started out a bit rocky.

As I prepared my morning elixir of life (coffee), I accidentally dropped my glass pint jar with beautiful homemade Cashew Cream on the floor and stove and oven and cupboard and my foot.

Hold on to your hats people, good news abounds!  

1. I had already poured some in my coffee.
2. The glass jar did not break.
3. The newly painted cabinets wiped up very easily.
4. I already have raw cashews soaking to make more cream.

Mr. Right had an early morning eye appointment, which I usually try and go with.  Today wasn’t going to happen.  sigh.

So off he went, alone.

I regroup and began to study (today’s continued topic:  riding the body of heavy metals) and drink my coffee.

I am always pleasantly surprised that somehow, someway, I learn something new every single day.  Today?  Today fact is:   Did you know that there is Mercury in contact lens fluid? Geesh.  Good gravy, you need to be a detective to get and stay healthy!

Moving on….. I made the bed and jumped into a nice HOT shower.  I’m lathering, I’m lathering, I’m singing….

KNOCK, KNOCK, KNOCK!!!!

Okay, we all know bad guys, robbers, and mass murders don’t usually knock, however, my heart did skip a beat or two.

Mr. Right zipped home from his appointment and brought me my favorite coffee…. an iced latte.  He handed it to me IN THE SHOWER, I got a smooch, and he was gone in a flash.

Holy Toledo!

This is a picture of TRUE LOVE! 

Right there before your very eyes.  (Okay, ignore the not so pretty shower tile.  Another project for another day.)  Just cast your eyes upon that beauty.  No, not the amazing organic, chemical free shampoo and conditioner……….

The gorgeous, beautiful 16-ounce iced latte.

……..and just like that, the day took on a whole new color.

May I gently suggest you surprise someone you love with a beverage in the shower?

In this together, friends.

Chat soon.

 

socks tell all

“The reason as to why we are attracted to our opposites is because they are our salvation from the burden of being ourselves.”
― Kamand Kojouri

1.  Mr. Right likes his coffee black.   I like mine swirling with coconut cream.
2.  He loves hot, hot peppers.  I love all pickles.
3.  He loves running.  I love swimming.
4.  He loves history books.  I love murder mysteries.
5.  He uses a book mark.  I dog ear the page.
6.  He loves Brussels Sprouts.  I love currants.
7.  Mr. Right is most certainly a morning person.  I am not.
8.  He loves order.  I love controlled chaos.

Wait, this picture explains more than words can…….

I present our two separate sock drawers, you guess which one is his.

“What good is the warmth of summer, without the cold of winter to give it sweetness.”― John Steinbeck

In this together, friends.

celebrating our differences!

mmm

Last night’s dinner was Marvelous Meatless Monday.

Cracks me up to say that.  Get it?  Because we have marvelous meatless meals 98% of the time.

This is funny stuff people.  Hey, word has it, that it is “hip” to have Marvelous Meatless Mondays?  (not to mention lowers blood pressure, saves oodles of gallons of water, nicer to animals, does not contribute to horrid diseases, vegetables heal & all the cool kids are doing it.  Just to see if you were still reading, I added that last part.)

While Mr. Right is still at work, I try to send a before/during/prep picture to tickle his fancy & let him know what’s on the menu.  I knew yesterday’s picture would scare him.  In his voice,  I can hear him saying…..”oh no, that is way too much fresh Thyme.   I am not eating all those weeds.”  ps.  He always does and he always like them.  haha

Here in the Pacific Northwest, we are right in the middle of the glorious season of the mushroom.

Those Chanterelles were calling my name, the Oyster mushrooms were whispering sweet nothings to me.  The Crimini and Agaricus bisporus (white button mushrooms) didn’t want to be left out.

I turned all those weeds…aka fresh Thyme from our garden into a silky, smooth cream sauce with flavor that almost brought tears to my eyes.  So smooth it slipped off the back of a spoon.

Next, I reduced some Balsamic Vinegar.  I gotta tell ya, when that is cooking, the aroma in my kitchen sort of makes me feel like I know what the heck I am doing.  It is savory and sweet at the same time.  The aroma makes people walk towards your kitchen and ask, “whatcha got cookin’?”

I sliced polenta and started frying.  Yes, I said frying.  I used some left over oil from the Bagna Cauda that I prepared last week.  Oh, be still my heart.  That garlic & oil was the perfect thing to use.  Not much oil, just enough.  I did scoop out the little garlic nuggets of heaven.

Fresh green beans and onions were cooking on a different burner.  It a weird twist of fate, beautiful fresh green beans and little tiny onions played second fiddle to the main dish last night.

Last, but most importantly, I heated the black iron skillet and all those mushrooms got to know each other up close and personal.  A bit of coconut oil and some real salt did the trick to help release some of that moisture.

In the blink of an eye, dinner was ready to serve.

I started with cream thyme sauce then the polenta.  Next, I put those glorious roasted pieces of garlic along with some slightly cooked garlic atop the perfect circles of organic corn.

Hold on to your hats, next layer, those mushrooms in all their glory, were most certainly that.  Glorious.

Wait for it, the moment of pure goodness………the reduced Balsamic vinegar…….I fully admit to being a little heavy-handed.  While a drizzle or a few drops here and there would have been more artistic, I just poured it on.  I can’t help it, I am weak.  I want to lick the picture, right now.

Say Grace and savor that very first bite of marvelous goodness.  I mean savor and breath in.  This is what Marvelous Monday’s are all about.  Right here on one plate.  

To sum up:

Marvelous Meatless Monday was marvelous.

We were both clean plate club members.

All the “weeds” were eaten with nary a sigh.

Here’s to our health and wellness.

What did you have for Marvelous Meatless Monday?

In this together, friends.

Chat tomorrow.

my better half

I once knew these two sisters who were in their 70’s and got along famously.  When ever they would go out to lunch, they would order a sandwich, a diet coke, an extra plate and glass. When the order arrived, they would split the sandwich and share the soda.  

I saw it so often, I just thought that is what “old people” did.

Quietly and without fanfare, it happened,  TO US.

When did this happen?  How did it happen to us?

Right smack in the middle of an ordinary life, one of us causally said, let’s share the donut. 

Yes, I know, Mr. Right and I are in our 50’s and we have never thought of ourselves as “old people”.  

side note:   A moment yesterday, reminded me why “older folks” wear bike helmets.   …You spy your better half, looking good, handsome sunglasses, tan and healthy, biking beside you, your heart does a jig and while looking at your boyfriend,  you almost bike into a parked pick up truck?  Yikes, pay attention!  Geesh.

Oh sure, yesterday, after a very enjoyable Sunday bike ride, we decide to go out for a light supper.  Even though it was too early to eat dinner, we promise ourselves we wouldn’t tell “the kids” (read that as our adult children who tease us if we eat at 4:45 pm)

Last night IT happened.  We decided to share an appetizer, order one meal and an extra plate.  Full disclosure, the waitress was non-pulsed and much to our happy surprise, the main dish, came already divided on two separate plates, each garnished on their own.

Nothin’ to see here folks, move along.  Just two people eating  a meal.

Now, I am not sure if it is the GINORMOUS portions that restaurants seem to serve these days, or if we are just happier, sharing?  Whatever the reason, we both seem happier with our choice.

Please don’t misunderstand.  When we drive up to a coffee stand and order one 16 ounce,  iced latte with Almond milk, we are NOT sharing.

Mr. Right drinks “Joe, just plain Joe, not a fancy girl drink”.

Coffee, you just can’t share. I can’t.  I won’t.

In this together, friends.

Chat tomorrow.

 

want some cookie dough?

Today, while day dreaming, I remembered one really great story.

The first 20 years of our marriage, Mr. Right was the traveler.  The US Army “invited” him to travel all around the world.

For the most part, I stayed back and “kept the home fires burning”.

Once in a while, I would fly off and have an adventure and then return to tell all about what I did.

Mr. Right would pick me up from the airport, kids in tow.  There was/is always a small cooler with icy cold water, sparkling and plain for the weary traveler.

Once home, we put the youngin’s to bed.

Then he got out a bowl from the refrigerator and two spoons.

In the bowl was Chocolate Chip Cookie dough!

Instead of baking cookies, he got out two spoons.  Handed me one.  We sat on the sofa and ate raw cookie dough with spoons.   (Yes, I know it is bad for you.  Yes, I know it has sugar and dairy and white flour and raw eggs.)  I got to talk with my mouth full of delicious, raw cookie dough!  All while telling about what I did and listening to what he and the boys did while I was away.

Then in the morning, once awake, Mom and boys got to bake Chocolate Chip Cookies (not quite as many as the usual recipe made, I wonder why?)   and talk about what we had been doing.

Here’s to a glorious, relaxing weekend ahead!  Happy Friday! 

May yours be full of cookie dough or cookies, your choice. 

ps.  I worked on more of my blog lesson for today.  I stopped when I reached my “cuss quota for the day”.  New brand being developed.

ps.  What are you still doing reading?  Quick, go make some cookie dough!