health

Just a nice Winter Meal

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Short ribs

My husband loves “meat & potatoes”, so to make him happy I cook a lot more meat dishes than I would really like to eat.  I could eat fish and chicken seven days a week, but I do have to admit this meat dish was pretty good.  I would add a little more beef stock than the recipe suggested and maybe add a little white wine to tenderize the meat.  The recipe came from Cooking Light Magazine.  I would not really consider this a “light” dinner, but it was tasty.  The recipe was by Marianne Williams.

Oh, and do NOT touch your eye after chopping up the chili; as it is not a fun moment. 

Prep Time
20 Mins
Total Time
8 Hours 20 Mins
Yield
Serves 8 (serving size: 1 short rib and about 1/3 cup rice mixture)
Marianne Williams

December 2017

The slow cooker makes a masterpiece of beef short ribs as the meat becomes buttery tender and the cooking liquid reduces to a spicy, deeply savory sauce. Sake, a dry rice wine, and mirin, a stronger, sweeter rice wine, balance each other here (the alcohol will cook off as the dish simmers). Both are available at most grocery stores. Spicy, tangy kimchi, or Korean-style fermented cabbage, adds heat and complexity to the dish.

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
  • 3 pounds bone-in beef short ribs
  • 1 cup chopped yellow onion
  • 1/2 cup sake
  • 1/2 cup unsalted beef stock
  • 1/3 cup jarred kimchi (Korean fermented cabbage), chopped
  • 1/4 cup reduced-sodium soy sauce
  • 1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
  • 2 tablespoons mirin
  • 2 teaspoons minced peeled fresh ginger
  • 3 garlic cloves, crushed
  • 2 red Fresno chiles, seeded, minced, and divided
  • 1/2 cup sliced green onions, divided
  • 3 cups hot cooked brown rice
  • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

How to Make It

Step 1

Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large skillet over high. Add 1 1/2 pounds short ribs; cook 6 to 8 minutes, turning to brown on all sides. Remove browned short ribs from pan. Repeat procedure with remaining 1 1/2 pounds short ribs. Place browned short ribs and next 9 ingredients (through garlic) in a 6-quart electric slow cooker. Stir in 1 minced Fresno chile. Cover and cook on low 8 hours or until meat is very tender.

Step 2

Remove short ribs from slow cooker. Skim fat from cooking liquid; discard. Reserve cooking liquid.

Step 3

Stir remaining 1 1/2 teaspoons oil, remaining minced Fresno chile, and 1/4 cup chopped green onions into rice. Divide rice mixture and short ribs among 8 shallow bowls; spoon about 1/4 cup cooking liquid over each serving. Sprinkle evenly with remaining 1/4 cup green onions and cilantro.

I served it with broccoli, shallots and mixed mushrooms cooked in EVOO and a tad bit of butter.  I love the little package of about four different kinds of mushrooms available in many supermarkets.

Broccoli with Mushrooms

Happy Winter cooking AND eating!  And by the way, I put everything together the night before and just popped it in the slow cooker in the morning.  One of my best investments was my All-Clad slow cooker, as it cooks evenly.  I have had others and they do not.

Just a nice Winter Meal

16 Style Mistakes That Age You

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This article came up on my Newsfeed on Facebook.  Wonder what you all think?

Some outfits should be off-limits until you’re eligible for Social Security. Find out what not to do to keep your age a mystery!

May 22, 2017
by R.J. Wilson
Alex Zivatar
If you’re not old enough to have watched The Golden Girls when it originally aired, then you shouldn’t be dressing like them.

You’ll have plenty of time for shoulder pads and pant-suits when you’re actually a senior. For now, just avoid these fashion faux-pas that add decades to your look:

1. Long, Long Hair

As we age, we develop the tendency to try to hide our new wrinkles. Ironically, nothing adds years to your look like straggly hair that’s a bit too thin to be as long as it is.

Instead of growing your hair in a vain effort to cover up the visible signs of aging, choose a layered cut that frames your face nicely. There’s no need to go full-on pixie cut, but mature hair has a different texture, so work with it, not against it. Not only will you look younger, you’ll probably save on shampoo costs too.

2. Baggy Bottoms

When you’re ready to give up on dating, start wearing ill-fitting pants. Baggy bottoms are a must when you’re simply over it. If you’re still into attracting dates, though, make sure your pants fit.

They don’t have to be skin-tight, but if there’s enough fabric on your behind to double as a parachute, you’re not going to win any beauty pageants. That’s okay. You don’t have to win a beauty pageant. More power to you. We’re just telling you how it is; what you do with that information is your own business.

3. Dark Lipstick

Unless you were born a goth, stick to a bit of gloss. Natural shades create a supple, youthful look. Darker colors draw attention to lines around the mouth, and though those are usually the product of a life full of laughter, it’s generally a look most women want to avoid.

Even bold shades of ruby red can end up making you look older than you actually are by highlighting wrinkles around the mouth. If your skin is unbelievably smooth, then you can get away with it. For the rest of us, dark lipsticks aren’t the best choice. There’s a reason most older woman usually wear shades of nude.

4. Neutral Pantyhose

Neutral pantyhose make you look like you’re applying for a corporate job in the 1960s, which, come to think of it, is fine if that’s what you’re going for. But when it’s a youthful appearance you seek, skip the hose or stick with black.

If you’re black is a little too dark for your outfit, go for a color. As long as the neutral hose of the mid-century is behind us, we’re good.

5. All-Black Outfits

Black goes with anything, but it can also give you a funereal look, like an Irish mourner from the 1920s. Even a bit of contrast can help prevent the sense that you’re going to start keening at any moment.

Try pairing a black dress with a bright pendant necklace and dangle earrings. Even better, wear break up your outfit with a colorful scarf or cardigan.

6. Boxy Blazers

Contemporary fashion has a thing called a “boyfriend blazer.” The idea is that these jackets could have come from your boyfriend’s closet, but in fact, these items are cut to create a slim, feminine silhouette.

Do not actually wear your boyfriend’s blazer if you don’t want to add a decade or two to your appearance. Big, boxy blazers make you look like David Byrne, circa Stop Making Sense. Just remember: Shoulder pads are the enemy, now and forever (but not in the ’80s).

7. Antique Dresses

Shopping at the thrift store can yield gems. Just be wary of picking up too many floral, lace-lined numbers. First off, you’ll look like a walking doily. Second, you’re not an extra from Little House on the Prairie.

Finally, wearing a grandma’s dress will make people think you’re a grandma. That’s awesome; grandmas are great and we love them all. That doesn’t mean they all look super-youthful, though.

8. Stretched Out Skinny Jeans

This is not exactly the same thing as item No. 2 on our list, which, as you will recall, was labeled “Baggy Bottoms.” It’s sort of the same, but not exactly. We mention the hazard of stretched-out skinny jeans because it’s such a widespread issue, a special subset of the Baggy Bottom debacle.

The problem began when clothes manufacturers stopped using any denim that wasn’t at least 80-percent rubber bands. That stretchy denim looks great for about a week and a half, then it loses its elasticity, just like your skin does when you age. That’s not a good look when you’re going for youthfulness.

9. Herbert Frames

What do we mean by “Herbert frames?” You know, black plastic glasses that are big and thick and might have made you look punk in the early ’90s but now mostly just make you look like someone who was young in the early ’90s, i.e., an aging hipster.

Plastic frames lined with bright colors are all the rage these days. Try them to keep your face looking smooth and youthful.

10. Jersey Fabric Dresses

Jersey fabric is the most comfortable cloth in the world. Wearing a jersey dress is like wrapping your whole body in your favorite old T-shirt. Everything is wonderful about this soft, light fabric, except for the way it treats your figure.

Jersey tends to cling to everything. That can create some unflattering angles, which increases the appearance of age. Plus, the fact that you so clearly dress for comfort suggests that you’ve given up on standing out in the crowd. Try double-knitted jersey for a similar feel on your skin without the unforgiving fit.

11. Thick Black Eyeliner

In general, the trick to emphasizing your youthful features is to avoid drawing attention toward your more autumnal qualities. We’re thinking, specifically, of eye wrinkles.

The area around your eyes is one of the first places that your years of life, laughter, and loss are etched into your face. Thick, dark eyeliner acts as a spotlight on this frequently wrinkled area. Avoid, avoid, avoid.

12. Too Much Tanning

The sun preserves life on the planet, but it also gives us wrinkled old leathery hides when we spend too much time basking in its rays. It’s all about the ultraviolet light, which wages an all-out attack on collagen fibers in the skin.

We’re not saying you should wear a face-kini every time you leave the house, but it’s worth investing in a little high-SPF sunscreen. Your skin will thank you sooner than you think.

13. Shapeless Frocks

This may seem obvious, but the temptation to throw on a muumuu and rush out the door can be overwhelming at times. Resist it.

Also, we just realized that ironic muumuus are probably going to be this summer’s big fashion trend, so maybe ignore everything we said on the subject. All hail the muumuu!

14. A Short Scarf Around the Neck

You’ve probably seen ladies with colorful silk scarves tied around their necks. Do you think any of them get carded at the grocery store? No, they do not, and the simple reason why is that short silk scarves around the neck went out of fashion about 50 years ago.

If you just stocked up on colorful silk scarves and are wondering if Etsy issues refunds, don’t worry. There’s an awesome way to wear them that actually looks pretty youthful. Try tying them around the strap of your purse. You get a pop of color without looking precisely 150 years old.

15. Brooches and Lapel Pins

Even the word “brooch” sounds old. So does the word “lapel,” come to think of it.

Anyway, sticking an old gilded piece of finery on your boxy jacket makes you look a little out of date. Try a few one-inch round buttons instead. That’s what the kids are into these days.

16. Excessive Foundation

Too much makeup fuels the suspicion that you’re hiding something under there. Plus, there’s something unnatural about a face with a ton of foundation. Make sure no one could credibly use the verb “to cake” while describing the way you put on your face.

Keep it light and natural. Otherwise, people might stop carding you, too, which is always a shock the first time it happens. Or so we’ve been told by our elders; we certainly don’t have any first-hand experience with stuff like that.

16 Style Mistakes That Age You

……..Fashion Over Fifty……..

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Yesterday on one of the social media that I skim every day, there was a link to an article about what you should and should not wear if you are over the age of fifty. With my birthday coming up and growing closer to seventy I read the article. It basically said wear what ever you damn well please, as you are old enough not to care what other people think.

I disagree with the premise of the article, as I think you should wear whatever pleases you ALL your life. Work may give you some restrictions, but when you are not in your work environment, dress to make your heart sing. I have always dressed how I wanted, not how I should. I am short and told not to wear long flowing clothes or big jewelry. I have done both all my adult life. Aging I find I want more comfortably stylish clothes and I find some fitted items, just don’t look quite as good, now that I no longer have that twenty-two inch waist.

The other thing I found very humorous was an article on what to wear in summer if you are over fifty and not one of the models featured in this article was over twenty. Like a fifty year-old is going to look the same after the estrogen has gone and middle has widened a little.

Below, the first photos show a series of women wearing exactly what they want. I am certainly not saying I would wear most of these, but they are comfortable in their own skin. I do like that!

What I did find after looking a while were photos of women looking fabulous over fifty and an inspiration of guidelines to follow.  Dress simply and elegantly. This has always been my attempt at fashion.  If you look in my closet, I don’t have a lot of color and I have mostly non-patterned clothing.

I think the following women look fashionably fabulous.

White

Having shared that, I think you can find what not to wear at anywhere the best at Walmart. The things I think should be taken out of your closet at any time is anything that you do not feel good in or look wonderful in.

In my case the short shorts and mini skirts left a couple of decades ago, but can look bad at any age as you might notice in this lovely photo?

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Showing off your mid-section unless you are in perfect shape should not be an option.

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See-through clothing just doesn’t look good on most people. Showing everything is really showing nothing.

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Short shorts do not look good on 90% of our population.  Please look in the mirror before you embarrass yourself by going out.

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The most important thing to remember is that other people do not see you as you see yourself.  I once had a hairdresser say to me: “We look in the mirror and we see ourselves as we looked when we were twenty.” Personally that twenty year-old is a fond memory. Every gray hair was earned and every line on my face is from smiling at what life has to offer.

There are a few things I think don’t work on an aging body:

  1. Mini-skirts or short shorts
  2. Low rise pants that exhibit that mid-life roll
  3. T-shirts with “Sexy Grandma”
  4. Plunging necklines or waist high slits
  5. See through anything
  6. Pajama bottoms anywhere but home
  7. I hear hoop earrings should be on the list, but I still wear mine (dang)
  8. Thigh high boots, especially stilettos (do you want to kill yourself

What I do think is good, is anything that looks good on your body and feels comfortable enough to wear for several hours.  Know a good seamstress and alter your clothes so they actually fit.  Remember loser always looks better than tighter, at any age.

Let’s get dressed and hit the town.

……..Fashion Over Fifty……..

Who Wants What

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There was an interesting article in the Kitsap Herald this week called: “Who Wants What?” and other things in flux. The article talked about a family trying to figure out who got what when their parent or relative died. It is something that with the events of the summer has been on my mind. I realized what may be of value to us, can be of very little value to someone else. Just because we either received something wonderful as a gift or saved and bought it with our own money, means nothing to many people.

From the days when I lived a more urbane lifestyle I have a collection of beautiful crystal, china and silver. I became aware in the last few years that some younger people not only do not think of it as valuable, they disdain that I have not sold it for the money it would now bring. It is of no value to them. Several years ago, a new family member randomly took a glass from the cabinet to the beach, then left it over night on the arm of the chair by the fire pit, no knowing and not asking if it was okay. I don’t usually take my Waterford to the beach or leave it outside over night. That same visit another new family member used a couple Waterford crystal bowls to put chips on the picnic table just going into the pantry and taking the first thing they saw. Those bowls were a gift from my late husband that he bought as a surprise from a jewelry store going out of business. They fit in the lifestyle we had at the time. They are a fond memory of someone I loved and I don’t take them outside. I was informed I should sell these things and no one should keep glasses or bowls worth so much.

I started looking in to selling as I discussed in another article, but find it is no longer worth what I paid for it. So do you sell or enjoy?

As I approach my sixty-eighth birthday next week I have been pondering what will happen to all the “stuff” I have collected all my adult life. It seems the older I get, the less I want. I love the look of a perfectly clean clutter free countertop, but I do love the feel of drinking wine from a beautiful stemmed Riedel wineglass. For some reason scotch takes better to me in a heavy leaded crystal glass, so I think I will keep these as long as I can enjoy a little glass of something in the evening.

For twenty-five years I’ve moved two big boxes of Lionel Trains to different houses. This last year I offered them to my sons, thinking they would want them. Only one son wanted any of them and he only wanted the four oldest ones; so I sold the rest and lightened my moving load. I started asking my sons this summer, what if anything they might want. My oldest plays chess and wanted the ivory chess set his father bought forty years ago when he was in the military. My youngest said he would like toys from his father’s youth and his fishing rods; so he can have them any time.

And so it goes as I look around my home and wonder if they will want any of it when I am gone? I am thinking of making an excel spreadsheet list with all the good stuff, send it to each of them and see if anyone wants anything, then put the outcome in my will. I do want my own sons and no one else to be left what they want to have. I don’t want to add stress to their already busy lives, by having them have to deal with “stuff”, so I think I will donate what they do not want to a charity of my choice. I don’t want them arguing about “who gets what” or who or how do we sell all this stuff. I would rather see it donated to a good cause, rather than sold at some creepy garage sale like my brother insisted that we do with my mother’s belongings when she went in full time care.

When I go, I want to leave behind good memories and happy thoughts for my family, a few things they can pass on to their families and nothing more.

Who Wants What

“Inadequacy equals hostility and/or superiority”

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A friend of many years sent this quote to me and I have to admit it made me smile. My friend is a retired psychiatrist, so the meaning hit home.

The last guests left last night. It was hard to watch my granddaughter walk to the ferry.  She gave me lots of hugs, and kept waving and sending kisses. Moments like that make you know you are a good person.  If you are totally accepted and loved by a six year-old, then the world is good for now.

Now the cleaning must begin, as it seems even the fish tank is dirty.  The chickens are hungry and the cat hair is at all time high. My Dyson Animal vacuum will have be recharged another time to get everything.  The house is quiet and peaceful and I am just loving the day.

I have collected about ten books and I am going to enjoy reading out on my deck. We have a wonderful handyman working to make our decks more private.  (Photos to come)  Our design should let light in, but be hard to see through.  It is exciting, as our neighbor built a deck that looks right into our house.

Think about the quote. It may change how you see the world.

“Inadequacy equals hostility and/or superiority”

The Quiet Life Begins Again

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Clouds

Summer is coming to an end and the  entourage of guests is coming to an end at the same time. Entertaining my six year-old granddaughter had highs and a few lows. With little people it is interesting how perfectly behaved they can be for about two to three weeks, then familiarity begins and you are no longer a “fun” person, you are just another boring adult.  You have not changed, but their perception of the environment takes a turn. You are no longer new and exciting.

Summer Camp at the Boys and Girls Club saved the day for most of the summer, as she made new friends, had lots of fun activities and great field trips.  I joined them bowling in Silverdale, but decided the bus ride was a bit unruly for me, so did not sign-up for any more field trips. It was joy to watch my granddaughter bowl for the first time ever.  Of the three busloads of children, the high score (using bumpers) and on my team was 99.

When my son recently came to pick her up, we decided to take her bowling. So my off we went.  We discovered a ramp you can use for littler people that lines up the bowling ball and they just push it off. The one in Silverdale is hand-made wood, but worked just as well.

It certainly improved her score. She came in with a score of 98, the best of the group. The rest of us came in with scores in the 80’s. Maybe they should have ramps for all ages, especially seniors. Guess we are not a family of bowlers. The last time I personally bowled you had to keep your own score, not a plasma screen up above the alley for all to see just how bad your were.  They have senior bowl three games for free on Wednesdays.  Maybe I should work on improving my score, and it my be good for my arthritis as my hands were pretty sore.

This should have been the best summer ever, as my granddaughter is a joy to be around. In reflection I think I will try to only remember the joy of sharing her summer and not the heartache of some other visitors. It was a summer where I learned maybe you just need to make yourself happy and not feel responsible for the happiness of others.

My three adult sons got to spend a weekend together. It was not without its events, but they did get to spend time talking and catching up. A couple of their friends they had not seen in a while came over and they all initiated our new beach side deck. Pavers are now under the fire pit, rather than warped boards.

My husbands children arrived for the next weekend. They spent time on the new deck and added a little more initiation rites to the deck as they stayed up and talked into the night. Maybe we need to think of a way to have “smaller” fires. I wish I could say that weekend went well, but it ended on a majorly sour note.

We all see the world through our own set of blinders. We see what we want to see, how we want to see it. We can all be in the same room at the same time and have a totally different experience. Our memory of what is said and done is biased by our view of life. The bias can be small or it can be extreme. I learned a little of the extreme before I had to start blocking emails.  I now know my view of the world is my view and only my view. People may understand how you see the world, but they do not see it the same way.

Next summer I think we just take a vacation. It would probably cost a lot less money than what we spent on toys, clothes, food and wine and for some reason I think it might a lot less stressful.

As our children grow into adults and become the people they are going to be our role changes and we are no longer the parent. Adapting to whatever role we have or don’t have in their lives is not as simple as one might think. We are no longer the person of knowledge that we were in their youth. As we become grayer in hair, we are perhaps grayer to them, not the lively over-active person they have always known.

One night I took my granddaughter to a local Mexican restaurant to dinner. We ordered guacamole with the chips, as they come with just salsa. I ordered two tacos and she had a quesadilla. Neither of us are big eaters, so I never order full blown meals there. When I the bill came I was charged for two orders of guacamole. I pointed it out to the waiter and realized by his expression he did not think I would notice.  Telling my older neighbor about this she shared that she thinks people see your gray or white hair and think you have less gray matter in your brain.

When I started getting gray hair, I did not start getting stupid. When I started getting gray hair I did not start to get meaner, but I do stand up for what I believe in. As I get more gray hair I am seeing people view you differently than they did when you were younger. I am finally okay with that, but I do think you need to look for the humor. The other day when I was out running errands I found a sign to put by my front door.  If I can match the paint, I may change the W in WITCH to a B.

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The Quiet Life Begins Again

Pianos are not “IN” anymore

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In my attempt to get rid of everything now, instead of waiting mode, I am finding the things I treasure are not even worth anywhere what I thought they might be.  I have a beautiful 1907 Mahogany Etsey grand piano with ivory keys and a new soundboard.  I have not played it much since marrying six years ago, as my husband is much better than I am.  I am a little embarrassed to play if he is around.  I took lessons for several years, but my first love of music was the clarinet, so my left hand does not mind as well as my right. Trying to work them together doing different things with each hand is just not intuitive to me.

Growing up on a farm in Northern California, we were not poor, we were dirt poor.  I never realized just how poor we were till I was an adult. My father worked two jobs and my mother was an elementary teacher.  We lived in a house that had been passed down from my great grandmother.  It was a very old house with no central heat, a cesspool behind the garage and the only bathroom where remodeling was started, but was never finished, so we had plywood countertops for years. The kitchen counter was rotted linoleum by the sink, but we had many wonderful family meals in the kitchen on our 1950’s now retro table. My mother played the piano, but my family could not afford lessons for me, so I did not have the opportunity to learn.  My mother played for church and school as my grandparents had an old upright piano where she learned.  I often wondered why I was not allowed to take lessons and play their piano, as they lived next door.

When I married the father of my three sons he supported my wanting to learn the piano and bought me a very nice upright piano, where two of my sons took lessons in Del Mar. We left the piano behind moving to the Northwest, with the promise when our gorgeous new home was complete we would buy a new grand piano.  The house was designed with that in mind. For my fortieth birthday, and the year Fred died he bought me a beautiful black concert grand piano where all three boys and myself took private lessons. When I sold that house, as after he died, it was just too big (7000 square feet) I designed the next house with a separate area for that beautiful piano. It had been used by the Seattle Opera, so it was signed by the conductor of the orchestra and had “Lionel Hampton” casters.  We had to hire a crane to get the piano to the second story conservatory for the piano.  In hind sight it was not the best place for the piano, as it was in a very private space away from the main area of the house.  I did practice every day for the years that we lived there; but since I had to go back to work full time to support my sons and I no longer took lessons.  By then they were teenagers and could not be bothered with  piano lessons.

When my taxes grew and grew and grew and I decided it was time to make a change, I had to hire a bigger crane to move the piano.  At the time I was not sure where I was going to move, so I put the piano in storage. I knew I would most likely never have a house with enough space for my beautiful fortieth birthday gift, so when I moved to my beach house I traded it in for the one I have today.

When I called the piano store where I purchased the Etsey grand, the owner informed me he had closed the store and works out of his garage. He told me pianos no longer sell well. He suggested I look on Ebay and see how many thousand pianos were offered for sale. It is sad that so many of the beautiful elegantly crafted and perfectly designed objects that were loved in the past are dismissed in today’s world. Not only are they unwanted, but if you happen to have them, many in the younger generation do not understand the significance they might have had in your life and think it is sill that you have not sold them for the “money”?

Now I guess I am going to keep it and when all the company of summer leaves, I may find somewhere to take piano lessons once again, as it is so relaxing. Maybe when my day comes, I will just donate all my beautiful things to a good cause, as I truly to do not want to burden my family with the bother of selling them.  Ha Ha

 

 

Pianos are not “IN” anymore

Changing Lifestyle

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As we grow older we realize the beautiful and expensive things we have collected over a lifetime are not important to anyone in our family but ourselves. It seems the times of collecting fine china, crystal and silver belong in their dark ages.  The time in life when we entertained more lavishly is gone.  Our family will not enjoy our collections and will sell them or donate them (not knowing the value) after we die.  I have found in my personal life that not only do my step-children not value or respect what I have, but they resent that I have it at all and cannot understand why I have not sold it.

So surprise to you all, I am not waiting to die, so they can have it.  I worked hard to earn the money to buy what I have and now, or received them as gifts from loved ones, and I am going to be listing it all on Ebay, Replacements ,Amazon or with an auction house and take a nice cruise with what I may earn. (maybe take two cruises)

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I bought these gorgeous, (no longer made) wine glasses when I worked at Macy’s, then The Bon Marche.  I would buy them two at a time when I had a good sales month in the Interior Design Studio I managed within the store. Back then they were $160.00 each on sale with my manager’s discount.  I used to love purple and now after it being my favorite color for twenty years I don’t really even like it.  So almost twenty years ago I was still entertaining and setting a beautiful table. Today, some nicely stemmed Reidel wine glasses take their place on the table. These ten perfect glasses will be on sale soon.

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These two beautiful Waterford Scotch Glasses were a gift from a good friend many years ago.  At the time they sold for over $250 as they were a special edition one year and never offered again.  My stepson took one of them to the beach and has never forgiven me for asking him not to take them for drinking booze on the beach.  He will never understand that they were a gift from someone special in my life. He never thought to ask why they were special to me. He didn’t think to ask if they friend were still alive or if they died. His older sister just thinks it is stupid to keep something this valuable.  Life memories that involve an object rather than a sailing trip do not register to her.  It is funny that neither of them asked why I only had two? So guess what guys, they will be on the market too!

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These four tiny cordial glasses made by Waterford were a wedding present to my late husband and I in 1976 from one of his partners and our good friends at Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher.  I love the feel of them, the texture of them, the joy of putting something wonderful in them and enjoying every last sip.  The memory of receiving such a lovely wedding gift always made me smile in the past, but now knowing the resentment they brought me, just by keeping something I cherish I can’t look at them ever again, and they will be sold soon.

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These smaller Waterford Brandy glasses were another 1976 Wedding gift and have been lovingly cared for and used for over 45 years.  I am not really sure how I feel about someone coming into my home and my treasures and treating me badly because they do not believe in collecting anything.  My own son’s know the history and respect it, but my new family never asked. They assume I am a bad person because I have nice things and want to keep them nice.  Is that a crime? Is it a crime that I do not want them used at the beach or around the fire pit.  I have safely used them in the house for a very long time.

Now I do have a little Mesena Baccarat which is from a terrible marriage that last three months and for Heaven’s Sake I should have gotten rid of those many years ago.  It is soaking right now, as it is dusty from not being used in so long.

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In reality, this is what I would love to do to all the collections I have proudly collected, but I am realist.  These are no longer popular and damn it felt GREAT to throw them in the garbage and hear the glass shatter. I started laughing at what I had done and did not feel an iota of guilt. Looking at the shards of glass I had the passing thought, that life has harsh edges and we can hide it in a glass of wine, but it is still there.  It did my soul good.

No one in life should make you feel bad about what you have, what you like, what you nurture, what you care about and what you don’t want or need to share with them.

No one should ever think that what you have is automatically theirs or theirs to use. What happened to asking permission?

The home I live in now with my husband is not a “Family Home” although I was recently told it was.  No family grew up in this house, nor is it that “lake cabin” where you went every summer.  A family home is one where the family grew up in or went to every summer or winter. Ours is a home where I personally bought waterfront land, designed and built a home to live in, in any manner I chose. My sons family home was sold many years ago. It was a beautiful designed for my sons to grow up in and hopefully remember their father.

Grown children are welcome to come if they can abide by three or four rules.  If they cannot, they do not need to visit. It is sad to me that some grown children (not mine) think they have the right to come in to a house now shared with a wonderful man and think their rules (or lack thereof) apply to our house. It just isn’t so.

 

 

Changing Lifestyle

Simple yummy meals

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Simple greens are always wonderful for a Spring Dinner.  These were purchased from a local farmer at a Farmer’s Market this last weekend.  Add a little avocado (always good), some cherry tomatoes, and a few blueberries and you have a delicious salad.  I like the Italian way with dressing, but use Champagne Vinegar instead of Balsamic, as it is a little lighter.  I add a teaspoon or so of the best Olive Oil I can find.  Perfection with a little freshly grated Regiano Parmesano added on the top.

*Note:  I try to buy Regiano Parmesano that has the rind on two of the sides, as it has much more flavor closer to the rind. I grate it right before serving, so the flavor is fresher.  I keep the rind in the freezer and throw into soups for additional flavor, just pulling out what remains before I serve.  I noticed our local gourmet grocery store has started selling the rinds.

Tonights main course was a recipe I found in the newest edition of Skinny One Pan Dining.  Almond crusted Chicken with Fresh Spinach.  It was a delight!

Almond Chicken

A couple of tips.  Start the pan very hot, then lower temperature, so it does not burn, but is cooked all the way through.  I used Glutton Free Panko and put it with the Almonds and the Rosemary in my little blender, so they were all the same size.

Rosemary grows like a weed in the Pacific Northwest, so I have it several places in my garden and on my deck in my potted herb garden.  I just added another pot this weekend, so I could Dill and Mint.

Take it from me, do NOT plant mint in your yard, as it will take over your yard.  I did this one of my first houses and it took over the whole side of the house, sort of like bamboo, or Creeping Jenny.

Simple yummy meals

The Inconsistent Chef

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Started the day by making this Flourless Chocolate Cake, which is simple and simply delicious with a little Vanilla Ice Cream.  I collected a list of the ten best Chocolate Cakes from a site, and decided I would try them all.  This one is quite wonderful and SO easy to make.  My kind of cake.  IMG_4986.jpg

As I melted chocolate I decided to try Focaccia Bread from Paul Hollywood’s “How to Bake” cookbook.  It was easy, rose nicely and tasted so yummy.  Will make this again when friends are coming to dinner.

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So dinner came next with two recipes from America’s Test Kitchen, my new favorite cookbook of the moment.  Smothered Pork Chops with Lemon-Caper cauliflower.  Both were quite wonderful and went nicely with the freshly baked Focaccia Bread.

To me, it is the process of cooking and baking that makes it enjoyable.  The bread kneading for ten minutes is very relaxing and almost zen.  Other than I walked out of room for a minute and the first batch of bacon caught on fire and all the fire alarms went off, it was a fairly uneventful day.

I call myself the Inconsistent Chef, because I never know what I might bake or cook when I start.  Sometimes it is using what I have in the freezer or the refrigerator and sometimes I see a recipe and it sings to me:  “Make Me – Make Me”.  Cook what makes you happy and hope that those you share it with enjoy it as much as you enjoying preparing it.

The Inconsistent Chef