Thursday, January 24, 2013

And you shall have no pie

About 25 years ago I played the part of Francine in a stage adaptation of Beverly Lowry's short story "If You're Not Going to Stay Then Please Don't Bother to Come." Francine was a waitress at the Dairy Dude (basically the DQ) drifting through her life and eating a Sara Lee pie every day. She hooks up with a profoundly depressed man and when he appears to be recovering from his depression, murders him by bashing in his head with a frozen pie while he's in the tub. "And you shall have no pie" is one of her lines when she is contemplating being left.

Some frustrating and some awesome things here in faerie bride/ play house week. I am practicing my brand new pie crust skills. Tonight I made a cherry pie. It is awesome. I also made a garlic and arugula pizza (pie!).





Kid failed her driving test for the 3rd time. That was frustrating. I'm sick again. Also frustrating. Mostly though it's all pretty good. I like this role and wish I could do more than just try it on.

Tomorrow for the first time this week I have no obligations. Maybe I'll paint! Or curl up in a blanket and indulge my cold.


Tuesday, January 22, 2013

sun is up, hold on to what is yours, take up your spade and break ground

I have pulled off a miracle and managed a whole precious week at home to just do stuff - have the heater inspected, have the handyman out to fix the jankety patio doors, handle stuff for overwhelmed daughter who is applying to colleges, baby my husband, Jeff, and my baby, (6 year old Harrison) and COOK!

Sunday night Hilary and Quentin (HQ!) came over. We already have a Sunday dinner thing working. Adding the sister and brother in law love only makes sense. We had a venison pot roast made with the doe Jeff shot early in the season, and tons of vegetables. Then Hilary gave me a pie tutorial which was AWESOME! I have always wanted to know how to make pie crust.  We made buttermilk pies and watched Downton Abbey. So good. Monday night I made shrimp pad thai and a blueberry pie and was totally happy with both. Jeff and Harrison schnarfed both up. I didn't even get to take pictures! Super happy that Harrison ate all of a food he was suspicious of, and had never eaten before.

Today was the handyman comedy. In the end we paid $325 to fix the patio doors, patch a bit of drywall with a hole in it, and hang a hammock swing on the patio. That was $150 more than we had budgeted but it's still good to be able to you know exit and enter. It's the little things.

I tried to remotely connect to the office and do some work today but was thwarted by crappy internet. NOT MY FAULT.

I did stop at Quality Seafood and pick up some wild sockeye salmon. I roasted it with this recipe and it was pretty yummy. I also made crack broccoli. Total Harrison and Jeff home run again! Harrison cleaned his plate then they both polished off the last of the pie and I totally 1950's era housewife dug it and it didn't shrink my feminist anythings. I just got all kinds of happy about doing something well.

(Sara Watkins - Take Up Your Spade)