I found 29 recent food and drink photos on my phone

Is that a lot? 

It's a lot more than the number of photos representing any other category, I'll tell you that much. 

And in the interest of full disclosure, there were more photos than that but I didn't post the ones I already shared on facebook or wherever. 

The first photo is dated March 14, the day I left for Albuquerque

Tito's and soda at the airport bar, I think it was like $17 for a double. 

Then there are a few of the food from the conference I attended, because I'd been certain that there would be at least one chicken parm represented, but they got all southwest up in ABQ

Tamales, albondigas, salad, tortillas. they had fajitas but no one in their right mind would eat a thing with that many bell peppers in it

Caprese salad, minestrone, salad. There was pasta too, but it didn't tempt me. #notchixparm 

A very weird steak with crunchy onions, this was restaurant food not conference food. But still. #notparm

 And then I came home, and celebrated an obligatory sushi feast with  my kiddos, with obligatory before and after montage:

 from left: 2 orders of Salmon nigiri,
Pokie roll (inside: spicy tuna, cilantro, gobo, cucumber. on top: salmon, avocado, scallions, ponzu sauce)
Spicy tuna roll
Clara's crunchy roll - do I need to look up what's in it? I'm certain there is krab with a k. In fact, it's probably called a krunchy roll
front: sake  

It was pretty okay, overall

 The next several shots were from the making of a pot roast

Seared and in the dutch oven, ready to cook for 4ish hours

Voi to the la, man  #just3ofus

Here's my plate, so much yum with a fork smashed sweet potato option.
 There were mashed potatoes and gravy on my boy's plate. I think Clara had a veggie burger but come on, no one can resist pulling bites of pot roast and those veggies off of the serving platter

I apparently made machaca from the leftovers, which is interesting because that's what I'm planning to make tonight after insisting that we haven't had it in a hundred ages

 Now we'll get a bit more random. If you can dream that possible.

This was the dinner Clara requested after getting back from a 5 day backpacking trip in Joshua Tree

This was a late night snack plate to soak up some booze

This is a game called blue line - everyone gets a corona and  you have to try to drink it down to the blue line. Whoever is the farthest has to drink a shot. I did not lose. 

These were delicious mules that were so overpriced we had to force the bartender to buy us the 2nd round. 

These were the best margaritas! Look at those serranos floating around. I die. 

Here is a table set for shabu shabu, the stuff of dreams

If your friends have shabu shabu AND this level of snackage, you know they are keepers

The greyhounds at wonderland, with extra flourish, making a margarita sandwich

taco night! it's all about the presentation

 I believe I already showed my Easter Feast table, but have you seen my plate?

I need to bite it. 

 And then, the parade of leftovers

Pot pie prep

#helper

Y.U.M.

I mean, really yum. 

This was a sandwich that came with a warning about spiciness. I had to ask for hot sauce. Puhleeze.

There's this one place in old town that has jello shots. I think I'm not allowed to go there anymore. 

Carnitas! Tonight's machaca base

Place setting of dreams

 And finally, dessert

I'd rather have a taco

A Rose Is A . . .

We are trying, so desperately, to will good weather to these parts so we can do things . . .

Things!

Yard work and Field work and the Deck and the Beach and the Things.

All The Things.

But we don't worry. We don't get upset. We understand everything's alright, yes everything's fine. It's absurd to complain about the weather.

But for the Love of all that is Holy and True.

But no, we do not get upset. Because alright, fine, etc.

So what to do? What does one do? What can one do? One does the only thing one can do at a time like this. We had a one-minute window of it-not-being-freezing so I took away the dilapidated old rose trellis . . . 

. . . old rose trellises are complicated.

. . . old rose bushes are complicated.

I prevailed, though. Bye bye old trellis.
 

Hello, um, Spring.

Rose Bush, now it's your turn to shine.

 Show us all the love you've been showing us these past ten years.

Superstar Easter

There’s one thing I am bound and determined to do on Easter Sunday every year without fail.

Yeah, yeah, eggs/feast/joy yada yada, I’m always going to do all of that too, but the mandatory annual event I speak of now is the listening to of a certain soundtrack

Cue orchestra

Jesus Christ Superstar

It’s a commitment, this soundtrack. Much like my beloved Hamilton, it requires 86 minutes of listening*. It can’t just be started wily nily in the middle of other business.

*singing at the top of the lungs with intermittent interpretive dance

The Listening* also has the quality of being potentially annoying to some people despite their exposure to the phenomenon a bare minimum of 19/16 times, respectively. People who may or may not also have other expectations of their single parent on this most blessed holiday.

My personal preference is to plug a speaker in to the kitchen outlet and request that It Begin during the time I will inevitably spend in my kitchen preparing the traditional Holiday feast for the masses that need only feed we three.

This year my girl wanted to hover while I prepped the feast, which I was delighted to oblige after obtaining the necessary waivers and memorandum of understanding that my primary role for the next 90ish minutes was to sing. And to dance.

posted at noon with caption: Eggs found, chocolate consumed, time to prep the boid and start the soundtrack

Oh yes, the eggs had been found

This year’s loot made the empty feeling eggs most coveted

So by 11:31am I was ready to prep, and prep I did. I prepped, I sang, I danced, and then I had plenty of time to run out for cranberries and pie crust

I even took the scenic route

before the obligatory dying of the eggs

#justwethree

The epic feast was presented with flourish. We are a small family, yet mighty.

Don't worry, I drank everyone's champagne

The epic mess was eventually cleaned, and we retired to the davenport with wine and jellybeans, because this year there was a new tradition to behold, one that I fervently hope will be repeated or recreated annually from this day forward into eternity

Cue orchestra

A Walk In The Woods

Last week Mistah and I had the great good fortune to go on a hike with two of our very favorite peeps in All The Land . . . 

. . . and their cuckoo doggie.

We've been friends with these dudes for quite some time now . . .

. . . 30 years, give or take.

Nancy and Jonny brought us down a path in the snow through a river and to a reservoir . . . 

. . . and it was delightful.

Have I told you about My Girl Nancy?


I adore her, you know.

And her Jonny is not half bad, either . . .

. . . nor is my Schleckie.

There is something deeply humbling and deeply relaxing about hiking through the woods on a snowy, er, afternoon . . .

. . .  it gives one peace and clarity . . .

. . . especially when there is so much beauty . . .

. . . and especially at the change of the seasons . . .

. . . and especially when it includes My Girl Nancy.