Sunday, November 21, 2021

It's All The Little Things


 Jessie brought over some of Tom's plants for me to choose from. There were only three that I really had an interest in. One of them was the one you see above which is a bromeliad or an air plant. A cardinal air plant, to be exact.
That's what my plant identifier said and I believe it in this case. 
Tom had his growing in a loose dirt situation but as an air plant, it is mostly recommended that they not go into soil. Tom's been growing bromeliads for as long as I've known him. I remember in 1976 I had a miscarriage and he brought me a bromeliad as a gift. When we moved into this house he gave me a few more and they grow like crazy. Some in an old tree stump and a bunch of them in a terra cotta rooster pot that sits over Elvis' grave. For those of you who have not been reading here forever, Elvis was a magnificent rooster we had who died way too young. We loved him so and mourn him to this day. He is buried in the front yard so that he can protect us as he always valiantly protected his flock. 


This is one of my favorite pictures ever. It is of a young Owen and a young Elvis studying each other. Here's another. 


Well, I have just segued and tangented all over the damn place, haven't I? 

It's been a hard day for Mr. Moon. Not eating is such a drag. I do not think he would be very effective in a hunger strike but then again, neither would I. I've made him three types of Jello, whipped up gourmet broth with Better Than Bouillon vegetable AND chicken flavors, and served him Italian ice. I also bought him hard candy today because he's allowed that too. I'm pretty sure he'd kill for a banana or a pear. I feel so bad for him but by this time tomorrow it'll all be over. 

I did indeed go to town today, not just to buy hard candy and different flavors of Jello, but to buy a turkey too. I mean- Thanksgiving is in four days and those suckers take that long to thaw. And in all my years of making Thanksgiving dinner I don't think I've ever truly completely thawed a turkey before Thanksgiving morning and have always resorted to the HIGHLY UNSAFE AND UNRECOMMENDED method of fast-thawing which is to run hot water down the bird's cavities. 
We have never died yet. 
So. I got my turkey and walked the aisles in my usual pre-holiday panic. Should I get fancy cheese? What about squash? Should I get squash and make a casserole? Do I need another bag of Pepperidge Farm bread crumbs for stuffing mix? 
I did not succumb to the panic. Okay, okay. I bought a few things just in case...
What? Just in case what? 
Who knows? Not me. 
I've already got about eight things on my list to cook. Everybody else can bring all the rest. One of the things I'm making is a fresh ham. Well, fresh in the sense that it's neither cured nor smoked but just a huge chunk of pork. It comes from the wild pigs that we got last year and had processed and I'm a little excited about trying this. I hope it's good. I've got a recipe from the New York Times cooking app for Fresh Ham with Maple-Balsamic Glaze. I will tell you how that comes out. I know for sure that those wild pigs were the best pig meat I've ever eaten. 

Jessie and Vergil and the boys dropped by for a little while as Vergil... caught...a deer last night and needed to do some processing. He came over after he...caught...the deer to do the things that need to be done immediately and ended up eating supper with us which was an unexpected pleasure. I'd made that lovely skillet spanokopita we love and there were a few stone crab claws and some shrimp as well as the potato sourdough bread which was fit to eat. 
Levon has been coughing and running a fever (tested negative for covid and flu) and so I was forbidden to get to close to the boys which I mostly obeyed. 
Sort of. 

After they left I did a rather casual cleaning of the Thermonster oven. I should be doing this frequently as you can't use oven cleaner in the beautiful beast and so it's Bon Ami 


and elbow grease. I'm thinking I'll hire Owen to do it next time. Scrubbing an oven while on my knees is somewhat painful. 
Sigh. 

So that's how this Sunday went. It wasn't bad for me although I hate seeing my husband unhappy. He's being very brave though. I better go see if he wants his supper- more broth. I think I'm going to make a salad for me because at least that way, there will be no delicious cooking smells to torture him. 

Oh! I also got to see Lily at Publix as she was working. I love how she tells people, "That's my mommy."
Oh, my heart. My six-foot tall daughter calls me her mommy. Nothing could be sweeter to my me. 

Talk to you tomorrow. 

Love...Ms. Moon

26 comments:

  1. Thanksgiving coming up? At least this year you will be able to give thanks that America's president is no longer a nasty big orange right wing windbag with a persecution complex and a propensity for lying that would embarrass Pinocchio. Know who I am talking about?

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  2. How lovely about Lily! How come I didn't know how tall she was? You're from a family of talls, that's certain.

    I am at the point of whatever I haven't done for Thanksgiving stays undone. It's mostly pretty simple cooking for holidays. Enough variety that it doesn't have to be fancy, too! Is my belief.

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    1. Yes. Lily and Jessie are both beautiful tall women.
      Tomorrow is the day I will truly begin cooking for Thanksgiving! I'm sort of excited.

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  3. I didn't realize your daughter was six feet tall either. I work with a nurse who is 6'2", I feel so tiny next to her.

    Poor Mr. Moon. I swear the prep is way worse than the actual scope. Hope it all works out well in the end:)

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    1. I feel like such a little mama around Jessie and Lily. I wonder how tall their children will be.
      All is fairly well with the procedure. He is sleeping it off right now.

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  4. I recently followed a recipe for fresh local pork which had balsamic vinegar, it was so good!

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  5. I still cannot believe that Thanksgiving is this week. I don't know where the year has gone! We are zooming to 2022 and I cannot imagine that!

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    1. Take a nap and it'll be Jan. 1, 2022. Seriously. How in hell did this happen?

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  6. Feelings of solidarity to Mr Moon. The fasting is not even the worst of it for me. The worst is drinking the Yucky stuff. Sucking on Werther's mints and/or drinking strong ginger beer in between Yuck gulps is the only way I could make it through. The actual event is nothing in comparison. It'll be over by midday tomorrow, thank heavens. May All Y'all thoroughly enjoy your Thanks Giving Day. x0x0 N2

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    1. Yep. He is all done except for the sleeping off of the anesthesia.
      I hope your Thanksgiving is a good one, too!

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  7. It is interesting that you seem to be referring to fresh pork as ham. Here pork is only called ham if it is cured. So many differences between such similar peoples!
    I have forgotten why Mr M can't eat properly but I hope that his procedure goes well, and he can get back to a normal diet.

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    1. Well, that is usually what we call ham but "ham" can also be the cut of the meat. It is confusing.
      Mr. Moon had a colonoscopy today. That was the reason for the fasting.

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  8. Those people who starve themselves to prepare for the big Thanksgiving meal? Mr, Moon has them beat by a mile.
    My fourth year of not being the family cook for this holiday and I’m still savoring the magic of being a guest. 48 years was enough. And I get to enjoy making the pies!

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    1. Remember when Joey wore maternity pants to Thanksgiving dinner in "Friends"? I'll never forget that. Genius!
      I think I will make my pies tomorrow.

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  9. That's a beautiful photo of Owen and Elvis isn't it. And poor Mr. Moon and Levon. I hope they both feel better soon!

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    1. I do love that picture. Both of them, actually. That was a time in my life that was precious.

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  10. I can see why the photo of Owen and Elvis is a favorite. Sweet.
    And if you can't get anyone to help clean the oven, perhaps you can use one of those cushy garden kneelers to take the edge off the knee pain.

    (PS - Sixth try to overcome Blogger's damn whoops msg)

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    1. Or at least a pillow!
      So sorry that Blogger is being a bitch. Thank you for persisting.

      Delete
  11. OK, now I know I'm distracted because I swear I commented on this post earlier and my comment isn't here! I probably never finished it. Anyway, I'm glad you got a couple of new plants from Tom. And I love those pictures of baby Owen and Elvis!

    Every time I hear about Bon-Ami I think of "The Ghost and Mr. Chicken":

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GWFGYFPAXRM

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    1. I had never seen that clip! It's great! Thanks.

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  12. Oh my. I thought you were going to attempt to *edit* the Thanksgiving meal this year? Good luck with that, doesn't sound like much editing to me LOL! Can't believe I have been reading your life blog for long enough to remember the ORIGINAL posting of the Elvis/Owen pic! And my thoughts go to Mr Moon....may all go well and he enjoy a decent meal of REAL food tonight!
    Susan M

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    1. Well, truly and really we aren't going to have as much as usual. I swear!!!!!
      I believe I will make the man a salad tonight. He's had no raw vegetables for a week.

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  13. For many years my entire food commitment for Thanksgiving is the family dressing and fresh cranberry sauce. Sometimes a pie.

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  14. Owen and Elvis studying each other is one precious Image, no wonder it's one of your favs! Happy Thanksgiving... fresh Cranberry Sauce sounds Divine.

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