Sunday, June 15, 2008

Damn when did it get to be the middle of June?

I swear just last week it was April - Mom and Dad were on separate vacations - I was dog and house-sitting. Suddenly it is the middle of June and I just spent 2 weeks dog and house-sitting... I am still living out of boxes in my apartment and that bothers me only when I am in my apartment so I am trying to minimize the amount of time I spend in my apartment. It's like I am playing passive aggressive tricks on myself.

I think that is because while I really like my new job and like 99.99% of the people - there is this passive aggressive culture that is stupefying. There have been several days when I just have to laugh about it and other days I think I could cry for the people playing those games. I have progressed enough to call it when I see it and not fall into the escalation game with people playing PA.

Today is Father's Day and I spent the day making Dad type food. Obviously this means that there was no tofu and bib lettuce in the meal. There was however a lot of pork - which I didn't mind fixing for him - especially after he filled up his plate for the second time and looked like he would stab anyone that tried to take his plate before he was finished.

Since today was full of a near sentient creature being eaten - I think my alignment for the day is somewhere waffling between Lawful-Evil and Neutral-Evil. Yesterday was good though - it was a completely veggie day. My mom, Aunt, and I had a retirement luncheon for a teacher friend - the meal was vegetarian but heavy on the dairy. We had quiche with brie and red peppers. Normally I do not like brie - it takes like mold to me. However the huge copious amounts of butter in the crust and quiche itself made the brie delicious.

I learned something interesting yesterday! I hope to put it into action sometime this week. I thought the cooking technique of confit meant to cook/poach something in fat/oil. I stumbled upon a cookbook yesterday from Eric Ripert and Micheal Ruhlman. Just the thought of Eric Ripert has me batting my eyelashes like a schoolgirl so I was intrigued and flipped through the book while a friend was checking out. I had already spent enough money or I would have gotten the cookbook. Confit of lemons is really preserving the lemons in salt. What could be easier? I am not sure anything could be. The most difficult part seems to be sterilizing the jars you are going to store them in. Luckily I grew up in a family that canned green beans, tomatoes, jams, and jellies. I do not find canning the least bit intimidating. So as long as I can procure some meyer lemons this week - I am going to try something suggested by Mr Gorgeous Chef Eric Ripert with the uber-sexy French accent.

Since we are talking about Eric Ripert - I will continue the topic! He was a guest sous chef on the Top Chef finale. I would have rather had any chef by Lisa win. I was thrilled Stephanie won. I was saddened for Richard but I was impressed with him admitting that he had chocked. However he has a newborn at home so he is a definite winner - just on a different front.

I am really really really really really really really missing Mount Pleasant. First - its like a freaking inferno around here. I blocked how much I disliked the heat and humidity. When your hair is soaking wet from just walking out your front door to the car it is time to not leave the house and sit near a a/c vent and just chill out.... or get some Ben and Jerry's and just cope with the heat. Since I am trying hard not to get a huge vat of Ben and Jerry's and suck it down with a spoon almost too big for my mouth I am quickly moving from air-conditioned area to air-conditioned area.

So tomorrow is my A-day, which means it is a regular work day but I don't have to go into work. That makes me giddy with excitement to think about not getting up at 5:30 tomorrow morning. I have to get my apartment into better shape tomorrow, since I am excited to say I have a house-guest coming next Saturday. Not the kind of house guest that you make sure the sheets are clean and you shave things you might not always shave... but a great friend is driving from Little Rock to Mount Pleasant next weekend. I am luckily going to get to have her stay in New Albany with me on Saturday.

I am very excited for Angela to be headed up North to defend her dissertation! I know she will do wonderfully. I am also very happy for her and Bill to be on track to return to their beloved Northern California. Yeah!!!!

So enjoy the rest of your weekend everyone!

Love
Cybil