Good things on sick days

I didn't sleep so well Monday night.

I woke up feeling not right.

Queasy.

I slept on the couch during the day. (I never realized how noisy it is in my neighborhood during the day. Oh because I'm usually at work, or not trying to sleep eh?)

I couldn't knit all morning.

But thankfully, my BFF t.v. took good care of me:

my frightfully bad photo of : knitting daily on pbs :)

Weekend Recap: That was quick.

I managed to do a little of nothing on Friday. There was a glass of wine involved with some knitting while watching mysteries on KQED +. Lately I am a fan of "Death in Paradise", not to be confused with a reenactment show called "Murder in Paradise", which is based on real life escandalo ... murders, much sensationalized, but still so tragic. ugh.

Saturday I tried really hard to do some chores between making second and third breakfasts for my son. There was some sweeping, tidying and WC cleaning, but really, just basic stuff which didn't make me feel very productive when we left for soccer.

The Kid's team had their last match of the spring season and it ended in a hard fought draw. 1-1. After that match, we went to another one. Half of the team plays on a travel team as well. It is more competitive than our team/league. We went to support our friends and see them play. That was fun but sooo cold! We were in the warm Mission earlier in the afternoon and then closer to the fog in Daly City at 5pm. The wind was whipping out there! Skinny boy curled up like a pill bug in his track jacket to cover his knobby knees.

When the soccer momming was done, we went home and tidied again, ate some dinner and packed for an early morning flight. The boys were flying out to Arizona to visit the Great Grandparents and my husband's eldest brother's family. Just a quick trip. They left the house shortly after 5 on Sunday morning.

They didn't need a ride, they were going to park the car at the airport. Still, I had to get up and fuss. "Do you have book? some gum? your inhalor? Don't forget to drink lots of water ... etc. etc., here take a bun with you in case you are hungry and everything is closed, or you don't have time..."

I eventually fell back asleep, and then woke up again in time to watch the last matches of the British Premiere League with some coffee.

And then, I ate some leftovers.

And then I went to Zumba.

And for 60 minutes, I wasn't sure if I was going to puke.

After a shower and some ginger ale, I pulled myself together to meet Mrs. B who was coming to help me work on the classroom library project at school. We were unable to finish the room, which sort of disappointed me, but not for the lack of trying, it's just a lot of books! (I can't imagine what it will be like when we get to the younger grades with more books per shelf space)

Mrs. B was kind enough (as always) to drop me at home and as much as I just wanted to "butt on couch." there were things that needed to be chipped away at. So 2 loads of laundry and a fridge shelf cleared and washed, I put my butt on the couch and shh, ate dinner there. I know! on the couch! CRAZY!

No I did not spill anything. But don't rat me out!

Of course, I didn't make it to the grocery store, but that's okay. I wanted to make some fish for the boys tonight, and if I think about it, I prefer not to purchase fish on Sundays. Anyhow, that meant today I had to run to the market after work at 5:30 and shop like a crazy mom, and rush home and cook.

They were home before dinner was on the table. Typical! But they are home and they are happy and fed.

Remember, not a word about eating on the couch, and I'll tell you another secret. As much as I adore them, I really think we all wouldn't have been so rushed if they were gone for another day & night. ;)

Sunday Coffee Confessions

From Martha Stewart.com

I buy Girl Scout cookies every year from my friends' daughters. I buy some for the office and some for home. I also buy 2 boxes of thin mints that I break in case of bad day emergencies. I squirrel them in a filing cabinet in my cube. I think I may tear through my supply this year by the end of June.

Sometimes I go to bed "early" just to sit in bed and knit ... until late o'clock. This means my poor husband falls alseep with the light on.

I don't finish all the books I read.

I think I like chocolate milk more than chocolate ice cream, but chocolate pudding is better than both.

I often think I want pancakes, but it's only because I really want maple syrup. Maple syrup and bacon and maybe some pancakes. This combination grosses out The Kid. When he sees me dragging a piece of bacon through a swamp of maple syrup,  I hang my head in shame like golden retriever caught chewing a slipper.

I think Grade B Maple Syrup is the Cinderella of Syrupville. Leave her alone! She tastes just fine! Let the syrup elitists come for me!

I donated a large supply of Red Heart Yarn from my beginner knitting days to the Goodwill. I don't have anything against acrylic yarn, they make items easy to care for which is important for old people and small people, but I still have too much yarn and I want to focus on yarn I know I will use. It does make me feel guilty, because I haven't knit or crocheted a throw for the elderly in a long time.

Often when I take the stairs, I look longingly at the escalator.

I think discipline is for "other people" (not myself).

I think gray tabby cats are the best kind and I'm scared of all white cats (meaning no other colors on them, the ones look like calico cows are just fine) because my grandmother's in Thailand beat me up when I was 6.

I still have never knit a pair of socks, but I have sock yarn.

I have a fear that my teeth are going to fall out. And I have a fear of the dentist. This is not a healthy combination. This fear has come and gone through the years, it's coming right now.

Speaking of fears. Sometimes when I lay awake because I am nervous or have anxiety. I hold my husband's hand in his sleep to comfort myself. Sometimes I stand in my son's open door way to focus on what's good and what is right.

I prefer Coq au Vin made with white wine than red. Good thing The Manfriend makes it so well!

Things always return to food for me. Food may be comfort, but it is not love as Mlouis says, and I must remember to share  both comfort and love.

ps: I hope you had a wonderful Sunday. Mother or not.

AQ: A dinner date

The Kids 4th grade class announced an end of the year camping trip earlier this spring.

As soon as the dates were set, I went about making reservations. I decided we would go "occasion" style dining. Something special, slightly fancier and adventurous than our usual bistro-faire (which is my favorite).

I wanted to go someplace the Manfriend had not yet been. (He doesn't get out as much as me.)

We managed a reservation at AQ and it was dreamy...

ARTICHOKES in the GARDEN, warm pancetta, green olives, raw & roasted roots

SUNFLOWER SEEDS, duck rillette, apricot & lemon thyme, with burnt toast

EARLY SPRING ASPARAGUS, “risotto” of faro verde, sake lees & hazelnuts

SPRING LAMB TARTARE, fava beans, avocado leaf, smoked feta & cress

HALIBUT, sorrel & crème fraiche, celeriac, new potatoes & bottarga

SOFT SHELL CRAB, coastal seaweeds & ramps, cucumber, “cacio e pepe”

BUTTERMILK, lemon verbena, green strawberry, poppyseed
later in the evening a "quick" flash was required.

As you can see, we went big. We ordered thoroughly over the top and that was fun. We loved the artichokes and I could eat that asparagus "risotto" every day.  My halibut was perfectly cooked. The soft shell crab was a little salty, but not as to stop the enjoyment of eating it. The weakest point was the dessert, but I'm not a huge dessert person anyways, and I loved how the presentation reminded me of a terrarium. Presentation was lovely, I could not help but be "that" girl in the restaurant, snapping iPhone photos.

The service as I remembered with HM, was absolutely lovely. One of the servers recognized The Manfriend from his restaurant and recommended a really lovely Chenin Blanc for our meal. So nice of him to come by and say hello (I always worry, they are going to tell us they had a horrible time there, ha! I can't handle rejection!) . The entire staff we interacted with was so lovely and kind.

Since the restaurant is close enough, to ease our digestion, we walked home, hand in hand. A dreamy dinner date, indeed.

Weekend Recap: A sense of completion ... oh ... yeah.

It took me a while to get this out .. I blame blogger mobile app and photos issues ...

I cast-off my Monster Blanket! I can't believe it. By the time, the credits rolled for Game of Thrones episode 6, I was finito. Yay! Naturally I still have a bunch of ends to weave-in, blahbittyblahblahblah. But so what! I've decided I'm going to trim the existing tails and save the actual weave-in for another day, probably when the boys are in Arizona, and I can have a small mound of wool surround me in the living room and/or bedroom and not have to move it, for anyone. Well, at least until I go to bed ;)

*sigh*

Onward! I also accidentally finished Beautiful Ruins. I picked it up on Friday, meaning to read "just another chapter" but realized Saturday at 5pm ... I was going to have to finish it. I was done by 11pm. I didn't mean to. It just happened that way. I thought the story was well written and the author handled going between two different times really well, unlike A Visit From The Goon Squad, which took me a long time to get used to, if I ever did. The author also managed to mesh the supporting characters stories so nicely. I loved the descriptions, the heart break, the letting go. It is a story about What ifs and almosts and love of course. It is about contemporary Hollywood business, the birth of movie star scandals, personal dreams, and stunted ambition.

Friday and Saturday evening with the warm weather we are having the family was attacked by rogue mosquitoes. Possibly one. Possibly one very family blood chubby, rogue mosquito. Friday he feasted on the menfolk. The little one whimpered in his sleep and climbed into bed when his father left for work on Sat. around 6am. This is after an evening of Manfriend jumping up after hearing the buzzing and flipping on the light. Boxers and a flyswatter in flash bright light. By Saturday, I was feeling the effects of this new fangled torture technique. I finished my book. I was exhausted. I was vaguely falling asleep to the t.v. when I heard it  ... buzzing around my head. Then I heard it! Then I was itchy. Then my eye was swollen. Oh and I had to get up at 5 something because my sister was coming for me at 6am because we were doing the Diva 5K.

My sister picks me and my swollen eye up on time. It's a good start, even though I forgot my long sleever, and my mini Purell. Mini Purell's are really important if you happen to use the porta potty.

That's ok, we were just going to walk it. My sister's bum knee is bum. And we don't want to make it worse. The Diva 5K was SO fun.

1. I did it with my sister, who when I am not bossing her around, is really quite a great gal. We're both totally nutter in different ways. Our parents definitely got the variety pack when they had us. 
2.  It was easy. This run actually has 2 events, a 5K and a half marathon, it's in a pretty part of Burlingame along the water. It's really a flat course. The 5K was cake. Again we only jogged for a mile and walked the rest, but it was a good time, which makes any exercise you do better!
3.  Energy. The energy is greatly supportive, festive and female. Teams of women dress in tutus and ribbons and matching running gear. They clap for each other when they are rounding and passing each other. Their menfolk and families gather along the side with signs and carry packs and cameras. (Seriously, who are these dudes, they should hold seminars!) Before you cross the finish line, you pick up a boa and a tiara. When you cross the finish line, you can pick up your medal from shirtless "model" men in fireman pants, and take a picture -- it was backing up the line, and I'm impatient, so this didn't happen, but our mother would've loved a photo. Maybe next year. As you exit the finish area, they offer you bagels, bananas, sparkling wine / gingerale (too early even for me!) Fun times. Only con? The hours when you have to pick up your bib. Friday 4 - 7 (rush hour) or Sat 10 - 6. Saturdays are just hard for me because I don't have a car and co-parent support with the Kid's schedule.

I spent the rest of the Sunday in a rather nice way. I got a pedicure, and then went grocery shopping. The Kid had a friend over for a sleepover (his parents are friends of ours and had Rolling Stones tickets!) so I wanted to make the boys a nice dinner. I managed a beautiful rib-eye that fed the four of us and some nice roasted potatoes, see?

Prep Stage - pre-roast

The Manfriend prepped some beautiful asparagus and spring onion, but alas! He grabbed the wrong tongs to pick up the pie pan out of the oven and WHOOSH! asparagus everywhere, including the cracks of the oven door ... grumble, grumble.

Pre-roast, pre-whoosh!

Cookies were baked for ice cream sandwiches and a Thai Red Curry was started for Monday night supper. Cookies are more photogenic than my curries though ...

After board games, some evening boy chatter. The Kids were ready to start a new week at school. This week was the 4th grade class camp night at The Presidio!

hi-ho! Off to school we go!

Consumer Post: New Shoes

This post is an idea/request from HM. She thinks I should write a bit about my favorite purchases, or items that I'm coveting. I think it's funny how she thinks I have any personal taste whatsoever, but I love her dearly and her heart is so good, who can refuse her anything? Okay to prevent this disclaimer getting any longer, here we go ...

ALDO Brester Shoe

This shoe is really comfy. (Though I should've worn preemptive band aids to get used to them the first few outings -- this may just be my oddly shaped feet. I have a hard time with new shoes of all kinds.) I got them in the nautical navy and white stripes as well. Those have been less agreeable with my feet, but I still love them. I recommend purchasing the terry cloth liners that can be washed and layed flat to dry. They provide extra cushion, and allow for summer sweaty feet to be absorbed without losing a pair of cute shoes to "stinky flats syndrome" before the season even ends. Please note, they are flats, no arch support. They were also a bargain. $30. They aren't even on the shelves, they are hanging on a flip flop rack looking thing. Grab n' Go shoes, ha!

What's on Your ...

Now that I'm reading again, with some consistency, I like to read cakes, tea and dreams even more. She always has a crazy list of books and summaries and just good posts and energy in general. Last visit she had a post titled, "What's on Your ..." that she got from a few other blogs. Read her intro, even that is succinct and spot on. Well, I'm going to warn you, I'm not nearly as organized as she is. But you already knew that!

Here’s what’s on my…
VANITY | No vanity. I can tell you what the top drawer of my dresser is lacking ... surface space. I have moisturizer, BB cream. Costume jewelry, which I don't really seem to wear. There are bead projects my son gave me 6 years ago and a few business cards.

PERENNIAL TO DO LIST | Laundry, clean surface spaces - make more surface space, put away "pseudo clean clothes" from the morning indecision dressing sessions, dishes. ugh. dishes -- by hand.

REFRIGERATOR SHELVES | Well first there is the mother of food happiness, butter. Then 'tis the usual suspects; milk, cheese, leftovers, blackberries, strawberries, lots of salad (my husband is part rabbit), 1 individual serving of kozy shack pudding and sad, ignored Greek yogurt, oh and more condiments than should be allowed. But this is what happens when a person of Thai heritage shacks up with a person of French heritage. You have to have the Dijon AND the refrigerated curry paste ;)

ITINERARY | The boys are going off to visit my husband's GPs in Phoenix in a few weeks. I will have to figure out how to enjoy the silence, woe is me. As a family we are supposed to go to NYC in August. This is due to the husband's work schedule. I think it's kind of crazy. I've been to NYC in August. Mug city. I can take it, but I hope they can. Also, NYC and no ballet season? Not knitting season? I dunno ;) But I'm game. I can eat my way through 5 days in the big apple NO PROBLEM. And I hear they have lovely museums, ha! I do love the museums there! Goal is London Spring Break 2014.


FANTASY ITINERARY | Cinque Terra, Paris, London - Bath - Manchester (London City Times, Jane Austen Times, Barclays Premiere League Football/Soccer Times), Belgium, Thailand with my family which includes sisters, mother, children, fathers etc. Tropical Vacation anywhere. Drive from Denmark - Germany, and last for this list at the moment, but not of my fantasy trips, Iceland.
  
PLAYLIST | I have been listening to Romeo and Juliet. Sometimes ballet music helps me be more productive. Though my usual "go to" classical is Leonard Bernstein Nocturne I and II. Otherwise I am pure top 40. I have no musical taste what so ever. I just like a syncopated beat and a catchy chorus.  My kid is snobbier about his music than I am! I would like to say I have no shame about my love of top 40 and hip hop, but I would be lying. I don't really offer up that tidbit about myself at PTA intro night ;)

NIGHTSTAND | Chapstick. Softlips in cherry right now. Vicks because I am constantly stuffed up, Night cream, and a new edition; eye cream, a pen, radio alarm clock, a cheap, tacky lamp, stitch markers and the ever important remote controls. I am one of those fools that watches t.v. in bed.
 
WORKOUT PLAN | Zumba. This I am shameless about, because I always feel better after I do it. ALWAYS. No matter how crappy my day was or how mad I am or how mad my "roomies" are at me. I find a little joy, and it's exercise. I shoot for 3 times a week it usually shakes out to 2. I like to run events, and try to keep myself on one every month. Living in San Francisco, we walk ... a lot. Even if I can't do anything else or have an exercise walk, I'll try to walk from my son's school to work to get a quick mile in. I tell you people, to stay positive we have to think, "something ... is something." and then we keep going :) I miss swimming.
 
IPHONE | BBC News, Barclays Football, Fantasy (Barclays) 12/13, Just Wink (this is a GREAT app - you can make cards to people, insert photos from your iPhone and then THEY will send it out for you in the REAL post! Yes it costs money -- about what it costs to buy a card. This is SO worth it.), FIFA 13 (see a soccer/football trend, non?), Yarma, Wooly, Blogger and the last of anything I use Bejeweled and (damn you littlesnoopy!) Candy Crush.

TOP 5 LIST | The family -- even when we drive each other nuts, especially on board game nights, Knitting with sports or a good movie on, duh. The smell of fabric softener or Murphy's Oil Soap - you know, the CLEAN smell, a sense of completion and a sense of doing good. I like a good wholesome girl's night. You know wine and snackies and chatter. Oh! And I like the sound of the baby I can't see next door laughing outside on Sunday mornings. I don't know that kid, but damn, it makes me smile even before I've had a cup of coffee. babies, kittens and puppies. like kryptonite to my cranky pants.


BUCKET LIST | Travel, Be good at something, write a book or a screenplay or even a story, learn another language more sufficiently, I used to be able to get by in French -- but just get by like a toddler. Raise a self sufficient compassionate, smart, considerate human being I can unleash upon this world with a minimal therapy bill.


MIND | I perpetually wish I was knitting when I'm not. That I will bake something when the weather cools down. When will I get a chance to visit my father who is close, but seems so far. Things I need to do and organize for the school. Putting away those damn pseudo clean clothes ...



BLOGROLL | I need to break this into topics, I'll try to be brief and don't judge me for how much time I spend on the Internet ...
Knit/Yarn: Kathy B's Yarn Garden, Knitspiring Odyssey, My Sister's Knitter, Polka Dots & Sparkles (new find!), Project : Stash,
Soccer: KICKRS, The Dirty Tackle
Food Stuff: The Kitchn, Tastespotting, The Pioneer Woman
Celebrity Gossip: (I'm horrible and shameless, I know) Lainey Gossip, Celebitchy


WALLS OF YOUR FAVORITE ROOM IN YOUR HOUSE | Dude we are so boring. Our walls are white. We have a few things of minimal interest (our "style" I may have said before is Distracted Graduated Student chic -- which is to say, NOT chic at all.) So I will go with the door jam between the living room and kitchen. It has these mini frames with my son as a tattertot. I like the one where he woke up from nap and is tucking into a slice of watermelon with his stuffed tiger. Sappy, just go with it.


LIQUOR SHELF | Wine. White wine, rose, red wine - usually medium body, low alcohol, French and some Californian. I'm enjoying Spanish right now, but am not shy of  New Zealand white or tasting Italy. Random booze: Framboise (for the sparkling), Bailey's Cream - for XL grown up coffees, Aperol - aperitif.
 
LAST CREDIT CARD STATEMENT | Bar Agricole for drinks/food, WorldSoccerShop.com (for the kid cause I can't pull it off), Summer Camp - rat bastards it's expensive, but important.


SCREENSAVER | Don’t have one


TV EVERY NIGHT | 
Sports: SF Giants, MLS SJ Earthquakes, Premiere League - I'll take what I can get, Fox Soccer Report 
Other: Game of Thrones, Elementary, Masterpiece Mysteries - this includes reruns, CSI, CSI NY, Deadliest Catch, I think it just depends, but as you can see, I like TV.


What’s on your…?