Tag: snow

gratitude-a-thon day 545: another day, another storm

Categories Uncategorized2 Comments on gratitude-a-thon day 545: another day, another storm

 

IMG_3454
Riley is totally like, “Make it stop. Would you make it stop.”

 

Seriously, UNCLE.

This snow situation has gone from “you’re kidding” to “How did we move to Alaska without knowing it.” I can barely see out of my windows. And people, it is still coming down HEAVILY.

I have a really horrible cold, that is making me cough, which when I do, makes my entire head feel like the worst hangover you’ve ever had. Then there is the post nasal drip, and swollen eyes. My sinuses are as clogged as the T tracks right now. The governor is telling us to stay inside, um, yeah, no problem here.

Four storms, three weeks. Nineteen degrees, wind chills below zero, EIGHTY NINE POINT SEVEN INCHES, TOTAL. I keep hearing people say, “Well, It’s winter, what do you want?” But, this is like no winter in Boston I’ve ever experienced in my whole life as a New Englander. What do I want? I WANT IT TO STOP.

unnamed
VD dinner.

 

Last night we had friends over for a VD dinner and a movie–the last in the Academy Awards line-up–The Theory of Everything. (I coughed through the entire thing.) But having seen all the nominees now, I continue to say, the big race is the “best actor” category. Eddie Redmayne playing Stephen Hawking losing his physical abilities, but not his mind, is truly a marvel. He beautifully brings out the humanity and humor of the man, without the benefit of being able to use his body, and for some parts of the film, his voice. Peter continues to think Bradley Cooper will get it, but I tend to think it might go to Redmayne.

unnamed-1
My friend brought this Riley-ish dog cake, because she thought it would make me laugh. It did.

 

Gratitude, well that’s simple. I am focused on my husband’s spectacular Valentine’s Day gift, four days in South Beach. I CANNOT WAIT. Just to get out of this for a minute will give me some energy to make it until Spring, that is, if Spring comes this year. (See what this winter has done to my optimism).

gratitude-a-thon day 49: soup

Categories Uncategorized9 Comments on gratitude-a-thon day 49: soup
IMG_3937
Soup’s on.

I had kind of a crap day yesterday. First of all, it was snowing and the weather people who I was feeling real animosity toward, were saying it was going to be a 4-8 inch snow storm. And well, it’s MARCH. And I hate snow. And I want spring. And I’m sick of the sleeping bag coat. A work thing happened that was icky. I had the chills all day. I missed my sister a lot. And the Times Style AND HOME section were disappointing. So, after I did some errands (I went to the hairdresser and got my hair dyed, if you must know), I came home and what did I do to improve my mood? I made myself some soup. This winter I have found that what I most want to eat, is soup. My daughter doesn’t like it, so I’m less than game to make it as much as I’d like to eat it, because really, who wants to cook two meals? (Not me, I don’t even really want to cook one.) Anyway, I have been trying hard to get as many vegetable in me as possible lately, so I decided to make some vegetable soup.

Now, I have pretty much perfected my chicken soup, but I only recently began making vegetable soup. And guess what? It’s sort of idiot proof. My dog could make it. (You know, if he had hands. And he didn’t want to wolf down all the ingredients before they made it into the pot. Not that he’s an idiot, because he is SO NOT.)

So, here’s the deal. It’s almost too easy to call a recipe, so I’ll just tell you what I did and if you feel like it, you can do it, or you can tell me how you do it.  In fact, give me some soup recipes people. That would be really awesome. Soup’s on!

I took olive oil and put it at the bottom of a soup pot.

I cut up onions (two) and carrots (three) and celery (6) and zucchini (1) and yellow squash (2) and a package of spinach (like a bazillion pieces) and sauteed.

Then I threw in one container of chicken stock and three cups of water.

Then I added a little pepper and some salt.

Then I answered some emails and noticed that The Huff Post was reporting that Kim Kardashian is traveling too much and thought she had miscarried. (thanks goodness I made soup, this almost put me over the edge. YES , IT’S A JOKE.)

Then I ate some popcorn while the soup cooked (15 minutes).

Then I ladled it into a bowl and sprinkled it with Reggiano Parmigiano and pulled the hyacinths close to me so I could smell them. And ta-DA, the day seemed better. The warm liquid started heating me from the inside and the all the vegetables seemed to be saying “Spring is coming.” And the cheese, well I wish it were snowing Parmigiano. That would be a storm I’d be grateful for.