Until further notice...

I hate to write this post...it just sucks...where I'm at right now.

I have spent the better part of two days at a hospice center - trying to say goodbye to a father I never knew.

Never in a million years would I have pictured myself at the deathbed of a father who was absent my entire life.
Never would I have thought that when this day came I would be filled with so many emotions, least of all sadness.

But I am sad, and frustrated and angry at how life can switch gears on you so quickly that you feel your legs will give out from under you if you move just the slightest inch. I'm walking a fine line between all my emotions right now.

I will be back...when I am back to being myself...I'm trying to find her right now.

I will be back as soon as I can.
Jules

Five Years...Amazing

What do you say? What do you say when it just gets better and better....every year, every day. I love you more than I could ever put into words. I love you in my bones, in my breathe in the beat of my heart. I had no idea that a persons capacity for love could grow so much beyond the bliss of "I Do". I didn't know it was possible, but I love you more today than I did then, and I'll love you more tomorrow. I know that whatever happens you are there, in sickness and in health, in good times and bad. You are my foundation, the base upon which all the good things in my life flourish. You make me so unbelievably happy. Thank you Chris, for sharing this life with me.

Happy 5th Anniversary!

A Week in Napa...

I just spent a week in Napa, I'm taking a nap, and then I'm off again for a business trip for the week. I'll be blogging my experience this weekend. See you then.

Jules

Salsa Fresca

Did I mention I have a shit ton of tomatoes?

I did right. I have so many of them that they are falling off the vines to the ground and I'm just leaving them there. This is so sad. CB has been averaging about a tomato a day, either in his sandwich or in a salad at night. Don't even get me started on the cucumbers. I've got ones in the house that are as long as my arm, and I saw one this morning laying on the ground that was literally as thick as my calf.

So, I took Hallie's advice on peeling tomatoes [Pick tomatoes that are fully colored and tender (but not mushy or soft) and clean them well. Dip 2 to 3 tomatoes at a time into boiling water, removing after 30 seconds with a slotted spoon. Slide off the skins and remove the core.] I did this to about six of them, peeled them, seeded them and then chopped them fine. I combined this with chopped fresh cilantro, chopped sweet onion, lime juice, lime zest, and a little salt and pepper. It was delicious. We ate it with big crunchy corn chips.

Rating = Good

Heirloom Caprese Salad - Home Grown

Sitting in traffic this afternoon while running some errands on my lunch hour. I saw a man throw a cigarette but out his window. If you have read this blog for any amount of time you probably know that I find littering one of the most deplorable acts. It's lazy, its uncalled for and it exemplifies just a basic self absorbtion and disregard for the earth and other people who have to share her with your sorry ass.

I was transfixed on this person, and then, with the index finger of the same hand that he nonchallantaly threw the cigarette out the window with, he shoved his index finger so far up his left nostril that his face became all distorted, his right eye squinting shut under the pressure of the finger in his sinus cavity. A few seconds later, satisfied with his archeological dig, he pulled his finger out - looked at it, rolled his finding around between his thumb and index finger, and then threw that out the window too. He repeated this two more times, each time as vigorous as the one before.

This is what I hate about driving to work. If I were on the train, that man would have been treated to an earful of littering and hygeine lessons, but, trapped in my car, he was oblivious to my rage and disgust, I had no closure, I was mute. I now understand road rage.

So - I picked 18 tomatoes yesterday. half heirloom, half beefsteak. Chris assures me they are great. I don't eat raw tomatoes. I'll eat the shit out of sundried, stewed, roasted, blistered, but not raw. Here's what I made with just one of the heirlooms and one beefsteak. Also, that pretty basil, that's from my garden too.

Heirloom Caprese Salad

Basil/Buffalo Mozzarella/Tomato/olive oil/salt/pepper.

I think you can figure it out.

Rating = (CB says) Damn Good

Arggg

Not sure where the time is going. I've got recipes and pictures, but no time to post.
I'm working on it. Promise.

Life - So Damn Busy