This week was what we call a “dramatic airport.”
(Sorry about the weird framing. I guess it’s to get around copyright?) Anyway, this week, two kids packed and left for college for the first time. High school started, the the other school starts next week; Benny starts kindergarten; and I’ll be home with one child for the first time in eighteen years. In addition to pretty much the whole world leaving, there’s a bunch of serious trouble and turmoil with folks I love. And this is the short version! It has been a hard week, and we would appreciate prayers! Thank you.
Happily, you can always count on food. Here’s what we had this week:
SATURDAY
Lasagna, challah, salad, cake
And I didn’t cook any of it! It was a family reunion and goodbye party for my niece Mary, who is entering a cloistered convent.
My parents have forty-two grandchildren, most of whom are pictured here:
along with two great-grandchild, one not born yet. Here is my father with all of his children:
My mother, who has Alzheimer’s, is no longer able to go to events like this. She would have loved it.
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SUNDAY
Grilled hamburgers and bratwurst
The eight girls and I had a “spa day” at home.
Me: “. . So it will be a special afternoon just for girls! Maybe we can watch a girly movie for once.”
Benny: “LIKE THE TEMPLE OF DOOM????”
Well, sure. We also dragged in nail polish, make up, facial masks, and fancy snacks and drinks, plus some intergenerational compromise music, which turned out to be Graceland.
It turns out that cold cucumbers are super hard to keep on your eyes
unless you just camp out on the floor
and that weird sensation of pulling off a dried facial mask is an acquired taste
Corrie’s piggies look good in any color
and Dora had a roomful of jewelry looking for a new home
Corrie may or may not have a future as an aesthetician
and girly stuff is actually completely exhausting.
I also discovered that, while I’ve loosened up enough to let my little girls try on makeup at home, I am not loose enough to share pictures of them on the internet.
My husband and the boys went to the laundromat, went bowling, and picked up supper, which involved meat, charcoal, and magic. I had a dream someone was trying to tell me how handsome he is, and I was like YOU DO NOT HAVE TO TELL ME.
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MONDAY
Steak, baked potatoes, veggies and dip
Last day with my second-oldest daughter home. My husband, who is the only one qualified to handle steak, had tons of delays at work, so I was reduced to cooking them under the broiler and topping them with fried onions. We had baked potatoes with the requisite sour cream and bits of bacon flavored whathaveyou, and ice cream.
It was good, but it did not make up for my second-oldest daughter leaving. It really didn’t.
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TUESDAY
Chicken burgers, chips, strawberries, watermelon
Last beach day of the year. (Okay, maybe not, but I wouldn’t be surprised to see a “closed” sign on nature and on happiness in general.)
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WEDNESDAY
Korean beef bowl, white rice, watermelon and grapes
Last day with my oldest daughter home. It’s a good recipe, but not good enough to make up for my oldest daughter leaving. It really isn’t.
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THURSDAY
Penne with sausage and creamy tomato sauce, garlic bread, salad
A new recipe for the Instant Pot (affiliate link) from a very thorough Instant Pot recipe site called Paint the Kitchen Red. Turned out quite tasty.
I only doubled the recipe, and it was enough for our suddenly tiny family of ten. You guys.
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FRIDAY
Waffles with whipped cream, scrambled eggs
I bought too much cream for the previous recipe, so we’ll whip it up for waffles. And maybe have some tea.
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I mixed up the asparagus with a little olive oil, spread it on a pan, and slid it right under a hot broiler, then sprinkled it with lemon juice when it was done. Did you know you are supposed to eat asparagus with your fingers? Do you know it’s hard, but not impossible, to drive while licking your plate?