Refreshed
2002-08-05 @ 5:49 p.m.
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Last week was a bad week for me. My hormones kicked my butt. But the family came through and helped hold me together. My wife particularly deserves credit for keeping me on track and headed back toward sanity.
But the weekend was quite wonderful and refreshing. Saturday evening Jake took me out to dinner at a Mexican restaurant we�ve been planning to check out for a long time. We had to wait 45 minutes, nursing a margarita in the parking lot (it�s a popular place), before we got a table. But it was a pretty evening. The sky was clear and powder blue; the air was cooling down a bit and the company was delightful. The time went by quickly. Once we got seated, it only took 30 minutes for us to be served and eat our dinner. They move you through quickly. The food was very good, especially the shrimp tacos Jake had. I�m looking forward to going back and trying other things.
After dinner we got to spend some wonderful, loving time together and round out the evening. I went to sleep very happy and satisfied.
Sunday was chore day at the Rancho. I did some housework and finished clearing vines off a fence that is coming down soon. There is a tall, old,ugly metal fence between our yards. It�s only redeeming quality is the honeysuckle that covers it in the summer. But Badsnake and I are putting up a wooden picket fence so the dog can wander the yard free from her leash. As part of that deal, I pushed to take down the ugly metal fence (which is actually on Jake and Sara�s side of the property line). In its place we are putting a picket fence that stretches across from our house to theirs, so that we will have one combined yard instead of two separated ones. It�s kinda symbolic, don�t you think? Oh, and we�re keeping just enough of the metal fence to still have honeysuckle next summer.
I got my chores done early enough to be able to sit and read (and have a couple of beers) for a significant part of the afternoon. I also got to watch Jake and Ricky have fun with power tools. The testosterone was bouncing off the walls. I�m not sure that room will ever be clean of it.
Yesterday evening Ricky and Lucy joined us for dinner. It is always a special treat when we get to spend time with them. I had already planned an easy Seafood Broccoli Pasta dinner and had plenty of food. The Seafood Pasta is something I made quickly once for Badsnake and Jake. They have both requested again since the first time. I wasn�t going to post it because it�s so easy, but it seems to be pretty popular, so I�ll share it. Especially since it�s such a great light, refreshing meal for hot summer evenings.
Seafood Broccoli Pasta
Start the pasta cooking first. The rest goes very quickly.
Chop broccoli into small florets. I also chop pieces of the broccoli stem to use. I like the taste and the cruchiness of it. (I use a wok to make this and treat it like a stir-fry.) Saute the broccoli in olive oil with minced garlic. While it is still crunchy, take it out and set aside.
Add more olive oil and garlic to the wok. Saute bay scallops and bite size fish pieces (any kind of fairly firm white fish - this time I used whiting) until done (they get opaque). Add salt, pepper, parsley and lime juice. Stir the broccoli back in just long enough to warm it all together. Serve over the pasta.
Sauvignon Blanc went very nicely with the seafood and the lime. We had Canyon Road Sauvignon Blanc which is tasty and inexpensive. A Pinot Grigio or other acidic Italian white would also do the trick.
Just to cap off my weekend nicely, this morning there were construction workers outside my windows laying concrete for the base to the hot tub. If the weather cooperates, we should have a hot tub installed behind Jake and Sara�s house next weekend, just in time for Sara�s birthday. I know what I plan to be doing next Sunday!
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