the remaking of a kitchen

i'm so slow getting this written, but finally here it is. we were among the 77,000+ fans watching the spring game in lincoln last weekend. the weather report was dire, rain, possible thunder and lightning....just a mess at game time. then they showed bob devaney on the jumbo tron and the sun came out! really. :) it was so warm i had to remove a couple of layers of clothing and in jeans and a red t-neck i was still very warm but just couldn't go any further. there are limits.
patrick joined us at the game and kari and her family were in the next section up about 10+ rows, but we were both on the edge of our sections with a couple of fences inbetween, but we could actually touch hands across the wires! it was fun.....warm, active, loud and all the rest. the players seemed to have come a long way since the scrimmage last year. they knew what they were doing and where they were supposed to be. last year coaches were on the field behind them calling out directions. not so this time! some nice passes, nice runs, good tackles and blocks. i liked it a lot.
a field load of kids with parents were out at half time to take their pledges, ron brown to the parents and joey ganz to the kids. it was an enthusiastic group who had to be reminded and then coaxed off the field when play was to begin.
i always feel pride at how many attend, and the whole presentation: the kids, and parents and the players themselves. pretty cool. there were a lot of possible recruits in attendance too, so we will see what happens with them. i think there was one oral commitment given for 2010, hopefully more to come.
we were to meet dave and lea at the players statue on the east side of the stadium and were surprised to find kari and fam there too with brian's parents. good to see them again and exchange some hugs. we bid them good bye and headed off to yia yia's for pizza and beer. it was good to finally be able to get together with dave and lea...one of always seems to have a conflict, so this was a treat. the pizza, beer and conversation was great. when we parted, they returned home to cb, patrick went off to meet his friends and we went back to our motel for the night.
our plans to meet up with david and kyla on sunday fell through, so we headed to omaha and got a bit of lunch. i was able to meet up with kay lynn and we took a walk through our old neighborhood and caught up on family news. that was really lovely. we met dick and judy for dinner later that day and we wisely declined their invite to "gone with the wind". they had forgotten how l-o-n-g the movie lasted. :)
it was great to see them and get to visit without the movie.
the next morning we were up early and out to see the eye doctor. 8:20 and 8:40 appts! egads! we were there early if you can believe it. all was well. we checked out of the motel and were home before 6 that evening. a good weekend for sure!!

Labels: eye docs, judy and dick, kay lynn, pizza, spring game

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO MY BLOG! it's been three years today since i started telling the story of our kitchen redo. the blog has sort of wandered off the subject, but i'm ok with that. it's supposed to be about what's happening and all that, and it is!
last weekend i was in california, staying with david and sarah. david picked me up and that was just the start of the good stuff! it was a great visit and happiness reigned! sarah and i went to the palace of the legion of honor and saw the faberge, tiffany and lalique show there. it was absolutely fabulously marvelous. i liked it a lot....i think sarah did too. there were so many pieces, jewelry, the lovely eggs, glass, glass and more glass. it was just a lovely way to start the weekend.
we did so many things i can hardly remember them all. of course i left my camera lying ready to be packed at home, so i have no visuals to add. drat. i walked up to noe valley on my own (!) and spent an enjoyable time there just wandering. had a delicious salad for lunch and then wandered back and read away the rest of the afternoon.
we went to see the new place from the outside and that was fun. it's a great neighborhood with nearby shops and restaurants. we visited one for brunch, and that worked well....everything was delicious. then we went on a tour by car to check out some further points, and i think they will love living there. yay!
we ate at slow club one evening and sarah and david cooked a couple of times. they are so good at that! yummy greens david picked at the usf garden and then served us that evening. that is local!! :)
s and i drove to santa cruz on monday after yoga for moms to be and spent some time visiting with sandy. some girl time! we went to eat at the crows nest and the food was great....we saw the waves rolling in before the sun set. we sat visiting again.....way longer than we planned. i think it was nearly 1 when we hurried off to bed. the next morning sandy fixed us a grand breakfast to send us off back to the city. it was all quite lovely!! i even showed my cd of my collars to a gallery there....they can't use them but loved them anyway, and i really did it. i showed them to someone. i hope that gets me going.
sarah took me to the airport later in the afternoon and i had an uneventful flight home, thinking of all the good stuff i enjoyed in sf.

Labels: blog birthday, food, gallery, palace of the legion of honor, san francisco, sarah and david

my brother-in-law sent this crazy recipe so of course i had to try it!

5 MINUTE CHOCOLATE MUG CAKE
4 tablespoons flour
4 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons cocoa
1 egg
3 tablespoons milk
3 tablespoons oil
3 tablespoons chocolate chips (optional)
A small splash of vanilla extract
1 large coffee mug (MicroSafe)

Add dry ingredients to mug, and mix well. Add the egg and mix thoroughly..

Pour in the milk and oil and mix well..

Add the chocolate chips (if using) and vanilla extract, and mix again..
Put your mug in the microwave and cook for 3 minutes at 1000 watts.

The cake will rise over the top of the mug, but don't be alarmed!

Allow to cool a little, and tip out onto a plate if desired.
EAT ! This can serve 2 if you want to feel slightly more virtuous.

it was good and chocolaty, of course i added the chips too. the texture was a little strange...chewy and uneven as to being dense or runny. didn't keep us from eating it however! next time it may need some dried cherries. possibilities abound.

Labels: chocolate cake, chocolate chips, cup, gary