MR: I wish there was a job where I could tell people what to eat, how to exercise and what to wear.
Me: Oh, you want to be a mom.
MR: No, I want to get paid.
Happy First Day of School!!
Wednesday, August 15, 2012
The Future...
With Mary Rollins starting her junior year (today!!), we find ourselves discussing future career possibilites more and more. One favorite conversation went something like this.
MR: I wish there was a job where I could tell people what to eat, how to exercise and what to wear.
Me: Oh, you want to be a mom.
MR: I wish there was a job where I could tell people what to eat, how to exercise and what to wear.
Me: Oh, you want to be a mom.
Home again...
Well, my little children and I returned home a week ago today from our random drive along the east coast. I realized we must have a reputation for interesting travels as numerous people have asked as summer vacation ends, "where did you all go this summer on your big vacation?" I start to say, "oh we didn't really have a vacation" but, in fact, we did. We just didn't get to take Marc with us. We'll make up for that next year. Such a marvelous drive we did have!
Thanks to Fodor's Guide to New England and Yelp, we ate, walked, biked and drove our way through American history. Both kids added several new states to their ever-growing list: Rhode Island, Delaware, New Jersey, Connecticut, and Massachusetts. It's been a long time since I planned a road trip completely by myself. Normally, Marc - who secretly aspires to be a travel agent - has planned, mapped and reserved our trips months in advance. For example we already have reservations for next summer's trip to Yosemite. And, I think there's nothing more satisfying than having things turn out even better than you anticipated (except for getting food poisoning one night in Cape Cod of which there's nothing worse than being alone with your two children throwing up in a hotel room wondering what in the world your going to do if you don't stop being sick).
I loved that everyday we seemed to find a new way to sweat: biking to Mount Vernon, hiking in the wrong shoes along Rock Creek Parkway, wandering through Georgetown and the streets of Old Town Alexandria, exploring Providence, RI, walking the Freedom Trail in Boston, hiking in Lexington & Concord (in the right shoes), sunning ourselves for almost an entire day in Cape Cod*, and visiting Niagara Falls. But my favorite part was that no one complained (except for Will at the Holocaust Museum who said the only thing worse than the Holocaust Museum is the Holocaust) about anything except for my slightly impaired sense of direction. Possibly I have a disability but we did make it home alive.
Here are a few travel tips from the Mathews:
1. Never eat anywhere that you could eat at home.
2. If you can walk there, you probably should.
3. It's bad manners to eavesdrop on tour groups of which you are not a part (so says Mary Rollins. I might disagree).
4. A half-day in Niagara Falls is plenty. Really.
5. Canadian Border Guards are a grumpy lot.
Thanks to Fodor's Guide to New England and Yelp, we ate, walked, biked and drove our way through American history. Both kids added several new states to their ever-growing list: Rhode Island, Delaware, New Jersey, Connecticut, and Massachusetts. It's been a long time since I planned a road trip completely by myself. Normally, Marc - who secretly aspires to be a travel agent - has planned, mapped and reserved our trips months in advance. For example we already have reservations for next summer's trip to Yosemite. And, I think there's nothing more satisfying than having things turn out even better than you anticipated (except for getting food poisoning one night in Cape Cod of which there's nothing worse than being alone with your two children throwing up in a hotel room wondering what in the world your going to do if you don't stop being sick).
I loved that everyday we seemed to find a new way to sweat: biking to Mount Vernon, hiking in the wrong shoes along Rock Creek Parkway, wandering through Georgetown and the streets of Old Town Alexandria, exploring Providence, RI, walking the Freedom Trail in Boston, hiking in Lexington & Concord (in the right shoes), sunning ourselves for almost an entire day in Cape Cod*, and visiting Niagara Falls. But my favorite part was that no one complained (except for Will at the Holocaust Museum who said the only thing worse than the Holocaust Museum is the Holocaust) about anything except for my slightly impaired sense of direction. Possibly I have a disability but we did make it home alive.
Here are a few travel tips from the Mathews:
1. Never eat anywhere that you could eat at home.
2. If you can walk there, you probably should.
3. It's bad manners to eavesdrop on tour groups of which you are not a part (so says Mary Rollins. I might disagree).
4. A half-day in Niagara Falls is plenty. Really.
5. Canadian Border Guards are a grumpy lot.
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| Massachusett State House -- covered in gold leaf. Fancy! |
 |
| Bunker Hill Monument. The ultimate StairMaster -- 294 steps to the top (not counting the steps we are standing on). |
 |
| USS Constitution "Old Ironsides" |
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| Make Way For Ducklings - Boston Public Garden is so lovely. |
 |
| Harwell Tavern in Minuteman National Historical Park, Lexington & Concord |
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| The Old North Bridge - Concord, MA |
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| Niagara Falls |
Thursday, August 2, 2012
Somewhere in New England...
"So, where are you from?"
Clearly, we're not from around here and you'd think that they got a lot of tourists here in New England but maybe they don't get a lot of Kentuckians.
As our travels continue, we just tell them we're driving around New England. To which, the reply is usually, "that sounds like so much fun!". And yes, it is!
Having left Washington early on Tuesday morning, we stopped for the night at the Whaler's Inn in Mystic, CT. We wandered the streets of Mystic, debated having actual Mystic Pizza and instead ate at a delicious little restaurant called Azu.
Wednesday, we spent the morning at the Mystic Aquarium which was fantastic. I thought that we might be too old for the Aquarium. We're not. We made friends with Beluga whales and pet sharks and rays. And, we saw a 4-D sponge BoB movie. We were too old for that...
After lunch, we went to Mystic Seaport which Will said was definitely more fun than the Holocaust Museum. Funny thing, I remember going to Mystic Seaport decades ago and loving it. Loving it so much so that I thought it might be the highlight of our trip. It was good but we all agreed that petting those stingrays was more exciting.
Last night we arrived in Providence, Rhode Island. Our hotel is on Federal Hill -- one of the five largest Little Italy neighborhoods in the US. Our hotel is fabulous! Our hotel room is twice the size of Isabug's Brooklyn apartment (and just as difficult to find a parking place). Will not only has his own bed, he has his own room. Did I mention we have a fireplace? I could live here. In fact, everyone but me is sleeping in while I enjoy my hotel room coffee made with real cream from the full-size refrigerator in the room.
Oh, and the food picture is from a wonderful little Italian place called Angela's Civita Farnese I found (thanks to Fodor's) that is going to be on Diner's, Drive ins, and Dives. That's the Braciola. Will took the photo(!) and ordered that because it's one of the dishes they are going to feature on the show. It's one of the few photos I've sent Marc that created actually envy that he wasn't with us.
Off to Cape Cod later today. Ciao!
Clearly, we're not from around here and you'd think that they got a lot of tourists here in New England but maybe they don't get a lot of Kentuckians.
As our travels continue, we just tell them we're driving around New England. To which, the reply is usually, "that sounds like so much fun!". And yes, it is!
Having left Washington early on Tuesday morning, we stopped for the night at the Whaler's Inn in Mystic, CT. We wandered the streets of Mystic, debated having actual Mystic Pizza and instead ate at a delicious little restaurant called Azu.
Wednesday, we spent the morning at the Mystic Aquarium which was fantastic. I thought that we might be too old for the Aquarium. We're not. We made friends with Beluga whales and pet sharks and rays. And, we saw a 4-D sponge BoB movie. We were too old for that...
After lunch, we went to Mystic Seaport which Will said was definitely more fun than the Holocaust Museum. Funny thing, I remember going to Mystic Seaport decades ago and loving it. Loving it so much so that I thought it might be the highlight of our trip. It was good but we all agreed that petting those stingrays was more exciting.
Last night we arrived in Providence, Rhode Island. Our hotel is on Federal Hill -- one of the five largest Little Italy neighborhoods in the US. Our hotel is fabulous! Our hotel room is twice the size of Isabug's Brooklyn apartment (and just as difficult to find a parking place). Will not only has his own bed, he has his own room. Did I mention we have a fireplace? I could live here. In fact, everyone but me is sleeping in while I enjoy my hotel room coffee made with real cream from the full-size refrigerator in the room.
Oh, and the food picture is from a wonderful little Italian place called Angela's Civita Farnese I found (thanks to Fodor's) that is going to be on Diner's, Drive ins, and Dives. That's the Braciola. Will took the photo(!) and ordered that because it's one of the dishes they are going to feature on the show. It's one of the few photos I've sent Marc that created actually envy that he wasn't with us.
Off to Cape Cod later today. Ciao!
Tuesday, July 31, 2012
On to other spots...
Can you guess this location? It's been at least two decades since my last visit here and it's even more adorable than I remember. Will says if MR or I say cute or adorable one more time, he's going to get violent. But, it is all cute and adorable!!
One photo contains a hint from one of Julia Roberts' first movies as to our locale.
One photo contains a hint from one of Julia Roberts' first movies as to our locale.
Monday, July 30, 2012
My new listing...
And the best way to get there...by bike!
(only kidding about this being my listing. It's in Virginia and I'm only licensed to sell real estate in Kentucky).
(only kidding about this being my listing. It's in Virginia and I'm only licensed to sell real estate in Kentucky).
Sunday, July 29, 2012
Guess where we are....
If you can guess where we are, the prize is a full cup of fresh basil leaves (if Grandma and Grandpa remember to water my back porch pots-hint hint).
Tune in tomorrow for more fun photo contests.
Tune in tomorrow for more fun photo contests.
Wednesday, July 18, 2012
Life without a sister home
Without Mary Rollins home, Will won't sleep upstairs by himself. For three weeks this summer, this has been the scene in my family room every morning.
Tuesday, June 5, 2012
Fun with Bok Choy
We are well into our CSA (community supported agriculture initiative if the letters CSA stumped you)and getting our basket on Monday afternoon is one of the highlights of the week. In a way, it's like a surprise present, that you pay for and you have some inkling what might be in there from the previous week's newsletter but still -- actually getting it and seeing what fruits and veggies are there is very fun.
This week was the best surprise of all -- no more Bok Choy. Not that I don't like Bok Choy but I swear it's been multiplying in my refrigerator. I give heads of it away and still there's more bok choy. We eat it, and still, there's more bok choy.
The first night I did something with bok choy didn't end up with the best results. One of the few times Mark Bittman has failed me. It was okay if you are a die-hard vegetable eater like MR and I, but Marc and Will took one bite and swore off bok choy for the rest of bok choy season. This is bad news when bok choy season runs for four weeks. Did I mention that Marc said that if he heard the word bok choy again he was going to scream? Apparently bok choy was in season at the Transylvania University dining hall at lunchtime as well as at the Mathews' house at dinner.
Weeks later, I've done a lot of thing with bok choy reminiscent of Bubba from the movie Forest Gump listing off all the the things you can do with shrimp. You can have bok choy saute, steamed bok choy, grilled bok choy, juiced bok choy, bok choy omelette, bok choy quesadilla, bok choy stir-fried with left over chinese food (definitely the best) and bok choy & bratwurst (not good -- even with honey mustard dressing). Yesterday with the last bit of it, I had bok choy sauteed with a teriyaki and sesame orzo salad -- don't be impressed in spite of how cool that sounds, while Mary Rollins had a Bok Choy flatbread sandwich -- also not nearly as good as it sounds if that even sounds good. I think I've lost all perspective on what and what doesn't go with bok choy.
I feel sure there's more fun I could have with bok choy but it's finally all gone I can proudly say that we wasted not a bit of it.
The first night I did something with bok choy didn't end up with the best results. One of the few times Mark Bittman has failed me. It was okay if you are a die-hard vegetable eater like MR and I, but Marc and Will took one bite and swore off bok choy for the rest of bok choy season. This is bad news when bok choy season runs for four weeks. Did I mention that Marc said that if he heard the word bok choy again he was going to scream? Apparently bok choy was in season at the Transylvania University dining hall at lunchtime as well as at the Mathews' house at dinner.
Weeks later, I've done a lot of thing with bok choy reminiscent of Bubba from the movie Forest Gump listing off all the the things you can do with shrimp. You can have bok choy saute, steamed bok choy, grilled bok choy, juiced bok choy, bok choy omelette, bok choy quesadilla, bok choy stir-fried with left over chinese food (definitely the best) and bok choy & bratwurst (not good -- even with honey mustard dressing). Yesterday with the last bit of it, I had bok choy sauteed with a teriyaki and sesame orzo salad -- don't be impressed in spite of how cool that sounds, while Mary Rollins had a Bok Choy flatbread sandwich -- also not nearly as good as it sounds if that even sounds good. I think I've lost all perspective on what and what doesn't go with bok choy.
I feel sure there's more fun I could have with bok choy but it's finally all gone I can proudly say that we wasted not a bit of it.
Friday, May 25, 2012
Summer begins
It's officially summer now. For the first time in years, central Kentucky kids are out of school before Labor Day. In celebration, I'm at my Berea listing letting in some fellows for a termite treatment. Somehow my sellers and I forgot to communicate about the alarm code. Oops. If there was ever a doubt, sound can definitely be used as a weapon AND a cardio workout. My heart rate is just now returning to normal levels.
I went to my last middle school honors day yesterday at Morton. Will received an award for Academic Excellence for having a "4.0 All Year" and awards for Science and Geometry. We're so proud but I really thought it would be more appropriately announced as a 4.0 for the final day of the grading period when he managed to bring his grades in a couple of his classes up to an "A."
I'm looking forward to not having the discussion for the next few months about why we expect him to have all "As." Why? Because you can.
Oddly, I've never had that conversation with Mary Rollins.
And so, next year Will is off to high school. He'll be in the Liberal Arts Academy at Henry Clay, otherwise known as "The Academy.". Fortunately Will has linked together that good grades in high school equal scholarship dollars for college so perhaps he'll motivated for a more proactive approach to homework.
I went to my last middle school honors day yesterday at Morton. Will received an award for Academic Excellence for having a "4.0 All Year" and awards for Science and Geometry. We're so proud but I really thought it would be more appropriately announced as a 4.0 for the final day of the grading period when he managed to bring his grades in a couple of his classes up to an "A."
I'm looking forward to not having the discussion for the next few months about why we expect him to have all "As." Why? Because you can.
Oddly, I've never had that conversation with Mary Rollins.
And so, next year Will is off to high school. He'll be in the Liberal Arts Academy at Henry Clay, otherwise known as "The Academy.". Fortunately Will has linked together that good grades in high school equal scholarship dollars for college so perhaps he'll motivated for a more proactive approach to homework.
Tuesday, May 22, 2012
Thursday, May 10, 2012
Adventures with Vegetables
Admittedly, not a single one of the photos included here contains a vegetable. Unless you consider rhubarb to be a vegetable and, well, I just googled it and it is so I now retract that statement there is a vegetable here it's just hiding under a crumbly top of butter, oats and brown sugar.
We are on Week 3 of our Greeley Farm CSA and I couldn't be happier. We were in New York for the pick up time of week 2 so my old friend Marian (she's not old, just our friendship) picked it up for me and she got to enjoy and share the bounty of my half-bushel basket. That made me happy although it was painful to have to buy conventional store lettuces last week. This week I've added some beautiful eggs from Farmer James into the mix. I scrambled some yesterday morning and what a difference it was. I'm going to hard boil some with some regular eggs and then do a blind taste test to make sure I'm not suffering from a CSA bias.
This week's basket included strawberries so becoming that I bought a spare second quart James had in his truck. It seemed a good decision since we ate the first quart in about 2 minutes with some homemade whipped cream.
We also have rhubarb this week, more bok choy (apparently they had a lot of bok choy at the Transy cafeteria this week as Marc was really elated to have missed dinner at home last night when MR and I ate one and half pounds by ourselves. He said, "please don't say another word about bok choy, I'm sick of it), chinese cabbage and green onions and a lettuce mix.
I hadn't cooked rhubarb before but I just whipped up the crumble below. and it couldn't have been easier. It's adapted from Mark Bittman recipe.
1.5 lbs of fresh rhubarb, trimmed and cut into 1 inch pieces
1/4 cup lemon juice
1/2 tsp of cinnamon
cup of brown sugar (I might use Splenda or stevia next time)
Toss in a bowl and put in a Bybee baking dish (or any oven-safe 8 or 9 inch round dish)
Then put into food processor:
1/2 cup flour
1/2 cup oats
1/2 tsp of cinnamon
2/3 cup of brown sugar
5 tab. of cold butter cut into pieces.
1/2 cup of chopped hazelnuts (any nut would do I think)
Pulse the food processor a few times and spread on top of the rhubarb in the baking dash.
Bake at 400 for approximately 35 minutes.
We are on Week 3 of our Greeley Farm CSA and I couldn't be happier. We were in New York for the pick up time of week 2 so my old friend Marian (she's not old, just our friendship) picked it up for me and she got to enjoy and share the bounty of my half-bushel basket. That made me happy although it was painful to have to buy conventional store lettuces last week. This week I've added some beautiful eggs from Farmer James into the mix. I scrambled some yesterday morning and what a difference it was. I'm going to hard boil some with some regular eggs and then do a blind taste test to make sure I'm not suffering from a CSA bias.
This week's basket included strawberries so becoming that I bought a spare second quart James had in his truck. It seemed a good decision since we ate the first quart in about 2 minutes with some homemade whipped cream.
We also have rhubarb this week, more bok choy (apparently they had a lot of bok choy at the Transy cafeteria this week as Marc was really elated to have missed dinner at home last night when MR and I ate one and half pounds by ourselves. He said, "please don't say another word about bok choy, I'm sick of it), chinese cabbage and green onions and a lettuce mix.
I hadn't cooked rhubarb before but I just whipped up the crumble below. and it couldn't have been easier. It's adapted from Mark Bittman recipe.
1.5 lbs of fresh rhubarb, trimmed and cut into 1 inch pieces
1/4 cup lemon juice
1/2 tsp of cinnamon
cup of brown sugar (I might use Splenda or stevia next time)
Toss in a bowl and put in a Bybee baking dish (or any oven-safe 8 or 9 inch round dish)
Then put into food processor:
1/2 cup flour
1/2 cup oats
1/2 tsp of cinnamon
2/3 cup of brown sugar
5 tab. of cold butter cut into pieces.
1/2 cup of chopped hazelnuts (any nut would do I think)
Pulse the food processor a few times and spread on top of the rhubarb in the baking dash.
Bake at 400 for approximately 35 minutes.
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| Rhubarb Crisp |
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| My basket (in case you didn't know, which I didn't, those long things that look like celery stalk on the top right are the rhubarb). |
Tuesday, May 8, 2012
Milestones or maybe mileage is a better title...
Dearest Blog friends (and Dad),
There has been much quietness on the blog since last week because there's been so much excitement in real life. Mary Rollins turned 16, we went to New York to celebrate (saw Isabug and David -- on break from Rock Stardom for a night, had fabulous time, want to see some pictures?), returned home, and Mary Rollins got her driver's permit.
What I really want to write about is driving with a new driver. It makes me twitch, as in, "Mom, could you please stop twitching?" I can't help it. It's not my leg sore from trying to phantom brake as I have been warned of; it's trying to control the impulse to grab the steering wheel. All right, I'll admit, I have grabbed the steering wheel. Trust me, there was good reason. I don't think those walkers on Lakewood realized just how close to the grim reaper they were. It's getting better each day though and yesterday we tackled Alumni Drive and two left turns across traffic.
On Friday, as she went for her very first drive after passing the learner's permit test, I said, "You know what? I don't know that I put on enough deoderant this morning, Mary Rollins."
Her response, "Me either."
There has been much quietness on the blog since last week because there's been so much excitement in real life. Mary Rollins turned 16, we went to New York to celebrate (saw Isabug and David -- on break from Rock Stardom for a night, had fabulous time, want to see some pictures?), returned home, and Mary Rollins got her driver's permit.
What I really want to write about is driving with a new driver. It makes me twitch, as in, "Mom, could you please stop twitching?" I can't help it. It's not my leg sore from trying to phantom brake as I have been warned of; it's trying to control the impulse to grab the steering wheel. All right, I'll admit, I have grabbed the steering wheel. Trust me, there was good reason. I don't think those walkers on Lakewood realized just how close to the grim reaper they were. It's getting better each day though and yesterday we tackled Alumni Drive and two left turns across traffic.
Her response, "Me either."
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