A Busy Friday

So, it was Friday morning and today was the IT Department's Christmas Brunch. Now, in the summer, when it's the Department picnic (okay, so we no longer rent a park space, like back in the day, but we still all get together and chow down), I usually make an elaborate dish. I forget what it was this year (maybe I was off and missed it with my operation). But, two year's ago, I made my macaroni and cheese and people loved it.

But, with just a week before Christmas, I got too much to do to invest time and money in some all day dish. So, two or three years ago, I decided on Swedish meatballs. Now, I know (and so do you, probably) these are meant to be served over egg noodles. But, I never could figure out how to keep the noodles warm and transport them to the party.

So, I just went with the meatballs and the sauce. People loved them and ask me every year if I'm going to make them again. I always say, "Sure!" and am really glad nobody's ever asked me for the recipe. Why, because I am basically honest and would have to tell them the truth. Well, not necessarily with women; with women, I am usually frank and earnest. In St. Clair I was Frank, here in Redford I'm Ernest! (Okay, I stole that from the movie "The Long Kiss Goodbye" but I always loved that line...)

Anyway, I digress... back to the Swedish meatballs. In the interest of saving time, I go to Gordon Food Service (GFS) and buy a bag of their pre-cooked meatballs and a big-ass can of Swedish meatball sauce. I combine the two in my round crock-pot (not all the meatballs will fit, though - it's a big bag) and dump in the sauce. I turn it on low when I leave for work and then swing by the house just before the party (about four hours later). I hit that with a good handful of fresh chopped parsley (it seems to freshen it up) and take it in. Everybody loves them!

So, that's what I did this year. I may suck as a foodie, but people damn sure like it!

I have one BIG complaint, though. Ying, a female programmer from China, signed up to bring Jelly Fish Salad. I went out of my way to tell her how much I was looking forward to trying that!

Well, today, she changed her offering to cookies! It seems another programmer convinced her that Americans wouldn't eat Jelly Fish. Okay, so I can sorta understand that (but I really wanted to try it!). But, at the party, she brought in one packet of them from a local Chinese grocery store. She walked right by me (shit! Dammit! I even gushed!) and gave it to Jake, apologizing for not making it for everybody!!! WTF? It appears he anticipated some resistance and emailed her, urging her to bring it. Now, I sit about 15 feet from her and told her how much I was looking forward to it, but his damn email was more important? That sucked!!!

All I can do now is to wait for his report, I guess...

I left the party with about 1/3 of the meatballs and sauce left. I stopped by home and plugged in the crock-pot and set it on warm. Then I dumped in the rest of the thawed meatballs and went back to work. I'll make some egg noodles and have a real dinner, tonight.

Once home, cats treated and clothes changed, I started into working. First item of business was cleaning the downstairs toilet (hey, who doesn't like that? What? There's better ways to spend a Friday night?) I got three more items checked off the list (oh, there's always a list) and then hit a snag.

It was already almost 7:30 PM, I haven't eaten any dinner and I have this movie to watch (Inglorious Bastards - I'm a big Quentin Tarantino fan). I borrowed it from a friend who'd rented it and she needs to pick it up tomorrow morning to return it. I really wanted to watch it, but the damn thing's 2 1/2 hours long!

So, I quit. I made a serving of wide egg noodles, topped them with the Swedish meatballs and went in to watch the movie.

Of course, I fell asleep about halfway through the movie. I woke up at 12:30 AM for a bathroom break and realized what I had done. The movie was already off, of course, so I "fast forwarded" it (now I say that and maybe I do something wrong, but I can't "fast forward" a DVD like I used to a VHS tape) to the last scene I remember (this took forever). Then I finished watching the movie.

I finally got to bed just after 1:30 AM...