Monday, Getting It Done

I woke up at 6:30 AM on Monday. I stripped the bed in the office and started the wash. Lu and Sadie should be showing up sometime this afternoon. I shaved and showered and then dressed. I want to get to Westborn Market for some veggies before it gets too busy.

Mission accomplished! I think I have enough salad fixings, fruit and seedless grapes to last for the next few days. Back home I started sweeping and vacuuming. Lu had called earlier and said they had just gotten onto the Pennsylvania turnpike and were probably still a good seven hours away.

I got the bed made up in the office (the cats were now banished from that room) and then made the one in my bedroom.

About 4:00 PM, I started some soup in case they were hungry when they got here. I saut�ed some chopped leeks (white part only) and a couple cloves of garlic in olive oil on medium heat until they were tender (about five minutes). Then I added 32 ounces of chicken stock, two 16-ounce cans of cannellini beans (rinsed and drained), two bay leaves and two teaspoons of ground cumin. I brought that to a boil, then reduced the heat to low. I stirred in 1/2 cup of whole wheat couscous. I covered it and let it simmer for another five minutes. Finally I stirred in two packed cups of fresh baby spinach and seasoned it slightly with salt and pepper. Bingo! I have a vegetarian dish, "Spinach and Leek White Bean Soup" that, along with one of those Rustic Italian bread loaves should do the trick (if they are hungry).

They called around 5:30 and said they were in the driveway. So, I opened the garage door and we all started the long process of unloading ten tons of "stuff" from the Explorer.

They presented my birthday gifts (a huge sea salt grinder - so huge it couldn't fit under my cupboards on the counter) and some soap, including one that is like a sand mixture (which I have never seen before). Sadie said its great for washing very dirty hands, but still leaves them soft (unlike say, Boraxo soap)

We finally did sit down to supper. They said the soup was great and they both had two bowls. As usual, I was unable to finish my first.

About 8:30 PM, both Sadie and I were yawning our heads off, so we got ready for bed. Lu said she wanted to read on the couch for a while. I read in bed for a bit, and then turned in.