30 April 2010

good food, good drink, good goggles, let's eat.

My mom arrived Sunday afternoon, and it's been a whirlwind of excitement since she's been here. And by whirlwind, I mean lots of long walks, cooking, good beer, and talking.

I know. I live a tough existence.



When she arrived, we made yummy pork chops on Sunday afternoon, delicious steak on Monday, chowed down on salty potato chips, artichoke dip, pot-stickers, and bell peppers & hummus on Tuesday (hey, we got lazy) and the ended the cooking/eating spree with tacos last night. Well, they would have been tacos if we remembered to get tortillas, cheese, and sour cream at the store. Instead, it was more turkey taco meat and salad, with guacamole and salsa on the side. As a former pesco-vegetarian (for 15 years) I am fairly new to this meat-eating business. It's pretty exciting.

However, I have very sensitive eyes (I'm a delicate flower, what can I say?), so I really struggle to cut onions. Even if someone else cuts, my eyes get all sorts of crazy if I'm within 20 feet. Solution: remember those nice goggle I got Amos for his birthday?


I wear them cooking. I'm a problem-solver.

Ahm. Continuing on... I introduced my mom to the local microbrew of Manny's Pale ale, the semi-local microbrew of Rogue's Northwestern ale, and the not-local-at-all Spaten Oktoberfest (add some international flavor you know? We cultured.)

While I was at work, my mom entertained herself by running a (rather humongous) set of stairs by my neighborhood, watching DVDs of Mad Men, being introduced to Modern Family, and reading Lipstick Jihad. She also went on a bike ride, where she got caught in a rather strong downpour. As a caring daughter, I called to check in once I heard the rain.



"Hi Mom. You want me to come pick you up?"

"No, it's fine. I made two friends. We're going to keep riding!"

Oh yes, did I mention that my mom makes friends wherever she goes? She gets it from my grandfather. I think it's genetic. Anyway, she returned to my house all muddy, tired, and generally proud of herself. I'm proud too: riding in the rain is one of those things that authenticates you as worthy of this perennially damp city. Kudos to her.


This morning, I dropped her off at the Amtrak bright and early. My friends, if you are ever in need of traveling from Seattle to Portland, I highly suggest the train. It's not much longer than driving, there's no traffic, and it's picturesque and relaxing. (I swear, Amtrak paid me no dinero for that endorsement)

She is going down to Portland to visit my younger sister, who turns 24 today (happy, happy birthday Megs!) I'm following her down this weekend, where we plan to go to an 80's night (costumes are REQUIRED), enjoy a carrot cake (that I'm baking as we speak, or rather as I type), and just generally have a good time.

Sigh - Life is Good.*

*Man, I wish someone hadn't made that a slogan for a t-shirt company. It kind of makes it sound commercial-y instead of just corny, which was the way I liked it.

7 comments:

  1. Oh man, I love this post. We have bunches in common. The pesco-veg thing, sensitive eyes, Mad Men and Modern Fammily, and hey! I have a Specialized road bike, too! But not the Dolce, it's a Langster :)

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  2. (oh, and I meant to say that your mum sounds uber adorable and fun. whoops.)

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  3. yea Specialized road bikes!

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  4. Your mom sounds awesome, I'm totally jealous of her instant friend making skills. I know a couple of people with the same talent and it is crazy watching them become BFF with a person on a 5min. elevator ride!
    By the way I love you for wearing goggles while cutting onions! I had my husband bring home a pair of serious safety glasses for me from work because I have a phobia of oil splattering in my eyes while cooking. I can be seen most evenings with my safeties on at the stove! He thinks it's pretty hilarious/ridiculous that I wear the same glasses to make dinner that he wears to go to the test cell.

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  5. your mom is like the west coast version of my mom. love it. wish i had some carrot cake over here! also jealous of your bike. someone stole my bike seat yesterday and left a piece of chewed gum in its place. guess thats nyc for ya!

    lindsey
    http://www.insidestoop.com/

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  6. Love the goggle solution. I agree, your mom sounds very cool and it's great that she can entertain herself (strange how the mother daughter process reverses the older we get).

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  7. Love the goggles; you are such a problem solver and stylish too! :) Enjoy the weekend! The cake looks incredible!

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