I am ashamed. I am very, very ashamed. We have done a lot of shopping for our company, Well, I'll admit it, it was for me. I guess my lack of self-esteem makes me want to be good at something and that something in this case is making my guests feel happy, welcome, and special. We have so much food and booze you would think that the entire neighborhood is coming to call. Instead, only four people are visiting in July and then two are visiting in August. I am crazy. I have to stop this extreme consumerism and perhaps I'm ready to do that right now because I am sincerely nauseated at the amount of STUFF in our freezer, refrigerator, cupboard, and behind the couch (where we keep the wine and liquor). My guest better be hungry and hankering to drink--A LOT! and hang out so we don't eat out all the time--just some of the time.
We went to two different grocery stores (very small ones in this neck of the woods) and was so excited to see all the different foods. Then there's the new wine and cheese place. Please understand that most of these places are miles and miles away (except one grocery store). The liquor place is about a 45-minute drive. We hate Walmart and do not shop there usually, but it is the only place we could find some of the things we need--like rope, clothespins, etc. So we also stopped there to pick up a pitcher and a few things. So our cupboards are anything but bare. The 1/2-sized refrigerator is full to the brink as is the little freezer. TOO MUCH! I'm not complaining about the money--it's the lack of restraint and common sense that bothers me. I'm glad I won't have to worry about what we'll eat or drink, but when everyone leaves and there are leftovers, I'll go through this funk again when I have to throw stuff out (or get drunk every night to justify all the booze we have in the house).
On Saturday, Bob and I hung around most of the morning and, all of a sudden, at the same time, we got up and decided we had to start cooking. So we poached the chicken, Bob made marinara sauce (Margo is a vegetarian) and meat sauce and meatballs. I roasted peppers, eggplant, zucchini, and plum tomatoes. There was quite a whirlwind in the kitchen. It was not a cool day, so it was a bit warm in the kitchen. Hoping it would cool at night, we hustled to get everything that had to be baked and boiled done before dinner time. I made eggplant Parmesan. It was a productive day and we felt very fulfilled.
Meanwhile, Bob has been a bit bummed about the lack of birds in the water and at the feeder. When we first put the feeder out, we had the Phoebe family feeding and an adorable Goldfinch and a Chickadee. Then came the pair of Bluejays, called the Bullies of the Birdfeeder. We had also seen hairy woodpeckers, downy woodpeckers, and pilated woodpeckers. The last time we were here, we saw tons of sea birds--including, besides the seagulls, terns of different types. Then, almost all but the seaagulls were gone. Bob is also not feeling that great physically (arthritis), so he's been a bit "down." Losing his prescription sunglasses just about did him in. We spent almost a full day and part of the next day calling places we had visited and looking every where in the house for them. They were expensive and would be necessary for our cross-country trip. Anyway--all that was soon to change.
Little by little the birds returned, not in the numbers or frequency that they had previously. Then, Bob was dumping the garbage and found his sunglasses. All of that and the fact that our beautiful daughter was soon to arrive perked him up a bit.
Soon, there would be relaxation and rejoicing.
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