Weekend

I always enjoy my weekends... and this weekend was no exception.

You may know how much I enjoy cooking and planning parties. So, on Saturday evening I got to help set a table for a dinner party and prepare an appetizer. The appetizer ended up delicious- tomatoes, fresh mozzarella, basil, balsamic vinagar, olive oil and salt on a bagel crisp. It was so simple and really was delicious. I have to give credit to my mother for the idea for the appetizer.


The table was beautiful and I really loved the place setting. Green toile patterned dinner plate, cabbage leaf patterned salad plate and green checkered napkins. Nice and Springy.

On Sunday I made lunch and "threw" together a creamy tomato pasta sauce with chicken by adding fresh ingredients to store-bought sauce.
This is all that is left of the sauce.

I realized I was so happy while I was cooking. I haven't cooked a lot lately and I have really missed it. It is surprising how the very small things can really brighten a day...and for me cooking is one of those lovely small things. All in all, the weekend cooking and setting the dinner party table reminded me of my secret desire to be an event planner. I know it's lots of hard work and stress, but I really think that I might be good at it. Maybe when I grow up :)

On another note, even though it was rainy, I was driving and saw beautiful yellow bushes lining the road and had to take a picture.

On that rainy day I got to wear rain boots and they were so much fun!

Happy Easter

Happy Easter- what a beautiful day! Family just left after a huge dinner and it was great to see everyone. I always enjoy visiting my parents' home, as I have this weekend, and having a holiday dinner with Aunt, Uncle, cousins and grandparents. We always eat too much and have such a nice time talking.
I made a Hollandaise sauce "> for the first time for my asparagus. It turned out perfectly and we all enjoyed it.
I dyed Easter eggs last night at about 11pm for the centerpiece of the table--weird I know. I remembered dying Easter eggs when I was little with my Gran and don't even think I ever dyed them anywhere else that I can recall. Can't wait to do it with my kids one day, once I have children that is. :)

My Sometime Dog

I have a sometimes mine dog- BG. BG is a foxy looking Japanese Shiba Inu that my parents have been taking care of for me as I am living in an apartment in another city and am frequently out of town. She is the sweetest dog ever, but really has a taste for "people food". I say she's just been spoiled by my parents- I did not feed her table food, but they just love to spoil her. I think they are feeling the empty nest- no kids at home anymore- and like to have BG to take care of now. She is kind of hard to resist- she doesn't bark, but has the most expressive face that you just can't resist.

the kindle

Okay- so this is my first blog entry and I thought that I would write about a discussion I had with my mother over a lovely lunch at Between the Bridges Cafe today. Let me begin by saying that I love books, my family loves books, in fact some have even called my parent's home a library. Needless to say I am often on Amazon.com perusing the "aisles" for more books. So, when I clicked over to amazon this morning there was a letter to amazoners about the Kindle. If you are not familiar- it is the latest in the "techno reading machines"- electronic books can be downloaded onto your Kindle for your reading enjoyment. You never have to enter the bookstore or crack a book. Apparently, Amazon sold out of them within 5 1/2 hours of their initial availability and they are on serious backorder now.

So, back to our discussion this morning...do we really want to get rid of books- real books?? It seems that is what the Kindle leads to- we don't need actual books. My mother, who is a librarian, reported that at one local private school they are indeed heading away from having actual copies of books in their library and have mostly digital texts. I certainly see the advantage of having texts available online and for download, but not at the expense of having an actual book available. I cannot imagine snuggling up in bed late at night with my Kindle in my hands. I want an actual book in my hands. I want to turn a page not scroll down on my screen. I will be keeping my actual book copies. I guess one day they will be a rarity and hopefully I will still have a houseful.



On a completey different note- I just returned from a dinner and bonfire. There is something wonderful about great friends, great conversation, some wine and food. I am a happy Liz tonight as I end this Good Friday.