Day One-hundred-and-seventy-five: One dish, two dish, three dish, more

Today was a food extravaganza. I first finished the olive bread by baking the loaves I made up last night. Then I baked the gingerbread for which I cooked the syrup while the olive bread was in its second raise. Not finally, I made a batch of vegan chocolate cupcakes using the last of the cocoa I brought with me.

During the less busy parts I researched and planned my evening menu and my shopping list for the items I needed to get from the grocery store. The basis for my menu was one of the dinner menus in Program for Reversing Heart Disease. Let's just say it was very instructional. Thank goodness I prepared alternative plans for the main course. While I only used three of the four burners, we wouldn't have eaten had my middle sister not come home and pitched in.

The main course became the polenta casserole instead of the eggplant lasagna. I allowed three hours for the food preparation and cooking. It took four and that was with my sister taking over the mushrooms and broccoli entirely. I still did the pea soup and the polenta casserole. I can't believe my sister's family all like gingerbread. My youngest sister's daughters wouldn't touch it.

While I used far more wine than it called for to braise the onions for the polenta, we managed to put away the remaining red and white that wasn't used in the cooking. My sister also has the ingredients for the eggplant lasagna but doesn't have the recipe. She will be buying the Vegan with a Vengeance cookbook because the four people who ate some of it really liked it. I got the recipe from my oldest daughter's in-laws as that was one of the dishes they prepared especially for me.

We had a great conversation about parents, siblings, and children. (At least I think it was great. Three glasses of wine wouldn't have clouded my judgement that much.) What the wine did cloud are the conclusions we reached. But those kinds of conversations are less about conclusions than the feeling of camaraderie. Of course, more wine and less talk may have achieved the same result. However achieved, it is results that matter in this Life after Layoff.

Earlier this morning, after a breakfast of grapefruit and homemade bread toast, not my bread but my mother's, we played more Mystery Partner Euchre. In the third or fourth game, I was well on my way to winning, thanks to a four-point loaner I finally managed to deal myself without a bower turned up. Ultimately, I didn't win. My oldest sister, still younger than me, snatched my victory away from me.

I brushed the snow off my car when I went out to help my father do the same on his. This called for using one of the pair of three pair of gloves I brought. At the time the temperature was no more than ten degrees Fahrenheit. I was plenty warm for the time I was outside. Admittedly I did have my fleece vest and North Sierra jacket on, but I have not needed my silks. Nor have I needed my full sleeved fleece or the down gloves and scarf I bought to go on my first ski trip with Marilyn.

Tomorrow I drive to Columbus. I pick up my 26' chain, cleaned wedding bands, and corrected inscription heart from Diamond Cellar. My oldest daughter and her husband are supposed to be arriving at 11:00 AM. I don't know when we will be meeting, or where. After the Diamond Cellar, I will be heading to Marilyn's oldest sister's house, still younger than her. I both want to remember Marilyn's death, even revere her life, and not. I suppose with each remembrance I am healing. It is a much slower process and one with no end in sight, than I ever expected it to be.

Day Three: First big test for my Prius

Most of this day was a mad rush to complete the chores I absolutely had to before I could leave on what turned out to be a six and one half hour drive. As part of those chores, I did remember to reprogram the thermostat so the furnace wouldn't come on while I was away. (I'm writing this here so I remember I did so and can unset it when I get home. I'm sure I would remember when I felt cold but why would I want to be that?)

The drive was uneventful. I didn't even go off the road or change lanes when I fell asleep. (I don't think I really fell asleep but my eyes were dragging.) After that wake up call, I sat my seat up straight, stopped and got more food, and was on my hands free phone. I was amazed at the pockets of traffic that would build up around speeding trucks. They were all going faster than the 55 they were supposed to be going but they weren't going the 70, or more, that the cars, SUVs, pickups, and motorcycles wanted to. Every once in a while one of the semi's would pass another of their kind.

What was equally amazing is just the absolute number of vehicles on the road going south, and north, in the middle of the week. I thought we were in a gas crunch. Well, my Prius averaged over 50 miles to the gallon. Frankly I was hoping for more but I had it set on cruise control at 72, even up the grapevine. I'm sure that is what killed my average.

I arrived at my daughter's and son-in law's house exactly when he got home. My daughter came in about a half an hour later walking from the LA Metro station. (She is on jury duty.)

After a great light dinner, which I greatly appreciated with all my snacking on the road, we went to a local wine bar and spent about four hours enjoying a couple of bottles and a glass of yet another wine to start. The walk back was good for recovery. I don't think I had drunk so much wine since the last time I was down here.

As we got back to their place around 1:00 AM, I am writing this third entry the next day. Our fireworks display viewing plans will mean that I probably will be having a similar shift, if not outright skipping, for the next few days.

Living the HIGH Life after Layoff in Southern California.