Do any of you do menus for the week? It seems labour intensive, but I have done it off and on for years. It keeps us from making the same damn things over and over again. One evening or morning when I am hungry, I search out what I want to eat that week, and divide it out over the days of the week, making a semblance of effort to follow the food guide. The grocery list is made simultaneously. Then when the family is screaming from hunger and I am hot and tired, I don't have to stand in the kitchen scratching my head and staring at the cupboards blankly wondering WTF I am going to make for dinner. It also helps to keep the man's menu varied. He is a great and wonderful man. He is a fantastic cook. He cooks often and willingly. He makes the same dishes over and over and over till we go blue and groan at the sight of them. With the little fancy menu thing, he has ideas. I even write the page number and the cookbook name next to the recipe, and he knows he may mess up my plans if he wings it, bringing the wrath or a thwarted wife with screaming children down upon him. The system works. Sometimes.
So far I have planned bacon wrapped dates stuffed with almonds, and thyme and garlic soup. The girls are cooking again on Saturday, and as we have no fridge, I only plan a few days ahead. Obviously this needs some fleshing out, but I have shifted to blogger mode and will finish the menu in a bit.
This system is also a great cost saver. Make the list and the menu when you are hungry, it's easy and EVERYTHING looks good. Shop full and stick to the freakin' list.
Anywhooooo,
The grapes around here are looking good aren't they?
Today is a special day. The Catalans have been making a big deal out of September 11th for about 700 years. Nothing to do with NYC. Today marks the 761st (?????) anniversary of the destruction of the Catalan nation by those Castilians in Madrid. We all got the day off and hung out flags. There was also a kid's fair in the local September 11th park, complete with bouncy castles - very traditional I am sure, and this:
I don't think you can see the American Flag on the mat around the kid. They move it very sloooowwwwlyyyy. It struck me as truly bizarre the first time I saw it, but this year I realised that there is an extra level to this beyond what my N. American eyes might initially grasp. The Catalan national animal, used on symbols all over the place is the burro, or donkey. Yup, stubborn hard working types. The Castillian symbol is the bull. Lets not go there with the bull fighting imagery, OK? Anyway, this here Catalan kid is riding the bejeesus out of this Castillian bull, no? Symbolism, you can see it everywhere.
One of the traditions is to hang the Catalan flag everywhere. The flag is a very practical design, you can buy it by the yard. Well, meter actually.
Here's one for the Texans, the Catalans also seem to think of themselves as the lone star state, well, nation, but that ain't all that different either is it?
Been doing still more painting..... here's one, that is done and I think I like,
And a second I completed today, this I thought worked out not too badly. What a blast.
Tomorrow is the first day of school. That'll be a shocker.
Poor things.
4 comments:
Nice artwork!
I keep telling myself I should plan meals in advance, but can never bring myself to actually do it. I probably will, though, now that the kids are in school (as soon as this nausea passes, because at this point I'm not up for cooking anything at all-- surviving on frozen food, and the kids eat at school...)
Sounds like a fun day yesterday. Oh, by the way, have you been following the controversy about the new Civics and Human Rights Education class mandated to be taught in the schools? Interesting...
I see that the birds like the look of the grapes too, judging from the netting!
I like your pepper painting particulary (try saying that quickly)
Will comment on your HP7 thoughts when I have more time
Kate: Honest to goodness, I wouldn't do it if it didn't make my life easier....
My sympathies with the nausea, I could cook OR eat, never both when I was in that stage. Like I had a food time limit.
I asked around about that new course, from what the teachers here say, it sounds like a civics course. No one seemed very upset, although we all agreed there was a bit of a hidden agenda there, as with all schooling, my take was to help build respect and care within an increasingly multi-cultural nation and as members of the EU, they figured it had to do with declining voter numbers....
whatever.
Boo: Seems they do, I must say I wouldn't mind picking me some of those, I love those grapes..
pepper painting particularly is definately an impressive tongue twister....
LOVE the last painting!!! Would look perfect in my kitchen!
I would love to make menus for the week, I think it's a good idea, but I never seem to. We repeat meals a lot, so that's something I need to work on.
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