The Sandwich Life

Random Pictures from the Sandwich Life

The baby ginkgo leaves are from work, but the rest are in my yard....well....or across the alley......

Random Notes from the Sandwich Life

1. You know what feels odd? Sitting in the Spine Institute making an appointment for an MRI...the open one because you're claustrophobic....and hearing an old Pretenders song playing in the background. I don't know why but it was one of those moments that struck me....kinda like, "well, I never saw either ONE of these things coming....."

2. Ernie came into the appointment with me. I decided this officially makes us an old married couple but hell....we ARE an old married couple. He came to all my OB appointments when I was pregnant and I always go to all of his cancer appointments so why not.... It felt comforting....even though I had to whisper when they asked me how much I weigh....

3. It's funny how even though it's been four years since my sister died, things pop up out of the blue and grab at my heart. I got in the car and found this sitting on the seat....it had gotten pulled out when Ernie was digging through the glove compartment.

4. We had mussels made with a bit of tomato sauce and Italian sausage and white wine...and homemade bread last night. The mussels were divine...lousy picture but a picture just the same. The boys, of course, turned their noses up at them....

5. I love that Peter Cooper brought us this copy of the Tennessean..... 

6. If I can get through the next week of work, I'll have a bit of a break. Looking forward to it.

7. In the meantime....

 

 

A Glorious, Glowing Night

There's this certain lightheaded kind of swoon I get when I walk under a canopy of brilliant golden maple leaves in the fall. It gets me every time. Sometime a field of black eyes susans can do it too....

That's what last night felt like.

From the incredible songs, the beautiful singing (even if Peter thought he didn't sound as good because of a cold...we did not agree), the wonderful Japanese food Tamaki made and all the other food that was shared, the good wine (it was a wine drinking crowd last night), the great company, and the utter charm and wit of Eric and Peter's camaraderie....well damn....last night had it all.

Love and thanks to all that came, to all that made it happen, but of course, most of all to my beloved Eric Brace and Peter Cooper. They are so special.

my beautiful boys singing with all their heart for my friends

Eric adroitly changing a string while Peter kindly sung my request

what would we do without Richard Hill's pictures?

Get their new album (or one of their other wonderful albums) at Red Beet Records!

 

Fish, Fish, Fish!

My boss recently told me that she has been ordering fish through Cheese and Crackers and that is was wonderful. It's not cheap mind you but you're getting quality all the way. She had gotten sushi grade tuna and she raved about it....and this is a woman who knows of what she speaks if you know what I mean...

I had her add me to their mailing list and while the last few weeks have been too busy to try, this week we decided to splurge on some swordfish----wild, line caught with hand gear swordfish no less. It's not cheap but for the quality you get it's actually a bargain. I think the swordfish was the best I've ever had except for some I got in Maine about a half block from where it had been caught that day. This was pretty damn close though. Really, really wonderful fish.

I decided to cook it simply since it was so lovely. It was about 2 inches thick and I usually figure 10 minutes at 400 degrees for one inch thick....so I put it in for 17 minutes and it was perfect. Just salt and pepper and some lemon juice squeezed over it. We served it with some boiled potato slices tossed with sauteed green onions and green and black olives and garlic....and some roasted broccoli. Owen turned his nose up at the fish. We'll get there one day.

We also ordered some Prince Edward Island mussels which we'll have tonight maybe. I adore mussels.

So, if you like fish go to their website and sign up. Bart, at Cheese and Crackers, said that if he gets enough interest he'll do orders for Saturday pick up which would be great. We need a good place to get fish here....it's my favorite thing to splurge on for special meal...so let's support them!!!

Here's a sample email:

Fish for order today for delivery tomorrow:

· Fresh Chilean Sea Bass – $31.99/lb

· Fresh Tuna, #1 Sushi Grade, $31.99/lb (Never Frozen, Sushi Grade)

· Fresh Alaskan Halibut - $28.99/lb

· Fresh Diver Dry Scallops (6-8 per pound) - $27.99/lb (read about dry scallops at the end of this email)

· Swordfish, wild line caught - $19.99/lb (hand gear)

· Sushi Grade Irish Organic Salmon - $19.99/lb (Never Frozen, Sushi Grade)

· Fresh Walleye - $18.99/lb (comes in filets around 1/2 to 1/3 lb per filet)

· Laughing Bird Shrimp - $15.99/lb

· Fresh Dover Sole - $12.99/lb (amazing tender & delicate)

· Fresh Monkfish $18.99/lb (New this week)

 

Mussels - (Sold in units of 2lbs)

     Mediterrean Mussels $10.49/lb (these mussels are larger and fattier than the PEI)

     Nova Scotia Mussels $4.99/lb

     Blue Hill Bay Mussels $4.99/lb

     Prince Edward Island Mussels $4.98/lb

 

All Oysters priced per dozen

  East Coast Oysters (significant savings for orders of full cases, case sizes range 50-100)

     Bluepoint $16.97

     Delaware         $19.05

     Maryland $12.29

     Watch Hill          $25.83

     Beausoleil          $27.06

     Blackberry Point  $24.59

     Bras D'or $20.90

     Picklepoints         $30.75

     Forbidden Bay  $23.07     

     Malpeque  $22.13

     Moonstone  $24.59

     Nasketucket       $24.59

     Naked Cowboy  $23.60

     Rappahannock  $28.67

     Stingray          $18.69

     Salt Works Seaside $17.76

     Pemiquid          $26.32

     Wellfleet  $21.88

     Raspberry Points $30.75

     Wiley Point  $27.55

 

West Coast Oysters (significant savings for orders of full cases (120 oysters per case for all west coast oysters)).

     Chef Creek $18.44

     Midnight Cove  $21.53

     Dabob Bay $18.44

     Fanny Bay $17.41

     Imperial Eagle $17.41

     Kumamoto         $27.06

     Kusshi        $26.45

     Malaspina        $19.46

     Pebble Beach      $19.46

     Cortes Island      $14.95

     Stellar Bay         $22.55

 

Texting with Owen

Time for Ernie's infusion again at the Cancer Center yesterday. It's hard to believe how fast the months go. It was a dreary afternoon, the magazine selection was lousy again and it seemed to take longer than usual. It probably didn't but we'd hoped to get out a bit quicker.

We finally finished up and headed out into the rain, stopping at Fries and Peanuts for his post-infusion drink. As we sat there we talked about the fact that we had no idea what we were making for dinner. Suddenly my phone buzzed and I saw a text from Owen....

We got home, delivered the pizza and then Ernie and Owen ran up to the school for Art and Science night which we'd forgotten about despite all the reminders. Leo and I hung out while they were gone,  luxuriating in the quiet and the rain. They blondes came home in good moods and Ernie showed me the painting Owen had on display there.

A good evening.

The 121st Wonder of the World

I believe that the 12st wonder of the world is watching Valley Girl with Owen.

 

That chick Julie....she's truly dazzling....

Hi, I'm Fred. I like tacos and '71 Cabernet. My favorite color is magenta.

That techno-rock you guys listen to is GUTLESS.

Well fuck you, for sure, like totally!

 

and then of course....my beloved Peter Case....

 

And don't tell me her blouse and her prom dress aren't Gunne Sax....

JD McPherson

Fabulous show recently at Krannert Center. A friend, who is more talented than I, shared these with me!

Kieran Kane and Other Random Notes

1. My beloved Kieran Kane has a new album out...YES!! I had heard there was one and had poked around online to no avail but got an email from Kieran over the weekend and YES, it is out! It is Go Jane Go, which is Kieran, his son Lucas and David Francey. There is something about Kieran's music that is just good for my heart so I downloaded it right away. You can get it from the inimitable CD Baby or from the Dead Reckoning site. It sounds absolutely wonderful....a couple songs from Kieran's last album and then a bunch of new ones. CD Baby aptly describes it as "John Prine meets Gillian Welch and David Rawlings meets Doc Watson." You MUST go get it folks....

 

2. In less upbeat notes, my sweet Leo is home sick with a fever and cold. I thought I was getting it but inordinate amounts of sleep over the weekend may have staved it off.... Leo was not so lucky...

3. Despite being of no importance, this is something I never imagined saying:

Leo, can you skype your brother and tell him if he wants lunch before band practice then he needs to come home now?

4. Ernie made the Banana Espresso Chocolate Chip Muffins this weekend. Just as good as I remembered....

5. Attention all facebook friends....and yes, Donna Crossin, this means you. PLEASE refrain from posting large pictures of garter snakes on your feed without alerting me first. I screeched and threw my ipad in the air. Luckily it landed on a cushion and luckily the only person that witnessed this...let's face....ridiculously embarrassing reaction of mine....was my husband and it's too late for him to ditch me now. Sigh.

6. Only FIVE days until Eric Brace and Peter Cooper! The new album is wonderful....I love it more every time I play it and my favorite songs keep switching back and forth...which is the sign of a DAMN good album. Please pay up ahead of time---$20 ahead via PayPal (link on the upper right of this page) or $25 day of. Also, please let me know if you want a copy of the poster printed on cardstock. I love all the posters Mark does but I think this is a particularly good one! And don't forget, potluck at 6:00, music follows, BYOB, kids welcome and free. A friend of mine is making some Japanese food for us but don't feel that you have to bring anything similar, in fact I'm sure some will want something else so anything is welcome! I can't WAIT!!

7. And last but not least, if you have been hesitating about coming to one of our house concerts....THIS is the one to start with! Promise.....

Oh.

We had a lovely night last night, sipping wine and nibbling at Buvons while the lovely Claire played her fiddle and we talked with friends and celebrated a birthday. We got home and things were peaceful there as well. Homework done, no arguing and sweet, clean boys. I was dead tired for no reason whatsoever so tumbled into bed a bit early. I fell asleep but then I woke up to a noise I couldn't identify. I laid there trying to figure out what it had been that woke me but it was quiet. I tried to back to sleep but finally gave in and decided to go to the bathroom. I walked into the hallway and uh, well.....I figured out what the noise had been.

A piece of our ceiling in the hallway had fallen to the floor. Evidently we have a leak.

Sigh.

Yeah.

Yes, it the ugly tiles that I hate and yes, I would like to be rid of them but.....  We had a leak in the same spot quite a few years ago and it turned out the chimney flashing needed to fixed...it's been fine ever since. Last time it didn't fall to the floor however.

I turned the light on and stared at it. Leo, who was supposed to be asleep but was actually on his ipad, asked what had happened. I told him. Ernie blearily got up and we both stared at the mess on the floor. I told Leo to go to sleep and we turned the light off.

As far as problems go it's pretty small but geesh. It's a good thing I find these things somewhat amusing.

 

Inward or Outward

The bombings at the Boston Marathon shook me up a little more than I expected. It's hard to say why that act of violence hit me more than another one.  Sadly, we have so many to choose from.

When 9/11 happened, it was horrific of course, and I was incredibly saddened, yet I was in such a different place in my life that I felt somewhat insulated. I was pregnant with Owen, and Leo was coming up on two years old. I had just started a full time job at the University and I was completely turned inward. Inward with my babies, one outside me and one inside me, and inward trying to figure out how to make this all work for us....our little family.

Today though, I am in such a different place. I feel as though I have unfurled from that inward focus. My boys are finding their place in the world and I have gone through a few rough years in which I opened up and let myself openly feel the pain. It's as though I have become porous now....where I wasn't before.

And so I found myself turning things over in my brain and madly anxious to see my sweet boys and Ernie. Even as they infuriate me (the boys....not Ernie) I find myself wondering how I could get through life without them. I am so lucky.