Everything sublime is as difficult as it is rare. Baruch Spinoza

Wednesday, January 4, 2023

Snow. Bourbon.

Mark came home from treatment yesterday and plopped these two items on the table. They may seem complete opposites of one another, but to Mark, they are both life sustaining. He wouldn't want a world without milk and although he wouldn't go that far where the bourbon is concerned....well, he wouldn't be pleased. We have a decades long, I'll call it tradition, of cocktail hour before dinner. He has a bourbon on rocks and I have a glass of red wine. It's the act itself, the unwinding from what used to be long days, catching up in conversation. Our lives have changed, but the habit has not. I, especially, am a person of routine.

Another sustenance of our lives have been dogs. We had, for the first several years here, seven large dogs. Three moved with us, two were left by the prior owner and two others were dogs needing a home that I could give them. Snow puppy is perhaps the last we will have. Unless something happens which lands another one with us. 


Of course, the one thing that is universal: food! I haven't felt like cooking lately. Every meal has been quick and simple. They don't need to look that way to be that. Steaming fish in olive oil and butter is so simple. I put the fennel frond pesto on the fish, put the asparagus in with the fish and pop it in the oven for twenty minutes. Viola! Frozen ravioli and some cheese and it's dinner. Under thirty minutes, no fuss, no muss.




On the weather front. My weather app tells me we've had thirty inches of snow in the past twenty-four hours. Parts of the state, including some in the Twin Cities, had rain mixed with snow. We got all snow, but it is wet and heavy. It's still snowing and is supposed to do so all day and night. Mark didn't go for radiation this morning. The truck may have made it out, but the weather conditions aren't good for driving. I delayed the delivery of horse bedding until tomorrow and I don't expect my Costco order until at least Friday.

So ends today's tales of a housebound cat lady in Minnesota. 


15 comments:

Peace Thyme said...

I believe that your meal looks scrumptious! And healthy!

Pixie said...

Thirty inches, my god, that's a lot of snow. Hopefully the roads are better tomorrow, Mark needs his radiation. Could he stay in town?

Your meal looks lovely.

Sandra said...

Peace Thyme, easy and good. Also healthy. :)

Sandra said...

Pixie, it is a lot of snow. It's also heavy so plowing isn't going to be easy. Mark will be able to get out tomorrow. The hospital is in a town that's only about 8 miles from here. It was snowing too hard to drive this morning and I don't think even the truck would have got through the snow.

I really like steelhead trout. Asparagus is a favorite of us both.

Anonymous said...

37paddington:
It’s good to have a partner in the sand box while undergoing medical treatment. May all be well and good for you both on keeping a rather fine tradition going!

Val Ewing said...

Wow. I see now that I need a person to cook for me and make up the meals.

That snow! Wow! We are melting and freezing at the same time today. I hauled deep sleds of grit, sand, and hay chaff up the driveway so the neighbor can get in safely this evening. The ridge top is a skating rink.
I hope to get out tomorrow or Friday. But am in no hurry.

I first saw that milk an bourbon and was curious. Love it.

Sandra said...

Paddington, it is. He will be able to go in tomorrow. The tradition continues!

Sandra said...

Val, Olive could teach you lots of simple, fast and really good ways to make food. Or she could just make it for you!

I had too much pain to plow so Mark has been doing it. He started at 1:15 and is still at it now, at 4:42. It's deep.

Sandra said...

Oh, and white bourbon. HA!

Lori Skoog said...

Whoa! That's a lot of snow! Still pouring rain here. Dogs, milk and bourbon....not a bad combination! Stay warm and keep taking photos of those beautiful dinners.

e said...

Your fish dinner looks lovely...What sort of steamer do you use? Best to your husband during his treatments. That isn't easy.

Sandra said...

Lori, it’s a lot of snow! Mostly I don’t have anything worth a photo.

Sandra said...

e, I just use a foil lined baking sheet, put the fish and asparagus on it then seal another foil sheet over it. Then put it in the oven.

The Happy Whisk said...

I can relate the act itself. We do Barnes and like to get our hot drinks and do our writing. It's how we veg out. Just the act of it all, very nice.

The prior owners left their dogs? Heartbreaking. Wow, wow, on your taking them. What a good soul. An extra fruit basket for you!

Ravioli! Yum. What cute pup, too.

Sandra said...

Ivy, yes he did. A Golden Retriever and a Lab/Golden mix. They were fantastic dogs. I was the crazy dog lady throughout my life. Maybe just the crazy lady! Stray cats, dogs and the occasional horse that was on it's way to the kill pen. We help where we can.