My daughter made it through her surgery OK, and is home now resting. As far as can be told now, it was successful. The cyst was not able to be removed intact - it collapsed when touched but they drained the fluid and hopefully her pain will be relieved. Concord Hospital has a marvelous team of nurses and docs in the day surgery center. Thanks again for all the prayer support.
Home and Garden: September 2004 Archives
Hope that all of you are doing OK - it looks like Frances did a lot less damage than feared, and hopefully Ivan will stay away. Me, I am doing ok - trying to get it all together for a trip to the other coast -travelling on faith and hope mostly. I will be leaving Wed evening and returning late Saturday.
We are harvesting loads of tomatoes from our garden. Tonight I made a ratatouille soup - simmered tomato chunks with butter and onions until it was falling apart, then added in a couple jalapenos (roasted, peeled, and chopped), a bell pepper (ditto) an eggplant and a couple summer squash. Seasoned with salt and garlic. Served over rice. I also warmed up some chicken in curry sauce and some cauliflower with melted cheese. Not your typical Labor Day barbecue, I grant you. But I am trying to get the foods in the fridge cooked and eaten before I am gone for those few days, except for foods that John might reasonably eat while we are gone.
It is hard to make the adjustment from cooking for 8 to cooking for three. Of course, it didn't go from 8 to 3 in one fell swoop. Still, it is a tough adjustment. There are always leftovers - that is a given. I am just trying to plan it so the leftovers will have a chance to be eaten in a reasonable time frame. I don't think my daughter's friends think I mean it when I invite them to share dinner but I do - there is always plenty of food to go around. I miss having a crowd to cook for (well, at least most of the time!). Some meals are just too much hassle to cook for only 3 people, but are worth it for a crowd. Tacos, for one.
My eggplants are finally setting blossoms. Of course, by the time I get eggplant the tomatoes will all be dead. Planning the timing of a garden is a lot tougher than planning a dinner! But at least it looks like I will get a few eggplant. There are also some baby bell peppers out there - I can't tell if they are on the Yolo wonder plants or the ones that are supposed to turn red. Guess I will have to wait and see. Of course, if I wait too long the local wildlife will eat them.
I planted a large pot of hardy mums out front. I hope that they make it OK. The weather here is so tough on vegetation, other than the trash maple weeds.
Life goes on.
