Day 33, Post-Op Spumoni's Queen of Spades Blues: Tuesday, October 18th!

A sister is a gift to the heart, a friend to the spirit, a golden thread to the meaning of life. -Isadora James

Good morning, Pat. I'm back to work today after a grueling weekend of staying with my Mom (giving the caregivers a couple days off). The attached NYT Cooking email comes to my email twice a week (I think). It's always very good reading, and I cook some of their recipes occasionally too. Lady D might like it too. Scroll down to the beer flood article - interesting stuff. All for now as I should probably do a bit of work before taking a coffee break. Sara Some fab recipes from Sara Jane! From friend, Sara, former colleague at UBC Library!

 

[Spinach and Goat Cheese Quesadillas] Hi Dutiful Daughter! Wonderful that you can take care of your Mom but must be extremely tiring, nonetheless. Having Sharktooth Annie less than a block away from us made it far easier on everyone. Another reason to recoup your energy at work. No paper shuffling before first coffee break, personal email only! Thanks for NYT

Cooking recipes! Some wonderful dishes which I might even have to try myself since Lady Dar is whooping it up in Vancouver for next week, lollygagging at the VWF. I'm going to forward to both her and Chloë as I know they will be taken with all of them.

[Tofu With Hot Chipotle Barbecue Sauce] Spent an hour on stationary bike yesterday, broken up into two 30 minute sessions. No resistance yet but tomorrow will start with lowest setting. Even wearing my padded under-shorts as my bottom is no longer as tough as an armadillo's plates, given that I've not ridden since first week of September!

Get additional exercise riding herd on wild horses, Etta and Duke. I prop the door, from the garage to the patio, open and then I let them out from sliding door in my office. They make a galloping, thundering "gerbil" circuit through garage, Rumpus Room and then back into office and process repeats itself until they collapse, ready for their first nap! When temperature was warmer, we'd leave sliding door open but now it's too chilly to have open for long periods of time.

[Wild Mushroom Quesadillas] I am going to ask my neighbour, Stormin' Norman, across back lane, if he will take off door from garage to patio, (Lady Dar and I did one from Rumpus Room to garage before I had my surgery.), in order to put a cat door near bottom. He is extremely capable and will probably do a better job than we did on first one! This way, kittens can come and go, at will, and we won't have to act as doorkeepers! We will lock the flap whenever we don't want them outside.

[Potatoes With Cauliflower and Cheese]
Must away as I'm peckish and want to have a bowl of yogurt with some of the apple slices and plums I dried a month or so ago.Then it's back in the saddle again! Cheers, Piccolo Fondo Man! Pics: Newton apple and dried fruit. Apples, dried and fresh, as well as plums, were from friend, Peter, in Naramata. Exhausto cats!

Thanks for the Kittens Update. Our cat, Scout, also does crazy running and followed by napping. She uses our furniture for traction as times. It's fun to watch her 'though I've never caught it on film. We call it Parkour.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parkour She learned it from watching James Bond.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iZxNbAwY_rk Sara

[Braised Duck Legs With Plums and Red Wine] Hi Malingerer! Very pleased to find that your work avoidance ethic is so highly calibrated! Thanks for the links. Hadn't seen Casino Royal so enjoyed the Parkour Chase immensely. [Now I don't have to ride as my heart rate is well and truly accelerated!] However, our kittens were consultants on film set so Scout actually learned his moves from them. Unfortunately, some of our furniture bears the scars of razor claws and needle teeth. Time to give them pedicures! Cheers, Patrizzio!

[Spicy, Garlicky Cashew Chicken] Hi Patricio, Aye, laddie, it's looking imminent. Perhaps you can give me a cheque or cash when we get together next week and I'll send our consolidated payment in to Kevin. All for now from Heathrow. Peter

Hi Heathrow Man! Are you coming or going? Pick up any interesting malt? I'll have cash ready, in a brown paper bag!!! I just saw my neighbour, Stormin' Norman, across back lane, when I was taking out some re-cycling. Asked him if he would take off door from garage to pati in order to put a cat door near bottom. No real rush and he is busy at the moment getting space next to his garage ready for his boat which will be pulled out of the water tomorrow.  Travel safely. See you soon. Cheers, Patrizzio!

[Pan Roasted Fish Fillets With Herb Butter]

Hi Arv! Phenomenal shots. Only one I've seen is off hot-air balloons in Cappadocia when we were there in 2003. Quite a sight indeed! As far as elk are concerned, our Duke is flexible enough without antlers! Cheers, Patrizzio!

 

Hi Patrick! Sorry for the slow response. Good that you finally had a workout on the exercise bike and able to kick some butt on the machine....I hope I get to ride my new bike this year but not particularly optimistic. We had a great time at dinner and will invite you crazy kids over soon...otherwise I am getting bored sitting around watching TV all day and reading but it is the smart way to go for at least a couple of more weeks. Take care. Talk Soon. Bill

[Tuna Risotto from the Pantry] Hi Guillermo! I think I'll be on my road bike before your new bike arrives, at this rate! Anyway, if interested, I'm planning to go to see one of The Kitchen Stove Films on Thursday, probably at 4:00 pm, although there is a screening at 7:00 pm as well. The Dressmaker:  

Based on the novel by Rosalie Ham, a glamorous woman, Tilly Dunnage, returns to her small town in rural Australia to take care of her mentally unstable mother. But this return comes with a burden of being rumoured to have killed a child, hence her departure in the first place. With her sewing machine and haute couture style, she transforms the women and exacts sweet revenge on those who did her wrong.

[Stir-Fried Iceberg Lettuce With Shrimp] Let me know what you think. I'd prefer earlier showing but I'm flexible if later one suits you should you wish to see film. If you really have cabin fever you should come along, as an observer, to Pam's place and watch bridge. Pamela Webster wil collect me at 6:30 pm so you could ride over with us. Let me know so that if you want to come we don't leave without you. However, I recall you may be playing Checkers! Cheers, Patrizzio!

[Can't-Miss Rice] The felecio’s will enjoy being on their own....coming and going......good idea, and having help to do the task; is using your brain. You folks have such a great estate there....and keeping up with things, as.....drying fruit, wine visitations..so wonderful....and keeping up with the exercises. Good determination. So nice to have seen the balloons, we saw a display once going thru New Mex.....was spectacular. Knew you both have seen much of the country, and countries, so figured you best see that one........A & S

Hi Arv! Yes, the "doors" are the answer. Will make a big difference once we put the second one in. As it is, I have to prop open the one onto patio as wind will blow it shut. Otherwise, I have to spend endless amounts of time letting the little beggars in and out! Had loads of fun at bridge this evening. Hiking friends and Spumoni hosted evening.  Great time even if I only came in Secondo! Not really a big deal as there were no goofy prizes, rather last of season's green tomatoes from Spumoni's community garden! Cheers, Patrizzio! Pics: Acorn Boy playing with his favourite toy. Brings them in from front garden as they fall off oak in neighbour's yard; Etta and Duke watching me, forlornly, while I was waiting for Pamela to pick me up for bridge; Spumoni and Pamela; Josinta and Pamela; ripening tomatoes; high score wins the prize; plenty of laughs;
 

Listen; what a great shot of your buddies....”I call them, ‘cat-shots’, they are so neat.....You folks have the best....some perfect friends, bring wine.....wow...Planning a trip with bikes, etc., to Europe, plus....sounds fantastic....to look ahead to. Thanks for letting us in on ‘what is going on’ there..... A & S

Hi Spumoni! Thanks for hosting. Wonderful evening indeed. Great time even if I only came in Secondo! End of season's green tomatoes are far, far better than goofy prizes! Thanks, as well, Pamela, for being such a terrific chauffeur. Much appreciated.

Off to see The Dressmaker at The Kitchen Stove series at 4:00 pm on Thursday. Anyone else coming? Cheers, Patrizzio! Pics: The Sisterhood ganged up against me! Michaelo and Phillipo, where are you when I need you?