You will find what we had for dinner is at the end of this post. Today was an important day for me. And it had nothing to do with food. It was the last Saturday I had to go to my parent's house.
Back in 1996 my Dad asked if I could come to the house on Saturdays. He was having trouble getting my mom to go anywhere. He thought I might be able to take her shopping, or at least get her out for awhile. It was not until 3 years later that we found out she was at the beginning stage of Alzheimer's. I went to the house every Saturday. After a while it got to a point where going every Saturday was too much, so my sister, and then my brother took turns. It gave my Dad a much needed break from being the sole caregiver and it gave us valuable time with my mom.
My mom passed in 2006 and we could not leave my Dad alone on Saturdays. We had all gotten used to spending the day together. My sister and I would alternate Saturdays and my brother would visit on Sundays. It was a good arrangement.
After my Dad passed in December, my brother, sister and I spend just about every Saturday at the house. There was so much stuff to sort through. It seemed like it would never end. The three of us still have boxes to go through.
Well today was the last Saturday that I had to go to the house. The closing is this week and that will be that.
I met my sister at the house and then we went to the cemetery. The Army had sent an emblem to go on the mausoleum and we had to pay to have the emblem put up and to have the date of death engraved.
While we were at the house we found the first fig! Actually there were two. They were the most delicious figs I have every had.
Sorry to share all this but this blog was started because I missed my mom. And now I miss my Dad and I will miss the Saturdays in West Haven. But I now I will spend my Saturdays baking and cooking and recipe hunting... And occasionally shopping with my sister!
Now about dinner... Grilled Pork Chops, Grilled Fingerling Potatoes and Shaved Squash Salad with Sunflower Seeds.
The Shaved Squash Salad with Sunflower Seeds was from
Bon Appetit.
Ingredients -
2 large summer squash
2 Tbsp. olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup crumbled feta
1/4 cup torn fresh basil
2 Tbsp. salted, roasted sunflower seeds
2 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
Method -
Shave squash lengthwise with a vegetable peeler and toss with lemon juice and oil; season with salt and pepper. Top with feta, basil, and sunflower seeds.
I picked some flowers from my Dad's garden... Happy Saturday!