We're back and I'm going to take this opportunity to have a good whine. It's overcast, hot, humid and there's at least a b'zillion bugs out there. The house is dusty, there's a ton of bags to unpack, a day's worth of laundry, groceries to buy and the dog's about as depressed as I am. But is it worth it? You bet!
We had a safe and uneventful trip back without any car problems and arrived in Tucson just before noon yesterday. The big guy unloaded the car, put away his clamming toys until next year and loaded the freezer with clams and Tillamook ice cream - yes, people we brought back a ton of spoils thanks to a little over $30 worth of dry ice but believe you me, it'll bring back enough memories to hold us until next year. It'll have to won't it?
Truthfully, it's rather difficult to miss anything about home when we're on the coast (sorry Georgie), but we really did miss our barbecue(s). The big guy fired one up last night and cooked a couple of rib eyes we had hiding in the freezer for the occasion. Mine got 3 minutes a side resulting in a perfect steak to my taste and his, well the timing was half that. He likes his blue rare so I'll not be showing a picture of that! It kinda' makes me shiver and wonder why he bothers cooking it at all.
As for today, well I'm done whining ...well maybe and I know I'll feel much better after my 40 minutes on the elliptical which is where I'm heading right now (ya right - just who am I fooling?).
Let me be the first to welcome you home - missed ya bunches! Glad you had fun on the vacation - was way too short a time. Supper looks fabulous! I missed the grilling the big guy does, also! Lovely crisp salad to combat the heat and humidity! Nice choice!
Posted by: Nanan | 07/26/2010 at 08:32 AM
Welcome home! I missed you! However, I got kinda used to seeing that cheery little kitchen you had in Oregon.
Take your time in getting things back to normal. Don't bust your butt. It'll all still be there tomorrow....and the day after that...and the day after that.
Posted by: Mags | 07/26/2010 at 09:12 AM
Welcome home to you both!! Nice to have our favorite neighbors back :) Funny how some of the neighbors took vacation same time as you....what luck huh?!
Posted by: Diana Gillihan | 07/26/2010 at 12:55 PM
Lea, thanks for the welcome home. Darn vacation went so fast I couldn't believe it!
Mags - it was a great little kitchen wasn't it? Just wish I had been more inspired. Oh well, there's always next year.
Diana - looking forward to seeing you guys. Are you kidding me? They were gone while we were? Now how unfair is that!
Posted by: June | 07/26/2010 at 02:30 PM
Glad you had a wonderful vacation. I have never gone clamming and would love to one day. Nothing wrong with uneventful trip home, eh?
Posted by: Sarah G | 07/26/2010 at 03:06 PM
Thanks Sarah. I had no idea there were so many different kinds of clams and many of them require unique harvesting methods. No matter what it's "stinky" work but definitely worth it. BTW, I'm loving your saskatoon berry posts!
Posted by: June | 07/26/2010 at 03:18 PM
Sounds like your trip was a success!
Posted by: noble pig | 07/26/2010 at 03:39 PM
Cathy - it was great! We talked about going into the valley to see you, but the lure of the beach was just too strong. Maybe next year!
Posted by: June | 07/26/2010 at 07:13 PM