Weekend Surprise

Sunday, September 8, 2013 – Weekend Surprise

We had some impromptu visitors over the weekend.  I got a call from Elisa on Thursday evening telling me that she and Christian would be arriving late Friday night.  My years in the classroom helped me learn how to deal with sudden changes and to adjust plans on a moment’s notice.  Instead of going to the arts festival in Alexandria’s Old Town on Saturday, we spent a quiet morning at home with our guests.  E&C, who are very enthusiastic about cooking, gave us a lesson in egg poaching.  Afterwards, we all enjoyed a relaxed brunch.   

While Christian visited DC-area friends in the afternoon, Elisa and I did a wedding-related errand at the local jewelers and later stopped by to see her friend Laura and Laura’s new baby.  For nearly an hour, Elisa cradled the month-old infant in her arms, talking to her, rocking her, and seeming completely at ease.  As I watched her, I felt a multitude of emotions sweep through me, thinking back to the time I held Elisa in my arms and dreaming of the day she will have a child of her own.  I couldn’t have asked for a better Saturday. 

On Sunday, with our guests on their way back to New York, I joined my friend Lilia for a vegan cooking class.  Mimi Clark, the VeganGourmet, showered us with information about grains and beans, and demonstrated how to prepare several delectable dishes.  Of the dishes we sampled, my favorites were the millet-cauliflower mash and the azuki bean sliders.  Thanks to Mimi, I have several new ideas to try out in the kitchen this fall.  A shopping trip to Mom’s Organic Market is definitely on the agenda for this coming week.  Are you ready, Elliott?    

Some of the delicious grain and bean dishes from the class