Thursday, January 25, 2018

Dialing It In Dinner

I know no one actually dials a phone any more, but Dialing it in, sounded better with Dinner than Phoning it in. That is what I will be doing tonight with help from DH. He was supposed to get a few needed items, A FEW. He spent $48 of my remaining budget. I will do some prorating as some things were stock up, but that will cut into February. On Sunday, we ended up cancelling dinner with the mother in law. DD2 had a bad cold that seemed like it could have moved into flu. I had come down with the cold and sinus crud as well, and she just didn't want to take the chance of getting ill herself.We are all on the mend, so suggested dinner, tonight, on a week night! This is how far I have come in trying to be more organized and more in control during the week. Plus, I am trying to let go that everything has to be perfect before having people over. The house will be far from company good, but hey, she's supposed to love us anyway right? 

I have a bag of chicken with a mushroom sauce ready for DH to put in the crock pot at 1:00. I'm making a boxed rice pilaf dish, steaming some green beans and yellow zucchini squash, and serving ice cream and white chocolate macadamia nut cookies for desert. The cookies are from a fundraiser box of preformed cookie dough. Gourmet? Hardly. But since I have been in training all week, then trying to get to my urgent e-mails after hours, this is what I can muster today. The meal was based on what we had in the house, cutting into DH's good deals. While not particularly original, it should be tasty and gives her a night with her granddaughter. We will be gone this weekend, and next weekend have plans, so we really couldn't postpone to another weekend. 

This is my mother in laws first winter in Minnesota in about 17 years. Before they bought their place in Arizona, she and my father in law took extended vacations to several places-warm places. The first winter after my father in law passed, she still enjoyed Arizona, though missed him dearly, but had many friends there. Last February she lost one of her best friends, also Arizona snow birds, and the fun went away. She has been keeping very busy, but since the snow this week kept her form several of her card clubs and social engagements, I'm glad dinner will work out tonight. We will need to start watching though how she gets along with winter driving, but thankfully, she is not a risk taker and will gladly let someone pick her up, or stay home if weather is bad. We really hope she recognizes on her own when she should stop driving. It was easy for my mom, but a battle with my dad and we were constantly worried. 

Wow, this post sure took a turn. The week is just flying for me. I think I have stye don top of urgent work business-no fires to put out. My coworker lost her mother Monday morning after a lengthy and stress filled time figuring out her care needs and options.  It reminded me of my parents last years, and awareness that we will face these challenges one more time. But, not today. tonight, we will enjoy my mother in laws company, despite my dialing in the dinner. 

12 comments:

  1. So nice your family can get some time with your mother in law. Sounds like it will be a lovely meal.

    My mom continues to spend the majority of her retirement sorting out the estate of her step father (who, she was not close to, but her mom died first). I feel terrible for her. She is not the person who enjoys the process at all, and it's been such a tremendous burden. She promised her mother before she died that she would take care of her husband - and, what a promise that was to keep.

    Hope you get a reprieve at the end of a crazy work week!

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    1. Lots of downtime in our 5 1/2 hour drive. Other than my phone, work will not be accessible. Tiring for your mom, but good she was able to live up to her promise.

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  2. We are all in this mode of taking care and worrying over an older parent. You are a lovely daughter in law.

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    1. This week I was. Normally I'm compared, hopefully unconsciously, negatively to my sister in laws.

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  3. Very nice to have the MIL over on a week night when things get a little crazy. I read an article about entertaining when things are less then perfect and according to it, we should embrace our imperfection. People are coming to see us, not inspect our houses. Serve the meal, have some good conversation, and worry about nothing else.

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    1. Well, she has a history of being critical, or backhanded but yesterday was to heck with it. It was a nice dinner.

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  4. Snow birds! I know those so well having been born & raised in Arizona. I'm sorry for your coworkers loss, it's a very difficult time losing a parent.

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    1. I'm sure she has support but has been dealing with health issues a while.

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  5. I think your menu sounds yummy! I hope that your dinner went well. We are having friends over this weekend. These are close family friends who are helping my hubby with his job search. I struggled with what to fix, as I am trying to stay out of the store and this week has been busy and Saturday we are gone most of the day due to the kids' basketball schedules. I also asked my friend to bring dessert because I don't have to time to make anything. I am going to do chili and cornbread. Definitely not fancy but I can stick it in the crockpot and make the cornbread before they come over. Simple but good (and I have everything I need in my pantry!)

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    1. Great idea for chilli and corn bread. Delicious and winter warming.

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  6. That sounds like a great dinner, tasty and nourishing. If the food is good, then the state of the house is of little consequence...well, unless it is a pigsty. I hope you have fun and enjoy the moments.

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    1. Not a pigsty but could have been mich cleaner. The food was good and she liked cookies and ice cream for desert.

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