Yup....just this morning. $2.209 for a gallon of gas. Is there hope that we might flirt with $1.999??
It's a splendid day! Dear Husband and I left the house about 7:45. He was dropping me off to pick up the car, which had needed to have some work done. They repaired the back ball joints, flushed the radiator and winterized it, change the oil, and put in a new battery. The heck of it is, I couldn't tell it needed all that. I just knew it was time for a check up. We'll be going to Indiana next week, and I never start a trip without giving the car the once over.
The next stop was the optometrist's office. My glasses were ready. I was in and out the door in less than ten minutes, and on my way to the Farmer's Market.
I bought a white pumpkin. I'm still on the lookout for a green Cinderella pumpkin. A woman bought THREE of them right under my nose, and cleaned out the entire supply. As I strolled back to get some leeks for potato leek soup, I discovered that she must have beaten me to all the leeks, too!
I got an armload of fresh eucalyptus, and a dozen deep red glads for the house, and some wonderful sweet peppers: long narrow deep red peppers, and yellow and green bell shaped peppers to use in meals this week.
I stopped at the bank and the post office and the grocery store before heading home. Tomorrow, one of my nieces is coming to visit around noon. We have some work to do to prepare for Elegante Mother's 90th birthday celebration, and I suspect there might be a few hands of Spite and Malice. None of us give any quarter, and my niece hopes that it's her turn to win for a while.
I've decided to do a tray of things to nibble on because we are going out to dinner tomorrow night. I'm going to roast some garlic, and toast diagonal slices of French bread. Then, I'll put out chevre, feta, a smoked Gouda and a spreadable cheddar cheese. I think I'll make a bruchetta topping (the one that Cop Car likes) with tomato, onion, basil, salt, pepper, balsamic vinegar and a little olive oil. And, I'll add a few crackers, some ham folded in fan shapes, and green grapes. And I have some chocolate-caramel coated popcorn for a sweet. I know....it's too much, but everyone will find something to eat from that platter! Our house has the best left overs of the neighborhood.
Elegante Mother and I are on our own today. My stepson is off to camp with some friends for the weekend, and Dear Husband is enjoying his last sail of the season. I think I'll do some gardening, and then work on a quilt for a bit. I may make an elegant little supper of shrimp scampi and rice, with a tomato-cucumber-dill vinaigrette salad. It's easy to do....looks spectacular, and won't take me any time at all. What can you say other than YUM!!!!
So, I hope you're all having a great weekend, too. Happy Fall, everybody!
Comments (14)
Never heard of a white or green pumpkin.
Posted by Susan | October 7, 2006 3:42 PM
Posted on October 7, 2006 15:42
Just researched them. Saw a blue and red one also! Very cool!
Posted by Susan | October 7, 2006 3:52 PM
Posted on October 7, 2006 15:52
Yum! You do keep busy.
Posted by janet | October 7, 2006 5:24 PM
Posted on October 7, 2006 17:24
Buffy--You toss off menues as if it were nothing to whip up those fabulous dishes; and, what's worse, for you it seems to be true! You could do all of that prep in your sleep, I suspect.
Would you think I was just there for the bruchetta topping if I knocked on your door, tomorrow, with, "I was just in the neighborhood"? I ate you out of house and home on it, didn't I? Your leftovers were my delicious breakfasts!
Posted by Cop Car | October 7, 2006 7:14 PM
Posted on October 7, 2006 19:14
The price of petrol has dropped over here too somewhat, It's now about £0.91 per liter. That's about £4.00 a gallon.
I haven't heard of a white pumpkin either. We just have the orange ones. and then only around Halloween (we tend to use them for decoration only and not for cooking much).
I don't know what it's likein the US but over here the weather meant that we had a very bad harvest for leeks and they cost much, much more that in previous years. I use them a lot in soups and they are really putting up the overall cost of the finished soup.
Good luck with your mother's birthday celebations! I hope you all have a wonderful time.
Posted by Adele | October 8, 2006 4:55 AM
Posted on October 8, 2006 04:55
Aren't they amazing, Susan? I had a green one all this past year. They're very hardy, but they will fade from green to a creamy white as they age. I'll have to go surfing to see the red and blue varieties!
Janet...Actually, I'm a sloth. I need to pick up the pace a bit.
Cop Car....I was astonished that you enjoyed the bruschetta topping that much. After a while, I began to worry that you felt obligated to finish off the left overs. Finally, I realized that you really DID like it! *G* I'd be delighted to see you on my doorstep today! Remind me to keep the ingredients on hand so I can lure you back this way!
Adele, I've known for some time that gas (petrol) in England and Scotland is MUCH more expensive than it is here. I have several friends who have visited the US from the UK, and they are amazed that we complain about the cost of gas. One of them told me that he didn't understand the extreme cost, given that you have your own oil fields in the North Sea. Do ya suppose that it's back to the supply and demand discussion?
How sad that the weather has hurt the leek harvest. I love them this time of year. I have a quiche recipe (somewhere around here...) that calls for onions, leeks, shallots and garlic that really benefits from the gentler tones of the leeks. While we don't eat vichyssoise, we do love potato leek soup, and I'd love to add leek to my fall Minestrone recipe.
I guess this will have to be your opportunity to expand your wings as a chef, to find good tastes that fit your budget. Who knows, you may create a new recipe and become famous for it! *G*
Posted by buffy | October 8, 2006 9:06 AM
Posted on October 8, 2006 09:06
Happy Birthday, Buffy, and thanks for the invitation. Buffy's Best Inn is well named. I rarely (if ever) eat from obligation--at least, not to the extent that I pigged out on your food. I was indulging myself!
Posted by Cop Car | October 8, 2006 12:36 PM
Posted on October 8, 2006 12:36
I found them on The Pumpkin Nook site, by doing a search for white pumpkins.
I wonder how they taste. Have you ever made anything from them?
Posted by Susan | October 8, 2006 4:48 PM
Posted on October 8, 2006 16:48
Buffy,
Covered with confusion over my mistake. As soon as I posted it I realised but was unable to withdraw it. Sorry and hope you had a lovely day.
Posted by Adele | October 9, 2006 5:05 AM
Posted on October 9, 2006 05:05
The differences in price of petrol between our two countries is basically down to tax. I don't know exactly what the sums are but without tax we would pay approx 18 pence per liter for petrol; with tax the price is over 90p. The Government taxes patrol hard over here as it is an ideal way to raise tax indirectly (i.e. not apparently direct to the government like income tax).
Leeks weren't the only vegetabe to suffer badly this year: an effect of the drought, I'm afraid.
Posted by Adele | October 9, 2006 5:13 AM
Posted on October 9, 2006 05:13
What mistake, Adele?? Perhaps I confused you with my post. It was MY birthday on Sunday, but my niece was coming to discuss my MOTHER's birthday celebration. I think you got it right. We had a lovely day, thanks!
Posted by buffy | October 9, 2006 12:53 PM
Posted on October 9, 2006 12:53
Cop Car, I didn't think you were pigging out! lol I'm so glad you liked the bruschetta topping, and that you enjoyed your stay!
Posted by buffy | October 9, 2006 12:54 PM
Posted on October 9, 2006 12:54
Susan, I've never tasted the green or white pumpkin. What an interesting thought.....green pumpkin pie. Maybe I'll try it on Dear Husband! lol
Thanks for the website info.
Posted by buffy | October 9, 2006 12:56 PM
Posted on October 9, 2006 12:56
Adele, I figured that at least part of the cost for UK gas had to be taxes. I'm sure that's also why gas in the Chicago area is so high.
Posted by buffy | October 9, 2006 12:57 PM
Posted on October 9, 2006 12:57