Penelope
Her absence is ubiquitous.
In her home,
at the park.
in our lives.
Her love is infinite.
We still feel it.
Countries away!
Her strength is unlike anything I can be.
And she’s unafraid to say –
I’m missing you.
I’m missing home.
I’m tired of dreary.
And in that honesty –
I find myself.
Musings from the Laundromat: Laundry Lady’s Absence & the Gadfly edition.
My Laundry Lady isn’t here.
(She does have a name – I just try to keep my ‘characters’ somewhat anonymous.)
I asked the owner about her, knowing she’s had some health issues lately.
“Oh she’ll be back to mornings – she’s covering nights until I can hire someone new.”
Phew!
But strange isn’t it when someone or something that is a part of your routine, your life is suddenly not there.
Much like the divot I keep running my tongue over after having broken my tooth Friday – there is a tangible feeling of absence.
I look forward to our Sunday mornings. I’ve been coming here for over 5 years now. 52 weeks a year. Over 260 mornings with my Laundry Lady.
Crap, if I think about it – I’ve spent more Sunday mornings with her than any one man other than my son. How’s THAT for an example of my ability to have a relationship?
Of course, there’s Glaucoma Man – who, was Chatty Charlie again this morning.
He compared someone in his RV park to a ‘Gadfly’ and proceeded to show me by example what that was.
He switched topics so quickly and so energetically that we (by we, I mean ‘he’) had covered almost a subject for every item I retrieved from my laundry baskets and placed in the washing machine.
(As I was typing that last paragraph, he visited my table to read me something.)
Let’s face it though, I’d miss him too if he weren’t here. Which, he is – again, showing me his new stun gun and telling me about his sniper rifle that he still has.
Good to know. Gooooood to know.
And suddenly I’m very glad I’m kind to him.
Teeth, Pets and stuff
Why I hate being here
Because my mom isn’t right now!!!
Why I hate cats!
I don’t … But OH my GOD! They are so needy!
What the actual post is about … Loving TINY and a broken tooth.
Freaking Cats.
And how they have affected me.
Oh, let’s add ‘the dog’ and how I now experience the ‘in out, in out’ thingy that dog people do.
I HAVE a dog. She doesn’t do this – she also doesn’t cuddle, so I think I have a backfired dog that I love anyway lol.
SO!
I’m house sitting.
First 20 minutes I’m here – I break a tooth, no joke.
Left a message with my dentist and I’m PISSED! Because I JUST paid my credit card off and actually put money into savings!!!!!!!!
Oh well.
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It takes a while.
Even when they’ve met you, they meet you all over again (the feral turned domestic ones. I actually had the ‘biter’ NOT bite me tonight!)
As for my Tiny Dancer … She is skin and bones.
I played this … Because she likes it when I sing it to her …
But, she didn’t like the ‘me not singing it’ version. 😦
I’m just so sad right now you guys.
Sad because the pets are sad.
Sad because my mum is sad.
Sad because my Nannie – who I love so much – is passing.
But! Glad my dad got a night off. Glad I could step up and step in.
Glad I could be here and that my son will be taking a turn.
THIS is what life is about.
And loving those who are still here – and doing all we can.
But it’s creepy too – because people you think WILL be there tomorrow maybe will not be – so appreciate!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Going to sleep, with my broken tooth, my broken heart and my hopefulness.
lantern son
Me: But you’re the light of my life!
Nic: maybe you need to find more lanterns.
And I’m losing him, in my needing.
And I’ve lost him in my antiquated metaphors.
and I love him beyond the lanterns.
Easy AND CHEAP Crockpot Jigsaw Lasagna for teens, college kids & newbies!
This is SO easy and So quick to prep! Don’t spend $$$$ on the store lasagnas! DON’T!
I know some of you in college can’t have hot plates or other cooking ‘stuff’ in your rooms – but, you do have a communal kitchen no? I hope you are allowed a crock pot SOMEWHERE because this is going to help.
I’m going to keep this as easy as I can. And as CHEAP as I do it!
Ingredients I found @ the 99 cent store:
Oven ready lasagna pasta (HAS to be ‘oven ready’ read the box)
Mushrooms (Crimini are the best – they’re ‘baby bellas’ how cute is that? And super tasty. I didn’t make it to the 99 cent store for those this time, so I’m using ridiculously flipping expensive white mushrooms for this dish.)
Pasta sauce
Minced Garlic
Salt/Pepper
Ingredients I found cheap @ the regular store:
Ricotta cheese (WHOLE milk – 15 ounces)
Shredded Parmesan
Eggs (2)
Olive oil
Easy squeeze cilantro (because I’m lazy and don’t wanna spend forever on those leaves! You can buy a bunch of cilantro also for cheap and do that instead.
READY? Let’s make a veggie lasagna that is going to last you at least a week!!!! (Lunch and Dinner!)
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Get your crock pot out – if you don’t have one, GET ONE! There are SO many recipes that are SO easy and SO tasty and crock pots are cheap nowadays.
Wash your hands dammit!
K.
Get a saucepan out and put some olive oil in it.
About – a tablespoon. Then, if it doesn’t feel like enough, add some more. Embrace your inner culinary fool!
Chop your mushrooms.
Add some garlic and salt and pepper – however much you like.
While they’re cookin’ – let’s head to the ricotta bowl.
Add all the ricotta.
Add two eggs.
Add your cilantro, however much cheese you want (keep in mind, we’re going to be layering with cheese too …) and if you thought you didn’t add enough salt or pepper – go for it. Be careful.
Mix it up! (A fork works)
K. Don’t forget about those mushrooms. Are they looking cooked? Or smaller? Done! Plus, even if they DON’T, they’re going to be once added, so don’t worry about it. They will be spending 3 hours in a crock pot for crying out loud 😉
Add them to the mix!
Stir.
This is one of your layers! TA-DA! Keep it handy.
Next.
First thing that goes into the crock pot is the red sauce. You’re going to begin and kinda end with the red sauce.
Take that fork we’re using and just kinda smooth it even.
THEN! The jigsaw!
Crock pots (as far as I know) don’t come in square, or even rectangle. SO! We break up that lasagna noodle and have some fun.
Now it’s time to layer.
Put your Ricotta mix on top. Keep in mind – you’re going to have at LEAST two layers (maybe three) so don’t go bonkers.
Sprinkle more cheese on there (if you like REALLY cheesy lasagna – get some mozzarella!
Then, we jigsaw again!
As I said before, we start with red and end with red – so …
Pour the last of your red sauce and use that fork to spread it evenly.
Then sprinkle the crap out of that thing with CHEESE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Turn it on to ‘low’ and leave it for 3 hours.
It’s going to smell SO good cooking and TASTES AMAZING!!!!
You are a culinary genius to your ramen friends! Yes, yes you are. And it was cheap and it required very little talent.
I have more of these recipes in my wheelhouse – so if you like this, please ‘LIKE’ this so I know to do more. Happy homemade, cheap eating!
Hours later … (Yeah, Nic took a scoop lol)
Debauchery Soup 