Friday, February 16, 2007

Valentine's Day, plus cash in the mail

I think I forgot that I owned a camera this past week, because I have NO pictures to share with you! (The horror!) I guess you'll all just have to use your imaginations . . . !!

For starters . . . Valentine's Day. Have I told you all how much I despise Valentine's Day? Well, I've been single on Valentine's Day and in relationships on Valentine's Day, and honestly, I'm not sold on the holiday. When you're single, Valentine's Day has always been about me cooking a huge, fabulous dinner for my friends and I, calling it a "too cool for V-Day" party, and digging in. Well, actually, that part was pretty fun. I was actually going to have one of those parties again this year, (even though I'm not single,) because it is so much fun. Alas . . . Valentine's Day fell on a Wednesday this year, and I had church choir rehearsal. Gak! So, my Valentine's Day this year consisted of working (pimping chocolate and specialty ice creams for six hours . . . I'm SO SICK of chocolate at the moment!), running to Target (poor Oliver was almost out of cat food!), mac and cheese w/shelled edamame for dinner, and church choir rehearsal. I talked to Dan for about five minutes on the phone, as I was rushing out the door. See why I don't like Valentine's Day?

However, my mom sent me and Dan twenty bucks in the mail, so we could go out and celebrate (thanks, Mom!) Dan's comment when I showed him the card? "I'm such a moron -- when's Valentine's Day?" :) (I'm shaking my head right now.) It's okay, since I do mostly hate the holiday, so we went out for Thai food on Tuesday night. Mmmmmmm Pad Thai. Dan's still under the weather, stressed out, and tired from all the farm work, so it was an early night for both of us.

In food news, I haven't been cooking much of anything noteworthy these past few weeks . . . I'm ready for a change in weather and change in available produce. Late winter in MN sucks for poor cooks! ;-) I did make a pretty wonderful dinner for myself last night -- I topped a baked sweet potato with a pinch of salt and a few dashes of chili powder, some black beans, Muir Glen organic medium garlic & cilantro salsa, frozen broccoli, and mozzarella cheese. MMMMMMMMM . . . my coworkers were all very interested in (and very jelaous of!) my dinner. Hooray for sweet potatoes. (Hip hip, hooray!!!)

In other news, my friend Ann, who is an accountant by day, helped me with my income taxes the other night. CRAZY GIANT REFUND coming my way!!!! I've decided I need to be responsible with half of the money, and I haven't decided what I will do with the other half yet. Part of me REALLY wants to take a trip, but I'm realizing I might need some new clothes (mostly for work) come springtime, and I'm really tempted to update some of my kitchenwares. Is it completely nerdy that I want to spend my tax return on canisters???? :)

9 comments:

Carrie™ said...

I hear ya Catherine. We're not much for Valentine's Day either. This year was the first time I did anything remotely related to Valentine's and that was just cupcakes. Great that you were able to enjoy a Thai dinner on your mom. Yea Mom!!
Didn't you get a camera and that kick ass coat with your refund last year? Hey, it's your money. If you want to spend it on canisters, go for it! It's not nerdy. I'm very envious actually. (Maybe I'm a nerd too)

Anonymous said...

Hooray for tax refunds! :)

KleoPatra said...

Dan, huh? Hmmmm... looks like i need to backtrack and get caught up.

Nice to see you are still doin' well and eating great stuff!

Harmonia said...

Cash in the mail is always nice!

theONLYtania said...

I hate V-day too.. don't know why. Hehe. It sounds like yours was relatively quite and painless though!

Now I love me a good picture, but that description of your sweet potato with the works is good enough, sounds awesome! Good news about your refund.. I say go for the canisters!

Catherine Weber said...

Carrie, come to think of it, I did buy coats with my tax return last year! I was thinking about a large quantity of Click Clack canisters, which I can get at 25% off retail from work, but I'm still wondering whether that's what I want to do with the money. Good thing the refund's not hear yet, right? I think I for sure need to get a cast iron dutch oven, so I can make lots of yummy things, but specifically, no-knead bread! So excited to try this one.

Michelle, I know! Have you and your dad done your taxes yet?

Kleo, Dan is the new boyfriend of just over three months. We worked together back when I taught preschool at the nature center, and stayed friends. Now we're more than friends . . . and it's great!

Harmonia, I know!

Tania, I will make sure I take a photo of my sweet potato the next time I make one. It was SOOOOOO good, this will become a staple in my cooking repertoire, methinks. I also just found a recipe for a vegan mole sauce today that they say tastes awesome on baked sweet potatoes . . . orange tubers, here I come! Mmmmmm.

bazu said...

Yeah, I'm not sold on the specialness of Valentine's day. I like any opportunity to cook or bake, but that's the extent of it, usually. I like your idea of "too cool" for V-day, and I also like the various anti-valentine's day festivities!

Congrats on the tax refund! I don't know how nerdy it is, but I would totally go nuts for kitchenwares too... you are a chef after all, it's practically a necessity. =)

KleoPatra said...

See what i missed while on hiatus? Glad there is a Dan who appreciates the coolness that is you!!

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