Thursday/Friday - Island Time

My 16 yr old niece has a penchant for performance.  She always has, since she was a wee one.  Her high school has been putting on an annual dance review for the past three years and I have sadly been unable to attend, until last night.  I came across to Vancouver Island with my parents via Duke Point and headed to Chemainus, where Aislinn goes to school.  The performances were great - some more "dancing" than dancing, but the kids were having fun, and a hell of a lot more brave than I ever was in high school.  Aisy was awesome (of course), performing to Spaceman by The Killers in her pajamas.  Why not.

Travelling on the ferry was a weird trigger.  I always, since a very young age, have had a cheeseburger with fries and gravy on the boat over to the island.  Always.  So ordering my spinach salad with salmon, reading the dressing label for five minutes and watching my parents split a delectable chicken burger was more difficult than expected.  I wanted gravy.  Like WANTED gravy.  It was the first time I would say I had not only a physical craving, but also an emotional one.  I may have pouted a bit.

Once we got to the island and I had some tea, I felt better.  I still wanted gravy, but I wasn't pouty and annoyed like I was on the boat.  After the performance I realized I needed to eat, so once we got home I downed some soup and headed to bed.

Today is a beautiful day here on Thetis - the sun is out, and though it's still cold, it's bright and cheery.  The fire is stocked and I'm cozy on the couch with Jack, preparing my vlog for Vital Body... which I will get into later.  I had a Leek Soup with mushrooms and peppers added in for lunch.  My sister has a Magic Bullet system, which is great for IP products, especially since I managed to forget my shaker at home.

They also got satellite internet, so I can work from here and no one back home knows the difference.  Which is so close to bliss I can't even describe...

I'm in charge of dinner, so for the first time, I'll be cooking two meals, or at least one and a half... one for me and everyone, and sides for everyone else. (Carrots and potatoes, argh.)

I do love having the leisure to prep dinner starting at 2 p.m.  I would have made a fabulous 50's housewife.  Cooking is one of the things that truly brings me joy.  The though process, the detailed preparations  the timing.  But mostly, it's watching people eat and be happy.  From a creation of mine.  (And Mother Nature's bounty, obviously.)

I have rib eye steaks, some ground beef for extra servings (our party grew in size), carrots, taters, broccoli, mushrooms and who knows what else I can forage up.  I'm going to rub the steaks and let them get a good sear on the BBQ.  Trying to figure out a plan for the ground beef...  maybe a mini shepherd's pie with the carrots and potatoes and some of the mushrooms?  Not a bad idea... can make that ahead, too.

I must go... the culinary genius is percolating..