Random recurring theme

Since I didn't post last week, it seems like I must have stockpiled all sorts of important things to share. Let's go to the files. Ummmm, something seems familiar here. This blog demands nourishment!

"Pulled Pork Crunch"? Those words do not work together for me! Sometimes I save photos of food because they strike me as odd. Other times I see something I think I have to try and am afraid I will forget an ingredient (or forget the whole idea all together).

Must make honey avocado toast! Must also stop being so impressed with my salad bar creations that I document them.

It really was delicious though. Speaking of delicious, I have yet to meet an arancini I didn't like.

Beet rice balls? Yes, please! Other times I guess I take photos simply to make you jealous! Kisses!

Oh, don't sell yourself short cookie dough, you are way better than just edible! Did somebody say "cookie"?

Yikes! Is that where she wants her cookies? Surely there must be pictures of something other than food! What else interests me? Legos! Sales!

 Terrible disappointments! 5% - HA!

Random carbs and more

It is snowing here in Central New York...that does not seem to be very random these days, nor is it new or different. It just is. I have apparently collected a few other things for us to discuss though. These are in order of occurrence, not importance!

Why isn't anybody eating the dishwasher pods? I think these look pretty enticing in the jar my friend has...

 Do any of you collate your snacks?

 If so, how many different bags does it take? (Don't worry, I did look up the word and see it also means "light, informal snack".) Bring out the fancy, heavy snacks because the girl did get into, what is now admittedly, her top choice college!

Does that stress me out? Not when I went to pick up the boy at college and grab some dinner... 

 ...(Although I could have stressed over the toppings.) This place was fantastic - Pi Craft - they stretch your dough and then you move through a topping lineup question showdown before the pie goes in the oven...

 ...then you can pick some after cooking toppings like basil and balsamic glaze...

 ...yum! He may have looked a little shaggy...

 ...but all of the lego bags made him easier to recognize! Speaking of "looks", does high-waisted satin Barbie really deserve to be in the "Fashionista" line?

 I am pretty sure that owning a shamrock cookie cutter obligates one to make the cookies...

 ...just like if someone is kind enough to share their family Irish soda bread recipe, one really ought to make it!

(And if all of these carbs are kind enough to be in my presence, the least I can do is eat them!)

The random comes Marching in

Oooh! Spring is getting so close-it even appears on the current calendar page. You know what that means in Central New York? Time to snowblow the field for spring sport tryouts! 

(Sorry tennis players.)

My friend and I had ONE pizza delivered. This is what we were handed in a plastic bag with it...

 ...missing from this picture are the dozen or so paper plates we also received. It was just a regular sized pizza, so I am not sure how many of us they thought were sharing it (or how much crushed red pepper one can safely put on a slice of pizza).

The lighting certainly doesn't do my daughter's mushy avocado face on her turkey burger any favors, but it still made me laugh.

 (Maybe because she is 17?)

Speaking of delicious round shaped foods...

If you are going to name your place "halfmoon", I am going to have super high expectations for the halfmoon cookies. Oh my goodness, they did not disappoint!

And just when you thought things were safe and I had slipped into some sort of food themed post, and maybe we would discuss Fingerlings, as in potatoes...

 ...nope! Terror for the low low price of $14.99

The one where I remember the detail

Every now and then I feel compelled to tell a story with some semblance of brevity. My family and close friends can attest to how infrequently this actually happens, as well as a common error that arises when I do make the effort. I leave out one key piece of information necessary for the story to make sense. Several times over the past few months I have wanted to pop in here to tell you a quick tale, then realize for some of you "blog only friends" (who I appreciate more than you know) the context would be missing. 

Just over four months ago, we moved my grandmother from her home to a memory care facility. It is not the same thing as a nursing home, and I realize I may seem to be caught up in the semantics of it. Her new residence is for people who have been diagnosed with some level of dementia. There is code access to enter and exit the building, as well as to get into the stairwell. They do not provide medical care there, but rather assist with matters related to memory issues (administering medication, serving meals, coaching with daily living skills as needed). I provide the differentiation mainly because many of the tales I hope to share about the new friends I meet (every time I visit in most cases) may make more sense with a basic understanding of who these folks are.

There are obviously a lot of thoughts and emotions that have come with this change in our lives. We can discuss those eventually too. (You're excited, I can see it.) Today I just want to keep it short and sweet, and maybe a little sassy. 

My mother and I went cross-country skiing yesterday, using my grandparents' house as the lodge. Their property backs up to a golf course, so we can put our skis on in the driveway and get here...

 ...in moments. It is not quite the same without my grandmother waving from the window. However, when we returned to the house after skiing, I took note of the icicles hanging from the roof. My grandmother always warned of the dangers of falling icicles when I was a kid, and of course her house had awesome ones. Who's that slightly anxious looking girl playing in the middle of the yard so far from the house? That would have been me.

Not only did my mother let me get close to the icicles, with just one warning to not get too close, but she even took a photo of me living on the edge...

...and here is the moment before I considered what nastiness might be in frozen roof water...

...mmmmmmm.