Glorious Grits

Up until yesterday I was pretty sure grits were overrated much like Easy Mac. However, I'll admit when prepared properly grits can be quite tasty. Last night, Max grilled pork chops, sauteed yellow squash, and made Cheesy Grits from the Southern Living Cookbook titled, "Glorious Grits." (thank you commune friends for helping to tear down one of my southern prejudices) Everything was excellent and went very well with our organic, Washington state white wine suggested by Gus.

So, this week seemed to pass like most when you have a toddler, dog, two cats and a PhD to finish. We went to a Wine Tasting at Fine Wines and Beers by Gus and learned about a small group call the Triple A which were glad to learn about. Max and I tasted a $50+ bottle of wine
from Vision Cellars. The story behind the winemaker, the son of Texas moonshine makers, of Vision Cellars is interesting (here is their website: http://www.visioncellars.com). Max and I enjoyed the tasting but bought an 8.99 red (what a steal!) that we tasted as it fit our budget at bit better. Henry charmed all of the attendees and enjoyed eating large chunks of goat and gouda cheeses.

It rained here a couple days. It's so hot here when it rains, steam rolls off the streets. It is like a sauna outside. Henry hit a couple of developmental milestones and thus forcing us into a new level of parenting, he figured out how to open doors. He already had figured out closing but now he can turn the knob on a door and let himself out of a room, down the stairs and outside if we do not watch him closely. Henry also advanced from calling Elmo "Elbow" to calling him "Elmo."

Isabell and I shared a great mother-daughter run on Friday morning. I let her swim in a pond on the way back. We came upon a solitary blue heron foraging near the pond. It was a wondrous sight to see one in the wild so closely.

While my heart still misses the plains and my chatterbox misses an audience of fun, intelligent, sarcastic family &friends, I think I might be able to withstand, if not embrace my southern habitat-at least temporarily.