You missed a great Freeman House dinner last night. I think we have a new winner here.
I've been washing and packing and cleaning and running around like a crazy thing for the past two days. (Shutting up your house and skipping town for a few months is more involved than one would think.) Late yesterday afternoon I got around to cleaning out the refrigerator - one of the worst chores ever - and found a package of mushrooms. Probably would have composted them, only I had just picked the last of my summer basil to dry. Still might have composted them, only my friend and neighbor JoAnne left her copy of October's Gourmet magazine on the dining room table. And fortunately for last night's dinner guests, the cover recipe involved pasta with basil:
They call their dish Pasta Alla Norma, and it's a Jamie Oliver recipe. (I, for the record, am in love with both Jamie Oliver and Jamie Cullum... two British guys who cook and sing, respectively.) Jamie Oliver could develop a recipe around old tires and I promise you'd see me out there prying the wheels off my Jeep in order to make it.Jamie's Pasta Alla Norma calls for eggplant and spaghetti, as you can see from Gourmet's cover shot. Since last night was a clean-the-fridge meal, mine was carefully crafted from aging mushrooms and broken bits of linguine. Bottom of the barrel here. But you'd never know by tasting it. It's was county-fair-blue-ribbon good. It was call-the-in-laws-over good. It was in-Jamie-Oliver's-sweet-face good.
If you're a pasta person, you have to try this recipe. Just sayin'.
Anyway. Almost ready to head out for parts unknown. How's your packing coming? I'm both dreading and looking forward to this mammoth adventure. I also want to say that I deeply appreciate your unwavering support and kind encouragement. I got emails from 71 of you all late Wednesday/Thursday, and I promise to make every effort to get through them all before I leave. But yes, I will still blog. And no, I'm not selling Freeman House. And yes, I know running away never solved anyone's problems. But it never hurt to try. :)
We'll talk Sunday before we leave. Until then, enjoy your weekend! -Brin
I am packed and ready to go. What time are we pulling out?
ReplyDeleteLove ya Sis,
Am
Have time for a cuppa tea before you go? I'll await your call. Love, Grace
ReplyDeleteDear Brin,
ReplyDeleteI got your email about the apron.
No worries. Best wishes on your new adbenture.
Godspeed,
Jodi Lenz
I too am packed and raring to go..first stop for me, Tim Horton's! Are you sure there is room for all of us??
ReplyDeleteOh Brin you make me laugh! Love how fascinating you are making this adventure.
Imagine cleaning out the fridge and finding stuff to make such a fantastic meal..love it!!
Was going to send you a separate email but hearing the amount you got I will say this will suffice for now.
Thought you'd be out straight. Thought of you many times today and what you must be up to in order to close up your home. I know it's a huge task, but you know that it's done according to your standards and that's the important thing. I never thought for one second that you were running away; rather, it's always seemed as if you were embracing the possibilities.
ReplyDeleteHmmm, looking for adventure is running away? I call it LUCKY to be footloose enough to do it!! I hope to live through you, so I hope you post here all your adventures. (raising a glass) Here's to you, kid!
ReplyDeleteI have family in Colorado, and I hear it's just gorgeous there. I hope you have a great time on your trip!
ReplyDeleteI envy you Brin, you live such a blessed life, mixed up with a little messy and thrills, but hey, you can handle it all! I'm tagging along cuz I don't want to miss a thing!
ReplyDelete