Thursday, April 1st

I've neglected you far too long, gentle readers...... my only excuse is that I was traveling back East for a couple of weeks. But WHAT a trip!

Saw old friends Jeannie & Dick and Robin and Alex in Westchester County (NY)...... cooked a GREAT meal of crab cakes and wild rice and sauteed Sea Bass with sauteed aspragus..... it was WONDERFUL! Then another of steak (on the grill, of course) with baked potatoes, green beans w/garlic and roasted onions (also on the grill)!!!!

Back to Virginia...... and a dinner for 6 of braised lamb shanks (OMG - soooooo good!) with a positively GREAT recipe of roasted vegetables and orzo........

In between all of the traveling there was a GREAT burger (on charcoal - thanks Alex!), a frittata, pizza made with a garlic/herb crust, AND a trip to "5 Guys" burger joint (a first for me - not in my area yet but check around, if they're in yours, GO THERE!!!!)

I'm back home in MI now debating which flavor of Gravy Train will be the choice for tonight (HEY! Warm it up, soften the chunks and close your eyes - you'll be surprised!).....

Raked a little this am, went to the garden store and bought grass seed and fertilizer and deer repellant (they're everywhere here and eat all the budding flowers!)...... but my back is on the 'ragged edge' so I'm relaxing for the rest of the day. S'posed to be 80 today so I may even sit outside and smoke a well-deserved cigar - haven't had one in a couple of years and I'm looking forward to it!