Cheating

Last night my love arrived home bearing two TX license plates, sans Texas star, but they do say The Lone Star State. We sold the car in another state so TX advises us to keep the plates. I’ve never been one for posting license plates on our living room walls, or five-pointed stars to remind one that one grew up in or lived in TX for a time.

So, the plates mean that the Honda has gone to a good home and that we’re settling in to a cold weather existence with two AWD vehicles equipped with the best snow tires available. Jim got his rubber floor mats for the Volvo today and ordered me some because he didn’t have mats on the car he got two weeks ago. I have the expensive carpet mats and the driver’s side is filthy from mud and guck.

That’s where the cheating comes in. I’ve two pair of boots now, that I hate to wear except to walk the dog. But on a nice, sunny day when everything is melting I wear open clogs and end up in an icy, mushy parking lot that was not cleared out overnight. I end up with wet feet and a wet, dirty car. We’ll take care of the car next week when the mats are shampooed and real, sturdy rubber mats are installed throughout. It’s the translation to another climate and world that is a bit unsettling.

I grew up in cold weather and snow, and Jim promised I’d never have to shovel snow again. Well, here we are and maintaining the decks is no problem for me. Just a few shovels full. The rest is taken care of by the HOA. It’s drying shoes and boots and the dog and mud and salt. We were told a mud room was a must out here, they were right.

The cold weather begs other issues and aside from roasting (I’ve a decent roasting pan here and an excellent one in storage) I’m looking to find out about dutch ovens, particularly Le Creuset and what sizes I’d need for the two of us and for entertaining. I’m thinking perhaps a 2 qt for risotto or side dishes or mac and cheese just for us. Perhaps 4.5 qt for guests? I have to go look at them. I’d like to be able to roast a fillet or whole bird in the larger one or make a nice stew. I do not want oval because my burners are round and unless it’s big enough (too big for us) to go on two burners, it’s an affectation.

Warm food for cold climates. With the cars, boots, dutch ovens and altitude, this year has truly brought us to a new place. I’d say about now that we’re surviving the change, not yet thriving. But we’re living in someone else’s home with all their things so only Jim and I and the dog are familiar. Jim even has all new non-banker clothing so sometimes I don’t recognize him! Funny that the safe car he bought looks like it belongs to a banker! For all of you living in cold weather and warm, cheers! Dee