Traveled back to my hometown last weekend to spend time with the grandchildren, hubby, and even saw our son for a little bit.
Here is the hubby with grandchildren figuring out two LEGO projects. I don’t think we lost any pieces. Yet?
Our daughter lives further south, so I did not get to see my baby girl (OK, she’s over 30, but …. you know…..). However, she is flying up here to visit me in a few weeks, so we’ll just have fun together on that weekend.
All that being said, I was in my apartment in the DC metro area this weekend, by myself. So I just treated myself to a few niceties. The last few days of the week have been cool or cold with lots of rain. So Friday after leaving work I went to a restaurant known as a gathering spot after work, Bobby Van’s Grill in DC at 1201 New York Avenue NW. All I really wanted was to have one drink, something vegetarian to eat, sit at the bar and listen and people watch. Sometimes there is conversation at a bar, which I enjoy. However, I always have something to read in case the person I am next to is not in the mood to chat. I get it. I respect it. I chat or read, whichever is best at the time!
Bar was full, so I sat at a small table and ordered my drink and a baked potato with cheddar cheese, chives, and sour cream. It normally comes topped with bacon, but no meat for me. I watched as more people came in from the rain. The sounds grew louder, everyone seemed to really enjoy themselves, and I couldn’t help but smile.
Their baked potato is a side for two, which I expected – and it was humongous! Delicious, but I wasted way too much. Next time I plan to go there I will take a baggie so I can just close it tightly and stick the leftover in my purse and carry it on the metro with no problem. For me, there was too much cheese. Butter, sour cream, and all that cheddar was just more than I could handle (I don’t eat much dairy, either). Next time I will ask for just half the usual amount of cheese. For those of you who love the cheddar? You will love Bobby Van’s huge tater!
Saturday morning was spent at the Virginia DMV securing my new driver’s license and registration for my car. Old car, new state. They moved a large amount of people through all the stations that day. Very organized, but it took me over two hours. However, every station was staffed, and the employees, with smiles, moved us through as quickly as possible. Just lots of us there that morning.
Then on to one of my favorite Indian restaurants, Aditi Indian Dining. Serving two of my favorites on the buffet yesterday for lunch, vegetable karma and mutter paneer. That plus fresh naan from the oven, basmati rice, and also one of my favorite desserts, gajar alwa (sweet carrot pudding with nuts). So delicious!
Then it was off to see the new movie Snatched with Goldie Hawn and Amy Schumer. Oh my goodness it did not disappoint! I laughed and laughed as I watch Goldie portray a good mom who loves her grown daughter but cannot quite stop telling her how to live her life. How many of us moms can relate to that predicament? 🙂
Then I just relaxed a bit and watched geese near the parking lot going about their daily activities
Early the next morning (today, Mothers Day), I woke up early to wash clothes (easier to get a washing machine first thing in the a.m.). While the washing machine worked hard, I walked over to the exercise room and the room with the treadmills that I have yet to use here. I walk right much every day, but what I really wanted to learn about were the machines for back and arm exercises. Upper body is turning into mush, so I went over early when no one was there so I could follow the directions taped on each machine and pick the ones I wanted to use. I picked a few, practiced, and now tomorrow when I get home from work I can go straight over there and just used those three machines for a few minutes and leave. I’m not interested at this point building up big muscles – I just want to improve the quality of my muscle strength.
I did try out a tread tread mill, too, just in case I want to go on a little faster walk some weekend morning.
Early, still dark, and empty!
Maybe I could listen to music and work out some new dance moves on one of these babies like I see in YouTube videos? It could happen!
Today I emptied a few more boxes, balanced checkbooks, and cooked some delicious veggies in my new crockpot. It is a small one – perfect for one or two people – that I bought a few weeks ago but never tried until today. Root veggies (no parsnips in the house. bummer), and I used carrots, onion, white potatoes and sweet potatoes. A little salt, pepper, thyme, oil, and honey. I also added a little water and vegan “chiken” bullion. Not much of the bullion because they all taste too salty to me, but I like a little bit of the flavor with my veggies. Here is what it looked like before I began to cook
Afterwards? It was totally scrumptious and I cannot wait to have more for supper tomorrow night.
Missed my family this weekend, but all is good. I enjoyed a healthy weekend with walking and cooking and performing a little physical labor while still trying to settle into my new apartment.
Thanks for visiting with me tonight and listening to me talk!
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