Went to see mom again today.

I called her this morning to see if she needed me to come over this afternoon to do anything. She always likes to have me double check the paperwork she's sending in to the government to sort out the issues to do with Dad's death. Anyway, she told me she'd gotten some fat little shrimps out of the freezer and decided to make herself some Shrimp Alfredo and If I came over I could have some.

I'd been thinking I needed to stay home today between classes and get some stuff done here but hearing about those plump little shrimp jarred something loose from the memory banks. I remembered that I had repeatedly forgotten to pay my property taxes on my land and the bill was way past due. I needed to go to the county office in Belton and give them a check. While I was all the way over there I could stop in and take advantage of mom's recently renewed passion for cooking.

I got there by 2PM (the tax thing took 5 minutes) and found her putting the finishing touches to the Alfredo sauce. She made it from a little packet she found at the grocery store a while back, with a few of her own touches added in for fun.

While I watched she poured the sauce from the skillet into the container of shrimp and noodles. Then I got to stir the pot and combine everything together.

I wanna tell ya, it was GOOOD! You can see a little Parmesan cheese sprinkled on for kicks. She could easily sell this stuff in a fancy restaurant, fer sure. I had some diet green tea with mine but by the time I left mom was in her easy chair with her plate and a glass of red wine. She knows how to do it.

Mom told me that now, since she doesn't have to cook simpler foods for dad any more to watch his diet she's got all sorts of ideas for fancier stuff coming to her, like the Chicken Enchiladas I posted about a while back. She gets to thinking about what might taste good to her and uses her time to please herself. It makes my heart glow to think of her pleasing herself and making the best of everything. And I'm just glad I get to come along for the gastronomical ride.

After two plates and some fruit filled Jell-O for desert I changed one light bulb for her that she couldn't reach. It's a natural talent of mine... Reachin' stuff or liftin' stuff for those who are vertically or chronologically challenged. I thanked her for the good vittles and then I headed back here to process these shots and make some ham and cheese Kolaches for Denise to eat when she gets off work.

My class isn't till 7:30 tonight, so I'm sittin' here in my underwear, hunched over in front of this friggin' screen, tryin' to catch up on reading your blogs. You guys that post four or five times a day are drivin' me nuts, but don't let that get in the way of your drive to fully express yourself. Far be it from me to get in the way of the creative process. I'm just sayin'...

Anyway, I'm out. We'll talk. Cheers.