Let There Be Light

Now this picture might not look like much to most of you, but if you've ever tried knitting or reading in our underground living room/TV room, you'll know it's very dark down there. I'm so excited because today Nick, our contractor, installed eight new overhead lights on a dimmer! Yay, let the knitting recommence.








Before & After

Melanie's Enchiladas

Tonight we redeemed our Mercy Auction prize of Melanie's Fiesta. She makes the best enchiladas this side of Mexico. I'm serious. I will stop anything and go where her enchiladas will be, any day of the week. Melanie, these enchiladas will get you places, girl. Thank you so much for your offering these up for the auction. Pictured here are the willing fiesta recipients: (back) Jennifer, Melanie, Alexis, me, (front) Christina, Perry, Paul. Thanks for a really fun evening in the North End!

We Love Lobsters!

Paul's parents (aka, Gary & June) were here visiting us from Ohio this past week. Sometimes we think they visit Boston for the seafood, rather than to see us! (Although we know it's really because Paul is his parents' favorite child.) On Saturday, they went down to Hook's, a lobstermonger on the Waterfront, and brought back four juicy looking lobsters, and a whole lot of cherrystone clams. Yum! We had a good old-fashioned lobsterfest right in our own kitchen. Paul might have even tasted them for the first time.

Paul and His Polyps

This looks like it should be the title of a children's story... Paul and His Polyps, how Paul wins the battle over the bad guys! Paul had surgery Thursday to remove "a ton of" polyps in his nose. Big ones, supposedly--the size of my thumb! For anyone who has had regular contact with the Fullertons in the past year (or more), you are quite tired of hearing about Paul's darn polyps by now. I can't tell you how many dinner conversations have been dominated by polyp talk. Now the battle is over, and he will soon be a new man, complete with the ability to smell and taste! The surgery went great, Dr. Busaba told me. Paul was a trooper, and so excited to finally go in to have the surgery after a long wait. Thank you, everyone, for praying for him the last few months. He'll be taking it easy for the next few weeks, but will be smelling you soon... and he would welcome any sweet-smelling gifts (garlic, baked goods, etc.).

If You Don't Knit...

There's a little saying that begins with "If you don't knit" and doesn't end appropriately. So I had to use it for this entry. Last night I stayed up 'til almost midnight for the first time ever... knitting. Our church Crafts Team had our knitting event on Saturday. I was thinking I was somewhat of a knitting veteran-- after all, I do take an annual retreat to Michigan to learn from the best of the best: my grandma and aunt. But not so. I arrived at Ran's on Saturday (drenched from the deluges) and when people started to pull the projects out of their stitch-n-bitch bags -- I only had a whimpy baby hat project to work on -- I realized I wasn't working up to my potential. So last night (Paul is travelling this week on business) I shut down my computer at work at 5 o'clock on the nose, and rushed down to Windsor Button, Boston-proper's most comprehensive knitting store. I paged through some books and found a couple of patterns for baby sweaters that looked to be Advanced Beginner to Intermediate, about my level. I rushed home, put some beans and rice on the stove and changed into comfy couch clothes, put on the prior night's Grey's Anatomy finale (recorded on DVR) and got to work. Here's a picture of what I had accomplished by 11:15pm. Okay, gotta run, I have another date with my knitting.

A Rainy Friday Night

Last night we had Alvin, Wendy, Chris, & Ran over for dinner. Outside the rain was really coming down, but inside we were cozy and enjoying a Friday night in with good friends. We had several humorous moments of "men vs. women" ... for instance, when the topic of cooking came up. Wendy and Ran asked Paul if he ever did any cooking, and just as I was thinking he was going to be the less experienced of the three men with his Pasta Fullertano "secret recipe" one of his only dishes, Chris says to Ran, "I've cooked for you a couple times," and Alvin says to Wendy, "I distinctly remember cooking for you at least once--mushroom risotto." Then the conversation turned to knitting... and Alvin's famous saying was heard several times: "If you don't knit, you ain't ...." Alvin, what does that make you?

I have had requests to post my pork tenderloin recipe. It's SO easy! I could post the recipe as Martha Stewart Everyday Food writes it out, but it's easier just to tell you and skip a few unimportant details.

Apricot Glazed Pork Tenderloin
Serves about 6

2 pork tenderloins, salted & peppered, with a little olive oil
1 small jar apricot preserves
1/4 cup dijon mustard

Heat broiler. Place pork tenderloins on a rimmed baking sheet covered with foil (the baking sheet is covered with foil, not the pork!). Broil about 4 inches away from heat for about 10 minutes, sometimes a little more, with the oven door cracked, until the meat is 150 degrees on a meat thermometer (this is important). While the meat is in the oven, stir the apricot preserves and mustard in a small saucepan over medium heat until the preserves melt. You can brush the meat with some of the sauce, and serve the rest in a bowl and spoon it over the meat at the table. Serve with yummy sides such as asparagus and baby redskin potatoes with rosemary and olive oil.

Here also is Wendy blowing out the candles on her rum cake (yes, we gave rum to the pregnant lady).

Home Sweet Home

Last night we got to see our cousins Jack and Emily's new home for the first time! We love it. It's in the Bay Village neighborhood near the South End. It's a spacious four-story place with room to grow. Once they put air conditioning in this month they will be good to go in early June. We are so excited for them (and selfishly so excited to have them so close to us!). We get ecstatic when the people we love settle down in the city.

We celebrated Emily's birthday (HAPPY BIRTHDAY, Emily!) at Hammersly's, a contemporary bistro in the South End. Our cousins Karl and Jess joined us too. We had many laughs (a few too many), and many "yum"s were heard throughout the evening. I had the roast chicken, which was in this subtle soupy sauce that was to die for. The lemon souffle cake was light and moist and delicious. We'll be going back there...

Finished Projects!

This morning before my mom left we finished the new bag and pajama pants! Here is the bag.