Just back from a week in North Carolina with the inlaws and am attempting to stay awake for another hour to be roughly in the correct time zone.  When I was there, I never fell asleep before 3am (except for the night I took 2 tylonol pm’s and managed to sleep at 1:30).  Now I’m back in SF and am struggling to remain upright at 9:54pm.

I declared it a screen free week to the kids (progressively less successful as the week went on, esp once The Grand It restored internet service to the house.) on the grounds that they were spending too much time watching Marvel videos on Netflix and we were flying to the back of beyond to spend time with their cousins and grandparents, no stare at a screen.  So I left my computer at home.  

We ate pork products and fried food instead.  So much for getting back into my clothes after 6 weeks of too many fried foods and ice creams in Hilo.

Friday:  Amazing fried chicken at Rocky’s Hot in Asheville.  With, count em, FOUR sides:  run of the mill collard greens (run of the mill), slaw (mayo based, not my thing), fried okra (what better veg to go with fried chicken than battered and fried?), and corn pudding (Bob attempted to steal it, then declared that I must learn how to make it).  AND an order of the Mac and Cheese poppers — scoop the m&c into golfball-sized balls, roll in flour, deep fry.  For those 20 seconds when they have cooled off enough so you don’t blister your tough, but not so much that the cheese has congealed, pure heart clogging addiction.

Saturday:  What did we eat Sat?  

Oh right, in last moment of self preservation (and once we discovered that the cafe didn’t serve biscuits and gravy after 11am), I ordered granola with yogurt and fresh fruit.

Dinner with newly arrived Ema and Grand It:  Worked our way through the small plates at the Seven Sows downtown.  Fresh tomato salad, cantilope and ham (with, for some reason, popcorn strewn across the plate), cracklings, .  C & L shared the fried chicken with m&c.  Both declared Rocky’s Hot better.  Lib was of the opinion that we should eat every meal in Asheville there.  

Sunday:  Breakfast at Sunnyside Cafe.  Popular enough to issue those flashing pagers when you put your name onthe list.  Smart enough to have coffee available in the garden.  Eggs, sausage and grits all around.  didn’t need lunch.  

Trekked to rental house in Highlands.  The Grand It had prepped the entire week’s menus and associated shopping list.  Opened with ???

Monday:  Ignored Lib’s brief fascination with the idea of Meatless Mondays.  Countered with hamburgers with grilled onions, cheddar and bacon.  Or hot dogs for the kids.                   

tuesday:  Bob and Jeannie arrive with coolers full of boudin and andouille.  Plus lemon bars and brownies.

Wednesday:  Dinner out at The Smokehouse.  platters of food just kept arriving.  fried okra and pickles too start.  so much meat that I laid in bed for hours thinking “I can’t keep doing this”

Thursday:

Friday:

Saturday:  Our night to cook:  Spicy dry rub baby back ribs.  Honey & ginger ribs.  Mac & Cheese with pepper bacon.  Garlic bread.