Bacon Sandwiches with Guacamole, and Baked Brie
I haven’t been fully awake since arriving in Tofino, but haven’t managed to sleep much either. I’ve been hanging on the edge of full consciousness, spaced out, feeling like I could curl up and sleep for two days. In this state I’ve had little interest in cooking despite the fresh air and open kitchen, and haven’t prepared anything beyond oatmeal for breakfast and toast with peanut butter. If my Mom wasn’t here, I’m sure I’d let myself live on eggs on toast and spoonfuls of peanut butter all week. I think I may have coming-home syndrome, something I’m not all too familiar with having spent the majority of my adult life in the same city as my parents, and as such not really ever having the opportunity to really come home to the house I grew up in to stay and sleep and be cooked for and taken care of, an experience I always envy when my friends go home for Thanksgiving or Christmas. When I walked in the door here I almost (very unexpectedly) burst into tears of relief, partially because it was just me and my Mom and Dad (and W, of course… nothing against Mike or my sisters, brother in law, nieces and nephews – it was a riot spending a week here last year with all 13 of us, but you know how that kind of “vacation” can be) and partly because although it’s a brand-new house, not yet finished, it smelled exactly like my grandparents’ house on the Detroit river in Windsor, something my Mom could not detect and I still can’t explain.
Today, after coffee and muffins at the Earth Day festivities in the park and ice cream cones in town, we spent hours at Chesterman Beach, digging channels in the sand for water to run between tide pools and open ocean, walking in the wind, climbing on rocks, and came home too tired to bother with anything more than what we could scrounge around the kitchen. My mom made bacon sandwiches spread with guacamole left over from dinner out before we arrived. And more toast with peanut butter.
But this evening we were invited to the neighbour’s living room for a partial dress rehearsal of Annie, Get Your Gun, which said neighbours, who are in their late eighties, are performing in the upcoming talent show in two weeks. They promised popcorn and beer, but we decided to doctor up a wedge of brie to bring along. With limited pantry stores my Mom spread the brie with marmalade and topped it with chopped walnuts, which we (OK, she) toasted in a skillet with a little butter, salt and pepper. We popped it into the oven while changing into something a little less slovenly, and it was quite phenomenal.
And now here it is after 11 (midnight in Calgary) and the whole house is asleep; I should be too, but there is the small matter of this blog, and part of me really wants to sneak outside and lie on the deck and look at the stars. Then again, there was a rather large chew mark in the garbage bin this morning, that I’m quite sure was not managed by squirrels.
Hey, I’m not really one for horoscopes, but I met Georgia Nicols in the green room at Vicki Gabereau years ago (remember the Vicki Gabereau Show?) and I just really liked her a lot. The January after we met she emailed me my horoscope for the year, and it was surprisingly accurate, and not in the vague way so many horoscopes are, and so I subscribed to her weekly email-out. I just got it. Want to hear what she has to say for me (Scorpio) this week?
Before I say anything, get more sleep. The Sun is as far away from your sign as it gets all year, and the Sun is your source of energy. Your tush is dragging! Pamper yourself and get more rest…
That Georgia is so smart. I think I may just start living by my horoscope.
One Year Ago: PB Banana Wrap and a Latte
The horoscope is cute! But there must have been something astrological about yesterday and bacon – we had bacon and tomato sandwiches! mmm.
there’s nothing like going home and having your mom and dad take care of you, there really isn’t. it doesn’t matter whether you need taking care of or not. it’s just restorative.
have a great break in the briny air.
I wonder if, even though you are not sleeping as much as you would like, you are still getting rest just by being away from some of the pressures of home and the routines/deadlines you face here? Almost like unplugging the phone? Take care of yourself!
Oh…my…word. Those bacon sandwiches look amazing!!
I’ve had one of those the whole family gathers in one place vacations for oh the last 5 summers.(The place being Mom & Jack’s 2 bdrm house) After last summer’s fiasco T and I decided we weren’t going back unless we could rent a cottage while we were there.
That baked brie looks deeelicious, something I can’t make unless there’s company to share it with 🙂
I can still remember how my grandparent’s house smelled too. They lived on Lake Ontario in Port Credit – maybe its the water?
I loved the Vicki Gabreau show. Thats where I first saw you!
So funny of your envy for people who get to “go home”. I’m envious of people who still have their mom and dad living together!
I don’t get the treats of going home anymore – all that energy is devoted to the grandkids now. But I can ask my mom to come down here and she does spoil me with baking and doing my laundry.
Good for you, home sweet home 🙂
I never had that kind of relationship with my mom, she was sick most of her and my life, she had me when she was 37, and my father passed when she was 41 and I was 4 1/2 yrs old, so we, my sister, brother and myself, took care of her all our lives.
You know horoscopes are based on planets, sun and the moon, which do have an effect on all of us, either we are aware or not…I really like observing the planets, I find it fascinating, the universe that is!
Well hope you do get to rest, afternoon naps, relaxing evenings, and lots of sun.
Have a great vacation.
PS: Any consolation, I spent Sunday from 11:00 to 6:00 untapping our maple trees…lots of aches and pains today!
MFO
Manon — thank you for sharing those insights into your life. It’s a good reminder about how lucky I am to have healthy parents (in their early 70’s) who still ‘take care of me’ even though I’m independent and often feel I don’t need them.
I was going to tell you yesturday to get that boy onto Chesterman Beach. Nothing like fresh air to help a kid adjust. But I didn’t, as I thought it would sound a bit preachy. I wish I could have watched the dress rehearsal with you at the neighbors. Enough said.
Wow Julie, I just went to google Earth, WOW on Tofino, Long Beach, what a wonderful place to be.
Enjoy the beach my friend.
MFO
Long Beach in 1963 is still fresh in my mind. I was six years old and we drove for a few hours over gravel roads to get there. We were the only family along that beach and the sparkling ocean, wind, sun and pristine beach are still seared in my memory. I loved it and even loved swimming in the ice-cold waves. Heavenly.
Rose
For your next bacon sandwich or otherwise, lay slices on a grill pan, sprinkle with brown sugar and grind black pepper over that. Bake in 375 oven while you make the salad (or guacamole) mmmmm
You crazy gril – get some rest and avoid to critters. And, pass that brie – looks delish!
Oh yes – that’s my norm! In the oven – sprinkle with brown or maple sugar halfway through the cooking time, and lots of pepper. Last time I also added finely chopped pecans. YUM!
Great post. Great read. I’m a scorpio too and that horoscope explains it all. Totally draggin wagon so far this year. Fightin it tooth and nail.
Dontcha love those great ol’ dress up the brie recipes? Somethings don’t change. We used gaucamole in an amuse bouche last night at the restaurant I cook at. I should have taken the extra and smeared it across a bacon sandwich.
More power to ya!
Bises, Ms. Glaze