Not to bore you with the details, but life has been a bit hectic in the Gerwitz household. Today I spent a fun hour with JoJo Tabares and her guests at an online conference, her Say What You Mean Convention, which will be going on for the next few days. Details are on my home page as well as the calendar of events. She has a fantastic line up of speakers and many free items for those who sign up for the event, which is free!
After my professional endeavor, it was back to the family. Christina was visiting today (my substitute teacher!) and she and the kids read about the Ancient American Indians. Being an Anthropology minor, she had lots to add to the book. Of course she was accompanied by her three little children, 3 and under. Add that to my own and it becomes a houseful!
I have 4 children who currently live at home...one husband (thank you, Lord), and one father, who is elderly but a fantastic cook. Did I mention that he use to own, first an Italian bakery in NY, and second an Italian Restaurant when we moved to Florida? Needless to say the smell of garlic can be found simmering anytime after 9:30 in the morning. Well, every once in awhile Dad (or Papa as I call him) needs to escape to my brother's home in Winter Haven, for a visit. (Yes, it's quieter there. Joe and Nikki only have an 8 month old son, and one daughter that lives with them full time.)
Well, since Papa has been gone the cooking has fallen on my shoulders. My hobby is baking and I love to cook, but since Papa moved in several years ago he's taken over my kitchen. Of course it had to be remodeled when he moved in and we now have 3 ovens (okay, that was my addition not his). Last night's dinner was simple, grilled hamburgers and hotdogs, chili, and melted cheese over chips. An American kids dream dinner, and one that would leave my father grumbling in Italian that in his country not even the pigs would eat that fare. Having been out of practice I ended up overcooking the meat on the grill, forgetting to take out the burger rolls, then the ground beef from the freezer. No problem, I decided we needed a vegetarian version of the chili. Oh, and I melted the cheese for the chips way to early and had to heat it up several more times. Today the kids still wouldn't eat any of the left over chili for lunch!
Nicholas my 13-year old loves to cook and the meat would have been grilled to perfection if he had been home, but his grandfather (my father-in-law) called several hours earlier and wanted him to meet at the baseball field at a local Baptist Church to practice his pitching with a high school team there. A kid my father-in-law coached in baseball is now an adult and the head-coach. Nick has been invited to play with the team next year. Not sure that he will but it was nice to be asked. Anne (10) and Michael (8) are both decent chefs and were a big help with my cooking endeavors. By the time we ate we were all starved so no one had much to say about my rusty cooking skills. But, they did ask when Grandpa was coming home. Yes, I got the hint! I called him today and he'll be back in a day or two. Then, things will be back to normal in the Gerwitz household.
