Meat and Potatoes

Well, again I am wishing I had a what is that thing called, ah jump drive, USB, you know what I am talking about. I have some time before we go to dinner (The Cambria's have invited me to go with them, yay!), and so I have decided to update you on the last 24 hours, which have been surprisingly eventful.

Well, first I did not have to walk home, Angelo, Vittorio's 16 (almost 17) year old son gave me a ride home on his motorcycle, my first time ever! Lets just say I felt young, wild and reckless...riding a motorbike thing is much different than riding a horse. I didn't have a helmet and wanted to let out my hair and let out a giant WOOHOO!! I sadly, did not...I didn't want Angelo to think I was completely nuts. Needless to say, it felt like a Sea-Doo on wheels. For a moment I thought I was just going to slip off the back end. I thought of being at Connie's in the summer of '06 when I just fell off the back of the Sea-Doo when Eric was driving and decided that the ground without a helmet would not be as pleasant as the lake. I held on tighter. Clearly, I made it home alive, just in time for dinner.

Well, I video taped and took pictures of this dinner...I called it Meat and Potatoes. The first recipe in the cook book I decided I should publish. In case yalls want to start eating like me I have decided that as my close friends and family I can share it before I sell it for a profit. haha, yeah right. But still, you will be proud of me! OKay, recipe according to Tracie.

Recipe of a poor college girl in Italy with a small stove:
Yield - 4 very filling portions
- 2 Potate Nourvelle (New Potatoes) (They are almost white with a soft skin, in America probably Yellow Potatoes)
- 3 Sausages (The kind with lots of flavor when cooked...fresh with a string to hold them together!)
- Salt
- Butter
- Special Seasoning Stuff (Formally known as Sugi di (An Italian steer whose name I can't remember...will fix this someday) that is made in Tuscany...If you ask nice I might bring some home...it is soooooooo good!

OKay, now to start, turn on burner 1. Add water to pan. Scrub potatoes if necessary. Add potatoes to water. Take a shower, do dishes, turn on music, eat a piece of toast, drink a glass of juice. Turn on burner 2. Add olive oil to frying pan. Place sausages in pan. (Halfway through poke sausages to release juices...otherwise they start to look like one giant sausage...if you are smart, poke them ahead of time, unless you have a burning desire to see if they will explode...I don't really know if they would). Check potatoes...stab a few times. Upon being able to separate potato with the stab of a fork, put them into a big bowl and cut a grid through them, lots of little potato cubes. Add butter and salt (sausages still cooking...). When sausages black, turn off burner 2, cut them into small pieces and add to potatoes. Mush all together. Add special seasoning stuff, stir more. Voila! Meat and potatoes.
Cost of dinner: 6 euro (approximately)
Experience of not burning down the kitchen, creating a new flavor, and making memories: priceless

Original, eh? Actually it was very tasty and very humorous for me as I had no clue what I was doing. I do have pictures of it, promise. I wrote this recipe out last night, and I think it had more humor, but hopefully you can appreciate my cooking efforts.

Today I put not burning down the kitchen because this morning my apartment had the distinct smell of gas...the line broke...naturally, I mean really, why wouldn't it?! So the repair man came today and fixed it...tomorrow we will see what happens.

Side note: Did you know that tuna in olive oil is actually very good? I might be a convert...more flavor to the tuna. As I may now say "Once you go olive you never go back" (couldn't think of a rhyming word)...

Also, today I got the worst rope burn of my life, got horses ready for a ride that was cancelled and had a very good cry. It was one of the moments where you are wondering why am I crying, what is going on. Thankfully, I had chocolate (Italian chocolate, even the cheap kind is amazing by the way...), and that helped. I opened up to psalms and remembered that even David, heroic in defeating Galiath called out to God in many deserts, he too felt alone and I journaled in my low point. I think what I wrote is worth repeating and sharing because I think it is a reminder we all need from time to time, and if not, then please be open minded as I share this more personal note:

"I want to be strong and tough, but all I can do is cry. Where is the girl who finds humor in all? I want a hug. I want laughter and jokes. Lord, in this desert, please don't forget me. Reading Psalms, I remember that I am not the first to experience this emotion of desolation. You were faithful to your servant David and I can only hope to be an unworthy servant - at best...Lord you are all that I am, Lord you are all I am not. Life is not all peaches and cream and the bitter taste of soap in our lives will wash us clean and help us praise the sweet and good - the one and only Lord Jesus Christ. God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit only wants what is best. In the soapy parts of our life where all we see is fuzzy white, let us trust our holder, the one who gently holds us in the tub as we cry in desperation. Let us trust and love Him in His most special, unique and beautiful ways to draw us closer to Him, to cleanse our weary souls."

After this I fed, and Anna helped, as we walked down here we talked and though only 12, she was a friend, asking if I was really okay (she saw my tears) and understood my loneliness, but reminded me I am not alone and it is true. Praise God for valleys and climbs that help us appreciate the summit!!

Well, I think that is all for today, at this moment I am feeling more calm, hoping to not dwell in emotion the next week, and praying for strenth to appreciate this time to really know myself and the solitude God has blessed me with. Surely He will explain all at some point.

Love, prayers and hugs
Tracie