The Funk Has Lifted

(Artwork by John O'Donohue)

Yes indeed, thank goodness the blue funk only lasted a day. Don't you just hate that? Yesterday was just horrible. The headache was bad enough by itself, but it was just one of those days! You know, when the black cow flies overhead and just hovers there. Nothing too terrible, just enough to let you know it's there.

After finally taking enough Advil to get rid of the headache, I sat down in the evening to watch the Sopranos. I finished my dinner early and headed upstairs to the bedroom (so I wouldn't have to subject young ears to such language!). No sooner than I got comfy, Rootie comes in and starts heaving. By the time I got up to get her out on the deck, she had left not one, but two presents. "HUB!!!" (Sorry, I don't do throw up--give me blood and guts anytime, but no throw up.) Again, poor hub. I proceed to go to the rec room to finish the show. Sitting there, I feel this thing hit my leg. I reach down and it's the winder on my watch. Hmmm, I wasn't even moving my arm. I pick it up and try to screw it back on and drop it. Hits the Bermuda triangle, because it's gone. No where. MIA. Ok. Fine. It was a cheap watch anyway. It had a drop of water in the crystal since the beach that drove me absolutely crazy. The drop moved around, sometimes it was several drops, sometimes it was just a fog, sometimes it just moved around enough to hide one number, anyway, you get my point. Grrrrr. Good riddance.

So, I'm still watching TV and guess I'm playing with my leather anklet unknowingly. Snap. Broken. Off for good. Gee. What else is going to happen?? I couldn't help but start to giggle. Hey, if this is funk luck, I'll take it over bad luck any day. I guess the giggle helped move the cow a little because after the Sopranos and most of the next show, Big Love (which is kinda fun to watch, I might add), I flip right on over to NPT and the beginning of Jane Eyre. How sweet is that? I never catch a good movie right at the beginning. I sat and watched the whole thing. It was fabulous. So, you see, there's always good after bad. You just have to wait for it! (And keep giggling.)

Today, I was determined to free myself of the blue funk. And, there's nothing like flowers to lift one. So, after lunch, mom and I drove over to our favorite garden shop in Berry Hill and bought pretty flowers for my window boxes. They have been neglected since last summer; and it shows. The ivy is still alive (I think), so I will add this bounty of beauty tomorrow. It had started to spritz by the time I was able to get out to do it, so I put it off for another day. I can't wait to see what it looks like once it's done. The hedges are going to need trimming too in order to fully appreciate the flowers. Yes, another day.

For dinner, I made Company Ham Casserole. I found this recipe when I was first married. The hub and I had something very similar while honeymooning in London and I just loved it. I was happy to find it over here. We still had a lot of Honey Baked ham left, so I really needed to work on getting rid of that. (As I write, the kid has informed me that, yet again, Miss Bev has helped herself to another feast. You'd think I'd learn to put stuff away. Gee whiz Bev! Gee whiz Rosa!)

Company Ham Casserole

• 1 box (8 oz.) this spaghetti
• 2 T minced onion
• 6 T butter or margarine
• 6 T all-purpose flour
• 2 C milk
• 1 C half-and-half
• 1 C chicken broth
• 1/4 C cooking sherry
• 3 C leftover cooked ham, diced (wash off sugar if using HBH)
  
• 1 box/bag (10 oz.) bag of frozen peas
• 1 C shredded sharp cheddar cheese
• 1/4 C grated Parmesan cheese

Cook spaghetti in boiled water as directed on label. Drain. Set aside.

Saute onion lightly in butter in a LARGE skillet.

Stir in flour to make roux. Turn off heat and slowly add milk and half-and-half, stirring constantly. It will look like paste until you keep adding more milk. Add broth.

Put back over heat and add sherry, ham, peas and spaghetti. Mix well.

Salt and pepper to taste.

Pour half of the mixture into shallow 2-qt. baking dish.

Sprinkle with half cheese.
Pour in rest of mixture and add remaining cheese.

Cook 30 minutes at 350 degrees F for 30. (I always broil the last minute to brown the top)

I found these wonderful ripe cantaloupes at the grocery today. And this is what I'm eating right now as I type. They are so sweet. I was going to share this half with the hub, but I've just about eaten the whole thing! Oh my, it's sooo good! And just look at that beautiful color. So summery. Ooooh.