collecting seashells

Weekend mornings usually start really slow for us at home... but this particular Saturday is slower than usual. as I am home alone! With my husband out of the country, my daughter back to Berkeley and my two other kids out enjoying the last days of summer, I felt lost in the deafening silence of my home.

 Is it noon yet?  I quizzed myself,  I opened the blinds in my room, and the rays of the searing sun blinded me.  Yes, it must be noon... The glass jar on the shelf filled with seashells glistened as the sun's rays struck through it. I smiled, remembering how I gathered those shells on the Atlantic coasts when we lived in a coastal town in Florida. It felt strange how our 6 years of stay there was seemingly reduced to a jar filled with seashells. A jar that continuously remind me of family and friends whom we miss terribly.

A thought popped in my head:  Hmmm I should just go walk on the beach today...but before I could put my flipflops on, I said nah, I can't go to the beach alone!... so pop goes the balloon in my head as my thoughts drifted to think about my friend Roushel..  Was it because I am home alone and I am trying to draw inspiration on how she copes living alone? She inspires me constantly... On how she could go places and do things solo:  on how she goes salsa dancing until her feet are sore... on how she drove to Neverland Ranch during Michael Jackson's death amidst the sea of fans. On how she could drive long distances to visit her husband... how she discovers the world and pursues her  dreams. And oh, don't let her age fool you, this woman knows how to live.

I met Roushel in a peculiar way. I was still in Florida when she interviewed me on the phone for a job in southern California.  She hired me on the spot, asked me to come over to the West Coast to start my training. Amidst packed brown boxes and a long list to do, I dropped everything and flew 3.000 miles to meet her.  However, her decision was stopped by some corporate politics.  You think that would be the first and last time I'd see her right? Wrong... a few months after settling in San Diego, I already had a job and I was just starting to find new friends, I called her up.  As it turned out, she was hiring.

"How did you know I am hiring?" she asked.

"No, I' m just calling to say let's do lunch".

She hired me again that day.  And this time, the hiring went through, We parted ways a few months after when she went on to pursue her dreams and take up Nursing.  I was her cheerleader, beaming with pride that she knows what she wants and she's on her way to get it...

As I look into my jar of seashells, I realized Roushell is the first shell I collected on this side of the Pacific rim. She has always inspired me to do what I love and no matter how many plans and dreams I share with her, I would always hear her say: "Go for it, I'm rooting for you!" with her usual warm smile and a hopeful look, she's definitely a precious shell to keep.

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In the Philippines, corned beef is usually served for breakfast.  As I discussed in my recent post Let's talk breakfast this is usually served with silog (garlic fried rice) but since today is my alone-day and it's way past lunchtime, I decided to jazz up my usual corned beef meal.  So this is how my corned beef meal started:

Let me tell you what was on my plate:

:

On the upper left is a sweet brioche, which we Filipinos call ensaymada.  But sorry folks, I still have to convince my aunt to share me her recipe.  Of course we have the egg, sunny side up, the sauted corned beef and my home fries.  I spent less than 15 minutes gettting this plate altogether... so let's begin:

Corned Beef:  I just opened a can of corned beef (I prefer the brand Palm).  Sautee it with onions, garlic, tomatoes and green peppers.  Add a dash of sugar (yes sugar, that's my hubs' secret.. so shhh!), salt and pepper.  Set aside.

Home fries:  You could boil the potatoes first or if you want it on the fly just like I did, microwave the potatoes for 4 minutes.  Slice into big chunks, then brown the sides.  Add some onions and parsley, salt and pepper.  Done!

But then, I tried to jazz it up a bit... something that Caloriecount.com may frown upon... so here:

I stacked them up together on an ensaymada.  See how flaky the ensaymada is?
Then I went further...

I drizzled some honey mustard...

The result? A sweet and savory jazzed up corned beef on a brioche.  Being alone has its benefits.  I could have my food  just the way I want it.. . right Roushel?