Benefits

So, I'm finally feeling the love in my neighborhood.

Dude, from two houses down, needed help getting the swingset and pool ready for summer. My Sweetie, who knows which end of the hammer to use (Dude calls a sawzall a "electric cutting thing") was happy to help, considering how much time the Howler spends at Dude's house.

Last weekend, we planned supper as a cookout--kids, hotdogs, marshmallows--and Dude says, "My mom's been cooking all day." And she cooks for an army. We had the best fried rice, and sweet-and-sour chicken I've ever tasted. (Did I mention that Dude is originally from Taiwan? Oh, yeah, baby!)

I spent last summer hearing about Mom's cooking (and smelling it) but never getting a taste.

Now, she knows we like it, and Friday night, she sent Missy up with a plate....and Saturday....and Sunday, after My Sweetie and Blondie's Mom & Dad spent the afternoon getting the old pool liner out and the new one in, we had a Chinese buffet on the patio.

Fried Rice (with shrimp)
Beef something (with green beans & carrots)
Sweet & Sour Chicken (with that fantastic homemade S&S sauce)
Puffy deep fried shrimp flavored chip things
Sticky Rice
Spicy Filled Pastry things (meat & veggies pan fried in a soft tortilla shell)
and after every was totally full,
Lo Mein.

No headache, no parched and dying too-much salt or soy feeling...just full blown happiness on a plate.

There was enough food to feed, I kid you not, 6 adults and 7 children with plenty left over.

But still, no egg rolls (which I've been told are the food-of-the-gods.) Not that I'm complaining.

My God! It was wonderful!