City Views, Country Dreams

Good evening from New York as we bid farewell to May.


This has been a lovely day, gently warm without the saturated humidity that's been a recent daily feature.  How lucky to have this day off and to be able to relax a bit, while tending to some errands. catching up on some reading and knitting.


How lucky to have also had yesterday as a day off, even with its humidity.  It was a day to tend to many more errands, even if the air was heavy.  That was why today was so pleasant.


This is a time of day when I generally check emails, catch up on blogs and occasionally post my own.  Generally, it's also a time when I serve myself dinner.  Tonight, I thought I would share with you what was before me.  First course was a summery salad with Boston lettuce, asparagus, tomatoes, potatoes, parsley, tarragon, chives, and a little dressing made from ham sauteed in olive oil, then deglazed with balsamic vinegar.  I must say that I've made this meal many a time, shifting a few of its ingredients now and then, and it always is a wonderful supper.

I did not take a photo of the accompanying glass of Australian Shiraz, and nonetheless want to give it some praise.


The second course featured some freshly cut up strawberries, that I'd let get to know some brown sugar sprinkled on them a hour ago.  I served these berries with a bit of light cream and some heart-shaped shortbread cookies.  Delicious.  Oh, I also added some of my usual roasted almonds afterwards with coffee.

None of this took too much effort, but a bit more effort than I usually want to volunteer after a day's work.  


That notion leads me to a brief report of a luncheon I attended earlier this week.  As I have mentioned before, I am about to cross a marker of ten years of service with my employer.  Every year around this time, said employer hosts a lovely service awards luncheon at a beautiful site in the New York suburbs with a wonderful view of the Hudson River.  Honorees, such as myself, are transported to these luncheons from a central NYC location via a shuttle bus.  I did take my camera along, but decided not to take any photographs.


It's fun to see folks that we do not get to encounter on a daily basis, enjoy the party atmosphere, the fine food, and also hear our efforts praised.  Oh happy day.


I and the other ten-year veterans were also given a gift, that was wrapped up in a large white gift box (like a cake box.)  The photo below shows what was inside the box.

What a fine hand made bowl, and my bowl has my initials and my tenth anniversary noted on the base of the bowl.  Now, I am the recipient of this generous gift, and find that my apartment has no solid flat surface large enough to hold it!  Hmmm.  A sweet dilemma.  For now, I have put the pretty bowl back into its white cake box and am storing it underneath a chair for safe keeping.  I really like the colors in its glaze and wish I could put it to some decorative and practical use.


Have any of you all ever received similar gifts that you cannot easily house?


I will return to work tomorrow, taking with me a home-packed sandwich, most likely ham, cheddar, and lettuce with mayo and mustard on a ciabatta roll.  Easy to prepare in an early morning hurry, and a thrifty alternative to buying a lesser lunch in the trendy SoHo neighborhood where I work.


Let's hope that we all will have splendid June days that will bring us joy.