More snow

Is winter over yet??

We got another snowstorm today... and although a lot of people don't seem to get it, the height of it hit at the absolute WRONG time for rush hour. There was no way plows were going to be able to keep up with all the traffic. It was one of those drives where you just have to go with it, try to stay relaxed and just do your best to make sure you get home safely.

Or not, for some people, apparently.



Let's all cause a huge traffic jam so we can hurry to get to the "expressway" where travel times are up to four hours already! Yeah!!!



Note to self... next time, just take the road straight out of the business park and don't zig-zag your way over to the stoplight (previous picture) that you can make the left hand turn from. By the time I passed the road I should have taken, there was no long line of cars waiting to get out, no blocking traffic in the other direction, and people were kindly letting the left-hand-turners into the traffic flow.



I'd like to introduce you all to the person who made me slam on my breaks so they didn't hit my car because they didn't want to play the "just let every other car safely merge into the single lane from the two-lane setup" game.



Hello again, jerkface!! (I was actually screaming words that were a lot more nasty at this person at the time).

I did see enough that it was a young woman talking on her cellphone, who just HAD to get one car ahead of me. Which makes SOOOO much difference in getting home in traffic like this.. Come to think of it, I'm surprised she didn't cut over two lanes of traffic to make the left turn into the Starbucks. That was someone else. I do not know why, but no matter how bad the roads are, when I pass the drive-thru Starbucks there is always someone who has to cut across two lanes of traffic to get into the turn lane to pull into the Starbucks.

At least when we got back to it being a multiple-lane road, I ended up coasting right past Jerkface. Too bad I know enough that she didn't learn anything from the experience.



And the last big interesction before home.....

My 8-mile drive took and hour and half. I was actually not that upset... I was figuring it would be two hours when I left work.

Got home, jumped on the elliptical for my workout (we've got another snow storm coming later this week, oh joy of joys) and quickly whipped up some scrambled eggs and potatoes, made some bacon for the hubby and I finished off the last of the proscuitto that I bought last week. Nice a quick, and hit the spot. And best thing was that I got rid of a lot of things in the fridge, since tonight is Fridge Cleaning Night before garbage day.

I'm really, really sick of the snow.

Driving home last week during the big snow dump we had. They at least let us leave early (I got out about 2:30pm) but my usual 20 minute drive took about an hour and half. Notice the only "clear" spot in the roads is the ruts, and the six inch high sludge.



And this is what happens when I've had the heat on for awhile and I stop on a decline and all the snow slides off the top of my car roof....



And this is what it looks like when I get home to find they shoveled the neighbor's driveway... and threw all the snow in our driveway for some reason...


It was about 8pm before they shoveled out our driveway. Nice.


We've got more snow on the way tonight, but it shouldn't be more than a couple inches.

Tonight was a yummy dinner for me...


That is the Trout with Haricots Verts and Almonds (FYI... Hericot Verts = Fancy French Green Beans) done with a slightly different execution. I was doing it for just me (gave the hubby a steak to naw on) so I steamed the fish filet with the green beans in the microwave, cut it down to a tablespoon of browned butter. But oooooooohsoyummygood. And man, I love love love those microwave steamer bags.

We've got more snow on tap for tonight/tomorrow. Oh yay. Not as exciting of a food day, either... it will either be the chicken breasts with the avocado salsa or the Polish spaghetti. I'm thinking with looking forward to travel hell in the morning and possibly in the evening, it might be the p'sketti.

Snow Daze

The storm was supposed to hit the Chicago area yesterday evening, but it came in late afternoon.

My drive home from work took over three times longer than normal.

As I was sitting in traffic, I was amazed at the people who were still going about the evening, running in to stores, making stops at Starbucks. Seriously people?? It's hazardous driving conditions and you HAVE to get your frappacino on?? Don't you have coffee at home????

I was planning on running to Sam's Club on the way home, but I just wanted to get home.

Last night I prepped the Creamy Artichoke Dip and the crust mixture for the Lemon (well, I'm trying key lime) Sabayon-Pine Nut Tart with Honeyed Mascarpone Cream. Also made some whole wheat pita chips (also for the artichoke dip).

Woke up this morning, snow everywhere. I donno about other people... but I ain't fond of heading out in weather like this. I know I can drive in it, but I'm not as confident in other drivers. I called in to work... 'tis a snow day for me. But I do kinda miss being in a workplace where you're set up so you have the option to work from home in weather like this. And I'm not so fond of employers who don't value their employees enough to, oh, not want them to die in a firey car crash trying to get to work thru 8 inches of snow, but that is where I am now. And I suppose I'm also being a little over cautious, since I found out an old co-worker got in to a car accident from the snowstorm earlier this week. She is fine, but the car was wrecked.

Anyway... decided to get a start on the prep I still had yet to do for the party tomorrow. Made the Pecorino-Black Pepper Breadsticks to go with the artichoke dip, got the crust in to the tart shell and that is chilling in the fridge. I'll probably turn on the oven again in about a half hour and get that done. Then I'll get the rest of the tart done, but I do still have to run out for mascarpone tomorrow morning. But that is no biggie.

Now, it's time to think about something for lunch and to get the kitchen cleaned up a bit....