Tuna Salad

I felt the need to post instructions on how to make great tuna salad, but I also feel the need to say that I really dislike the tuna commercial where everyone is making the fish lips. And I also feel the need to tell you (the crickets) that my mom taught me everything I know about tuna salad.

Recipe:
2 cans solid white albacore tuna in spring water*
6-7 sweet gherkin pickles**
sweet pickle juice
3 hard boiled eggs***
2 spoonfuls of mayonnaise

*Growing up, my mom used the regular tuna which was tan/brown in color. That tuna is okay to use - I'm not sure if there is a difference in taste. Once I tried white tuna, I've stuck with it b/c I like the color of the salad better - to me, it looks more appetizing. Brown tuna salad reminds me of a sandwich you'd get out of a vending machine. Yuck!
** If you and your whole family loves dill pickles, I suppose you could use dill pickles. I wouldn't hold it against you, but DON'T ever serve me tuna salad with dill pickles.

Put eggs on the stove to boil. In the meantime, open and drain tuna (I usually rinse mine too). Dump tuna in a bowl and use fork to break it into smaller bites.
If you buy larger pickles than the gherkin size, you may not need this many pickles. Using a chopper, chop pickles 3-4 at a time. You can chop the pickles fine or medium; I like medium to get a better crunch and taste of pickle in the salad. Pour a little sweet pickle juice in the bowl with the tuna and chopped pickles - about 1 to 1-1/2 tablespoons. If the eggs are done, peel and chop them with the chopper. Again, you can chop them fine or medium; your choice. Depending on how "wet" you like your tuna salad, you may want to add just one spoonful of mayonnaise to start. Mix everything together and add more mayonnaise if you like - I almost always add 2 spoonfuls. I don't like a dry tuna salad, but do keep in mind that it will get juicier while it sits in the refrigerator.

You can start eating your tuna salad immediately, or you can let it chill in the refrigerator for an hour or so. Tuna salad is great as a sandwich (with fresh, soft, white bread or on toast), served with club crackers, or on celery. I've also eaten it straight.....with just a fork.

Despite being a picky eater as a child, I loved tuna salad and still do. Luckily my daughter does too so I had to make a second batch last night due to her special request.

Confessions

A fellow blogger posted their top ten confessions on being a mother and challenged others to do the same. I'll give it a shot.

1) I remember great things about the baby stage. I remember being a zombie from about 6 months to 2 years old.

2) Lately, I have felt pretty great about my mothering skills. I'm screwing up a lot less!!! :)

3) My child will soon be ten. That freaks me out a little. I'm planning a "ten" themed party. Shhhh.....

4) Abbie knows what she wants to be when she grows up. I can see it happening. I'll be working for her someday.

5) Sometimes, I really think I have been cloned in my child. I can see myself in her (not looks). It's kind of like watching yourself grow up. I hope I can steer her around the backwardsness that plagued me.

6) I love that she likes to read. I just found some books I had in elementary school, and I can't wait to share the stories with her.

7) My one big regret is not having another child.

8) My next big regret is not having a smidgen of patience.

9) I hope she will enjoy scrapbooking and traveling so that we can do it together.

10) If/when she goes to college (she says she's not going - ha!), I secretly plan to move to wherever she goes.

Say What?

Recently, I got some compliments, and I wanted to comment on each one.

A few weeks ago, someone told me I had great hair. Of course, on the inside, I was pleased, but compliments on my appearance make me a little embarrassed. I wonder if I blush? And wouldn't you know that I have NOT been able to recreate how my hair looked on the day I got that compliment! Which is exactly why I have a love/hate relationship with my hair.

Tonight, someone told me that I am the "glue" in a committee that I chair. Again, I think I blushed, but it was nice to know that I've been an important part of the committee and will be missed. Then Paul made a smart ass comment.

And last night, when Paul came to bed, he told me that he was so glad he married me. I was so tired and sleepy that I didn't ask him why he told me that (we had just finished watching "New Moon"). Today, after he got home from work, I asked him what made him tell me that last night, and he didn't remember saying it. I decided he was just delusional when he came to bed. We joked around about it for a little bit. Then I told him that he was my Edward, and he told me that I was his Jacob. :)

I just told Paul that he was in trouble for the smart ass comment he made. But he's still my Edward.

Conversations with My Brother

Without any back story, side story, or long story - here is a conversation I had with my brother, Craig, today.

Craig (yelling), "Lorrlipop, I need a cup of water!"

Lorrie (yelling), "All I got's spit!"

Craig, "Well, I guess I'll go over here to the mud hole."

Pros and Cons of Moving

Well, we're in our new house, and we've settled in really well. Of course, there were moments of "Do I really want to move? Are we doing the right thing? What if I don't like the new house? What if, what if?"
But the transition was fairly easy and once we got here there was no looking back. But of course nothing is perfect. There are pros and cons.

Con - I'm going to miss the countryside.
Con - I'm going to miss the cows and ponds and wild turkeys and pastures and hillsides and woods and donkeys and a bunch of other STUFF!
Pro - I get to sleep 15 minutes longer on school days!
Con that is not a con - I can hear the train a little more here but it is not a problem and not very noticable.
Pro - I do not have to cross the train tracks anymore or get caught sitting at the train tracks while the train is stopped and blocking the road for who knows how long.
Con - I don't have as much storage space and that is the hardest thing to deal with!
Pro - the fireplace in the new house is easier to use so it gets used more and I like that!
Con - the garage is a tight fit for our two vehicles.
Pro - the cats' litterboxes are in the basement and I love that!
Pro but also a con - I like the new flat top stove but it is taking some getting used to and I have already scratched it. I bought some stuff for it tonight that may buff the scratch out...
Pro - I like our media room
Con - I will miss, miss, miss my neighbors
Pro - I'm looking forward to biking in this neighborhood when it warms up
Pro - I like being closer to the grocery store and other stores
Con - I still miss the country and hope to move back there some day
Pro - I like the big roomy shower in the master bath
PRO - I REALLY like having all hardwood floors - I DO NOT miss the carpet. I actually like vacuuming now and like that I can see all the dust bunnies and get them. I like being able to vacuum under the bed and other stuff.
Con - If my knees or Paul's knees go, we're in big trouble!
Con - So far, I can't catch the feral cats at the old house. There is no one else to feed them. Those cats depend on me. I might have to go get hypnotized to make me forget that there are cats out there that need to be fed. But I still have several more days to catch them....I'm praying...
That's all for now!