Couldn't eat or drink, but still had a good time

The last month has been hard: tired, nauseated, chemo taste buds gone wild.  I have been a complaining mess.  Saturday we had some normal.  We hosted the A Team for an afternoon of wine and appetizers.  For new readers click here for info on the A team.

Friday, Marty and I made country ham puffs, a cold lemon soufflé, and lobster cup.  Surprisingly I was able to cook  the first two dishes almost without any help.  We had champagne chilled, cute cocktail napkins and were ready to go.  Now the night before Marty had said we would cancel the party if I didn't feel better. 

Saturday I got up wobbly as a drunken sailor.  I could only walk holding on to walls, banisters, and furniture.  Not a good sign for partying.  The A team arrived and started pulling out food.  Oh my word, did we have food.  And more champagne and wine.  It looked like a party.

Some of the goodness we had to eat.

Many more dishes were brought in to eat.  So many they were crowded on the table.  We had cheesy olive balls, chicken satay, country ham, lobster rolls, figs wrapped in prosciutto, corn dip, tomato  jam, Almond Tart, creme fraiche dip.  I think that is all, sorry A Team if I forgot something.  Chalk it up to chemo brain.

I am sure you are wondering how much of that I was able to eat, precious little.  I tried things, but it all tasted wrong.  But I got enough to have a small meal, and at least did not have to break out the peanut butter.  Peanut Butter was covered in the chicken satay dish.

I pretty much sat in my recliner and let people wait on me.  They brought me food and water and wine.  I stuck with the water.  No champagne for me, dammit.  We laughed, discussed foods, my health, and the missing Texas couple.  Good conversation, good times.

In the top picture you can tell Lew and Hank are holding up.  I am leaning on Lew and Hank is holding onto my waist.  Thank you for not letting me fall.  The bottom picture Hank if still holding me  up.

I love my A Team, and we can't wait until the Texas couple retires and can travel to see us.  Miss you Karl and Deb.

Weekly or is it Weakly update?

This week has not been as bad as last week.  But it hasn't been a great week.  If you remember I hurt my back last week, not badly but it hurts.  That has been a large part of my problems this week.  For the last week I have slept in the recliner because I can't get comfortable in the bed.  I am not that comfortable in my chair, so broken sleep.

Monday I had lab work.  Also it was the first day in over a week I didn't need nausea medicines.  Nothing tasted right, but at least I didn't feel as if I was going to upchuck.  Energy level was low but I wasn't exhausted. 

Tuesday was chemo day.  No big deal, no extra nausea.  But food had become an issue.  I was hungry, but the sight, smell, and taste of everything is just terrible.  I could smell all my neighbors' meals simmering away.  Yuck!  Friends came by before going to Book Group late afternoon.  They  wanted to pick up supper for me as they bought theirs.  I told them no thanks, I would stick with peanut butter.   They had wonderful Mexican and I didn't.

Wednesday I was really tired and my back hurt.  I didn't feel like doing anything, so I didn't.  Erik was here and besides all he regularly does to help us, he gave me some computer help.  I don't know if he realizes how important his visits are.  We talk, he works, we laugh, and of course we all three are playing on our IPads and sharing silly things.  That night I did not sleep well, I hurt and there was no way to get comfortable. 

Thursday I was a mess.  So tired and felt as if I were drugged. I slept off and on the whole day, even up until bedtime.  The nausea was back and I hated the thought of any food, even my safe peanut butter.

I worried about things I need to do today, Friday. We have invited our A Team (a group of friends who cook and have fun together) for pot luck wine and appetizers on Saturday afternoon.  I told Marty I didn't feel like cleaning the apartment and wasn't sure if I could make my appetizer and a surprise dish.  And my protective hero says we can cancel if you don't feel well enough.  Not going to do that.  I want to visit with these friends and I want some normal.  Marty will get stuff done even if I do have to sit in the chair all day today and tomorrow. 

One awful thing this week, chocolate no longer tastes good.  Before, even if I had just thrown up, chocolate would taste just fine.  This week I did a study of all different types of chocolate.  I tasted expensive chocolate, Milky Ways, M&M's, lots of different brands.  Nearly all were icky, some so bad I spit them out.  My taste buds are very sad. 

The week wasn't awful, just tiring.  I can do this manly because I have no choice.  I will make the best of it, blog about it, and vent about everything.

A Wonderful Friday with the A Team

I must explain the A Team to new readers.  We are 4 couples who were neighbors for years.  We liked cooking and going to progressive dinners.  So we formed a group that met every now and then to eat good food, talk, laugh, and enjoy the wines poured.  After a few gatherings we realized we were a special lucky group of friends.  We loved each other and had become a family.  Even though three couples moved out of the neighborhood, one clear to Texas, we still get together.  Friday for the first time in 5 years, all 4 couples were together.

Here is our A Team selfie.  For those who don't know me except through this blog, I am the lady in glasses and a good wig.

A lunch was set up so that I wouldn't be tired.  By dinner time my energy level is falling.  We had appetizers, which Marty and I forgot to photograph.  We were too busy eating Pigs in a Blanket, and Deviled eggs.  Champagne and other great wines were poured.  I had a little bit of Champagne.

A beautiful and tasty soup was our first course.  It was a sweet corn with crab and basil on top. Delicious!

A close up of the soup.  Place cards were pictures of each guest.  The table was glass, so the wood you see is really the floor.

Our main course was ham, asparagus, and cheese grits. Being a Southern Belle, the grits were my favorite of this course.

Hank plating an almond tart with whipped cream.  This was my favorite dish of the meal.  It was exquisite, lovely to the eye and perfection on the tongue.  Great job by Thom!

A close up of my plate.  Trust me the tart and whipped cream did not last long on my plate.

The lunch started at noon, and we left to go home after 6:00.  Just what did we do for all that time you ask.

This picture of Hank and Thom says it all.  We laughed like fools.  We took pictures, we told what we had been doing, and we talked about our favorite A Team moments.  It was a wonderful Friday.

I was so lucky that I could be with these friends.  Everyone was healthy so I could have hugs and kisses.  No mask needed that day.  We talked about my health, and I was upfront that even with hope, Marty and I have to be realistic.  So with the laughter, there were a few tears.  This was a safe place for us to share and feel the love.  And days like Friday help me to be "normal".  Except as I told the A Team, no one would say we are a normal group of people.

A Team Brunch

The A Team is a group of friends who have become family.  We were neighbors and realized we all loved food, we loved to cook, we loved to be with each other. We get together and eat luscious food. We have highly planned pot lucks.  We also love deep down in our hearts to blow away the others with our cooking magic.  Not that we are competitive or anything.

Saturday we had brunch at our apartment.  Two months ago we said we will host in October.  As you all know, all I have done lately is plan doctor visits.  The brunch happened, it was spectacular, we planned it out and I gave up some of the finer entertaining rules in my head.  We planned our part of the meal to be something that we could prep the night before.  The brunch was all about being together.

Many, many pictures below of the prep and the party.

Marty and I made a Crab and Shrimp Tower with a citrus vinaigrette.  We used the black pipe to shape the tower.

Marty lined the pipe with foil and then layered the food.  Then the pipe was lifted off and the foil supported the tower until it was served.

Hank setting out the appetizers.  We had stinky French cheese, soft French cheese, wonderful charcuterie, and meat balls, 

Hank and Thom went all out.  We also had deviled eggs, veggies and dips, and mozzarella, basil and cherry tomatoes on a skewer.  I think they were afraid I would be too tired to prepare a main course.

We call this our Boudoir Dining Room.  The bedroom is huge and the only place to set up a table for 6 or more people.  

This is a long shot of the table.

The tower shot from the top.  I should have done a side shot.  The tower was lettuce, heirloom cherry tomatoes, shrimp, dungeness crab, carrots, and a crab claw.  We poured the vinaigrette around the tower.  There were sliced mangoes and avocados beside the tower.

The table is ready for our guests.  But first, just one more picture.

Nancy and Lew made an apple crisp for dessert.  The warm crisp was on vanilla ice cream, raisins, other wonderful rich goodness.

The A Team!  From left to right:  Janet, Marty, Nancy, Lew, Hank, and Thom.

Marty and me enjoying a little Bubbly.

The best part of this wonderful meal was I was able to eat.  The nausea pills work, Mr. Morphine worked, and everyone brought rich tasty food that appealed to my out of whack taste buds.  

It was a great day.  We laughed, we cried, we remembered other events.  And we planned the next event in November when our A Team Texas couple will be able to join us.  

Christmas party with the A Team

We have a group of friends who meet over food.  We call ourselves the A Team.  Long story that probably years ago I explained.  We all love good food and enjoying cooking.  Last week we gathered for food and for the love of each other.  Out Texas friends didn't make the party.  We have our finger crossed they will join us this summer.

The food is important, but the fellowship is what it really is about.  We have been through illnesses, deaths, moves, hard times, just about everything life could throw at us.  We stand together with love.  We sometimes get ticked at each other, we bitch about how someone does something, we forgive and forget.  But heaven help anyone else who tries to hurt one of us.  We are a family, we can pick on one of us, but no one else can hurt us.

Our party was wine, more wine and wonderful small plates.  Lots of food, love, and laughter.  I got permission to have a little wine and to taste some of the decadent food.

 

Our host Lew and some great food: spiced nuts, asparagus with aioli sauce, roasted cauliflower, deviled eggs, and more food to come.  And that is my glass of champagne.

I told you we laughed a lot.  Hank on left Thom on the right.  Usually Thom isn't in candid pictures because he takes all the pictures.

 

 

My country ham puffs.

 

 

Hostess Nancy placing  poached pears in a cabbage soup.  Yummy!

 

 

The beautiful table

 

 

Yucky picture of a fabulous dish.  This quesadilla was one of the best I have ever had.  Duck confit with incredible salsa.  We are still waiting for you all to share the recipe Lew and Nancy.  

 

 

Sinfully delicious!  Chocolate on chocolate with caramel and sea salt.  Thank you Hank and Thom for shooting my diet all to hell.

 

 

Hank and I have just said, . . .    well I won't go there.  Much laughter ensued. 

 

 

Nancy and me saying good bye.

 

It was a lovely party.  Good food and wine, good conversation, lots of laughter, and very special friends.  Love you A Team.  

 

 

 



Doing Normal Things

This week end I did several normal things.  It felt good to go somewhere other than Kaiser. It also was very tiring. 

Since I was hospitalized my goal was to make it to the A Team event.  For newbies the A Team is a group of us who were neighbors and liked to cook and dine together.  We all became very close, at time as if we were family.  Because we no longer all live in the same city, getting together is hard to arrange.  We had the date and the menu.  Now I had to be well enough to go.

Saturday I started making my Chipotle Shrimp appetizer.  I don't remember it being that tiring to cook shrimp, and chop up herbs and veggies.  It took me forever to get it made.  And then I had to go rest.  The plan was to get there at 6:00, I would eat what I could, and drink water. Marty could eat all the wonderful food and drink some wine.   Then we would go home around 9:00.  I didn't  think I could last longer than that. 

We were meeting at one of the couples' loft in San Francisco.  This meant we would drive across the new span of the Bay Bridge for our first time.  This bridge is beautiful and with the low sides (which scare me more than a little) the views are spectacular.  I took pictures with my IPhone and with Marty's.  The pictures are a little blurry because we were moving around 45 MPH. 

 

It is late afternoon and I was shooting directly into that huge white light, the sun.  I had no idea if I was getting good or bad pictures, I was blinded by the sun.  This is just as we started onto the bridge.

 

Here you can see into the Marin Headlands and the Bay.  Stunning views.  And see what I mean by low sides?  I feel as if we will topple over.

 

 

The old bridge to the left.  It will take a couple of years for it to be torn down.  In front of you is the tower that holds all the suspension cables. 

 

Past the tower and headed for the tunnel on Yerba Buena. 

 



We go into the city and spend a lovely evening with our friends.  I had such a good time and we didn't leave at 9:00 as planned.  It was so normal to sit and talk and I loved it.

 

 

This is us (well you can't see me) having a great time.  Starting on the left and going counter clockwise: Nancy, Hank, Thom, Marty, and Lew.  I love the shadows on the floors.  And behind Thom is a window reflecting one of their wonderful pieces of Art.  Yes, their pictures are Art with a capital A. 

 

We laughed and there was a little crying maybe.  We do get emotional sometimes.  Fabulous time with the A Team.  We did not get home until after midnight.  Big normal night for me.

 

 

If you thought the bridge was pretty in the daytime, take a trip across at night with the funky lights.

 

 

Just look at this, gorgeous!

 

 

With the 18 wheeler you can see how huge the cables are.  I think this is my favorite night picture.

 

I got to  bed at 12:30 and was up at 6:30.  This time we are off to church and then to Kaiser for a blood draw. Marty took me to lunch (boy is it hard to order healthy in a sports' bar), and then home.  I was exhausted from all the fun of the Saturday and Sunday.  So a two hour nap was taken. 

 

Normal is very tiring, but normal helps me on the road to recovery.  Normal makes me really happy. Today's normal was not fun, but I felt very saintly for doing this normal.  I dusted our apartment. 

 

Then I sent Marty a text to tell him how wonderful I am.  He agrees with me.  

 







The A Team

I have written about the A Team before.  This is a group of people who met to cook together.  We have become very good friends.  There are 4 couples, 3 of whom live in the Oakland Hills.  One couple was transferred to New Orleans.  They have come back to join us for A Team events.  And one time we called them while we were putting a meal together.

This group loves good food and wines.  We takes turns hosting and we rotate which courses a couple will prepare.  We have varying skills in cooking, we all shop well at specialty food shops.  The main thing is to have a lovely meal, wonderful wines, and catch up on every one's life.  We are busy people and don't see each other routinely.  Setting up our play dates sometimes takes several tries.

July 2 The A Team had a garden party.  We met at 1:00 and ate, drank, laughed, and had a great time for the five hours.  Below are some pictures of our fun day.  You might think there are a lot of wine glasses everywhere, and you would be correct.

The party begins.  Left Lew, middle Nancy, right Hank.  Lew is getting ready to open the champagne.  Hank is filling little dishes with his gazpacho.  Nancy is readying her corn and scallop amuse-bouche.  At the lower right hand corner is the sous vide machine.  That will be explained later.

The picture pretty much says it all.  Ready to toast The A Team. Also you can see the gazpacho ready for Hank to serve.

We are having some more Hank and Thom appetizers:  duck pate and a truffle chicken liver pate.

Main course sous vide boneless ribs in a red wine reduction sauce.  Lew and Nancy cooked them for 72 hours.  YUMMY!  I made the rice and spinach that was seasoned with  nutmeg.  Also I prepared the stuffed tomato.  The tomato had sauteed mushrooms, garlic, shallots, tomato pulp.  Then I added in panko and freshly grated Parmesan cheese.

                                                     Marty was posting on Facebook.

Nearly finished with this course.  I have moved on to the red wine.  I am a couple of glasses behind the others.

Thom with Corky in his lap.  Corky is 15 1/2 and is allowed to run the world.  Very sweet dog.

After this course we had a wonderful chocolate cake with a caramel ice cream.  I forgot to take pictures of it.  Maybe next time.

The A Team is important to each of us.  We are a type of family.  And like all families we are a little dis functional at times.  We all have quirks, we accept that.  We love each other.  And with that love we miss our other couple.  Karl and Deb you need to make them transfer you back to us.