The BEST chicken salad

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Y'all, good chicken salad is hard to beat in terms of both "damn, this is delicious" and "wow, this is so comforting I could eat eight pounds without blinking an eye." I found myself with a hankering for this salad, my Nanny's recipe, yesterday while at the market. On the off-chance that I would remember to make it today, I bought some lovely chicken breasts. I remembered! Poached chicken, cinnamon, grapes, celery, pecans. Perfect! Nanny's chicken salad

Alongside I roasted some asparagus sprinkled with olive oil, salt and lemon, and we opened a fantastic Pinot Noir, the Williams-Selyem 2009. It was a gift, and from the taste of it, a really freaking good one! Off to watch Real Time from last night. Amen for Bill!

roasted asparagus

Do y'all know that today my husband earned a "husband of the year" award (for today)? Hah! But seriously, he let me sleep in until 9 and later took the children to his parents' house for four hours where they all played together. No complaining, all positive, I didn't even have to ask. Go T!!!!!

Birthday prep is underway

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After a morning that can only be described as lunacy, the boys are now with Tom at his parents' house. Once again I am struck by how much I enjoy being at home by myself and in silence. I've made two dozen chocolate cupcakes, two 8" vanilla cakes, got the shamrock and Wonder Woman star garlands hung and this orange and green bouquet of flowers set in honor of Ol's favorite colors. Funny that we have no Irish in our family but he was born on St. Patty's day, will likely drink as if he were Irish, and is besotted with orange and green which happen to be two colors of the Irish flag. I love it. Let's go to Ireland pronto; I've always wanted to! Ol's birthday prep

Now, in anticipation of a feast tomorrow night, a gorgeous corned beef is stewing away in a low oven. I'm off to mulch!