In my last post I mentioned moving in with my boyfriend, while true it is not entirely accurate because my townhome is still riddled with my things. I took the essentials to his place and would go pack small car loads of items at a time. However, the time had come to make the move official. Call movers and finally, clear out my place to put on the market.

Maybe, part of me was holding on to my townhouse for sentimental reasons. I bought that house in December of 2009. A lot has happened in those 6.5 years. And no matter what, through the good and the bad that was my place to retreat to. My home. Things were tough for awhile, I scraped the bottom of every paycheck but it was worth it because it was mine and I had a pup to share the adventure with. I remember, finally mustering up the courage to ask for the raise I deserved. I eventually left that job, it was my first real job and I had been there for 8 years. It was a hard decision but it was the right decision. I cried from a broken heart, countless times. I celebrated big events and milestones. Hosted out of town guests and put on Sunday family lunches. My best friend told me she was expecting her first on the floor of my living room, all the while we helped another friend pack up from her divorce. My dad and I put in the wood floors together, moments I will always cherish. And my most favorite memory of all is meeting Scott and to think he was just a guy in my neighbor who’s house I walked by on my walks with Callie. And while my first home will always hold a special place in my heart, I am excited about this next phase and to be sharing it with someone I love. And let’s be honest, part of me was just avoiding the last bit of packing (mostly the glass that needs to be wrapped carefully then packed).

The movers come Saturday, so all week I’ve gone straight from work to my house to pack, then home to prep dinner. Needless to say, it has been an exhausting week and I look forward to having the packing behind me. Here is a breakdown of this week’s meals:

Monday
I did not feel like cooking after packing that night, so we went to the new Sabor in Steele Creek. Delicious.

Tuesday – Grilled Salmon with Mango Salsa
I had put the salmon to defrost in the fridge and cook on Monday night, but that plan ended up with us eating tacos. So we absolutely had to have salmon on Tuesday.  Let me just say, I would pay extra for pre-cut mangos. What a pain in the butt! However, the salsa was delicious and worth the work. I am a big fan of having something green on my dinner plate, so I also sauteed some kale. 

Wednesday – Pork Tenderloin & Green Beans
On Saturday, I cleaned out my freezer and realized we had a lo of great meats that needed to be cooked. I used a marinade we had on hand for the pork tenderloin and let it sit while I prepped the green beans. An attorney I work for brought in all sorts of farm fresh goods on Monday, including these green beans. I just steamed them, nothing special. While the pork tenderloin turned out delicious, I did overcook it by a minute or so. Lesson learned.

Thursday – Zucchini Pie & Chicken Hash
When I got to work on Thursday I realized I had not taken anything out for dinner or had a real plan. I decided we would have breakfast for dinner, though I ended up going beyond the typical eggs & bacon. I need to learn to keep things simple. In addition to the green beans, I got some zucchini and decided to try my hand at this Zucchini Pie I found. This meal is delicious, I did make it gluten free by buying the GF Bisquick. However, the directions are VERY simple, do yourself a favor and learn from my mistake: add the cheese, Bisquick, oil, and eggs first. Mix. THEN add the zucchini and onion. As for the hash, I brought the frozen diced with peppers added leftover cheese from the zucchini pie, thyme, and kale, and rotisserie chicken.

Tonight
We will be doing the last bit of packing, so afterwards we are hitting up one of Scott’s favorite neighborhood restaurants near our old ‘hood. Cheers to what is to come!

Until next time (in which I will probably be complaining about unpacking),
Jen Leigh