In the weeds

As anybody who has ever changed houses can attest, moving is a stressful experience. Combine crossing the country with a new job, a long commute, a series of sublets, a decided lack of weather-appropriate clothing, a parrot that needs to be shuttled 1800 miles to her new home, and a dying computer, and you have a recipe for my life right now: deep in the weeds.

"In the weeds" is a kitchen term used to describe the situation of someone who has fallen hopelessly behind in their workload. I'm not in any kitchen right now; in fact I've hardly cooked for the past month or so. I've just been deep, deep in the weeds as I set up my new California life, and I think I am finally starting to glimpse a way out.

I pride myself on being insanely organized and action-oriented, but lately it's all I can do to respond to emails from three and four weeks back. I'm itchy to balance my checkbook and organize the flurry of receipts flying around my head like that dust cloud encircling Pigpen. There are four gazillion tasks to check off my list as I update all my information, locate housing, settle into my new job and greet a truckload of personal effects that somebody keeps insisting are mine (but are they really? I packed all that stuff up so long ago, I can hardly remember what I own!), and finally greet my boyfriend and HIS truckload of personal effects.

Oy.

So it is with some pride that I announce that tonight, for the first time in weeks, I managed to cook.

Whoo hoo.

And once I started, I couldn't stop. I started by poaching some salmon in white wine, peppercorns and dill. It's hot here, very hot, and I thought a nice, cool piece of chilled poached salmon with some salad would make a fine dinner. Someone at work left a giant bag of Meyer lemons off their tree in the kitchen. There was a sign imploring me to take some, so I did. Meyer lemons are so wonderful and mild, with an orangey flesh and an herbal aroma. I worked them into as many elements of my meal as I could.

After the salmon was done and chilling, I made an old stand-by: vinegar marinated dill cucumbers (lemon zest was a great addition). There were some purple potatoes quickly turning smooshy, so I peeled them, chopped them, tossed them with olive oil, garlic and salt, and roasted them for an hour or so. Then I made sauce for the salmon: half mayo, half sour cream, with lots of chopped dill, lemon juice and lemon zest (are you sensing a pattern here?). Finally I made a big batch of wild rice with dried cranberries, and a salad of mixed greens, Maytag blue cheese, walnuts and Granny Smiths.

Randy and I sat out on the patio of our little sublet cottage and tried to regain our sanity. I think it worked. I think the weeds are starting to part and the dust is starting to settle and in a few weeks we will be completely moved into our new apartment, which boasts both a dishwasher AND a disposal. Ah, sweet luxury. Let the weed-whacking begin.