Cooking, Hospitals, and Holidays

This week is the beginning of my second 3-weeks at Culinary School! I’m so excited I could explode. We’re finally finished with our lecture classes, Sanitation 101 and Basic Cookery 100. Well, we’re almost finished; we have finals tonight in both, but that felt like the longest and most jam-packed three weeks of my life.

During the first day of class three weeks ago, Brian’s mom became very sick and had to be rushed to the emergency room! It was very scary, and Brian drove down to Houston to be with his family while I was in class. I never want to imply that I think he should stay with me instead of seeing his sick mother, but that first week of school was a roller coaster of emotion and exhaustion. I didn’t realize how much emotional support I would need to do this until it wasn’t there. I felt sad and alone and anxious because I didn’t know anyone at school and fretful about Brian’s mom. I just needed someone there to give me a hug. Thankfully his mother is doing much better, she’s still in the hospital but will be transferred to a rehab facility this week, but the situation was very scary at the beginning of it all.

I went down to Houston with Brian the weekend after my second week of school, and by that time his mom had woken up and was conscious and we were able to give her the good news that we will be moving to Houston after I’m finished with Culinary School, next summer. I’m so happy to be moving. I love Austin, but I really want to be closer to our families. We will be in the same city as his and only two hours driving time from mine, as opposed to the five hour distance we’re at now. His mom was very happy to hear that we would be closer, I hope that little bit of good news helped with her recovery.

For Thanksgiving I didn’t do any cooking really, other than Boudain dip (one of Brian’s favorites). I left this year’s cooking up to my mom and step dad, and it was quite delicious. They had a deep fried turkey and since Brian is, unfortunately, allergic to poultry, also had a smoked ham. Of course all of the side accoutrement like green been casserole, cornbread dressing, cranberry chutney and pumpkin pie, which is my favorite. My dad gave me my Christmas gift a bit early because it was cash and he wanted me to buy my own gift so I’d have it for Christmas. So I was able to go buy a bran new and very appreciated camera to take better pictures of food!

Today I requested my work hours at Star Nine be reduced even further, so now I will have Tuesday and Thursdays off to look for a new job. I think that Michael, my replacement at Star Nine, has things pretty well under control and I’m so eager to get to work in a kitchen it’s unbelievable. So I sent out about ten resumes to places that wanted them sent via email and tomorrow I have about six other places to apply to in person. I don’t have much real professional kitchen experience, but I just hope my energy and passion will wow somebody and they’ll give me a chance. I just want to work; I want to do what I love doing, but for other people to enjoy.

This coming weekend, we’re having our pot-luck “Thanksgiving” with our friends at our house. We usually have it the weekend before Thanksgiving, but because of the craziness that was going on we had to postpone it. So I will be making gumbo and boudain dip! I think we’re going to sort of transform it into a Christmas gathering, because Brian’s going to set up our tree tonight. I’ll definitely be taking pictures and posting the recipes, and hopefully things will calm down some and I’ll be able to post more often than just every three weeks!