Tuesday, May 31, 2011

Ice Palaces and Nicoise Salad

Whilst I loathe any family member being away from me, I have to confess that if my husband is away for work, I get just a tiny bit excited about a night at home alone.   It is not that I can't do what I want with him around but I do love the pottering around in silence.  Eating by candlelight by myself. Listening to the sound of the rain if it comes.  Watching a little bit of rubbish television whilst cooking dinner.   Curling up on the couch with Pepper the cat purring happily on my lap.   

He is a non tuna or salmon eater (unless raw), so as if spiting him, I always cook myself some salmon or tuna for dinner.

Tonight, here it is, a tuna nicoise salady thing.  




This is very easy.   So easy it does not even require a recipe but know this:  for perfectly cooked tuna and salmon, put a bit of oil on, pop on a tray, put in a cold oven and turn to 120 degrees. It will be cooked to perfectly medium rare in 25 minutes.  

Tomorrow night will be a salmony rice thing. 

And then, it is important to watch something he wouldn't be interested in watching for the millionth time.  Tonight it is:


I would love to have wallpaper in this image -  I love the combination of yellow with the birch trees.  It still looks modern all these years later.    The truth is I will not get through the whole film in one night.  I am a bit tired at the moment for that.  But even half is better than nothing. 

And of course it has one of my all time favourite scenes:



Did you know this ice covered house was filmed in the heat in Spain? It is not snow at all but white marble dust.  



It's pretty cold here at the moment, and in fact I have a fur hat just like Julie Christie's.  It is made of possum fur though (I bought it in New Zealand where the enlightened government allows the use of possum fur in clothes) not mink or whatever hers is and so is more ethically acceptable.

And of course, I pyjama up, with face mask on.  At the moment, it is this: 

This stuff is brilliant.  6 sachets for $30, and I use only half a sachet at a time.   Such great value and it gives my skin that tingling feeling which is compulsory if you want to feel it is doing any good.  

Weird Chemo Side Effect No 5: my hair is growing back.  Again.  This time, am not counting on it.  I just ignore the way it looks and tell myself I will worry about it in July.  Oh and I have little pins and needles in my fingertips. This is called neuropathy and is quite normal. In fact my oncologist said it is good if I have it it means I am responding to chemo.     Sometimes I think he says things just to cheer me up.  I dread to think what he must say to his really sad patients.     Mostly we seem to shoot the breeze about books and the latest Herceptin research coming out of New York.  I find it hard to talk about myself all the time.   Side effects and symptoms.  So boring and repetitive. I feel like I am complaining.  Weird but there you have it.    

17 comments:

Kerry said...

Hair's good. Or not! I wish I looked like Julie Christie. Now that'd be something :) thanks for the salmon cooking tip. I hadn't heard that and I love salmon. Living alone means I can have it when I want. I take my consolations where I can. Lovely to see you on the blog Jane. take care x

Sarah B said...

I know what you mean about a night home alone. I was like that when the man was away for work. Lots of crappy tv and internet with all the food I love.
Thanks for the tip on the Murad. I bough a sachet of Apitiva(?) pomegranate face mask the other day to try to liven my face up a bit. I like to think it might have worked just a little :)

Just Martha said...

My hubbie used to be away Mon to Fri and I had a great time pottering around, making wrapping paper, listening to Phantom, having a long bath... it was short term bliss. He is away at the moment and we had.... lamp shanks!! He h-a-t-e-s them so I had some girls sleep over and this was on the menu. Crazy chemo stories! Has your fickle hair gone curly? Sometimes that happens too...

Jacqueline @ HOME said...

Hi Jane,
I have to say that I agree on the husband away thing.......my husband isn't at all fussy about food or anything for that matter but, it's great to know that you can eat when you want, whatever you want and watch rubbish tele !!
Your Tuna Nicoise looks delicious and perfectly cooked so, I will follow your instructions next time.
I think that you are right, not to get over-excited your hair. If it all comes back this time, it will be a bonus won't it ?.....and, I'm sure that, come July, it will happen.
Hope you enjoyed Dr. Zhivago.....I haven't seen it for years. So beautifully filmed.
Lots of love to you Jane. XXXX

JOE. D said...

Are we all the same when our hubbies are not home? Such an enjoyable thing - and its not that we hate them or wish for them to be gone - it's just so darn fun when they are. Yes, the food that makes their nose turn is planned and consumed, the TV (and remote) are ours to use and enjoy - and should they actually be away for the whole night - a huge big bed to tuck ourselves into and sleep without the snore (or maybe that is just my hubby???).

Hope tomorrow's salmon rice thingy is yummy too (-:

Southhamsdarling said...

Totally agree with you about having a night on your own! Dr Zhivago - how wonderful to wallow in that film all curled up on the sofa. That was really interesting about the marble dust by the way! Watching rubbish on the tv and eating what you want - lovely!

brismod said...

You've described a perfect evening in my book. Rubbishy tv is given an arched eyebrow around here. That face mask sounds terrific too.xx

Vicki said...

Oh drat! My romantic notions of the house in the snow are blasted to bits! Spain? Marble dust? Boo hoo!
Vickixx

Anonymous said...

excited about a night at home alone.

Oh yes! We have been married 34 years and I always say, only half jokingly, that husband's frequent business trips are what made ours a happy marriage!

Ann said...

All the bad things in life are dull... repeat away. It won't be much longer.

I might send your tip to the disgustingly expensive restaurant we went to recently that had cooked my tuna at a constant 28 degrees for hours and turned it into what appeared to me a warm chunk of the tinned variety. Utterly awful and then doused in all sorts of ridiculous foam. Your salad looks so much better.

A x

LPC said...

Sometimes it's just so nice to focus on oneself. Enjoy.

Millie said...

I enjoy a bowl of muesli for dinner on the very rare occasion that MOTH's away & it's gold! And yes, your Oncologist's correct about the peripheral neuropathy thing, 'tis a very good sign! That Other Husband had a WHOLE COAT made from possum fur back in our NZ days, no further comment needed from moi.
Millie x

Mise said...

I've often wondered whether face masks work. My conclusion so far is not enough that I'd bother with them, but maybe I'm just lazy.

Home alone occasionally is such a joy - the silence falls like gentle spring rain and there is space to breathe out and time to eat sitting down.

I'm glad those little pins and needles are good news, glad you're doing fine.

Glamour Drops said...

How interesting that so many people have commented with the same thoughts! For the last 8 years, my husband has spent half the year interstate, and the other time at home. The only good thing about it was that we got to eat tuna and salmon when he was away. What a hoot that you are having the same thing!

But I do know what you mean ~ it's nice to have an evening to oneself every now and again, to indulge at whim. And I didn't know about the marble dust! Never see the film the same way again!

Jane said...

Oh, goodie, you're back for a moment, Jane! Gosh that hair business must be rather discombobulating. Sending you a big ♥ on this chilly winter night. J x

24 Corners said...

When Mr. 24 used to travel quite a bit for work, I used to *love* that time to myself..not that I didn't miss hem or anything, it's just so fun to putter around the house, make messes, leave messes, have Veggie Booty & Brownies for dinner (your dinner puts mine to shame), whatch my favorite movies and shows without the 'extra commentary', come home whenever I ploease and so on...it's a gloriously strange, mini vacation from the routine.
Here's to prickly fingers (since they're a good thing) and your hair making up it's mind once and for all...take care!!
xo J~

(Marble powder?? I wonder how fun that was to breathe in!)

lesley said...

Glad to read that you are enjoying a few of the things that you especially like and roll on July for the "hair".xo Lesley

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