Winter Grilling and Anniversaries

My parents did it and so did my husband and I. We met on a blind date and then married exactly one year later. My parents went on their blind date in 1959, married in 1960, and had me in 1961. Shawn and I had our blind date in 1993, married in 1994, and our daughter Isabelle was born in 1995 (amazingly she actually managed to be born on my parent’s wedding anniversary). Today is 19 years from that blind date with my husband and 18 years from our wedding day.

March 6, 1994

Over the intervening years a lot has changed while a lot has stayed the same. We still live in the same house, though we own it now instead of renting it. Our family is slightly larger now–Russell arrived two years after his big sister. We have different pets than when we started out. All in all though things are pretty much the same. Shawn still fixes things and puns a lot. I do most of the cooking and say everything three times. Every so often we mix it up. I’ll fix a something (and feel really proud of doing so) and Shawn will brave my territory and step into the kitchen to cook dinner. Actually he steps through the kitchen and out to the grill.

Grilling in winter

Grilling in the winter is something I grew up with, which is a bit strange given that I grew up outside of of one of the snowiest areas in the northeast – Syracuse, New York and now reside in western Massachusetts. Logic has little to do with it, it’s primarily tradition – my grandfather did it, my Dad still does it, as does my husband. Really all you need are a warm coat, enough charcoal, and sometimes a fedora (my grandpa always wore a fedora while grilling). There are times in New England winters when it really is too cold to grill, at least with charcoal. If you choose the right day though, and have plenty of charcoal along with a warm pair of boots you’ll end up with a divine dinner.

So that’s what we had–grilled lamb, boiled potatoes, brussell sprouts sauted in garlic, salad, and chocolate brownies. Yum. I only set the table. Sorry there’s no recipe, but I wasn’t the cook. Shawn said he rubbed the lamb with crushed garlic, salt, pepper, olive oil, and thyme before putting it on the flames and I am here to testify that it was DELICIOUS!!!

Grilling lamb

So thanks sweetie for 19 amazing years and an incredible anniversary dinner – xoxoxo