My 65th and the girls start cooking regularly.

It hit me today that the girls have been in America longer than they were in Russia. We adopted them all the way back in October 2009. It was my 65th birthday on Sunday. I always hoped to make it to 65, I just thought it wouldn’t be this quickly. We celebrated at the Outback in Monroe. They have the tastiest, juicy, tender steaks around these days. My mom joined us along with Sean and Teri’s sister, Nancy.

I’d requested no gifts, just gift cards for the Outback. And like the real American girls they are, they didn’t listen to me. I didn’t want them to spend so much money just after Christmas, but they did. Hey gave the requested gift cards and they threw in some candy on top of that.

We arrived at the Outback at 5:30 expecting a busy restaurant or at least it to fill up as the night went on. And it being a work day the next day everyone thought it a good idea to make it an early evening. We were a group of seven this evening. Teri sat across from me, Elena on my right. My mom next to Teri and Nancy next to her, with Sean and Nastia down at the end of the table.

Elena dithered over whether to have a comb steak and ribs or to have ribs. She didn’t like the steak that came with the ribs and they couldn’t switch it out, so she ordered the out of left field option, a cheese burger. Nastia had salmon because as hse said, “It’s the only thing I can eat on the menu.” I’d feel sorry for her, except, I love steak and we go for seafood on her birthday. Everyone else had steak. The girls investigated mixed drinks again. Nancy ordered a ‘Wallabe darned’ and both girls liked the taste so both ordered it. Sean ordered a bloody mary he didn’t like. Nastia gave him her drink. If she didn't, she probably wouldn’t have finished it. I was pleased when I offered a second drink to Elena, she passed on it even though she wasn’t driving.

We finished dinner by a little after 7 and again this year everyone was too full to head to Dairy Queen. We dropped my mother off first, then Nancy. We were home by 8. It was a nice evening. On Monday Nastia started her first day at her new job, up at Helen Hayes Hospital. She said the first day was easy. They are easing her into the job. She didn’t have to change any diapers. She arrived home before me. I'd stopped off at the grocery to pick up a few items because I decided to try a new recipe. Chicken, peppers, mushrooms and onions with Marsala wine, sounds good. It didn’t come out so well. Nastia helped cook to fulfill her cooking once a week obligation. I don’t know where things went wrong for dinner. The mushrooms were over cooked, Teri insisted I chop the onions, not have long slivers and I used chicken thighs instead of chicken tenders. Yeah, what could have gone wrong with those changes. I threw the recipe out. Nastia cut the peppers, after I showed her how to cut it without wasting any of the pepper. I did the onions and mushrooms. Nastia and Sean did the flavored rice. The rice was the high point of dinner. I also forgot the green beans in the microwave, but they were not missed. Neither will the recipe be missed. Tonight Elena helps to make Korean Beef with rice. This is a tried and true recipe, it’ll be a fine dinner tonight.