Caccia me if you can.

I did a bit of grocery shopping tonight--had to pick up a few things--and after I got home, I used some tempeh I had in my fridge, some veggies, and some canned tomatoes to make the Tempeh Cacciatore in The Vegetarian Meat and Potatoes Cookbook, which I served with leftover pasta. I maybe should have cut the tempeh pieces smaller, but it was a nice, hearty, tomatoey dish. It's not my favorite dish, but it was tasty.

I had a lovely trip to Orlando, although I didn't get a chance to cook for anyone. We did, however, pick up some cookies at the local Publix, while my sister was buying soda. I bought some fruit juice since I try to avoid products with high fructose corn syrup, and I loathe diet drinks, whether it's sweetened with aspartame or sucralose. My mom picked up tons of Chinese food (with two vegetarian dishes for my boyfriend and me). I think the best part of the day was my grandmother's face when she saw me. She was so happy that I had made it. One of my cousins fibbed and said that I had come in just to see her. I think it was the first time I got through a family event without wanting to scream.

I did spend time with my dad in the evenings. It's been probably close to 20 years since I've been to that synagogue, and because there was a retreat, it was a very sparsely attended service. I did stand up to say the Mourner's Kaddish, as it has become acceptable to stand for one's grandparent. The rabbi, instead of a sermon, gave an informative talk in a series regarding 50 moments in Jewish history, the current one on Martin Luther, a talk I found fascinating.

If every visit home is this pleasant, I may be inclined to visit more often.