Okay, my cassarole is done! What do you mean most people aren't making cassaroles at 1:00 in the morning? Well, when else would you do it?

The cassarole is to take with me on my vacation. I am so excited to be taking an actual vacation, which would not be at all possible if my sister-in-laws mom had not invited us to stay with them at their beach house in Avalon. She very generously invited our entire family - this is the family dinner crowd. Everyone got assigned a night to cook. Thus, the make-ahead cassarole. The side dishes I'll make there on my night ( Tuesday) but I don't trust someone elses kitchen for the main dish. I need all my own special knives and cutting boards and stuff so I feel like I know what's going on with the food, and there was no way I was hauling all that stuff down there.

My neighbor has agreed to watch Winston. She's the supervisor at the humane society, so you couldn't ask for a better pet sitter! She'll also take care of Vio-kitty, who went to the vet today for tests....she doesn't seem to be feeling so well, and, of course, feed the fish.

Of course, we can't stay at the beach for the whole week for which we were invited: neither of us can afford to be away from our respective businesses that long. As it is, I'll have to find an internet cafe or someplace to put my Avon orders in ....but at least modern communications give me that option. We'll leave tomorrow, after I get off from the tile shop, and return late Wednesday night.

But I can really use a vacation, and the company of my family is a huge plus. I hope they like chicken cassarole. If not, there'll be corn on the cob, zuchini salad and brownies to fill in. I also made a big tub of home made salsa to take with me ( another neighbor shared his wealth of tomatos... we live in a really friendly neighborhood!)

Wish me rest!