Lemon Orzo Pasta Salad

Another Pinterest find.  Orzo, feta, and cucumber drizzled with olive oil and tossed with parsley, mint, lemon zest, and lemon juice.  It was refreshing and tasty but it needed something.  Maybe just a dash of hot sauce.

I was only making enough to have lunch today and didn't want to have any left overs; just in case I didn't like it.  I used 1/4 C dry pasta which ends up being 1/2 C cooked.  That is 1/6 of what the recipe calls for but I couldn't bring myself to cut everything else by 6.  I used a generous 1/3 of a cucumber and a handful of feta crumbles.  My feta had Mediterranean spices on it.  I drizzled olive oil along with the zest and juice from 1/3 lemon.  Then I sprinkled it with chopped mint and parsley and tossed it all together.  Salt and pepper to taste. Next time I will either chop the mint more or leave it out entirely.  Here is the link to the original recipe so you can adjust as you like.  I think the recipe is pasta heavy and I enjoy the crunch of extra cucumber.

The One About Best Friends

A few months back,  I learned that my mom's best friend had died and I posted about their life long friendship.  Yesterday I heard from my dad that his best friend Dave Burnham recently died.

I only met my mom's friend Helen a few times so didn't know her well and I never met my dad's friend Dave.  My dad mentioned Dave fairly often and therefore I know they attended high school at Loomis together, sailed together and kept in touch with each other over the past 70 some years.  I know that my dad was delighted to get to visit with Dave when they went to a Loomis reunion a few years back.  I wish I had met Dave.  He sounds like a terrific guy.

I am happy each of my parents had a long term, close friend.  That person who has known you almost your entire life and who loves you through all the ups and downs.  Someone you stay in touch no matter how far apart you might live.  Someone who knew your parents and watched you grow and change over the years.  They saw you fall in (and out) of love.  They watch as you get jobs, change jobs and retire from having jobs.  That person you can call when you just need someone to listen to you.  The person who can call you any hour, day or night, and you'll listen too.  The person who will rejoice or commiserate with you.  Someone you consider family.

Friends are wonderful and I know people can be best friends without a lifelong relationship but I'm happy my parents got to experience that extra special friendship.  And I'm glad that both my brother and I are blessed to have our own best friends who have known us since our early teens.  Maybe we learned it from our parents.