Daddy's Girl

My family spent the weekend in St. George to celebrate Fathers Day. Both sets of my Grandparents live down there. I was the "bad" daughter who didn't go. So to make it up to my Dad I made him dinner last night. It was actually a lot of fun for me to cook because I never really have the opportunity to use my expensive pots and pans anymore. Cooking for just me is way too much work so I normally end up having cheese and crackers or some sort of cracker appetizer for dinner.
I made some balsamic-glazed salmon that was to die for! It was a new recipe that I found on the Super Target website (http://recipes.target.com/Recipe/Recipe.aspx?nprid=82817). I paired it with some mashed potatoes and fresh green beans sautéed with garlic, salt and pepper. For dessert we had vanilla bean ice cream and fresh fruit. Everything was super yummy and I ate way too much! We sat on the porch at my new patio table. It was just perfect!
I have always been close with my Dad and I thoroughly enjoy spending time with him. When I was little I used to say I was going to marry my Dad. Growing up I was a late bloomer. No guys really paid any attention to me until I got into High School. I remember the first time a guy tried to hold my hand and was romantically interested in me. I came home and sat on my Dads lap and told him all about it, not because I was excited, more because it freaked me out so bad. LOL! My Dad, being the saint that he is, just listened and tried not to laugh. I was 15.
We talked a lot on the patio. He told me about St. George and how my Grandparents are doing. I updated him on my crazy life. He is always very careful about stating his opinions...guess growing up with all daughters he has learned the valuable lesson that sometimes it is better to listen than to try and solve things. However, he was not upset to learn that "Sven" and I are not doing so well. He has made it pretty clear from the beginning that he does not want me to move...especially out of the country. Then again, what loving father would want his daughter to move? My Dad has the opinion that given enough time, any 2 committed adults can fall in love and make a relationship work. There is no such thing as a soul mate. I have grown up believing this to be true and all of my lifes experiences have done little to disprove this view of love. But the love that a daughter feels for her father is a different story completely. As many trust issues as I have with men, my dad is the exception. He is the best. I couldn't ask for a more supporting loving man in my life!

So unfortunately I didn't take any pictures last night, so this will have to do!