What can you do in 45 minutes?

Football season has started, at least practices, that is. This is the first year that my youngest son is playing, so I have two to worry about now. The first week was great, they both practiced from 5:00 to 6:45. An hour and a half is a lot of time to get stuff done in. However, my younger son’s coach must have had a problem with that time slot, because he moved practice an hour later, my evening goes a little something like this:

5:15 Drop off elder son
6:00 Drop off younger son
6:45 Pick up elder son
7:45 Pick up younger son

And did I mention that this is not really the start time, they have to be there 15 minutes early? Why don’t they just say practice is at 5? It must be a football coach thing.

Anyway, younger son does have a friend in the neighborhood who we carpool with most days, but they each have a day off during the week, and so far it’s not the same day.

Which brings me to the question, What can you get done in 45 minutes? OK, you have to drive home from and then back to the field, so it’s more like What can you get done in 35 minutes? Here’s what I’ve come up with, and the list is by no means exhaustive. What can you get done in 35 minutes? Please add your comments.

• Tonight I’m putting together tacos for dinner: Scrambling the frozen hamburg, chopping the lettuce and tomatoes. I can even make Refried black beans (the recipe’s really easy, see my entry on May 17, 2008, “The quickest dinner”, just substitute black beans for the pinto beans).


• You can make Artichoke salsa. This was a forgotten recipe, and I made a batch for a bridal shower I did this summer, and it was a huge hit, and reminded me that I like to keep these ingredients on hand for quick entertaining. The recipe is below.
  
• My friend, Lynne and I often use the time to catch up, and perhaps have a cocktail and appetizer, since we have to wait until after practice to have dinner.
  
• You can take a walk (between the last drop-off and the first pick-up).
  
• You can make a grocery list.
  
• You can do your grocery shopping.
  
• You can read the newspaper, or a book — now that’s decadent.
  
• Read to my daughter ... even better!
  
• I’m not a napper (you might as well let me sleep through the night if I fall asleep in the afternoon, I just wake up badly), but I bet there are people out there who would use the 35 minutes to catch a little shut-eye.
  
• Not as fun, but productive: You can dust or vacuum or clean a bathroom. It feels good to get something accomplished.
  
• You can call your mother, sister, or a friend and catch up.
  
• What else have you got?
  

Artichoke salsa

16 oz marinated artichoke heart, drained, chopped
3 Roma tomatoes,chopped
2 T red onions,chopped
¼ c Kalamata olive, chopped
1 T garlic, chopped
2 T fresh basil, chopped
pita bread, cut into "chips", toasted

In a medium bowl, mix together the artichoke hearts, tomatoes, onion, olives, garlic, salt, and pepper. Serve chilled, or at room temperature, with pita chips.