President Obama takes his girls to your neighborhood frozen custard place, and you take a detour to the grocery store.

Welcome to the neighborhood, sir. Note: Every shop on The Avenue has dog treats that are presidential-puppy-worthy.

I should’ve just stopped and gotten a picture of my own, but seriously? This really does happen all the time. But I suppose it’s the closest I’ve been to Obama. W00t! Still a fan. (And that vanilla custard is good eats.)

Thanks to the muggy weather on Saturday, I was being an industrious American, just down the street, before the Obamas arrived:

I did all of my laundry.

I carried the old TV down to the trash area (and have the bruises to show for it). It was gone in 10 minutes.

I baked three loaves of pumpkin bread with white whole wheat flour instead of AP (because I had it) and flaxmeal instead of oil. I froze two of the loaves. I’d be happier with this recipe if it didn’t contain so much sugar…but the flax certainly balances it out.

I also baked the Weight Watcher chocolate muffins and froze half. I’ve spoken of these before–sheer genius.

I harvested my first balcony tomato! And then added it to a sweet pepper, cucumber, red onion, basil, fresh-ish mozzarella, and balsamic vinaigrette for a lazy variation on Bread Salad.  Instead of making croutons, I’ve just been ripping up raw spinach and tossing in the “salad.” It has been pointed out to me that this is a spinach salad, but that friend has never had Bread Salad and doesn’t understand the need to pay homage.

(I will be eating more spinach salad, though. I grabbed one from “Chaotic Cafe” in Tysons Galleria on Friday, and it’s sparked a craving. I’ve got more red onion, plus mushrooms, and shrimp…)

I went looking for a recipe for something else and happened upon Bread & Honey’s post on “burrito night,” which led to a batch of vaguely Mexican rice, most of which went into the freezer (I froze individual portions with a very handy silicon muffin pan). I think this will help my burritos immeasurably.

These days, between work, school, and upcoming travel, it seems prudent to cook and bake as much as I can when I can, then put it away for later. By Thursday morning of a given week, I am done with the whole cooking/eating…thing. I can’t be bothered. And a slab of homemade pumpkin bread with lots of omega-3s is a hell of a lot better than, say, Famous Amos cookies that have been in the vending machine in the student lounge since the Clinton Administration.

How was your weekend?