This year my wife, my best friend, and I all turn 30. Up until now, I’ve kind of viewed it as just another birthday. We had decided we would all go to Vegas this fall to celebrate, but it doesn’t look like that’s going to be possible – that whole having-to-be-a-responsible-adult thing really stinks sometimes.
This past weekend we celebrated my wife’s birthday, she’s the oldest of the three of us. We had a great little celebration at a local restaurant with 30 of our closest friends and family. Somehow after the party though, the realization of what 30 means has started to sink in.
I bought my first house at 22 years old. Then, thinking about a 30 year mortgage meant paying it off when I was 52. Not a big deal. It’s different now. A 30 year mortgage now, means it won’t be paid off until I’m 60. More shocking is thinking that my child will be 32 then. Wait! Am I saving enough for retirement? Surely Social Security will be nonexistent by then, right? Did I just say that?
It’s weird. I’m not really scared of 30. I guess 30 just means no one can look at me as a kid anymore. Thirty is the age where you are officially, beyond the shadow of a doubt, an adult. The truth is, I’m pretty mature for my age, but this just confirms it. I keep thinking that there have to be some wild and crazy things that I need to squeeze into my twenties before the big three o – things that only a “kid in his twenties” would do.
I’m at a loss though. I’ve never been a wild and crazy kind of guy. Should I have been? Did I miss out on something by not being wild and crazy? I think… I think I’m thinking too much. I’m too old for all this stress… I’m so confused.
One thing I do know for sure is that some of the most simple recipes are the best and this one is certainly not an exception to the rule. Every time I make this stuff, I end up eating about half of it before supper time just picking at it while I’m cooking. The cool cucumber combined with the sweet onion and the tart vinegar, it’s just delish!
Ingredients
- 5 or 6 small pickling cucumbers (you can use 2 or 3 English cucumbers if that’s all you can get your hands on)
- half of a medium-sized Vidalia onion
- 1/2 cup white vinegar
- 1/2 cup water
- 2 teaspoons sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 garlic clove, finely minced
- black pepper (optional)
Directions
- Peel cucumbers and slice to your liking. Peel and slice onion. Combine in a large bowl.
- Combine vinegar, water, sugar, salt, and garlic and pour over cucumbers and onions.
- Allow to sit at least an hour before serving. Sprinkle with black pepper (optional).
Recipe Card
Simple Cucumber and Onion Salad
Ingredients
- 5 or 6 small pickling cucumbers (you can use 2 or 3 English cucumbers if that’s all you can get your hands on)
- half of a medium-sized Vidalia onion
- 1/2 cup white vinegar
- 1/2 cup water
- 2 teaspoons sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- black pepper
Instructions
- Peel cucumbers and slice to your liking. Peel and slice onion. Combine in a large bowl.
- Combine vinegar, water, sugar, salt, and garlic and pour over cucumbers and onions.
- Allow to sit at least an hour before serving. Sprinkle with black pepper (optional).
delish made some tonight goes well with any thing on a hot summer nite
I definitely agree!
Today I was looking for an Instant pot recipe for a whole chicken and thought about cucumbers. I’ve been searching for my grandma’s recipe, but she passed away at 105; Mom used to make it, but now she’s in a nursing home with dementia; my oldest daughter made it, but she passed away from covid in November 2020, and at 74 now I couldn’t remember all of how to make it. Thanks so much for posting it to jog my memory; now with the last of this year’s Iowa cucumbers I am finally going to be able to satisfy my hunger for a childhood flavor!
I’m so sorry to hear about your mom and daughter, Georgette! You’re in my prayers.
I use apple cider instead of white vinegar, but I have never used garlic, I will have to try that.
Hope you’ll enjoy it!
I have tried it. Amazing salad! Thanks for share my friend
Thanks!!
Love making these and I can easily eat them all. I include slices of bell pepper and rings of banana peppers in my mix. My mixture is usually 3 cups of vinegar, sugar and water with 2 large Vidalia onions and about the same of cucumber sliced.
Yum! Thanks for sharing your variation!