This and that

 Well, this is a glorious fall day, don't you think?  Nevertheless, I have been plundering Netflix these last few days. Do you remember the movie (the book first) One Flew Over the Cuckoo's nest? If so, you certainly could not forget Nurse Ratchet.  There is a new series on Netflix called RATCHET and it is compelling. But, I warn you there will be parts you might not like.  Then there is a lighter series called Emily in Paris.  After that, a series called Enola Holmes.  I liked them all.

I am reading a fluff piece called The Little Cornish Kitchen and in the book line up that I have only glanced at so far is Under the Siena Sun and Escape to the French Farmhouse. I need calm right now.  I am afraid I won't be able to vote.  So far the line to vote early for the last two days wraps around a large building and its neighboring building.  I cannot stand that long, so I can only hope for a break.  (Who is working with all of the people in cars and in lines?)

Good luck to all of you when you vote.  It is such a privilege to be able to do it. 

An Ode to Pork

 I was a little girl when I first fell in love with pork.  It was my grandparent's 50th wedding anniversary at their farm in southeastern Ohio. The snow was deep and cars could not get near the house from the main highway, which was not all that clear either. When we arrived my one-armed grandfather was there to taxi us with the horses and wagon.  He carried each group of visitors in this manner until everyone was warm and secure in the table-laden dining room.  As I perused the table I saw things I had never before tasted, but one thing bloomed like a rose in a junkyard.  It was this elegant roll of white something.  I asked Mother what that was and she said pork.  News to me, but something I loved from that day forward.  Everyone had brought their best and most famous dish to place on the table with unbridled pride, but I only had eyes for the pork.  I kept wishing I knew how to get at that thing they called pork roast and finally a nice cut was placed onto my plate and that is what I ate that day and thereafter. The entire clan was there.  If you were not dead you were at this reunion/anniversary event. It was never to be forgotten.  I met relatives I had never set eyes on before and some thereafter.) Relatives as far away as Florida all on one of the snowest days of the year. It was so much fun.

The couple known as Pearl and Dwight was gifted with a gold relish server which I somehow came to own not too long ago. It is engraved with their names and the date.

Loving pork runs in the family; so simple to prepare and so delicious in taste and memory.

Running wild with masks

 Andy and I have been running around most of the day.  I have been to Carfagna's and for once had a good long shop.  Just as I was leaving the store started filling up and the butcher lines were getting long. I had just been to the nail salon where Andy picked me up and left me at Carfagna's while he went to get license plates put on the new car. Then we did a food pick-up at Kroger (so we are stoked and stored).  Then I got a Tim Horton's pumpkin spice iced capp...yum, to get me through the unpacking.  The fridge is bursting and I am not in the mood to cook today...sigh.  I did get cute little brioche slider buns and sliced roast beef, ham salad, and one other kind of cold cut that I can't remember.  They will have to make do with that line up for this evening.

The day is sunny and warm, just as we like it. Now we are settled in with our one drink per late afternoon with everything put away. Life is good. The pool is covered for the winter and tomorrow Eric and his crew come to put everything away and to do what needs doing around the property.

Have a great week-end.

Fall and cooking but not much fun.

If I didn't know it was autumn, I know it now.  Today the pool is closed and Saturday all of the outside furniture will be put away and everything buttoned up for winter. The last ceiling will be finished if promises are kept on Sunday. Pretty soon we will be snug as a bug in a rug.  (Haven't said that in a while.)

I am trying to keep looking on the bright side, but I do not enjoy fall. The house is either too hot or too cold.  So we fool around adjusting things until something breaks.  I am just going to layer up and forget adjustments to the mechanisms.

I do enjoy cooking in the fall.  Love the beef stews, fish chowders, and Zucchini bread.  (Kathy baked some and brought it to us and we ate it mighty quick.) I like cooking in winter too.  It is so comforting. Don't forget pumpkin bread, so moist and delicious.  I had better get into the kitchen and make some of that.

I always liked London and Paris in the fall.  All the shows and flea markets opened up along with the shops after a sweltering summer.  Everyone returned home from vacation and activity was afoot...but Columbus, not so much. All I see here is a rebirth of the traffic jams and wild noisy driving. It seems everything is open again and the traffic proves the point.

So, let's bake and make the most of our time. I need to shut up and get busy.

Poor JD, once again the University of Florida has canceled in-person graduation.  I think JD has given up. Instead, he has selected three different interviews for a job. I am keeping my fingers crossed for him.  What a time we are living in. 2020 is a real disappointment.

Family and fun

 What a glorious day was yesterday. Family from Cincinnati came up along with all the Columbus gang. The sun shone, the sky was clear, and a lovely breeze kept us happy all day long. We played cards under the pergola while the people under the awning gossiped and blessed the Greenhills stories...AGAIN.  I know more about Greenhills than I do about my own childhood.  Andy and Joe keep us well informed and reinforced with every visit. As the drinks flow, Greenhills becomes more grand and ethereal and no one has ever had such a school experience....sigh.

We started the day with brunch. I had two salads, a frittata, and soup, oh, and a charcuterie board. The company brought sweets from Cincinnati. We had wine and coffee and that got the day rolling.

For dinner we had a pork roast with roasted potatoes and carrots, sliced tomatoes with herbs, olive oil, salt and pepper and a couple more salads. (Roasting with the pork and vegetables were slices of prosciutto which became crackly and delicious.) I will have to do that more often.  It was special.

We waved good-bye about 6:00 and I was off to my lair.

Make the most of your time together with family.  

Sundays with the Lechlers

 

Here we go again, Sunday with the Cincinnati Lechlers. It's a treat.  Katy is driving Joe and Glenda to Columbus for the day.  It is so kind of her to do that for her family. I am starting to cook ahead as usual.  This salad is now my go-to dish to accompany almost any other dish.  Thank you Italians for this idea...oh, I just remembered I forgot to add the chunks of cheese.  I think I will forego the meat aspect because there seem to be enough ingredients so far, don't you think?

Madeleine was over to celebrate Andy's 85th birthday and she made him a very advanced for- her -age card and a flower salad, plucking the flowers from our diminishing supply thanks to autumn setting in; my not so favorite time of year.

We will have a couple of meals but pizza will probably be the day's end treat.  I start slowing down around 6:00 to 7:00 pm and my easy chair and television claim me if sleep isn't too pushy. Never mind, Andy and I are in the best of health, thank the good Lord. Count your blessings, folks, we have no idea what is in store for us in the next few months.

I'm off to make the chili, dish two.

Madeleine making Andy his birthday flower salad.

Skillet dinners

This is the first atage of tonight's dinner.

Finished stage.

Last night Andy and Nate were fighting over the skillet dinner; tonight there is enough for an army.  I still cannot get the time and the amount right for those two...then when she is home, throw Beth's likes into the mix and it is then nerve-racking. Mike is on a diet (and doing great) so I don't have to worry about him.

Our old neighbors dropped in for a chat this afternoon.  We will have to make more time next time because I have a lot more to share and they do too.

Beautiful day in Columbus.  Life is good.

books and bulbs

I just finished The Wife by Shalini Bowland.  It was so good.  I read it in two days, it's a gripper. I have read nearly all of her books but this one stands out. (Just finished her book The Secret Mother, very good too.)

I think I am past my fall slump.  Everything looks brighter and better as the days roll on.  I made a nice stew for the guys today.  We went to Sam's yesterday, so I have lots of supplies.  Sam's had so much merchandise that it was difficult to get down the newly narrowed aisles. I thought we were to stay 6 feet apart.  I don't think that is possible with those narrow aisles. Sam's had aisles and aisles of Christmas minutia but Andy kept his eyes out for daffodil bulbs. Andy bought three big bags of bulbs to be planted now for next spring's enjoyment.  We bought and planted a big bag last year and the flowers were glorious and lasted longer than usual.  So it is three new bags for blooms galore next spring. (They are a good buy in case you have the urge to plant.  It makes them about 16 cents apiece and Oakland Parks' is about 22 cents each.)

So many birthdays in September happening in this family. Time hurries by and pop there is another one to celebrate.

I hope you are all feeling perky today.

Big smiles around Many Branches

For eight days we have been in agony since our pool sprung a leak and we did not know where it was.  Visions of the backhoe's filled my nightmares. A pool god came by today from American Leak Detection (they do every kind of leak) and within an hour he rose from the deep end in his wet suit and declared the leak was from the light in the pool at the deep end.  No digging, not thousands of dollars, just a little putty, and a little money. Our prayers were answered and we have peace until the next thing breaks in our land of breakage which happens every couple of decades. We are nearly there once the ceiling in the library is fixed and the pergola is repaired and painted, but none of these rates a fit of depression and fear. Silly, I know, but I like things tidy and I like to keep up with upkeep so everything runs smoothly and looks good too. I want to have company again someday before I am too old to hobble around in the kitchen.

So I am back in the cooking mood.  I have one of those slim pork roasts marinating in the Hidden Valley zesty seasoning mix.  I have left-over white rice to turn into fried rice for the side and an anti-pasta salad which I keep going in the fridge.  I am now popping bits of it in nearly everything. It gives a nice little kick to rice and couscous.

Bella is our only dog and I long for another Yorkie. If you hear of one in the Columbus area, please let me know.  I am in need of another dog to love. I don't want any other kind because she is intimidated by other dogs and I want to keep her happy.  She is ten years old and deserves to be content and to feel safe. 

I am downright giddy right now with all the good news. So, talk to you later. I have to get in that pool before it closes for the season. 

Many Branches squirrels love tomatoes

 Yes, when the squirrels are not throwing ripe tomatoes at me from the highest trees, they are throwing themselves at the plants to get the high up tomatoes launching themselves into the conservatory windows. What next?  We are up to eight major breaks easing up on the all-time record of one Christmas vacation when 10 major items broke.  The pool, I hope is the last thing, pray for us, the new (to us) repair people come tomorrow after eight days of NO help from the company we have been loyal to for 18 years. 

This is a turbulent time for many reasons. My problems are minor but they seem really disturbing to me.  I need to get a grip.

Well, this is a cheerful little post don't you think?  It was meant to brighten your day. lol  Sorry.

BLT with limited T's.

I am spoiling those in the family who eat normal food today. Andy's favorite BLT was first on the menu for the morning. We had it with our one lonely yellow tomato...tomatoes did not grow well for us this summer.  They miss the old garden, but I don't. Sometime today I will fix shrimp alfredo pasta and that will be it for the day. It is a glorious day as was yesterday.  It is difficult to be sad on a day like this, so I refuse to let anything bother me today.

We are very healthy but it seems we have many doctors' appointments this week. Andy has the most, I have but one. We have not seen a doctor for months if not a year. How lucky is that?

Television is awful, as usual.  It is supposed to get better this time of year with new shows etc.  Have all the actors and directors died?  Oh, that's right, they are busy with politics.  DO YOUR OWN JOBS. We don't care what you think.

I think this Labor Day weekend is the first in years that we have not had a family get together...I may have missed having it last year, but before that we gathered. It just seems strange. We missed several events this year and we are still going to be missing more.  Getting married has been a problem for almost a year.  Some have moved places and dates more than three times. I hope it works out for them.  Pictures will have to do.

Enjoy this glorious day.