taking a wee bit of a break, shh!

 So yesterday didn't end up being very lazy:  Kathryn and I went out and about with little Miss Rhys Harper:

She helped her little self to that stuffed dog, but no, we didn't buy it for her.  When she was sitting in the front of my cart, she helped herself to two shirts, took them right off the hangers and wrapped them around herself, all huggy.  :)

Home in the afternoon, a quick clean up, and yay, the girls got home from camping!  I had some time in the pool, then Margaret and Adrian came with Wulf and Tennyson.  Back in the pool, poor us!  I had marinated some pork chops and chicken breasts, so out to grill in the heat, wow, it was steamy, even after being in the pool.  

I had made pasta salad earlier, Sonja and Camille made some Brussel sprouts in the air fryer.  

This fine morning, I should be busy.  But, I'm sneaking in a little break....I got up this morning and got an eight pound pork loin into the crock pot with some brown sugar, vinegar, cajun seasoning.  Then, macaroni and cheese...two pounds of pasta, and 3 1/2 pounds of cheese...I make a roux: melt a stick of butter, some onion powder,  half to 3/4 cup of flour, then lots of milk...I never measure, just eyeball it...more than half a gallon...cook that up until it thickens and starts to bubble, then add in all the cheddar.  I like making something low carb for those of us who would love to eat all that pasta but really can't, so I put a bag of frozen broccoli in a bread pan, and poured some of the cheese sauce over it.  Cauliflower rice is good, as is cauliflower, but I honestly didn't feel like digging through the freezer, just grabbed the broccoli.  There was exactly enough cheese sauce to make two 13x9 pans, one 9x9 pan, and the broccoli.  Sprinkle some bread crumbs and pepper on top, wrap in plastic, and find a way to fit it all into the refrigerator....(I had to clean the refrigerator out today, before I started...)

I have more things to do as lots of people are coming over in a few hours.  I have to sweep and mop, I have to clean up the yard (we have dogs!).   I have to clean the bathroom and and and.  But it can wait a bit.  I am actually here all alone with the pups.  Paul is working, getting an apartment ready to rent, and the girls are all doing different fundraisers (building/sanding decks, working in the kitchen).   

Getting ready for a party all by myself is different.  I know I have a lot to do, but I decided to break it up.  I did a lot already, now I'm in my room, the only room in the house with AC, which we usually turn off in the morning...but shh, not today!  I'm relaxing in here, cooling off, before I go out and do more work...I am going to fit in a dip in the pool, too.  

This was from 2014.  Margaret was 17, Kathryn 16, Evelyn 14 (almost 15), Suzanne 13, and Sonja K. was 12.  My five-girls-born-in-five-years, as Miss Margaret was only five when Sonja was born.  (Jon was 10, Char 8, Camille 7) (then on the upper end was Emily 29, Abigail 27, Ben 25, Mariel 24,  Joseph, 23, Aaron 21,  Molly 20, and Sam 19)

Anyway...I'm enjoying a nice cool break, it is a very hot and humid day!!!!