wonderful weekend...

 When the house is quiet, and I sit with my feet, the day that went by seems almost unreal, how quickly it zipped by.  This fine morning, I baked pumpkin muffins, did a load of laundry, made peanut butter cookies, then drove Camille to a friend's Halloween party with the treats, stopping first to pick up a friend and another friend.  Then a quick trip to the grocery store because kids were coming over today, and oh no, what's for dinner!?!  I got a huge-0 package of burger, some hot dogs, buns, some apple and blueberry turnovers for buy one get one free, and frozen fries.  

Home....ahhh, home.  I brought things in, and let's see, Sam and Grace were here with Grant, Ruth, and Maeve, and Darius and Kathryn were here with Achilles, Rhys, and Jamison.  Football was on, which I am an expert at tuning out.  :). When Camille texted to be picked up, I had Jamie sleeping in my arms.  He didn't even wake up when Kathryn transferred him to Darius!  

I was a few miles down the road, Camille texted me a few times, so I pulled over and called her...she said Evelyn could drive her home, yay!  I took the opportunity to drive over to pick up some local raw honey, a five pound jar, sold on marketplace.  

Home, time to make the burgers!  Kathryn made the patties, 18 of them.  We brought them down to the grill, she did most of the grilling.  I kept her company.  Miss Char called/face-timed from Germany.  She got to see Rhys and Ruth, three year old cousins, sitting in the driveway finding snails, which were just little pebbles they were petting and pretending were snails.  She could see Grant running around without a shirt, in his socks?, and Achilles following.  Then Evelyn put three of them in the wagon and pulled them up and down the road for a bit.  

Yesterday was an AMAZING day.  I woke up at 6:10, Camille and I set out to church and made brekky for a work crew, with Emily.  I scrambled the eggs, Emily toasted bagels and made fried potatoes, Camille made coffee and set everything up for the buffet line.  We cleaned it all up afterwards, and were home by nine o'clock!  

I vacuumed and did some dishes, and puttered around, then...Evelyn had asked me to go to a winery with her, and Emily and Mariel.  Of course I would!  I love having grandchildren days, but having days with the older girls is precious too.  The place Ev chose was on beautiful Cayuga Lake, and was having a fall festival.  This meant live music, but we went inside and it wasn't too loud.  We didn't buy anything from the craft vendors, but I did visit the coffee truck, twice,  That guy knew how to make an iced Americano!  He gets his beans from a small roaster in Syracuse, and oh my, good stuff.  

I don't drink, but I do take a few tastes, and every wine there was wonderful.  We sat and talked and Em got a chili pepper beer from one of the vendors, I tasted it, oh it was good.  We had nothing pressing to do or get to, so we just enjoyed relaxing.

Six days until the wedding.  I really have to make the cake, put it in the freezer, so I can frost it on Thursday.  I am going to the spine dr. on Tuesday, and have Activity Club on Tuesday night.  

I don't have an extra busy week, but it feels like I do...staying in an Airbnb for the weekend, starting on Thursday, so have to get things ready and packed, and planned...

Ah well....one of these days I'll write a deeper post, not just a What We Ate for Dinner post...I will say this though, life is good.  :). Tomorrow is Monday again, already!!!!  Time, slow down, please!  Have a good evening!

loving the rain...

 It's finally getting cozy here in central NY, and I love it.  Waking up with rain drumming the roof, the dark mornings, what's not to like?  I know I'll long for sunshine and warmth, but I do love the changing seasons.

Is life more than weather and what we had for dinner?  Certainly!  But, we did have a good dinner last evening!  Miss Camille found a recipe for potato and leek soup.  Admission:  neither of us really knew what a leek was.  I had an idea, but never bought them before.  She was the master chef, I peeled and chopped the potatoes.  She sautéed the garlic and leeks, added the potatoes, then the chicken broth, then used the immersion blender when it was all simmered up.  She added the spices too, and it was quite tasty.  We didn't love a soup with nothing in it though, so I cooked up a big package of peppered bacon to crumble into it, and added a few wonton strips.  

This blast from the past is from when we had only one grandchild, going on two...all of us up in the Adirondacks...

Yesterday was National Daughter Day, and since I do have eleven of them...this was nine of them during Covid, when I turned 55...Evelyn, Mariel, Abigail, Emily, Kathryn, me, Sonja, Charlotte Claire, Camille, Margaret...

Lydia's birthday a few years back, me, Em, Molly, Suzanne, Sonja, Evelyn, Mariel in the back, Camille, Abigail, Margaret, then Elise, Anya, Lydia in the front

Cam, Em, Sonja, me, Suze, Molly, Margaret, Evelyn, Kathryn with Rhys, Mariel, Lyd in the front

Sonja's wedding, 10 of the 11:  Kathryn, Evelyn, Molly Rose, Emily, Sonja, Evelyn, Margaret, Charlotte Claire, Camille, Suzanne

Sonja's wedding shower:  daughter-in-law Ashley, Suzanne, Kathryn, Camille, Char, me, Sonja, granddaughter Anya, Emily, Magaret, Evelyn, Molly, daughter-in-law Grace, Mariel...

Today is the day I'm going to bake the wedding cakes.  I'll freeze them, then frost them next week.  We have cupcakes to make too, then the day before the wedding we need to buy cheeses and meats and and and, and prepare charcuterie cups.  It's not a lot, but when I wake up during the night, I think and plan and start to worry, then have to work though it.   The wedding is on October 5, which seemed like so far in the future, then is started to sneak up...now, uh oh!

I brought Camille shopping for shoes and a sweater to wear to the wedding.  She has a dress, but the shoes she wore to the last wedding gave her blisters.  I actually bought shoes for full price, but sometimes you have to do that.  

She's working today, and Jonathan is too.  Paul is working from home in his office, the dogs are snoring, and here I sit.  I am going to vacuum before I start baking, but first I have to make sure I have room in the freezer for the cakes.  See how I procrastinate?  My chair is simply too comfy.

Yesterday was the first time in a whole week that I made it to water aerobics.  The boys were here, Wulf and Tennyson, and I simply didn't make it there with them.  Let me just say, it felt fantastic to be back in that water.  Our backyard pool is all covered up now for the winter, that is just sad sad sad.  If I ever win the lottery, which I won't, because I never play it, I would get an indoor endless pool.  I would get in it every single day.  I would also pay someone to do all the general housework, like the windows and cleaning under the furniture.  

Housework these days is a teeny bit more rewarding than it used to be, back when I was picking up while they were throwing down.  One meal was eighteen plates, for a while there, not to mention the cups and glasses and pans and silverware.  The laundry alone could do a person in, especially with a washing machine that took all the live-long day to spin out, sometimes.  I remember tackling a bedroom, cleaning and organizing from top to bottom...the toddlers would come in and find all the fun things, and by the time I finished the room up, and came out to the living room:  disaster area!  The things they "discovered", like the talking Sully and the Fisher-Price mailbox and the Hotwheels garage...then I'd realize that I still had to make dinner, the family still has to eat.

No, you couldn't just take out childrens' batteries and set them on a shelf to behave and be still while you cleaned.  Those were the days of multi tasking and having eyes in the back of my head.  Toddlers still pooped, babies still needed nursing, and small children needed help being wiped and washing their hands.  There were fights to be broken up, and owies that needed comfort, life went on.  I'd clean and clean and read stories and change diapers and make meals, and the house still looked like a tornado some days, which were ALWAYS the days my mother-in-law would drop in with a mere five minutes notice.  The phrase "panic cleaning" doesn't even cover that intensity ha.  

Of course the whole entire house was never all clean at the same time.  

Change of plans, no baking today, Grace is coming over with the kids!  I can bake tomorrow...

change of seasons...

 Here in central New York, we have had glorious weather, a few weeks without rain.  Sunshine, warm days, summertime days, really.  We covered our pool though, and put away the goggles and water toys, brought in the umbrella from the pool deck.  

Now this fine morning, the weather has found it's way back to more typical temperatures, a bit cooler and...rain...there is NOTHING like a rainy morning.  The little boys are actually still sleeping, and it's after eight.  They've been here four nights, and are going home this afternoon.  (Their parents and little sister went to a wedding in Canada).  

This morning, I'll make them waffles again.  I made them the first morning, then used the bowls shaped waffle maker for the second morning...then yesterday we were in more of a hurry, so I made pancakes.  With sprinkles, of course.  I added an egg, dark brown sugar, and some vanilla to the mix, as they don't use syrup, mostly because I didn't have any.  They didn't ask for the Hershey's chocolate or strawberry syrup that they used on Friday and Saturday mornings...

Yesterday morning felt like the old days.  Wulf was already awake when I got up, Tennyson soon after.  I gave them showers, washed their hair, then made brekky.  They wanted to go outside, Ten wanted to ride his little bike, they wanted to shoot the BB gun, ect.  I had to prepare for people coming over, had five racks of ribs to season and get into the smoker.  I had fruit to cut up (2 cantaloupe, 2 pounds of strawberries, then some grapes, into a big container into the refrigerator for later).

Then, out the door by 10:15 for church.  We managed to bring the boys some snacks and a water bottle and their favorite new toys to play with.  I also brought the triple batch of chocolate chip cookies I had made on Saturday...

We were all having lunch together, so I thought I'd bless my friends:). Plus, I love to bake cookies.  The house smells like a bakery, I just love it.  I want to say I didn't eat any, because I didn't, on Saturday.  Or all day Sunday, until last evening, the boys were sitting with me on the arms of my chair watching Monsters Inc and Cookie Monster videos, when Ten asked for a cookie.  There was only one of the snickerdoodles we had made left, and of course they both wanted it, even though we still had a few dozen of the chocolate chip left.

So they had to split it and share it, and split and share a chocolate chip cookie.  They were sitting there on the arms of my chair, I smelled the cinnamon, then the chocolate chip cookie was broken in half, and Wulf didn't want his half...so I ate it.  Then Tennyson took two bites of his half and said, "I actually don't want this..."  I told him to go throw it in the garbage, then I took it and yeah, it was good.  

Anyway, it's busy having little ones afoot.  But oh my goodness they're funny.  Wulf can read anything, and he's a walking encyclopedia of animal facts.  Tennyson is a hugger and a snuggler, and has so many questions about everything.  He knows what kind of cars everyone drives.  When he was small, he knew what water bottle and phone belonged to whom, he's always been observent.  

They keep me busy, but oh dear, in a good way.  The house looks less like a Grandma's house and more like a home, with the toys scattered and picture books out.  I said to Paul yesterday, "No wonder we felt crazy with all the kids!"  You do forget what it's really like.  

They are awake now, so off I go for morning showers and to make those waffles...

a question answered, and too much fun...and SURPRISE!

 

But first, just a few steps down memory lane...Miss Cam and Miss Char...not too long ago!

Old Ms. Suri...look at that graying muzzle and those gray brows!  

Little Miss Sunshine...

Two little grandchildren are spending four nights with us...one of our friends suggested putting up a tent, it's been a grand idea...

In a tent in the house!  

Wulf and Tennyson like waffles!

And snickerdoodles.

Rhys was here for a visit today too, didn't get a pic of Achilles and Jamie...

Surprise!  Jonathan is engaged to Rosi!

She is the younger sister of Darius and Adrian, husbands of Kathryn and Margaret.  She's been here from Canada, staying with Margaret and Adrian, and...she fell in love with Jonny...and he with her.  So, surprise!  

Our answered question:  I was going to ask my bloggy friends for mattress recommendations, but then Kathryn had a suggestion, so we just ordered one.  We've had a Sleep Number for several years, bought it when I was expecting one of the kids, so at least 17 years ago, probably more like 20 or more.   

Let's see, we had a simple dinner here tonight.  Paul and I, Kathryn and her three little ones, Camille, and the two little boys.  I made oven roasted stuffing, with some cajun chicken leftover from yesterday, then some hot dogs, and some hot sausage with peppers and onions.  I sliced up a honeycrisp apple too, oh it was good.  I picked up my mystery produce box from a local farm/orchard, it was a half bushel of fun and goodness:  red and green peppers, sweet corn, honeycrisp apples, acorn squash, a few pumpkins and a butternut squash, and some New York grapes.  It was $20, and worth it.  

Our pear tree is dying.  I read years and years ago that pear trees do better when there is more than one, but we never got a second one.  There are just a few pears scattered on the ground, and most of the branches are dead, we need to cut it down.  (I took a bite out of one of the ground pears, so good, but there are only a dozen or so, and most have black spots)

I made a spray for the stinkbugs:  peppermint oil, Dawn, and water.  They don't exactly fall down dead but it slows them down, and there are fewer around the door.  I do hate and detest them, I do.  In the house I have the vacuum plugged in at all times...ugh.

Tomorrow, we might go to a park or a playground with the boys...then Sunday after church, we'll have the family over and lament the first day of fall ha.  I have ribs for the smoker...

Apologies for the scrambled post...the day has been quite busy, and I'm beat.  I didn't go to my water aerobics class today, I was going to attempt to bring the boys with me but they were intent on waffles, and I didn't want to rush things and wasn't sure how it would go anyway.  

Kathryn watched them outside for a while today, even took them in the road to ride their bikes for a bit.  Jamison was so tired, I had rocked him to sleep, so poor me, ha, had to sit here with a sleeping baby in my arms while she chased the kids!  (It was wonderful, ha!)

Ah well, have a good night!

summery autumn weather, we'll take it!

 

The mums are getting almost too much sun!

These mums are out of control!  Paul planted them in the planter box a few years ago, thinking it was a lavender plant that survived the winter in a pot under the deck.  

This fine morning, I have puttered around...does anyone else get stinkbugs in the fall?  I hate them.  They are disgusting, but at least they are dumb and slow.  I keep two vacuum cleaners plugged in and ready at all times.  I also have the wax warmer going with pumpkin spice, because there is no pleasant aroma when you vacuum up a stink bug.  ugh.  But, it's part of autumn here these days.  We have sprayed, they don't seem to mind pesticides. 

Kathryn was going to the library today, so Cam and I joined her.  They have a new play area for the kids.  

Achilles likes the dollhouse

Rhys was "working".

Jamie liked the stairs

Imaginations!  Achilles was the captain, and Rhys was on the phone with Sonic...

We also took a quick trip into Aldi, which is one of the nice things about Aldi, how long can it take?  We got apples for only $1.89, a bag of frozen mixed veggies, still under a dollar, a bottle of lime juice for $1.99,  two pounds of butter (ouch!), a pizza dough, fresh mozzarella, and various other things that added up to $47.  You don't get much for your money these days, but at least things are cheaper at Aldi.  And, I discovered their habanero lime sauce, so good but not too hot.  Mmmm.  

Home again, ahh, I puttered around a bit more, but my knees were subtly suggesting I sit down for a bit...when I ignore their promptings, they start yelling at me, then punish me by not bending when I do go to sit, mostly the right one. The left one is giving me the gift of not hurting as badly, and bending more easily. 

So the cortisone shots, a huge amazing gift, took the edge off, but that edge is wearing off quickly for my right knee.  Dang it.  It was too good to be true.  

One thing I'm working on is losing some weight.  We all know how that goes, but I'm not giving up.  The weekend away was a bit snacky, that's all I'll say about it, could've been worse, could've been better, it was enjoyed, but now I'm being more serious again.  

There's Activity Club tonight, we're playing on the playground, then making autumn wind chimes.  We'll have a snack and a drink and then they'll run around for a bit.  I do enjoy the kids.  

Did I tell you that I'm watching Wulf and Tennyson from Thursday to Monday?  Yes, they're coming for a few days, and I'm excited about it.  I'm thinking to let them help plan our meals for the weekend, then bring them to the store on Friday.  Paul and I are also planning to bring them to the playground or somewhere fun on Friday, we'll see what the rest of the weekend brings.  

Ah well, I think my break is over...I'm in an organizing mood, and we all know those don't come around every day!  Have a really nice day!

ahhh, home again...

 

Costco the other day...Christmas already?!

And, the lake...so nice

We did not use the jet ski.  

The Airbnb was quite nice, the upstairs was full of windows too.

The ducks, cute and annoying.  There were around 45 of them, quacking around together.

Emily and Camille, the oldest and the youngest...

This looks almost fake...

We spent the entire day outside on Saturday.  I didn't go swimming because it was quite rocky, and the rocks were slippery.  If there were a ladder on the dock I would have gone in, but I didn't want to slip and fall.  But it was lovely anyway, all sunshine with a bit of a cool breeze from the water.  

We grilled steak in the dark, grilled chicken in the late afternoon with the golden hour sun making everything look magical.  We had charcuterie on the comfy patio furniture, and lounged on it later for a nice fire, Miss Cam toasted marshmallows.  We had some wine, only a few sips for me, we laughed our heads off, and we relaxed.  

Home...so nice to see Paul, finally!  He's home from Ireland, and he brought me a Guiness chocolate bar, which I have not cracked into yet.  He is right back to being busy, he tarred the driveway yesterday.  (Good luck with that, with two big Labradors who don't understand Stay Off The Driveway.)(yes, Suri did walk right down it and come in to the house...)

We have yet to cover the pool, but shh, I might get in it today...this stretch of nice weather, some extra summer, so nice.

Now I'm heading to the pool, so have a good day!

life is like candyland...

 ...you're young and happy and naive, skipping down the colorful squares, next thing you know - it's as if you drew the Gummy Forest card, and where did all those squares go?  You sped right over them!  Soon you'll be at King Kandy's castle, and hardly remember the details of Princess Lollipop or Queen Frostine.

But there is today, and that in of itself is a gift, through and through.  This fine day, it's been quiet here.  I've washed some dishes, made coffee, watered the plants, put my bedding in the wash, fed the dogs, let them in and out, puttered around, and here I sit in my comfy chair, while the sun shines and the leaves secretly plot their own beautiful demise.

Yesterday I went to the pool, then out to brekky with my pool friends.  We didn't get all the world's problems solved, but we had a nice time.  I stopped at the little store in town, afterward, to get turkey and bread and some apple cider, as I knew I was having grandkids over.

It was Lasagna Day, I put together some sauce with browned ground beef and mild Italian sausage, then layered it all with ricotta and cheese, with Rhys helping by eating little heaps of shredded mozzarella.  Two pans of lasagna, one for our dinner, and one to bring over to Karen and Hobie today, as she had her hip replaced on Monday.  Camille made some brownies with broiled marshmallow topping, so we'll bring some of those, with a loaf of fresh Italian bread.  Hmm, if I get up and move it, I can make some in the Dutch oven.  

Grace and her three joined us too, so there were six kids here.  The dinner was nice, I made some garlic bread too.  I didn't take any pictures, but there was plenty of cuteness, believe me!

Tuesday was my sister's birthday, so Linda, me, Cheryl (my sister!), our friend Cathy and our sister-in-law Mary, went out to lunch.  (two of Cheryl's daughters and five of her grandchildren were there too!).  Time just flies when spent with such dear good friends.  Cheryl is the most special lady in the world.  We only have to look at each other,  and don't even get us started on the laughing in a serious situation.  Weddings, funerals, oh dear.   She is hilarious, but also very kind and thoughtful and extremely thankful to God for all things, a huge example of faithfulness in her trials...cancer is not good or fun, but she battles fiercely to be at rest in the knowledge that God weighs and measures our trials and truly knows what's best for us.   

We have had so many adventures together, I really treasure her.  

Then there's this young lady who misses Paul almost more than I do...she knows when he gets his suitcase out, she diligently keeps watch for him to get home.

And, a random oldie here, Camille, Mariel, Miss Charlotte Claire...

Yes, life whizzes by...we were the young and dumb ones, now we're the old and dumb ones...I can't remember when we were just the right age, and very smart, ha.  Can I just say that being a grandparent is sometimes more difficult than when I was just a plain old parent? 

Sometimes you do say things, of course, but to be respectful of parenting and not be a know-it-all... Of course it is my house, but also I don't want to be too picky, so they're all comfortable here, because I WANT them to come here, I truly do, love them and the kids with all of my heart, they are what life is all about.  So we learn patience and forbearance and goodness, and learn when to say something and when not to, and give those kids lots of hugs and praise, and tell them how much they are loved.  

Maybe I was too strict with my kids when they were growing up.  Maybe, because there were so many of them, I had to be, so it wasn't chaos.  I know I didn't do everything right, and that parenting takes SO much patience.  Grand-parenting does too!  :)

Ah well...it's good to be awake and in need of help, so we can hear that still small voice which God so lovingly sends.  Life is good.  Have a really good day!

showers of happiness, showers of rain...

 

Wedding shower for our Miss Suzanne Eleanor:  Camille, Emily (youngest child, oldest), Sonja, me, Suze, Molly Rose, her Lydia Eleanor in front, Margaret, Evelyn, Kathryn with Rhys, Mariel (nine of the girls were there, Abigail is in Delaware, Char in Germany)

Evelyn Joy, maid of honor, with Suzanne

Suze and her fiance, Zechariah...

Paul left for Ireland yesterday afternoon, for work.  Blythe wanted to help her Grandpa with his suitcase.

Auntie Evelyn with Jamie and Blythe, little double cousins!

Aunt Evelyn on the deck with Wulf, Elise, Achilles, Tenny

Jamie visiting Blythe...

Oh, too cute.

This fine day, after I came home from the pool, Cam and I went to the bank so she could open an account.  She got to pick two prizes, a speaker and some earbuds, her lucky day.  She will have her very own debit card.  

Kathryn messaged that she needed to go to the store, and yes, we would like to go.  I always like to see the kids.  We got home, and made soup...chicken gnocchi soup. 

I chopped and sauteed the chicken breast in olive oil and pepper.  She chopped celery, carrots, garlic, and onions, added heavy cream and chicken broth, rosemary and thyme, oregano, salt, and the gnocchi.  I'm telling you, this was excellent soup.  We ate while watching Downton Abby, then left to bring her to music practice.  

Emily was watching Kathryn's kids this evening, so I visited there. 

Aunt Emily with Achilles.  I got to read lots of stories, and play blocks, and tell Achilles again about the dump truck that tipped over on our road, true story.  It was a HUGE dump truck, ten wheels.  I heard a huge BANG, then the power and internet went out.  I didn't realize that it was a dump truck tipping over, until my sister sent me pictures from a news article.

Here they are with the winch truck, pulling it upright

It was lying right on it's side, right on our road, down a bit...

I don't know how it tipped over, but it was definitely the BANG I heard.

Achilles liked the story and the pictures.  

We had some really dark and rainy weather this afternoon, thunder storms too.  I do love a good dark storm.  It's stopped now, and the rest of the week should be warm and sunny....which is good, because I'm going on vacation this coming weekend!  Yay!!!

Random thought for the day:  the #1 reason I couldn't ever be the president of the United States:  if anyone was mean to me, I'd cry.  How on EARTH can anyone control when their mouth starts to quiver and have hurt feelings and their eyes start to water?  How could one stand there in a debate or whatever, and not cry?   The second reason is that no one would vote for me, followed by I can't wear high heels, who would vote for a fat middle aged woman in Birkenstocks?  Also, during the debate I'd have to ask everyone to wait a minute so I could drag over a chair and sit and put my feet up.  

Remember Amy Carter used to roller skate in the White House?  I was just a kid, and was so jelly.

I am continuing to be in love with my new vacuum cleaner.  

That is not me, not my dog, not my dog's hair...ha.  

That's not me either, but I also look beautiful and blissful when I vacuum.

This is my new vacuum cleaner.  I did not, however, pay that much for mine.  It was $150 at the bargain store which buys Amazon stuff by the truckload, and they had a 50% off sale, so I got it for $75.  One of the parts, a stair vacuuming piece, does not rotate, but I decided not to return it because I love love love the whole rest of the vacuum, and don't even need that attachment.  It glides along my floors, picking up all the dog hair like magic.  It's super light, and easy to empty, and has a 30 foot cord.  No, I am not getting a penny to speaking lovingly of it, I just happen to have a thing for vacuum cleaners, and am enjoying the heck right out of this one.  I mean, I vacuum every single day, may as well use a nice cleaner!

Tomorrow my very favorite and only sister has a birthday, so some of us are going out to lunch.  I am very excited about this.  :).   I will be sure to get some pictures.  

And...I am tired, very tired.  I am looking forward to getting into my nice snuggly bed, wish it would rain some more because going to bed with rain drumming on the metal roof, what could be nicer?    Have a good night, thank you for reading!