looking ahead!

 When you make a reservation, you are taking a chance.  You are betting that things will be going swimmingly and you will be able to do what you are carving out a date for.  You are also saying the heck with what ever comes along in the meantime, this is what we are doing at this time.  Okay, enough drama, I made camping reservations for next July!  In New York, the state campgrounds are on a reservation system, this park we like is open nine months from the date, so July 16 of next year is the first day you can book.  The tricky part of this is that so many camp for two week segments, so they go from say the 4th of July until 18th, or the 6th until the 20th, and all the nice beachside campsites are just booked.  I've been checking every day, putting in the day's date and adding a few days...there have been sites, but not beach ones.

Then, this fine day, after going to the pool, coming home and making another coffee, puttering around just a little, then sitting in my comfy chair with a purring old kitty, I checked, and yay!  A beach site!  Paul was on a call, and I wanted to check with him first, the site was still available when he was done yakking, so yay!  We have two reservations now, one for Memorial Day weekend, then this one...hoping to do Labor Day again, and maybe sneak one in August too.  Four long weekends in one summer sounds lovely.

Our chilly weather will be taking a backseat to warmth and sunshine again, as we are forecast to have some really nice days...sunshine for like five days in a row!   I'll take it!  

Camille is sick still, not sure how she's doing today as she's moved from the couch to her room.  

Yesterday, I went out and about with Miss Kathryn.  She had a dr. check up for little Jamison, so I went along and watched Achilles and Rhys in the waiting room.  I read them a few books, and we pretended to be going on long adventures with the steering wheel toy there.  We went for a coffee afterward, then to Aldi.  Shopping for just a few of us is challenging!  One nice thing, I can buy one or two steaks to feed us all... it's gotten so expensive, we rarely have it anymore.  Thankfully chicken breast is still under three dollars a pound around here.  

I usually get Cam one pizza dough, and sometimes buy a cauliflower crust pizza for me.  I had leftover beef stew last night, heated it up on the stove and added cajun seasoning, it was so good.  Cam had a small bowl of Rice Krispies, and Paul had venison chili.  Tonight I will doctor up the chicken soup I made on Sunday, maybe a roasted sweet potato, and some Indian spices.  

Cold weather cooking is always wonderful at the beginning, all the soups and stews and oven roasted root vegetables.  I can't imagine getting tired of it, but I know by the time spring rolls around, I'll be chomping at the bit to grill things.  We do use the grill sometimes in the winter, some mild evenings, I'll go out there in the dark and make some burgers.  

What's hard is I want to do cold weather baking, and there's no one to eat it!  I know ME, and I know I cannot just bake pumpkin things, or molasses things, no sir.  I cannot resist.  I bought a bag of apples from the apple lady down the road, and all I want to do is make an apple pie.  Not a low carb, low sugar one, a real one with flaky butter crust.  I will, too, but when I know there will be people over who will help eat it.  

Ah well, I try not to sit here for too long at a time, I need to get up and vacuum and straighten things up.  I don't have any specific plans for today, maybe I'll drag out the sewing machine...I have plans!  :)

Have a really good day!