Mike and Mary arrived around noon on Friday and left today about noon. We had a great visit, and Mary and I worked hard at the yard sales in Steilacoom yesterday. We did find a few gems....I now have another book on French herbs, with gorgeous photos. We introduced them to the game of Spades which Jeff and Bev taught us last week on the wine country trip. It is much more enjoyable than Hearts, in my estimation, even though I don't play it much better.
Now I will get ready for Karen's visit by rearranging my sewing space to make it more efficient for some hard-core projects. Maybe I should create a wine bar right next to the sewing table - that would save steps up and down the stairs.
When Colleen went to Arizona, she drove away in a new-to-her Honda, and left the Toyota for us to sell. I drove it around to the yard sales yesterday with signs in the windows, and it was sold by mid-afternoon!
Sarah turns eighteen on Tuesday!! How can that be? And I believe she moves into her dorm room next week end. She has started her new job at the Universty of Maryland pro shop, and I think today she is out on the course driving the golf cart for a foursome. It is anticipated that tips will be good. The pro lives across the street from Keith and Janet and he and his wife are friends of theirs. When Keith and Janet and Jeff and Wendy go out, Rachel babysits the children. All very convenient for some and lucrative for others.
I am out of news, but will check in again by the end of the week.
Ciao
Sunday, August 21, 2005
Wednesday, August 17, 2005
Just a short note
since it has been a quiet week. We have been doing little projects around home since we aren't here that often to accomplish same.
I have started a small lap quilt project thanks to the encouragement and expertise of friends, Bev and Karen. It is very basic, and I am simply trying to discipline myself to be very careful with measuring, cutting and sewing. The tolerance for error is slight. But I like the colors, light to medium greens and yellow, with old fashioned prints that were found in the 40's and 50's. Karen will be here next week to critique.
I made some peach jam yesterday that was somewhat successful. I never seem to get the firmness quite right. This recipe didn't use any pectin but relied on long slow cooking. It tastes good!! Now I need to hurry and use the last dozen fresh tomatoes.
Do I sound like a domestic diva or what?
We will probably leave for Mt. Home on Saturday, August 27, with a route via Redmond, Oregon if the cousins are going to be home. Then on to Mt. Home and Yellowstone Park whenever the schedule allows. We were in Yellowstone two years ago right after Labor Day, and it was a perfect time to visit because most everybody else had gone home. We are still undecided as to where to stay, but I am inclined to boondock at one of the campgrounds inside the park. Fishing Bridge is the only campground with hookups, but the spaces are very tight. The other campgrounds have dump stations, so worst-case scenario would be to have to unhook to drive over and dump tanks and then set up again. Not all that difficult.
Colleen will move into the home of a single professional woman who is a consultant for American Express. She has a young ill-behaved dog which Colleen is going to take care of this week while the owner attends a wedding in Tenino!! Colleen is a follower of the Dog Whisperer and is now also following the Monks of Skete, so she thinks she can make some progress with the dog's behaviour.
The sewing machine is calling me.
Ciao
I have started a small lap quilt project thanks to the encouragement and expertise of friends, Bev and Karen. It is very basic, and I am simply trying to discipline myself to be very careful with measuring, cutting and sewing. The tolerance for error is slight. But I like the colors, light to medium greens and yellow, with old fashioned prints that were found in the 40's and 50's. Karen will be here next week to critique.
I made some peach jam yesterday that was somewhat successful. I never seem to get the firmness quite right. This recipe didn't use any pectin but relied on long slow cooking. It tastes good!! Now I need to hurry and use the last dozen fresh tomatoes.
Do I sound like a domestic diva or what?
We will probably leave for Mt. Home on Saturday, August 27, with a route via Redmond, Oregon if the cousins are going to be home. Then on to Mt. Home and Yellowstone Park whenever the schedule allows. We were in Yellowstone two years ago right after Labor Day, and it was a perfect time to visit because most everybody else had gone home. We are still undecided as to where to stay, but I am inclined to boondock at one of the campgrounds inside the park. Fishing Bridge is the only campground with hookups, but the spaces are very tight. The other campgrounds have dump stations, so worst-case scenario would be to have to unhook to drive over and dump tanks and then set up again. Not all that difficult.
Colleen will move into the home of a single professional woman who is a consultant for American Express. She has a young ill-behaved dog which Colleen is going to take care of this week while the owner attends a wedding in Tenino!! Colleen is a follower of the Dog Whisperer and is now also following the Monks of Skete, so she thinks she can make some progress with the dog's behaviour.
The sewing machine is calling me.
Ciao
Saturday, August 13, 2005
So much wine, so little time
The week unfolded as predicted. The reunion picnic in Oregon was smaller than usual, and it took some coaxing to get some folks to sign on to the council to keep the organization going. The Kirkwood branch has always been seen as 'tagging along' at the end, and there were not many in attendance this year. We are thinking about having a get-together here some time in October to see if we can get a few more to join the fun.
We spent two days in the wine country with Jeff and Bev. Needless to say, it was pretty hot, but we pressed on. We did happen on a case sale at Claar Cellars, so added a case of cabernet. It was inexpensive so we can drink it at will without fretting over the price.
I couldn't resist the fresh produce in eastern Washington so came home with a box of peaches and tomatoes. Most of the tomatoes will be frozen, and I'll probably make chutney or jam with the peaches. I'm not set up to do full blown canning, and I'm not sure it is worth the investment for the amount I would do.
Mike and Mary are coming over next week end. It is great timing because Mary is a 'garage-sailor' and next Saturday is the annual Steilacoom town-wide garage sale. They should get here about noon on Friday and will go home on Sunday.
Then the following Wednesday, my friend Karen will be here for two days of quilting. Well she will sew and quilt, and I'll prepare meals and keep the wine poured. We have embarked on a Christmas wall hanging and now that I have most of my fabrics, I need her to make it beautiful. I can't resist the fabrics, and I have several projects ready to be made into something, but I never seem to get started.
Ken received a call out of blue this week from an Army buddy when in Germany - oh about 45 years ago. This man lives in Illinois but had driven through Davenport several times and was never able to find anyone who knew where Ken was. While watching the news of the fires here in Washington, this man decided to turn to the internet - and found us. It is a small world.
We have become enamored with Croatia, and have suggested to Jeff and Bev that we visit next year. Ken worked with a young woman at Western State who is of Croatian heritage, and has been there to visit several times. So we had her here for dinner last night. She came with a video of her friend's wedding in Croatia, and another video that gives an overview of the country. The Dalmantian Coast is beautiful, and she said there are hundreds of beautiful islands as well.
Here is the chicken dish I served:
8 chicken breasts, halved and skinned
1 8 oz pkg of cream cheese
1/2 cup fresh herbs (I used parsley, thyme, sage, and chives) finely chopped
1 clove garlic
1 cup white wine such as a chenin blanc
Combine the cheese and herbs and chill.
Pound the chicken breasts to an even thickness. Roll 1/8 of the cream cheese mixture into each breast and secure with a toothpick.
Brown the breasts quickly in some butter and olive oil. Set aside, drain the fat, and deglaze the pan with the white wine. Stir in the garlic. Place browned chicken breasts back into the wine mixture, cover with foil and place in a 300 degree oven for about 1 hour.
Some of the cheese will ooze out and it will look curdled. Just give the wine a whisk to blend the cheese and pour over the chicken breasts to serve.
All is well.
Ciao
We spent two days in the wine country with Jeff and Bev. Needless to say, it was pretty hot, but we pressed on. We did happen on a case sale at Claar Cellars, so added a case of cabernet. It was inexpensive so we can drink it at will without fretting over the price.
I couldn't resist the fresh produce in eastern Washington so came home with a box of peaches and tomatoes. Most of the tomatoes will be frozen, and I'll probably make chutney or jam with the peaches. I'm not set up to do full blown canning, and I'm not sure it is worth the investment for the amount I would do.
Mike and Mary are coming over next week end. It is great timing because Mary is a 'garage-sailor' and next Saturday is the annual Steilacoom town-wide garage sale. They should get here about noon on Friday and will go home on Sunday.
Then the following Wednesday, my friend Karen will be here for two days of quilting. Well she will sew and quilt, and I'll prepare meals and keep the wine poured. We have embarked on a Christmas wall hanging and now that I have most of my fabrics, I need her to make it beautiful. I can't resist the fabrics, and I have several projects ready to be made into something, but I never seem to get started.
Ken received a call out of blue this week from an Army buddy when in Germany - oh about 45 years ago. This man lives in Illinois but had driven through Davenport several times and was never able to find anyone who knew where Ken was. While watching the news of the fires here in Washington, this man decided to turn to the internet - and found us. It is a small world.
We have become enamored with Croatia, and have suggested to Jeff and Bev that we visit next year. Ken worked with a young woman at Western State who is of Croatian heritage, and has been there to visit several times. So we had her here for dinner last night. She came with a video of her friend's wedding in Croatia, and another video that gives an overview of the country. The Dalmantian Coast is beautiful, and she said there are hundreds of beautiful islands as well.
Here is the chicken dish I served:
8 chicken breasts, halved and skinned
1 8 oz pkg of cream cheese
1/2 cup fresh herbs (I used parsley, thyme, sage, and chives) finely chopped
1 clove garlic
1 cup white wine such as a chenin blanc
Combine the cheese and herbs and chill.
Pound the chicken breasts to an even thickness. Roll 1/8 of the cream cheese mixture into each breast and secure with a toothpick.
Brown the breasts quickly in some butter and olive oil. Set aside, drain the fat, and deglaze the pan with the white wine. Stir in the garlic. Place browned chicken breasts back into the wine mixture, cover with foil and place in a 300 degree oven for about 1 hour.
Some of the cheese will ooze out and it will look curdled. Just give the wine a whisk to blend the cheese and pour over the chicken breasts to serve.
All is well.
Ciao
Thursday, August 04, 2005
Home again
I came home from Phoenix yesterday without incident - except I almost missed my shuttle to the airport for being glued to the television. There was a real-time car chase taking place with the pursued driving at speeds upwards of 100 mph with at least 5 police cars in tow. At one point as the car was weaving in and out of traffic I saw two tanker trucks in the picture!! Finally an exit from the freeway, some stoplights, a little fender-bender and the police boxed him in. I still don't know what started it. The media said the individual had initially tried to run over a deputy.
Colleen is starting to settle in to her new job, and now the challenge is to find a place to live. Phoenix is growing at a rapid rate, and there just aren't any places to live. And those that are available come at a dear price. Since all of her household is in storage in Colorado, she is thinking of becoming a roommate rather than living by herself. She is currently at the Marriott Courtyard and will move into a friend's vacant house this week end until it closes later this month.
The weather here is glorious, and even though it is in the 80s, it feels wonderful after the heat of Arizona. We encountered several storms in the first few days with downpours and/or driving wind.
I drove through The Resort which is where we stayed for two weeks the winter before last when we met other friends in their motor homes. The Resort has hundreds of sites with 90% of them occupied by park models, single-wide manufactured homes that are half the length of a standard manufactured home. Most folks have added a patio and/or storage shed. Well this time of year it is a ghost town. I do not believe one single unit was occupied. Windows were heavily covered against the summer sun and many carports had vehicles and golf carts in some state of storage. The only sign of life was the maintenance folks who were busy readying everything for the fall and winter influx.
We leave Saturday morning for Dayton, Oregon where we will stay for two nights while we attend the family reunion in Hopewell at the Maude Williamson Park. Jerry and Lois are staying at the Best Western in McMinnivlle and will join us for dinner on Saturday night. Then Jeff and Bev arrive Sunday after attending a wedding in Vancouver. Right now we tentatively plan to proceed on to Washington wine country with Jeff and Bev for a few days next week.
Keith finally heard from the Army. "No". They will not grant an exemption, but they have granted a six month extension which moves his reporting date out to February. That gives some time for one or more things to happen. Dare we hope things will be winding down in Iraq? And he can proceed to "look for a job" within the Army at Ft. Meade which whould allow him to stay home.
Stay cool!!
Ciao
Colleen is starting to settle in to her new job, and now the challenge is to find a place to live. Phoenix is growing at a rapid rate, and there just aren't any places to live. And those that are available come at a dear price. Since all of her household is in storage in Colorado, she is thinking of becoming a roommate rather than living by herself. She is currently at the Marriott Courtyard and will move into a friend's vacant house this week end until it closes later this month.
The weather here is glorious, and even though it is in the 80s, it feels wonderful after the heat of Arizona. We encountered several storms in the first few days with downpours and/or driving wind.
I drove through The Resort which is where we stayed for two weeks the winter before last when we met other friends in their motor homes. The Resort has hundreds of sites with 90% of them occupied by park models, single-wide manufactured homes that are half the length of a standard manufactured home. Most folks have added a patio and/or storage shed. Well this time of year it is a ghost town. I do not believe one single unit was occupied. Windows were heavily covered against the summer sun and many carports had vehicles and golf carts in some state of storage. The only sign of life was the maintenance folks who were busy readying everything for the fall and winter influx.
We leave Saturday morning for Dayton, Oregon where we will stay for two nights while we attend the family reunion in Hopewell at the Maude Williamson Park. Jerry and Lois are staying at the Best Western in McMinnivlle and will join us for dinner on Saturday night. Then Jeff and Bev arrive Sunday after attending a wedding in Vancouver. Right now we tentatively plan to proceed on to Washington wine country with Jeff and Bev for a few days next week.
Keith finally heard from the Army. "No". They will not grant an exemption, but they have granted a six month extension which moves his reporting date out to February. That gives some time for one or more things to happen. Dare we hope things will be winding down in Iraq? And he can proceed to "look for a job" within the Army at Ft. Meade which whould allow him to stay home.
Stay cool!!
Ciao
Monday, August 01, 2005
It is hot and muggy in...............
Phoenix. A store clerk said the monsoons have just arrived and should have arrived in May and be finished by now. The forecast for the next six days shows highs in triple digits! Plus humidity!!
Colleen and I did leave Friday morning. She now has a 2000 white Honda Accord, and it served us admirably on the trip down. It is very easy to drive (easier than our Jetta), and the a/c worked like a charm. We stayed with Sheila and the boys in Mt. Home on Friday night. Sheila had her wonderful taboullah salad for us for dinner, and after a good night's sleep, we were on the road again.
Saturday night found us in Kanab, Utah, and we arrived here in Phoenix about 8 pm last night. Due to an accident on the interstate between Flagstaff and Phoenix, the traffic was backed up and at a standstill, so we opted to head west to Prescott, and down through Wickenberg and into Phoenix from the west. There are mountains and winding road between Prescott and Wickenberg, and the drama increased as we drove through pouring rain.
I took Colleen to work this morning (we are staying about one mile from her office), and discovered the nearby Costco and Target. Of course I had left my Costco card in the checkbook - at home - but Costco in its usual efficiency and drive to separate you and your money was quick to give me a temporary card! Colleen and I are going to focus on checking out housing options for her before I leave here Wednesday morning.
Just as we are moving our daughter out, brother Mike and his wife Mary are moving their daughter in. Becky has been living in Lubbock, Texas while she earned her masters (in statistics??!!! Ugh!!) from Texas Tech. Now she is back in Spokane and wants to go to school to be an LPN! Becky works several jobs when going to school, and she discovered she really liked nursing care, especially the elderly and dying. Oh boy, do we ever need her and lots more like her!! And she doesn't want to be an RN, because she just wants to do hands-on nursing care. You go girl!! She will want to have a place of her own, but real estate in Spokane has also gone crazy.
Mike and Mary and Ken and I bought a 2 bedroom, 1 bath house in Spokane in the mid 70's for our mother to live in. It was probably built in the 40s, we paid $14,950 for it and it just recently sold for $119,000. With that kind of escalation, it is difficult for young people to get a foot in the door.
I'll be home about noon on Wednesday. Our friends, the McKains are having a memorial mass said for Pat on Thursday afternoon, so I want to be there for that. And then on Saturday we will be going to Oregon.
Ciao
Colleen and I did leave Friday morning. She now has a 2000 white Honda Accord, and it served us admirably on the trip down. It is very easy to drive (easier than our Jetta), and the a/c worked like a charm. We stayed with Sheila and the boys in Mt. Home on Friday night. Sheila had her wonderful taboullah salad for us for dinner, and after a good night's sleep, we were on the road again.
Saturday night found us in Kanab, Utah, and we arrived here in Phoenix about 8 pm last night. Due to an accident on the interstate between Flagstaff and Phoenix, the traffic was backed up and at a standstill, so we opted to head west to Prescott, and down through Wickenberg and into Phoenix from the west. There are mountains and winding road between Prescott and Wickenberg, and the drama increased as we drove through pouring rain.
I took Colleen to work this morning (we are staying about one mile from her office), and discovered the nearby Costco and Target. Of course I had left my Costco card in the checkbook - at home - but Costco in its usual efficiency and drive to separate you and your money was quick to give me a temporary card! Colleen and I are going to focus on checking out housing options for her before I leave here Wednesday morning.
Just as we are moving our daughter out, brother Mike and his wife Mary are moving their daughter in. Becky has been living in Lubbock, Texas while she earned her masters (in statistics??!!! Ugh!!) from Texas Tech. Now she is back in Spokane and wants to go to school to be an LPN! Becky works several jobs when going to school, and she discovered she really liked nursing care, especially the elderly and dying. Oh boy, do we ever need her and lots more like her!! And she doesn't want to be an RN, because she just wants to do hands-on nursing care. You go girl!! She will want to have a place of her own, but real estate in Spokane has also gone crazy.
Mike and Mary and Ken and I bought a 2 bedroom, 1 bath house in Spokane in the mid 70's for our mother to live in. It was probably built in the 40s, we paid $14,950 for it and it just recently sold for $119,000. With that kind of escalation, it is difficult for young people to get a foot in the door.
I'll be home about noon on Wednesday. Our friends, the McKains are having a memorial mass said for Pat on Thursday afternoon, so I want to be there for that. And then on Saturday we will be going to Oregon.
Ciao
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