Wine Women and ?

This past week was a busy one. Colleen arrived on Thursday evening to join in the weekend's festivities for the Chick Fling. Friday morning had the hairdresser here for about 3 hours, to be followed by Colleen's birthday lunch. Then she and I jumped in the car and drove to Bellevue for the week end. I drove I-5 and I-405 on Friday, and drove I-405 round trip to the airport on Sunday, and I made it in record time every trip. Even on Friday, about five o'clock, we didn't have to slow down. Perhaps there are some folks who are driving less.

The Chick Fling was lots of fun. We enjoyed a lovely dinner Saturday night at the Metropolitan Grill, and spent Sunday morning reading the paper and noshing on quiche and sausage strudels.

We had briefly discussed transportation to and from dinner, but had not settled on anything. As we were getting ready to go, Cinda's collegue, Dennis, drove up in a rented van (Cinda's treat), and stood beside the open doors in his black slacks and white shirt. Dennis' profession is in education!! It was much fun. As he arrived at the restaurant, the valet handed him his claim check only to be told by Dennis that he wasn't staying, just dropping us off, and would be returning for us. So of course the valet folks recognized all of us when Dennis returned to get us.

Curt and Cinda have a lovely hot tub, so we jumped into that several times over the week end!!

After dropping Colleen and Lois at the airport Sunday afternoon, I headed for Indian John Hill rest stop on the other side of Snoqualmie Pass to meet up with Ken and proceed on to Yakima where Rod and Karen were staying. We stayed at Sportsman State Park in Yakima, and it was beautiful. There were lots of deciduous trees whose leaves had turned, but not all had fallen. So there was golden light in the trees plus a golden carpet on the ground.

There is a wine area between Yakima and the Tri Cities known as Rattlesnake Hills. Those dozen wineries have developed a "passport" and when 10 wineries have stamped your passport, you get a corkscrew or wine glass and are entered into a drawing for an empty wine barrel. Quite a clever marketing endeavor, and we did our best to visit all. The one or two we missed; we have visited before.

We enjoyed our time with Rod and Karen and spent some time discussing winter trips down south. They are going for the months of January and February, but are not inclined to stay for more than one week in any one place, so we will meet up with them occasionally throughout the winter.

Gary and Carolyn - your cupboard doors arrived today so if we don't see you before, we will have them with us when we get to Cocopah. Do we need to open the box to be sure you got what you were expecting?

Brian and Sheila gave me puzzle books for my birthday; a New York Times crossword dictionary and a book of Sudoku puzzles. If I didn't know better, I would think they were being cruel. Those puzzles are addictive, even though they are thoroughyly frustrating. You have probably seen them in your newspapers. They are simply based on the numbers one through nine, with each number appearing just once in each row, both horizontally and vertically. It is all logic, but when over half the numbers are missing, it is difficult to find the logic.

And a lovely box of cut flowers arrived from Keith and Janet today. My kids ease the distress of growing another year older!

And on a closing note: I am so glad Harriet and George took my advice!!!!

Ciao

Pennywise and pound-foolish

I needed a small table for a plant in the corner of our shower and while at IKEA last week, I found one. It was okay except it was orange, but I figured I could paint it and with a search on the internet, I found the primer and paint products I would need to make this happen. I sprayed the primer without incident, and yesterday I created a "paint booth" on the back porch to spray on the burgundy paint. At some point, the sprayer lost its mind and applied a whisper of burgundy paint over an area of at least 180 degrees, if not more. Now I had paint spray on the cabinet, the floor, the recycling bins, and me!!! The cleanup process took forever, and I doubt the floor will ever be the same (not that it was much to start with). To apply mineral spirits or paint thinner only thinned and spread it, so it was a process of one swipe, change towels, and another swipe.

Ken very kindly came to my rescue, but in the process of moving a heavy chest, he jammed his big toe and it immediately turned blue under the nail. We are still waiting to see what it is going to do. The final act was to send Ken to the garbage can with the table, the paint, and the full wastebasket - including throwing away the disfigured wastebasket.

On a happier note, I had a lovely day with Elisabeth on Tuesday. We did not drive to Chehalis, but I met her in Gig Harbor where she treated me to lunch and we visited not one, but two quilt shops. I did not escape without buying something, but it was very small and insignificant. But I did spend some time talking to the shop owner about the merits of Pfaff sewing machines!!

I am off to the Olympia Farmers' Market since we garnered such a lovely bunch of produce last week. Colleen's birthday was last week, but she has requested her birthday meal while here tomorrow so I need to ingredients for stew and apple crisp. That, along with homemade bread, is her all-time favorite meal.

Here is a recipe I discovered in our Sunday paper. I have prepared it twice because (a) it is so easy, and (2) Ken loves it. Enjoy. Ciao

Roasted Pears with Caramel Sauce (what could be easier?)

4 Tbs butter
1 cup brown sugar
4 pears, halved and cored
1/2 cup sour cream
1/4 cup toasted nuts

Heat oven to 400. Place butter in baking dish large enough to hold the pears in a single layer, set in the heating oven until butter melts. Sprinkle sugar over melted butter, then place pears, cut side down, on top. Bake until tender, about 30 minutes. Remove pan from oven, turn over pears and baste with pan sauce. Return to oven, bake until golden and glossy, about 10 minutes. Let cool slightly. Transfer pears to dessert plates or bowls. Top each with a dollop of sour cream, drizzle with caramel pan sauce, sprinkle with nuts and serve. Helen's version: I added a splash of white port to the butter and brown sugar mixture and topped the pears with a bit of shredded coconut along with the sour cream and nuts (I used almonds).

Merry Monday

All is quiet here. Ken is outside raking up huge piles of maple leaves. We have one huge maple tree that shelters the tree house, and it drops about a gazillion leaves this time of year. They are quite lovely to look at until it rains when they all turn to brown mush.

My friend, Elisabeth, called and suggested lunch tomorrow. So I think we will start early and visit a fabric shop in Chehalis before we have lunch. I have never been to "Sister's", but it is supposed to have fabric galore. And I am sure we will find some delightful place for lunch.

Speaking of lunch, there is a little shop getting ready to open in "downtown" Steilacoom - "Creme Brulee". A peek in the window offered snippets of a French bistro with banquettes against the walls, colorful wooden chairs, checkered tablecloths, and various French posters and decorations. There was also an application for a liquor license taped to the door, so it all looks very promising. It is rumored that the proprietor is French!

Carolyn Ousey called this morning to check in before they head to Winnipeg to visit family. We talked about a route and stopping places for our trek south the first part of December. She and Gary have made this trip a time or two so they know all the good Wal Marts and casinos to overnight. Ken really wants to spend some time in California, San Diego and San Luis Obispo, so I guess we need to figure out those pieces.

I did read that Bon Appetite magazine, and did see one or two promising recipes, but I'll try them first to see if they are worthy of being passed.

Ken is on the phone with the garage that is providing a second opinion on the ills of the Jetta, so I'll have a full report in my next blog. Ciao.



Craig came to pick up his mail yesterday and stayed for dinner. He still feels like he is floundering in his new job. Isn't that how all new jobs feel? Plus his manager and his mentor have both been away. Not an easy way to learn the ropes.

I spent a couple of hours at the local mall this afternoon and succeeded in coming home empty-handed. I really couldn't think of much of anything I needed, and the one or two things I had in mind I couldn't find. Of course the stores all have their Christmas departments fully decked out. I just looked the other way and walked on by.

I am not a Democrat..

nor am I a diehard Republican - the issue with Miers and Bush is Bush!!! And as I read more and more, my word, crony, pops up often.

I had to take the Jetta in for some more warranty work to replace the passenger seat mechanism. But this is a great dealership, and as long as we ask ahead of time, we can get a loaner car. So I took my friend Elisabeth, and we went to IKEA for the day. I LOVE THAT STORE!! I only bought three or four small items, but of course we walked the entire store and stopped in the restaurant for lunch.

Yesterday was Collen's birthday. Our main gift was a plane ticket to come up the week end of the 21st for the Chick Fling. But I did make a small pieced table topper that I wanted to send to her. I missed the post office opening on Saturday, so decided I would send it Federal Express, overnight. It weighed less than one pound and was a small box..................$38 it cost. Gift-giving just became money and gift cards. No more shipping and mailing.

I am ready for fall and Thanksgiving with a small arrangement of dried colored corn, and a wreath on the front door with silk sunflowers! And since we will be leaving the first of December, the Christmas decorations will stay tucked away for the year.

Mike and Mary are planning to be in Phoenix the middle of December to visit his half sister, Martha, so we will drive up from Yuma to see them. Then a bit later we will leave Yuma to spend Christmas with Brian and Sheila and the boys at their condo in McCall. Only to return to Yuma in time for the Schulers to join us for the annual week between Christmas and New Years.

I just received the November issue of Bon Appetite, so I need to go study up on all the recipes for Thanksgiving, in case I need to cook! If I find anything that looks outstanding, I'll pass it along in my next blog. Ciao

No Dishwasher?!

Nope. The $1.3M motor home did not have a dishwasher. Heck, even the little old cheap (~$185K) Winnebago had a dishwasher). But the big guy had a full sized Bosch washer and dryer!! I can only think of two items that caught my eye at this years’ show: The feature of the year seems to be a pull-out counter that provides extra working or serving space in the kitchen area. It slides out from under the fixed countertop so therefore is about one inch lower than the counter, but you just about need a double slide to accommodate it. I liked the concept and it would provide about 2 square feet of extra counter space.

Bounder had a modest-sized motor home somewhere around 35 feet that had a toilet and lavatory in the mid section, but across the back end in the bedroom was a vanity that ran the width of the coach with a shower at one end. I liked it! One salesman asked if we had found the coach of our dreams, and I said, “Yes, it is parked at home in the driveway.”

Road Treks are quite the compact little van, complete with shower, toilet, two-burner stove and sleeping space for four – all in a van. One of the options is the spare tire cover that can be raised and pivoted to provide a surface for a small gas grill. But one could buy a modest Class C motor home for the same price.

There, you have the promised report on the annual RV show. Tune in again next year at this time!

Ciao

It was a dark and cloudy morning

But I am up, dressed, and halfway through my first cup of coffee and the paper. The season is starting off as it should with a day or two of clouds and rain, a little clearing and a day or two of clouds and rain. I always say I don't mind the clouds and rain, but I am almost euphoric when we travel to places with lots of sunshine such as eastern Washington, western Montana, and down south. I think I like the sense of staying inside and cozy, but it isn't so great outside when it is dark and dreary.

Yesterday was the start of the Tacoma RV show, so we will go today to see what is new. And I do mean see, not buy. I especially enjoy the various vendors who are hawking such wonderful items as 100% vinyl/plastic/manmade material doormats at $75/each and decorated with various gaudy designs!! But once in a while there is a product that generates some interest, and could actually be useful. I'll give a full report later.

Craig came for dinner last night. Now that he has changed jobs and works in downtown Tacoma, we don't get to see him for lunch every once in a while. I don't think he has been able to make much of an assessment about the new job since he has done and seen little so far, and the training phase has not really begun. An interesting note is that Cinda is frequently called as an expert witness for a company that is in direct competition with OSC where Craig is working. Both companies manage L&I claims, but I doubt this situation will have a negative impact on the cousins' relationship.

Another Jetta glitch. We recently found a spring lying on the floor on the passenger's side, and upon inquiring of the VW service department, were told that it is a common failure, a recall, and they have to replace the 'seating system'; whatever that is. Again under warranty. At this rate, the entire car will have been replaced by the time it hits 75,000 miles. So far most everything has been warranty work, but that is going to run out, and then what? I'll keep baking cookies for the service department in the hope that they will keep fixing. When that ends, we'll buy a Honda!

And what do you make of Harriet Miers (I'm not even sure of the spelling, let alone her)? I don't have a problem with the fact that she has not been a judge, but I do have a major problem with the fact that it SMACKS of Bush cronyism and manipulation. His philosophy of selecting folks whom no one knows anything about needs to be put to a stop. Unfortunately, there are more voting Republicans than Democrats.

Back to my paper.

Ciao

Note the green bell pepper

I just did an edit on the previous blog; to add one bell pepper to the recipe for pulled pork!!

We have stayed home all weekend with Ken getting his football hit, and me.........working on my quilting project. I did walk yesterday, but it is dark and drizzly today, so I will stay in.

I had been trying to reach Colleen since we returned home on Thursday and was beginning to get concerned when she called yesterday. Seems I had forgotten that she had a business trip to Pasadena coming up, and she managed to add a stay in Las Vegas on the way. So she and a friend have spent the week end lounging by the pool and gambling the requisite $20. She goes on to Pasadena this afternoon for two days of meetings at the main campus and then returns to Phoenix on Wednesday.

Lois, Cinda, Colleen, maybe Calla, and I are planning a Chick Fling the last week end in October. We did something similar two years ago when we all went to Portland to celebrate Lois' birthday. We considered various places for this year, but decided Cinda's lovely home in Bellevue would be perfect since Curt has a business trip and won't be around to have to put up with us. We figure the money we save on hotel rooms and plane fare can be put towards a catered dinner, massages and pedicures, good booze and limousine service. I suggested we smoke cigars and watch dirty movies, but no one has taken me up on that one! What generation gap?

This was Homecoming weekend at the University of Maryland, and Sarah was going to take Rachel to the game, so I'll be anxious for this evening's phone call to hear all about it. Ken suggested Rachel should attend all the games since UofM won yesterday. Keith has been attending the games, so I suspect he was there yesterday. Between a friend who is in management for Coca Cola who frequently offers box seats and catered food, and the neighbor who is the UofM golf pro, he has fared quite well for golf and sporting events at school.

Speaking of food; I need to finish dinner - the Sunday dinner of our childhoods - pot roast, mashed potatoes and gravy and carrots.

Ciao

The coming week looks quiet with no appointments for anything to be repaired.....not us, nor the car nor the motor home. Whoopee, we can stay home.