AROUND AND ABOUT WEEK STARTING MONDAY, 10-1-24

First of all, I want to say that I am thinking about all those who have been dealing with these hurricanes. I've been watching the news, and it is horrific. We have friends in the affected areas, and I take very much to heart Sandra's comment today. We know her as the MadSnapper of course. My dear friend, I am hoping to hear from you very soon. It's a scary thing what you and so many are going through. I wish I could do more to help. If anyone else reads this and are in those areas, please let us know you are doing okay. I say this realizing that phones will be down.

I have been writing today's post and am trying to keep it upbeat. At the end of my profile I say this: I hope you can come here as a place of peace, find something that will take your mind off things for a little while and give you smile. I truly do mean this. 

So here are this week's past happenings. I can't say I will be doing them every week as I don't want to bore you with the mundane, especially with everything else going on.

Monday, 9-30-24. Our son came over for a while. We feel very fortunate he and our daughter-in-law only live 12 miles away, which means we see them often. We chatted for a couple of hours and then back off to work he went. 

I opened the door in the early a.m. to let some fresh air in. This is what greeted me. I cropped the close-up picture from the one below. It is a Stink Bug (Halyomorpha halys). Sorry if you are not too fond of them but everything seems to interest me in the insect world, and I automatically reach for my cell phone. 

I thought I recognized it and went outside to take a closer look. I didn't realize they were still around. Just like the grasshopper the other day, it didn't stay for long. I read that with the onset of the cooler temperatures they will try to come inside. There is a link here with more information.

Tuesday, 10-1-24 (1st day of October): We usually go out once a week to eat lunch, normally from a fastfood place taking turns between McDonald’s or Chick-fil-A, unless it fits into our once a month at the Bahn Mi Sandwich shop. This week's food treat however, was a little different and came early, as we were at our last get together only a few days ago at the pub/restaurant for lunch, which was a treat from our son for loaning him our car for a couple of days when he had a problem with his. Today Gregg and I had a car picnic in the parking lot outside The Pure Pasty Company in Vienna. We have been coming here for years as they opened in 2010. It was raining when we first arrived.

Gregg went inside. There is a small seating area but they have very steep steps that go down into the shop, and steps and I have a thing going on right now. There is an open elevator but I have never used it. I know it is safe but I took one look at it long ago and said no, I don’t think so. That’s just me. I do think it’s great that they have one for those who might need it. It looks big enough for a wheelchair, and definitely big enough for a child’s stroller. The shop is brightly lit, nicely painted and kept very clean. There are maybe three tables very close together, with a much larger open area where you can see the pasties being made. Then there is a longish narrow area with the counter on one side to take purchases, and it also has a large, covered display case with several different varieties of pasties made that morning. There is a small freezer on the far end where you can help yourself, and a back wall with shelves of goods for more purchases. Behind the counter is a large oven where they bake the pasties and the smell alone would be enough to draw people in. They should bottle the smell and sell it! Hands down the best I have tasted since Mum used to get them from a local pasty shop in town when I was a kid.

We recently learned the owner also owns The Hawk and Griffin where we were a few days ago, and is only a little ways up the road from here. I am happy to give these two establishments our business. He opened up the pasty shop first, and then the pub/restaurant several years later. Both are outstanding!

We are not frequent visitors to either (not very close to our home) but a couple of times a year we make our way and pick up a few tasty treats. We eat one pasty each for our car picnic in the parking lot - deliberately missing breakfast in anticipation. I nibbled on one before remembering to take a photo.

We buy two more for our freezer. Once we arrived near closing time and they were all sold out of the traditional, which are the ones we always buy. That's why we always turn up at opening time now. Gregg was their first customer today. It was pouring with rain when he went inside but had stopped in time for him to walk back to the car. The shop is on the right where the Union Jack is flying. This is more of an alleyway between two busy roads. There is a bicycle shop one one side, out of sight on the right. The parking lot is on the left, also out of sight. There are a couple of more shops further along, one is a larger restaurant, but I can't remember what it sells.

As for our purchases, dear other half was looking forward to buying a jar of Branston Chutney, which he was introduced to on the British ship he was attached to when on an exchange tour with the Royal Navy in the mid ‘70s. That’s how I ended up here as we met during that time. He bought our drinks for the car picnic (a fizzy lemonade for me and a coca-cola for him), added cans of ready-made English Custard to go with a future dessert when we feel like it, a couple of Cadbury's chocolate bars (and you can probably guess who those were for. They always go lovely with a cup of coffee on the way back. We stop at the drive-thru and the next day I have the other one with my own fresh brew). Next, three packets of bangers (British sausages), which were in the freezer and were transferred to ours until ready to use. We won't have to go again for a while. As I said, it isn't exactly round the corner. The pasties when we bake one at home are big enough that we share, and along with a veggie salad makes for a lovely meal. Well that’s a ramble, are you still with me?  Saying that with a smile and hoping so.

I took a few photos on the way back home. This is a picture of the old 29 Diner in Fairfax. The mural is one I have been meaning to stop and take a photo of. This is from the road as we drove by. I never noticed before but the diner is featured in the third frame of the mural from the left. Hard to see, that's why I am going to park next time we go by. 

It had started to rain again and I don't like getting wet, truth be told. It never bothered me at one time but if I have a choice now, I will stay in the car. Also, it will be nice to get shots of the mural on a sunnier day.

We have only ever been to the diner once, many years ago, when it was still a popular place for the locals, and people driving by. Unfortunately, it had a serious fire two or three years back. We subsequently heard it had been sold but that was some time ago and the for-sale sign was still showing. We keep expecting it to be demolished, like a lot of the old buildings that fall into disrepair. However, we learned it had been renovated better than new after the fire. We are waiting to learn the next chapter.  It's an iconic building and has been in that spot for years, having been built in 1947. You can read all about it here.

This was a very interesting paint job. All expressions of art interest me and I would have liked to ask the owner about this one, but we were both making our way down the road and I quickly snapped a picture when I saw it (from the passenger seat. Gregg does most of the driving nowadays, and my cell phone is always at the ready).

Wednesday, 10-2-24: The first thing I did today was cut my finger. I had started to clear out one of the bottom kitchen cupboards. There was an attachment - a spare blade for our blender. As I was tidying up and I reached in, my finger brushed up against the blade. It normally has a glass container attached, which had fallen off. No stitches but a horrible feeling as I haven't done anything like this in a long time. I stopped to quickly wrap a tissue around my bleeding finger, get the antiseptic and a band aid, and sat down to gain my equilibrium. I will leave the tidy-up of that cupboard for another few days. Blade safely stored away so lightning won't strike in the same place twice. It was in one of those areas with appliances not needed every day. 

Gregg left early to go to the car dealership. We needed an oil change and as often happens, there were other things done. New rear brake pads, a new filter and they rotated the tires. We had the emission checked also and they replaced the PCV valve - whatever that is. The mechanic came in to see Gregg and asked him to go back as he wanted to show him something he found under the hood. Gregg was puzzled as this was the first time he had been invited into their garage section ever, and the other guys were smiling at him as he walked in. 

This is the text he sent and I got the full story when he arrived home:

“The service guy I deal with came in and said: let me show you something. And so, for the first time in 30 years they took me in the back where they work on the cars - impressive. And what a nice guy the mechanic was. What he wanted to show me was all the sunflower shells a squirrel had left in the engine, hundreds. Among other things they were in two of the filters which I had them replace. Always something - sort of funny though.”  

No photos, Gregg said I should have but was so taken aback at the sight. No problem I said, scroll down, lol!

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Da-da-da-dah!

Squirrel Reenactment!

Look at him?

Butter would not melt in that mouth. Most definitely not invited back! Keep your storage space elsewhere thank you very much!

How on earth did it store so many seeds without us knowing about it? The strange thing is I stopped feeding them just before the beginning of the summer, and I haven't fed them sunflowers in their shells for a couple of years as I buy the no-mess variety. I thought perhaps the squirrel had been making the rounds of the neighborhood bird feeders. Neither of us can understand how it got into the garage, as we keep the door down once the car is parked. Where there's a will, there's a way I guess, but we are still both scratching our heads. The last time we took the car to the dealership was five months ago, so this has happened during that time. Also, the car is driven every day. It's a complete mystery and the man will be checking under the hood a little more regularly he says.

Thursday, 10/3/24: Gregg met up with son and I happily stayed home. We have enjoyed our son’s company a lot this past week, once a week usually. They do the rounds of several places. I know I can go with them, but I would slow them down. I am not a big look-around-shop-places person (give me a garden or a trail through a wood, it’s a different story). Besides, I get focused on what I am doing and always say to the man as he walks through the door, that was fast, when actually it’s been hours. I get very focused on my tasks. Among other things, I finished a puzzle on my iPad. I have been working on it off and on for the last few days. I love doing puzzles.

More food talk: The boys had lunch at McDonalds. I fixed myself a fast lunch, a small bowl of noodles in broth, along with a spinach and veggie salad. Now enough of the food talk, except for what follows. Yes, it's a liar, liar pants on fire kind of a day today. 

Friday, 10/4/24: a very quiet day. Neither of us went anywhere and just pottered. Our main event was making soup for our dinner. We have an all-time favorite and this is the first we have made it since last winter. (I mentioned it yesterday). It wasn't really cold enough for soup, but the man says soup is okay anytime, especially his favorite. The photo is from that blog post. It is Cheesy Corn and Vegetable Chowder, recipe found originally in a Southern Living Annual Cookbook I have from 20 years ago. 

Saturday, 10/5/24 at 1.59 p.m: Another quiet morning and now Gregg is watching baseball and I am adding to my daily-doings. (We were going for a ride later but the day got away from us.) I can't remember what else we did tell you the truth.

Sunday, 10/5/24: Our son usually comes over on a Sunday morning. He stays until it is time to pick up our daughter-in-law. We talk about everything that is going on. Later that day they were out on a walk and sent me these photos.

As I made a quick bread this week, I did this picture on Copilot. My tastes tend to go to the old fashioned, and I often like to add a dog. I asked for a vase of sunflowers. They gave me several. Also, that contraption she is resting her dough on. It puzzled me. Maybe it is a way to size the dough. If it passes under the arc, it's the perfect size? These are the things I think about. Maybe it's just a hiccup with the AI. Ah well, what it is to have imagination with a touch of the inner child thing going on. 

This is my last picture and my daily happenings are done. There may be typos in here and disjointed sentences. I will correct any that I find later. My brain is in a bit of a fog today.

Thank you for sticking through with me to the end my friends, and I hope your week is going well. I am wishing each and every one of you only the very best, with extra special thoughts for anyone who needs them.