OUR WEEKEND

I am sharing one of the pictures from a puzzle I completed recently. It has a whimsical look to it which I enjoy.  A couple of years back I downloaded the puzzle program on my iPad.  I have a couple of actual puzzles still in their boxes and still in their wrapping.   It seems a good opportunity, the right time, to enjoy them so that’s next.  

Saturday our day was spent pottering around the house.   Our son called up and we had about an hour catching up.  We texted with family members and friends throughout the day.  I made more headway on decorating the Christmas tree and am always delighted unwrapping the ornaments after not seeing them since last Christmas.  Many have been given to us over the years and those hold great sentimental value. They always bring a smile and start a conversation of remember when.  I also treated myself to a new one, a snowman.  Our tree is eclectic with no particular theme.  I found the frame online which included the snow globe. The app is called Photo Collage and it was very easy to add the photo of my snowman.   

A few more Christmas cards arrived, some with round robin letters along with personal notes from people we haven’t seen in years.  They live in various parts of the US, in Canada and across the pond.  All are hanging in there.  We are all in the same boat, using the same paddle, rowing up the same river so to speak,  and it is very strange that we are in that very same boat together. We can understand what we are all dealing with more than ever before.  Thankfully it is a whole lot easier to stay connected these days isn’t it?   

Sunday was another quiet day but one we enjoyed.  Tidying up a little, putting more ornaments on the tree (I’m getting there if ever so slowly), on the computer getting out even when I am inside, looking at the last two gifts I have to wrap up and give (tomorrow’s job), and we spent part of the afternoon in the kitchen preparing dinner.  It turned out not so bad but not so good either, so I won’t be putting it on here unless we can tweak it to our own taste.  It was very bland and I am a bland taste kind of a person, and it was too bland for me.  The fun was in making it, and then we made our suggestions how to make it better next time, so not complaining at all.  

Monday our son came over and that was the highlight of our weekend.  We remained in three corners of the room.  He is very careful when he goes about his daily routine.  He works from his home so being around a lot of people is not an issue.  We air-hugged!  Our daughter-in-law was giving piano lessons on FaceTime but hope to see her soon.  I finished decorating the Christmas tree and he put the angel on the top.  He is 6 feet 4 inches, taller than his Dad and me, so it was an easy task for him and no step ladders were involved.  We had a meal together and talked on just about everything.  I wrapped those last two gifts and they will be ready to go tomorrow.  Had a text chat with my niece over the pond, always love that.  She sent me photos of her sheepies as we call them.  

I finished another puzzle online.  Still haven't opened up my box puzzle yet.  Maybe in the next few days.

Looks like we are going to be getting snow here on Wednesday, about a foot deep.  It rained hard last night and it might start snowing tonight.

That was our weekend and although we didn't go anywhere, it was very enjoyable.  I hope yours was too.  Thanks for stopping by.

RANDOM PHOTO

"The best way to observe a fish is to become a fish."

~Jacques Yves Cousteau~

A reminder of warmer climes. The only thing I remember about this, is that I took the photo of what I thought was a very pretty embossed tile in a restaurant, the name of which I have long forgotten.  I liked it a lot, loved it in fact.  I looked for something similar but was unsuccessful.   At least I have my photo.  I added the frame in Paint Shop Pro.

I have sent parcels off (thanks to our son who delivered them to the post office the week before last), along with cards and letters for family and friends to receive before the 25th.  Several started arriving at our house a couple of weeks ago.  Thank you family and friends!  I still love getting snail mail.

The days are ticking right along.  I am going to have to push myself out the door as the weather gets colder. As long as it isn’t raining or snowing, I don't really mind the cold as long as I am bundled up. I am a winter person. One of the many things I love about this season, is getting the sweaters out, along with the woolly hats, scarfs and gloves.  

I also enjoy a neighborhood walk in the evenings, and smelling the wood from fireplaces, seeing wisps of smoke floating out the chimneys.  It is fun to look at the twinkling lights of Christmas trees showing through the windows.  There seem to be more decorations in people’s front yards this year.  When we get back inside the house chilled to the bone, I make a cup of hot cocoa topped off with sweetened whipped cream and marshmallows.  It is a winter treat looked forward to. 

Wishing you your own winter treats out there, and take very good care of yourselves. 

AS FALL APPROACHES...

Sharing more old photos from a previous Fall, I had dinner guests so I thought it would be nice to get an Autumn flower arrangement.  It came from our local supermarket.  

It has been a very nice week so far and I hope you are having a good one too.  We had a family member in town recently who was passing through.  We met at a restaurant and it was so good to get together after several months.  The restaurant was decided upon because of its close proximity to the freeway. 

We have been passing the building for years.  It is out in the countryside and used to be a huge old barn, now turned into a restaurant.  Nearby silo's have been revamped as a brewing company.   

We sat outside.  There were only two other customers who chose to sit as far away as they could, around a corner and out of sight. I really appreciated that, and we did not hear their conversation.  The staff wore masks, as we did except when we were eating of course, and we social distanced.  Those staff were super friendly and had easy going natures.  Even those who weren't taking care of us, we could see the smiles behind those masks as they walked by and said hello.  Definitely a place we will be going back to some time when things settle down again.  

We had our temperature taken when we entered the building (to get to our seating outside on a large, second floor balcony, and I didn't notice too many people inside).  As it was pointed towards our forehead, the thermometer reminded me of a radar gun.  

We have been sticking close to home.  Retirement has made that easier I have to admit.  As we drove there and back we didn't see too many people out walking, and those who were wore masks.

This is the new norm I suppose but I hope we will eventually get to the point where we can meet up with family and friends and give each other a big hug.  That all being said we had a great get together and it was lovely catching up.

We also had another visit from our son and daughter-in-law a few days later. They had been away.  Not for me to go into any details why but they drove 1200 miles in two days to get back home.   As they had been around a lot of people they also wore masks and we sat outside on the deck about ten feet apart.  They are two very loving and thoughtful young people.  They stayed for a couple of hours and thankfully the weather cooperated.  It has been raining ever since.

I constantly think of you all out there with everything going on, not for just the pandemic but so much else also, here and in every part of the world it seems.  I send you a big virtual hug and hope you and your loved ones are keeping safe and well.

DENISE'S 70TH BIRTHDAY

Two days ago I celebrated my 70th birthday.  And as many must ask, where did all those years go?  I don't worry about aging, in fact I found it painless, this as I keep my fingers crossed.  When hubs asked me if I felt like 70, I looked at him and said I didn't feel any different than when I was 69.  Perhaps I had a wry smile when I said that, plus added baggage, a few more wrinkles, okay a lot of each😉

A memory of a friend who was older than I just came to me, when years ago she got out of her seat and groaned.  I remember her looking up at me as I voiced my concern for her well-being, and she said, "Don't worry, at this age we come with sound effects."  We both laughed.  She was 70!  Well, now I am at that age where I come with sound effects, quite often as a matter of fact.  But I still feel like I am 30 in my head, so I don't worry about it.  

That's not to say I take anything for granted, especially in this day and age when there are so many who are having such a hard time.  I'm not going to get maudlin but I said to myself a long time ago that I was going to enjoy each new day.  And yes there have been days when it has rained, figuratively speaking, quite hard but I made up my mind to try and find as much happiness in the next sunrise as I could.

I am blessed with a dear family and many good friends.  There is a roof over our heads and food on the table, and we try to help others whenever we can.  My greatest blessing is to have a sweet husband, an equally sweet son who brought into the family our daughter-in-law whom we have grown to love as our own, and there are family members I am very close to.     

Saccharin-fest over, because today I feel like it, no apologies. Tomorrow I may reach for my 🐻grumpy mug🐻 who knows!  Yes I jest but I am far from perfect, you just never know.   

Here are a few photos from yesterday.  I started off with the bouquet hubs gave me, and here are two more.

The Flower that follows the sun does so even on cloudy days."

~Robert Leighton~

"If we could see the miracle of a single flower, clearly our whole life would change."

~Buddha~

Here are my "flowers".  They asked me what I wanted for my birthday and I jokingly said, "Bring wine!"  I was joking but not really and they know me well. They stopped off to pick up....

a bottle of Prosecco and this pretty wine glass, along with some fancy dark chocolate truffles. They were so good!

And the sparkly design on the wine glass was a nod to my roots.  Loved it and its new home will be displayed in pride of place in the china cabinet.  The truffles are no longer around. I am glad I took one photo to show how pretty they were.  There were five in a box, don't judge!  Hubs is not a chocolate lover and my ‘flowers’ would not take one, saying they were mine to enjoy, and I surely did. 

So there you go, that was my birthday.  Sorry for the ramble but it was a ramble kind of a day today as I become more reflective.  

Thank you for stopping by, and have a great weekend.

(my signature is mini me at my Christening)

MONDAY RECIPE POST - PICO DE GALLO (CLASSIC FRESH TOMATO SALSA)

On June 21st, Father's Day, our son and daughter-in-law came over to spend the afternoon with us.  We haven't been together much because of isolating, and this is only the second occasion we have seen them since this all began.  Very special for the four of us, still being sensible about being in our appropriate space, no hugs coming or going, but the time together was magic.  Knowing what others are going through we will never take our time together for granted.

In between our regular favorite dishes that are tried and true, we also enjoy making ethnically diverse dishes.  This week we settled on Mexican cuisine, and though we have been to several restaurants over the years, in all the places we have lived, we haven't cooked much at home.  With practice we are getting more confidence and felt it was time to rectify that situation, especially as our son and daughter-in-law enjoy it as much as we do.  With them in mind I chose this week's recipe from The Spruce Eats which you can find here.  


I always recommend checking out the original (you can get there by clicking on the red lettering above).  There are tips shared, fun professional photos, and it is always useful to watch the video if provided.  The prep time is longer than most of our meals, definitely worth the finished result though.

Classic Fresh Pico de Gallo

Yield: 2 cups (6 to 8 servings)

3 tablespoons onion (finely chopped)

2 small cloves garlic (minced)

3 large ripe tomatoes (peeled, seeds removed, and chopped)

2 chili peppers (jalapeño or serrano), chopped

2 to 3 tablespoons cilantro (chopped)

1 1/2 tablespoons lime juice, plus more to taste

Salt

Freshly ground black pepper

    

Prepare the ingredients.

Put the chopped onion and minced garlic in a strainer/sieve.  Pour 2 cups boiling water over them and let drain thoroughly.  Discard the water. Allow the chopped onion and garlic to fully cool.

Combine onions and garlic with chopped tomatoes, peppers, cilantro, and lime juice. Add salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste.

Refrigerate for at least 2 hours to blend the flavors.

The website's notes are as follows:

Serve as a dip or a condiment with Mexican-style dishes, and enjoy enjoy.

Tips:

Use hot or mild chile peppers in the salsa. Jalapeño peppers, serrano, New Mexican, and Anaheim are good choices.

Take caution when chopping the peppers and be sure to wash your hands immediately following the cutting.

If you want a spicier salsa, keep some of the pepper seeds in the mixture.

If you prefer milder salsa, make sure all the pepper seeds and ribs are removed.

Plum tomatoes are an excellent choice for salsa. They are firmer and have fewer seeds, and they're easier to dice.

If you store this salsa in the refrigerator for a few days, the tomatoes will continue to release their juices. Simply drain the salsa prior to serving to keep it from having too much liquid.

Recipe Variations

If you're not a fan of cilantro, omit it or add fresh parsley.

For extra texture and color, add about a few tablespoons of drained and rinsed black beans and a few tablespoons of cooked corn kernels.

Our shopping trips have been curtailed somewhat, and when I had difficulty getting just one jalapeno pepper, I put a small can of chopped jalapeno peppers on our grocery list.  It was a great substitute.  Below you can see the one we bought, but there are several other brands available at local grocery stores.

As mentioned, the prep takes longer than usual but with the two of us we cut that by half.  Once all items were prepared, it was a breeze to put everything together.

We made it the day before our family meal.  That night we ate a small sampling and it was excellent.  We served it with lime flavored tortilla chips.  

Not everyone likes Cilantro and I would say if you feel strongly against it, try chopped parsley, or as suggested in the original recipe, leave it out altogether.   

We added the Cilantro and lime juice a little at a time, and taste tested after each addition. We ended up using all the Cilantro I cut up, and the 3 tablespoons of lime juice.  Entirely up to your own taste.

This appetizer was a big hit with everyone.

I will have other meals we shared in future posts.

(Provecho – The Mexican “Bon Appétit”.   In Mexico it is customary to say “provecho” (proh-veh-choh) before starting a meal, or when you enter or leave the presence of someone who is eating.)

I never had the opportunity to try Mexican food before I came to the States almost 45 years ago.  The only restaurants in my town before leaving the UK, were either Indian or Chinese.  We enjoyed both but visits to them were rare, as it wasn't our way to eat out unless it was a special occasion, like a birthday.  

A memory from 40 years ago and one I may have shared before.  As new parents, hubs and I had not had much time or energy to enjoy a restaurant meal, and again didn't usually go out unless it was a special occasion.  However, one day we thought just once we would go out for no special reason, other than to get out of the house and enjoy a good meal.  As we were new in the area we didn't know anyone long enough to feel comfortable about leaving him.  So, we took our very young son with us.  It was the very first time we had attempted this.  If he got fussy we decided we would take turns to carry him outside, so as not to disturb any other patrons. 

At the time we were living in Long Beach, and we picked a restaurant at random.  I wish I could remember its name, but it might not even be there now.  The staff couldn't have been nicer.  We timed our visit and missed the busy lunch hour, but in a bit of a hurry we sat down and ordered, thinking we had better try and get in and out as fast as we could.  Just as our meal arrived our son woke up and started crying. Hubs got up to take him out but our waiter saw what was going on, walked over and asked permission to hold our son for a while, so that we could enjoy our meal.  Hubs placed our precious child in his arms.

He cradled him and started rocking him gently, and quietly sang him a Mexican lullaby while walking around the restaurant near us.  The warmth on his face as he looked down at our son was magical and I can still see him.  He had children of his own he assured us, his youngest not much older than our little guy who had already fallen asleep.  But this kind man still held him and rocked him as we talked with him, and we were able to finish the rest of our meal with ease.  I have never forgotten his kindness and never will. 

FOXES

Friday, June 11th, 2020 

Our foxes are back, a new family at least.  Before I go to bed each night I do a nightly check to make sure everything is locked up, and the garage door is down.  There have been occasions when we have forgotten. I also always look out front and back to make sure all is quiet.  This is a habit I have carried out my whole life.  My parents taught me to be cautious. 

As I look through the window I was startled but  delighted, to see a very cute fox kit on our front step, and then it was joined by two of its equally cute siblings. Hubs had gone to bed but I quietly told him about the foxes and he came down.  

We watched as they moved off the step onto the grassy area, where they played for 20 minutes or so, chasing each other across the grass, sometimes in circles, and running around the tree.  One of them spotted me and stopped, statue-like. It seemed as though our eyes locked for a few seconds, and then it rejoined the chase.  

That was the best entertainment of the night, just before midnight.  A lovely end to the day for sure, though I woke up at three a.m., and did a quick check to see if they were still around.  One was stretched out fast asleep, siblings were maybe doing the same thing out of sight.  In the morning they were gone. 

(Not only bears are roaming the area. I wonder how I would have reacted if I saw one of those on the front step?)  

I wish I could have taken decent photos.  I managed a few with my cell phone and though very blurry, at least they are a memory.

This happened last Friday and I haven’t seen them since.  The sight of our foxes was certainly a gift🦊🦊🦊 as who knows when they will be back.   

Thanks for stopping by everyone.