Tuesday, August 9, 2022

Another muggy day, but there will be a good breeze and potentially not as much sun. Yesterday the beach was tolerable because of the breeze but it was very sunny.

Last night we watched Hustle on Netflix. Kind of a feel good movie (which I found by searching for such). We enjoyed it.

Tonight I am cooking Summer Pasta from a recipe I got out of the newspaper 30+ years ago. Even DS in chef mode makes it. It has a no cook sauce made of diced tomatoes and herbs that sits at room temperature for a while to meld the flavors. When it is time to eat, I cook a box of fettuccine and mix it with the sauce and shredded or diced mozzarella, then serve. The mozzarella melts and the whole concoction ends up at just slightly more than room temperature. For leftovers, I just microwave until it is approximately the same temperature so the mozzarella remelts. Not necessarily healthy, but I don't eat a ton.

Time to take the long Justice morning walk. Have a terrific Tuesday!

We are not doing a good job of cooking at home this week. Since we're leaving again next week, I think we're still in vacation mode. DH is going to take over some of the dinner prep when school starts. I may be eating a lot of tacos :) Your pasta sounds good!

Yesterday I cleaned out, scrubbed, and rearranged the fridge/freezer and the pantry cupboard. Never one of my favorite tasks. But between DD no longer living here, BFF leaving behind stuff we will never eat, and our extended absence, I threw out a lot of freezer burned veggies and moldy cheese, and bits of leftovers in plastic containers. (No BFF, we don't need these leftover canned green beans) I feel bad throwing stuff out, but sometimes it has to happen. But now when I open the freezer/fridge/ cupboard it looks so organized and I can find everything.

Once I was done with the kitchen, I tackled my closets. Organized enough for the beginning of fall, but will need more work for deepening cold in October. Then I got a pedicure :)

Today off to have lunch with my parents and then to the summer festival in my hometown. I am over attending this festival, but for some reason DH enjoys it and BFF really wants to go. Better get dressed :)

I am sure impressed at your organization. Here is the recipe (with notations - let me know what you need deciphered):

Greetings all

Sun here. Spent the morning playing scrabble with the usual suspects. We picked plums off her trees in the back yard and there was serious bear evidence. Many mangled plum pits in the yard, trashed up branches etc. There have been a lot of bears in residential areas this year. People with fruit trees have to keep all the fruit picked. There is a cool orchard near here and they have fences around the trees that look like Jurassic Park! Thats why I don't have any fruit trees. I will share the plums. I also scored some home grown green beans! Dinner tonight with smoked sausage.

Liz that fresh tomato sauce reminds me of one I used to make. I think it came from the Silver Palette cookbook but same idea. Fresh uncooked tomatoes, pasta, olive oil, parmesan and such. Enjoy.

DD yay you for cleaning out freezer. Who needs that stuff. Out here there is some guy you can take food waste too as he has a worm farm. We had worms in our compost for awhile but I don't think it is working anymore. Our county is talking about collecting food waste in a third bin but no action yet. I am not holding my breath.

CC house report please.

Thinking of you DianeO. Good energy.

Cheers all. Diane S

I'm a little stressed! Overwhelmed mostly. It'll all work out, but this middle part is a lot. Escrow docs, wiring money without a bank branch close by, crash course in mortgages and trying to understand the best way to go there, inspection today, etc. Ugh, can't think about it! The seller were home during the inspection and I was surprised to see them when I walked in. It was awkward! The wife was cold. Of course, I decided it was all about me, but my dad suggested maybe she isn't happy about selling as the house is pretty new and they built it. The husband was nice. The "me" part was that the wife is in INCREDIBLE shape. No wonder they had a gym in the house. Like not an ounce of excess fat and cut muscle everywhere on her thin frame. I felt fat and frumpy by comparison and my brain immediately went to "she's sorry to see her house bought by a fat out of shape lady..." I can see how that is not helpful, based on evidence, or knowable, but my feelings went there. Argh.

In other news, my parents had a lightning strike! Fried a ton of stuff. The sub-zero refrigerator, the alarm, 3 garage door openers, a furnace, the sprinkler timer, ceiling fans, plugs galore inside and out. They think it must have either hit closest to the barn as that had the most electronic damage, but stuff in both houses fried too. They asked the electrician about whether a whole house surge protector would have saved anything and he said he visited the factory where they make them and they told him they won't protect against that direct of a lightning strike, in which case, why bother. So bummer! They are hoping that some of the things like the farage door openers can be fixed by replacing circuit boards (the fridge and alarm were fixed today, furnace tomorrow). This is the second one they've had in 10 years.

Anyway, that's all my news. Getting my hair colored here for the first time tomorrow. Wish me luck.

A lot going on! Of course the lady just isn't happy about selling a newer home. It had nothing to do with you. Weird that they were there though.

Lightening striking twice in the same area! Isn't that very unusual or does it strike really frequently in their area. That would freak me out!

Good luck with the hair. I hate changing hairdressers. I need to find a new one in Florida. The last one I went to did a good job but charged $100 more than in Massachusetts. Seemed like way too much.

The lightning is really normal for Michigan thunderstorms, but I don't know about how common it is to hit close enough to the same house to cause electrical damage. A person we know at the lake had their house downstate in MI burn down from a lightning strike. I would think Florida and Mass would have the same issues?

Once in a great while in Massachusetts but not too often. You are probably correct about Florida but not during the time of year when we are there.