Day 720-August 21, 2014

     My fingernails always seem to be dirty.  I thought it was the garden, but I think it's the mill.  I'll need to keep that brush handy!  Deer were back yesterday morning, the mountain lion must have moved on.  Two jobs at the mill, then some visiting.  Pete is a budding engineer, he loves to hang with his pa, Juan.  He raced around Bruce's new trailer in the mill yard on his two wheeled bike with no pedals.  He'll be ready for the motorcycle trails soon.

     I zipped up last week's lentil soup with masala.  I knew it was in the cupboard somewhere.  I cooked up some tempura zucchini using corn flour.  Don't try that.  Dipped in Ranch it was still good, but not as light as my normal recipe with cornstarch and flour.  Do use beer instead of water though.  I went to bed just after 7, achy and tired.  I felt much better in the morning.

     We cleaned up the scrap pile.  That conveyor and hog are fun, and effective!  I wrapped up a pallet of 2x2 pickets. Then off for a lunch date with Janet, she's writing a children's novel!  Editing science labs is her paying job.  Nice flexible schedule, like mine.  With that nice schedule, I bopped over to Sharon's fourth grade classroom to staple homework and greet her kids.  They make me feel like a rock star when I walk in.   

     Scott joined us for dinner.  Fred bbq'd steak, I picked veggies from the garden to grill.  My favorite blog, Serena Bakes From Scratch, had an enticing Blackberry Moscow Mule recipe and photo.  We've got blackberries!  He signs papers for Sacramento home purchase on Tuesday.  And, an interview with Santa Rosa fire department next week.  He's a hardworking fella!

Day 718-August 19, 2014

     Five more glorious days since my last post.  Let me go back.  Friday morning I got right to work putting a big roast in the crockpot, baking that chocolate zucchini cake, and watering before meeting the gals for a lunch adventure.  Not much time to glamour up, oh well.  We met at Gramma Alice's, Laurie, Jacque, Erica, my mom, and I.  The six of us piled in my car, first stop Costco to pick up two golf cart batteries for our camper because I could use Jacque's card.  The ladies chattered away.  Next stop, Pottery World for a nice lunch.  I told Laurie we only needed one dessert to share, but she ordered two.  That put me over the top.  They do have nice iced tea!  Last stop, Wal-Mart for a 30 minute shopping spree.  I got 8 iced tea glasses for our cupboard.  
    After dropping off the ladies, I stopped at the mill.  I then fetched Alexa from daycare for a sleepover.  She got a special treat for staying dry all day at school.  
     We pulled in the garage, "Where's all da people?"  She loved the action of Kamp Kerksieck.  Well, it's just us.  She headed right for "Animal Alphabet," her favorite video.  The roast smelled heavenly.  She sniffed around all of her favorite things.  

We played for awhile then decided to swim before dinner.  With her life jacket on she wanted to slide before getting wet.  When she hit the water, the cold took her breath away.  She was silent a few moments, then out eased, "Dat...was...fun...!"  We paddled around, but no more sliding that day.  

As the days of summer shorten, the pool begins to cool.  It's amazing how that change comes.  
     In the morning Grampa made bacon and raspberry pancakes.  We harvested from the garden and Alexa helped in the garage.  She and I went over to The Ranch to visit Gramma Jam.  Rice Krispy Squares and a hammock, this is the life!

When I took her home, AJ was working at home.  We had a nice visit too.  At home I made Eggplant Scallopini Marsala with veggies from the garden.  
     Sunday morning we did some early chores.  I made a nice picnic sandwich and we headed up to Sierra Buttes on the motorcycle.  We did our annual hike to the lookout.  

We drove back dirt Mountain House Road out of Goodyear's Bar. It climbs up the steep canyon, lots of running water and lush vegetation.  Amazing vistas.  After nine miles, it drops into Forest City.  Back on pavement, that Pliocene Ridge Road rocks!  It got hot coming back on Highway 49, but our pool was ready for us.  Ray Donovan, our favorite show!
     Monday at the mill, a good start to the week.  A batch of snickerdoodles first thing.  I got to load the back of the pick up with wood scraps.  Ten minutes on the pool floatie was well earned.  I picked a bucket of berries in my wet suit.  An evening visit with neighbor Bonnie and some leftovers rounded out the day.  Fred is a hard worker!
     Tuesday homemaker day for me.  I made some raspberry jam, plum-apple butter, and tomatillo sauce for tonight's tacos.  I took lunch to Fred and Guy from Pacific Forest Products.  He's helping Fred today.  At Safeway I found some of that good Sierra Nevada Flip Side beer.  There's a  big smile on my face!  But I made us Rico Serenes, blending whole lime and fresh basil with a little raw sugar and water, then poured over rum.  Good Puerto Rico memories!

Day 713-August 14, 2014

     The days have been busy at the mill.  It is nice getting back in the routine.  

Today we went in early, and Fred sent me on my way when a helper came along.  Tim got the last cookie.  I try to keep cookies for the fellas.  I picked up our BIG turkey, he fit in the freezer.  It will be a Thanksgiving bounty. 

     I did my annual stroll through Wooden Spoon, our local toy store for cooks. I lost my travel coffee mug, found a Thermos on sale to give a try.  It is one of my favorite places to browse.  Inspired, I picked more raspberries when I got home.  I put up a quart in vodka, an easy preserving method.  It just can't be my only one.  

The birds, deer, and I have been enjoying our plums.  Fred fenced the tree, but the deer just pushes on in.I think I may put up a pint in limoncello just for kicks.  Plums that is, not deer.
     Yesterday was the start of school.  I helped greet in the morning at Bell Hill.  Didn't mind leaving after an hour though.  That afternoon, an early dinner at Kanes, then The Hundred-Foot Journey.  I thoroughly enjoyed the romantic film, folk and food, my favorite topics. And I had a great Sierra Nevada beer at Kanes, I think it was called Flip Side.
     Determined to use up leftovers, we've been eating the same old stuff.  I'm making lentil soup for tonight.  A chocolate zucchini cake recipe was just found to try soon too.

Day 710-August 11, 2014

Day 710
     The summer has been full.  This is the first week starting in a routine way in a long long time.  Fred headed to the mill.  I worked on paperwork and phone calls in the morning.  I made a batch of raspberry jam as well.  About 10:30 I headed to the mill.  In this last year, learning to drive our forklift is one of my major thrills.  

I enjoy the work.  
     Today I managed to fold the mountain of laundry when I got home.  More paperwork, another dinner of leftovers.  The pool is such a refreshing place to cool off.  I'm grateful!
     It's sad to report that over this last year I regained about half of the weight I had lost in my first year of retirement.  I have committed myself again to mindful eating and healthy habits.  I get to put a happy face on my health calendar today.  This mornings weigh in was 171.  The doc would like me to be at 160.  Between 155 and 160 is my goal range.
     

Day 709-August 10, 2014

Hmmm.  I'll need to calculate for leap year, but I think this is Day 709 of retirement.
After a lovely day at the fair,

a bounty of raspberries, a new successful cookie recipe,

and a flock of happy chickens,

I decided to restart my blog/journal.  In reality, I thought about it because of the loving encouragement of my dear sister-in-love, Coke.

This lovely summer Sunday morning Fred headed off to adventure on his dirt bike with brother Eddie.  I headed to our wonderful Nevada County Fair to bid on Peter Ramey's prize turkey.  The Rameys are our landlord at the mill, and we want to show our gratitude in this way.  It was a new experience for me to get a bidding number for the auction, to negotiate that ritual so familiar to many.  Well, I came to find out that Peter's brother had a lamb up for auction as well. After meeting Mom and Pop at the cinnamon roll trailer and viewing the inspiring home craft exhibits, I left the fair with two checks written for our winning bids.

 We may need a bigger freezer.  The smile on Nathan's face was worth more than the price of the lamb.

At home I picked a quart of raspberries.  Bounty!  I think they will be soaked in brandy for later consumption during the holidays, or I may make a batch of jam to eat now.  The cookie recipe that caught my eye on Pinterest is Will You Marry Me cookies.  Fred and neighbor Dan give them a thumbs up.  I send a bag with Heritage Builders who are picking up lumber from the mill in the morning.  

Which brings me to what I've been doing since I stopped writing daily.  I help Fred at the mill.  I love the work.  Driving the forklift is a gas.  And, I love paperwork and numbers.  It has been a good venture thus far.  We're not getting rich, but we were already rich (we have love in our family).  It is satisfying work, a service needed in our community.

Our garden has thrived on my absence this summer.  We put it on a timer with well water when we were gone in Hawaii and Puerto Rico.  Neighbor Dan kept a watchful eye.  These before and after pics make me smile.

Time now to saute up some garden veggies, peppers, zucchini, and basil to add to niece Dawn's leftover pasta sauce from Kamp Kerksieck last week.  A new episode of Ray Donovan is on tonight.  One nice thing about an empty nest, we can watch anything we want.
     It was a lovely sunset!