Happy anniversary to me yesterday, two years retired from teaching! Each day continues to be savored. I'm grateful for the flexibility in my time, the good health to enjoy it, and the loving friends and family that share the adventure.
I'm going to report backwards from today. I helped Fred with one job at the mill, then caught the 11:15 Bikram Yoga class. I hadn't been since April. I felt excellent, strong and balanced. The goal is once a week. Let's see if I can get back at it. Fred received a well deserved hour long massage.
Day 731-Labor Day. I puttered all day. Picked raspberries, caught up on paperwork, re-potted an orchid, stuff like that. Scott and Savannah joined us for a late dinner, then spent the night. They just got keys for their house in Sacramento.
Day 730-Sunday. We rose early for a journey to Santa Rosa. First stop we fetched Trevor in Healdsburg at the Salli (Salvation Army). I brought a picnic and peach cobbler. We relaxed at Colin and Cora's. Fred made blocks for Pax. Trevor has some pretty nice drum riffs with them.
We walked to a local park. Paxton climbs everywhere.
Princess E'lora surprised us, excuse me, Princess Daniella.
Travel on this day went well. Being a holiday weekend, it's something to plan carefully. Depositing Trev about 4:30, we passed this cool farmhouse on 128.
It wasn't much past dark when we got home. A new episode of Ray Donovan was waiting for us.
Day 729-Saturday Alexa had a sleepover, so the day started with Grampa making us eggs, bacon, and toast. She liked watching Grampa change the front brakes on his truck. She and I went to our favorite place, the library. She colored a dino picture and checked out a dino book. I took her home. I spent the rest of the day preparing for our Santa Rosa visit.
Day 728-Friday Over 10,000 board feet of cedar, 2x6 decking for Kubich Lumber.
Then I picked up Alexa from Kinderland. As we were walking to the car, "And how was your day?" she asked so sweetly. Exciting road work was happening when we got home. Rich helped her operate the tractor.
She was standing on this roller, and simply leaped off. Fortunately I was there to catch her. No fear!
We went for a swim too. Friend Laurie stopped by to talk. We ate tacos kind of late, Alexa was too tired to even eat. She slept well all night long.
Day 727-Thursday I enjoyed preparing for a dinner party for the folks, Eddie, and neighbors, nine in all. I roasted my first leg of lamb. Neighbor Bonnie said lots of garlic and lemon.
Here's the menu for the eve: fresh figs from Scott's tree with blue cheese, a pecan, and pear basalmic reduction; hummus or cream cheese/spiced plum sauce (our plums!) with pita chips; Greens cookbook offered a filo recipe with zucchini as the key ingredient---to quote our friend Eric, "to die for"; cold cucumber soup (cucumber and zucchini bounty, are you surprised?) ditto Eric's comment. Those were the appetizers. Raspberry Moscow Mule was the most popular drink offering, it is my version of the Blackberry Moscow Mule I had made last week.
Roast leg of lamb (after a few Martha Stewart videos and directions from our favorite, Dad's Own Cookbook), oven roasted potatoes, tabbouleh with arugula (garden bounty driven), rosemary garlic bread with the cream cheese garlic topping that Eric would say "is to die for." Fresh peaches made amazing peach cobbler, a recipe adapted from RaeAnn Elzea, butter crust and custard filling.
A lovely evening, I wish for all to have such splendid dining. As Colin said in a text to me earlier in the week, "the best meal is made by hands among love ones :]"
Day 726 to 721-Wednesday Hmmmmm.... What was that Edward Norton film where he had "lost time"? Pictures are helping me remember. Well, that Friday was Rascal Flat and Sheryl Crow concert.
Mark and Laurie, Alice and Eddie went with us. Mexican food at our favorite place in Wheatland before. Sunday was another epic motorcycle ride. Lunch stop in Plymouth at Taste was, to quote Eric, "to die for."
Eddie, John, and Eric were with us. We were the only two up. Ice House Road and Mormon Immigrant Trail are always favorites.
Raspberry bounty calls for picking every two or three days. They take awhile to gather.
Saturday, August 23, we did morning chores. Then headed to Oroville to pick up our lamb. We got a box of peaches from our new friend Dave at his farm stand on 70. We checked out trucks as we begin considering the mill needs around that.
I love Martha Stewart!
Freezer space is full, so I've taken to preserving fruit in alcohol. These are raspberries in vodka.
On Monday sweet Alice brought us enchiladas at the mill. I had made roast beef sandwiches, so she shared and we had dinner!
Wednesday I had a home day to sew curtains for our bedroom. Satisfying, for sure!
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