SUPPER CLUB - Friday, May 19th

[purrfect-lady]

Good Morning,

I can see clearly now, the rain is gone! For at least a week! Yay!! And we are leaving this morning for four days of camping, just us, to relax, read, walk the beach, and watch ships. We'll go into Port Townsend and explore some old shops and there are about THREE LQS's there and I plan to hit every single one of them! We'll be home on Tuesday afternoon.

Yesterday I finished a small wallhanging (9x36 Row by Row pattern) for our friends. It turned out really nice. I tweaked the pattern to resemble their new house with the water (Hood Canal in Puget Sound), Mt. Rainier, and big trees in the background. (I took artistic license and moved Rainier to the Peninsula. lol!) I also used a brilliant sunset sky fabric instead of blue w/clouds and that made it pop. I almost hated to give it up! We returned their dump trailer to them and gave them the wall hanging then. She wasn't home but he seemed pleased with it. She sews mostly clothes, occasional basic quilts, but I've never seen her doing anything with applique so this will be different for them.

Our hazardous tree guy came by yesterday to estimate cost of removing a couple of big fir trees that are really crowding our driveway. (I'm sure Sue and her DH will be happy to hear about that!) and he looked at the neighbor's big maple we've been fretting over for years. He looked at it five years ago, too. He said it's over 200 feet tall, is rotting, and when it goes, it will completely flatten our house. and us, too, if we're in it. Guess what I thought about last night as I was trying to tall asleep! We're going to have an attorney write the next (third) registered letter to the owner (who doesn't live on the property, but rents it out).

CHICKIE - You reminded me that I have two pepper plants in small planters. I think I need to take them with me camping to make sure they get enough water. If I plant them in the ground they will be eaten for sure. Slugs can climb the side of a house, so I'm afraid tin can collars wouldn't be much deterrent here and that's what eats all our stuff. I'm sorry you had to go to yet another visitation.

JANA - the devastation on the mountain was pretty awful and complete. It looked like something from a sci-fi movie. Huge forests were laid flat and all was grey. Two years later they harvested the fallen timber and two of my brothers drove log trucks during that operation.

TINA - I'm no tomato plant expert for sure. I've never grown them sucessfully. But - some people plant them in a tire. The theory is that tires hold the warmth of the sun at night and tomatoes like warm. Also, another trick a lot of nurses use is to tie them up with oxygen tubing for the same reason - it holds warmth. Hard to come by if you don't work with oxygen tubing though . . .

BECCA - I've seen wild turkeys while traveling but never babies! What a treasured sight you were blessed with! Last week they stopped traffic on Interstate 5 in Seattle for a mama duck and all her babies to get across. The friends I made the wallhanging for live right across the canal from your DGS. He is going to have a string of beautiful weather this week!

LINDA - That's a terrific idea - making a menu for someone with a low appetite! And I so agree - at this stage of the game let them eat whatever they want. I cared for my dad his last 3 years and appetite became a problem. We catered to his tastes as much as possible to get food into him.

I'm not sure what will be on our menu tonite. Bill bought this fancy new camp stove that he just HAD to have. Stands alone on legs. So that means he will be doing the cooking. I will be inside, though, doing all the prep work! But for the next four nights we will be grilling burgers and chicken, eating pasta, and maybe a breakfast for supper. Just not sure what order it will be in.

I probably won't make it here while we are gone, so you all go ahead and set the table without me! I'll check in by phone if/when I can!

See you next week!
mz

[FarmChick]

Good morning! The storms went around us. We had a little rain and some thunder and lightning in the distance, but the big red and yellow line of storms parted and went north and south of us. Our rain was only a tenth of an inch or so. I know others were not as fortunate. All day yesterday and last evening, the muggy atmosphere was ominous—waiting for major storms. We put all the vehicles in the shop and machine shed in case the hail materialized. Blackie and Lint were in their pen, but we made a shelter for them, and there are trees on one side as well. They were ready for breakfast this morning and must have thought they didn’t get enough, as they chased me back to the house.

I didn’t get my second batch of jam made yesterday as I didn’t quite have enough strawberries. I’ll go out and see if I have any more today.

My DD came and spent the afternoon yesterday and brought a surprise—Tasha! It’s the last week of school and not much is happening, so she got to come with DD. She was happy to play with the dogs and calves.

Today through Sunday I’m on doggy duty with Choc and Maggie while DS is out of town. The Hooligans will love getting to go see them several times a day and evening.

Dinner tonight… DH’s choice—burgers or tamale pie. He had burgers last night, but I have a feeling given the choice they will be on his plate tonight as well.

Tina—those volunteer cherry tomatoes last year had no shade whatsoever… lots of fruit and less foliage than the tomatoes that got some shade.

I have birds wanting fed now, so need to get going around here…

[gershwin64]

Good morning.
I made chicken fajitas last night and they were yummy! All the veggies with it didn't leave room for salad.
Mary, the tires wouldn't work here because they would fry them in our daytime temps. The year we had them so good we put cinder blocks on the west side to protect them from the dry hot winds and the sun heated those blocks up so maybe you're right about them liking warmth. ... those blocks kept them warn at night, I'll have to get some because we've used all of ours over the years for other things.

Great news yesterday, Kevin passed his driving test for his CDL! First try too! We're so proud of him! He seems to live his job and all the different toys he gets to drive, every littleboys dream! Hehe

I gave the boys haircuts and then baths after, I'm done for the day! It really exhausts me giving them baths because they do not like their hair washed and it's a wrestling match, I end up soaked!

Today is payday so we're going to eat out at Si Senor; Mexican food I'm ready for someone else to do the cooking and cleaning.
Tina

[gershwin64]

Chickie, what a fun surprise! Awesome!

[auntjana]

Good morning!

We are cloudy and gray still, but warming up slowly. By Sunday, we will be in the 70's, but with rain. At least it's not snow! We finally hung up the snow shovels and put away the ice melt.

Mary - I am praying that the third time is the charm with that owner. I would also look at the legality of removing the offending branches at the property line. I know here in Utah and in California, you can remove any branches that are encroaching over that line. And frankly I would be sending that letter to him every week and the city too!

Chickie - I like surprises like that! Will you be having Tasha over the summer too? I need to make a batch or two of strawberry jam - we are into my last jar.

I will be having my Gracie overnight next weekend. Kate, awhile ago, bought tickets to see Celine Dion in Vegas. They have to fly down because of work schedules, and pick up a rental car to drive back. Kate's parents were going to watch Gracie, but they are up to their old tricks of the way they treat the kids. The other sisters take precedence over Kate.

I guess i have to cook tonight - last night was fend for yourself, as my mouth was still numb from the DDS. I have food porn on, Food Network, and they are grilling chicken - looks yummy - so that is what will happen here - lemon rosemary marinated chicken with grilled zucchini. Even if it cold outside!

Enjoy,
Jana

[purrfect-lady]

It's me again. We are all packed up and hitched up, but waiting on a cat that suddenly decided to go out cattin' around. He's ALWAYS here for breakfast, but not today! Have to admit, I'm a bit worried about him. Vicki was already ragging at Bill early this morning about us driving on her property, which, even if we do it's only a tire touch of a couple of feet, and we give her $10 for that, an agreement which now she claims she has no memory of (and she probably doesn't!) But she still takes the money. But so far we're not moving. We did take flowers and a birthday card to her a few minutes ago and she was friendly to us then. So we'll see what happens if/when we finally pull out.

CHICKIE - so glad the storms passed you by. You are golden! have fun with the DGD's this weekend! They are sweeties! And what a fun surprse - your DD and Tasha! School is letting out early for y'all there. Here, it will go on for another month. Probably to do with the weather?

JANA - we've already cut the limbs of the maple up as high as we can go without machinery moving in - which I think our guy is going to do in 2 weeks when he comes for the other trees. But the 'limbs' on this tree are as big as regular tree trunks! Some are as big around as my waist. We are talking a monster tree here. and it is standing only about 15 feet from our house. It's beautiful, shady, and home to a lot of critters. I love it. But I'm scared of it. Actually, I'd like it to just be topped to about 50 feet.

TINA - I think cement blocks is an excellent idea for your tomtoes! I never thought of that! It might work for sweet peas, too, as they like their roots to be shaded but the rest of them to be in the sunshine.

Well, I'm going to go call my kitty again. That Darn Cat!!

[Becca]

Hello everyone,Pooped here after taking DH to Dr.Stopped on way home & got 3 gal on Strawberries, worked them up for freezer.

Maryz That was quite a treat to see that many babies so tiny.Ive seen them before but never that many & so tiny.
Yes I saw DGS would have pretty weather next wk.They go on vacation the 25 so they will leave the pretty weather.He lives right at Hood Canal.
That tree would be a Major concern.Even more than Vicky I think.

Chickie Your What a great surprise younhad.Thats early for school to be out.We used to always get out in May but that was many moons ago.lol

Tina Tomatoes love warmth & sunshine.Wind damages the plant.Hope the blocks work for you.You reminded me of when I used to wash my DDs hair she hated it & what a time we had.

We still have had no rain.Its all around us but misses us.Its black now but looks like it's going around us.We ate out.DH had BBQ & I had chicken salad & broccoli soup.Very tasty.And he had chocolate pie. Becca