Shape Up!

A good day today with girlfriends.  We did our favorite Saturday stuff - yard sailing followed by lunch, then Sharon and I went to our favorite consignment shop.

Tomorrow is Father's Day, and we are having a cookout with family.  I've put together a rather ambitious menu with probably way too much food, considering that the kids really don't each much.  I started some of the stuff tonight to make things easier tomorrow.   I know it will be hot and humid, and I have to have the oven on for several hours.  That's not going to be good, but what can I do?  I can just imagine that by tomorrow, I will drop some of the items from the menu and say the heck with it.  Example, I had planned to buy ears of corn from the farmer who sets up a stand beside his truck a short distance from our house, but he wasn't there today.  Oh, well ...

I'm falling into a bad habit of watching television after dinner until we go to bed, then read for an hour or so.  The reading isn't bad, in fact I would like to do more of it - it's the wasted time with TV.  I have so many things I plan to make or do and none of it has even been started.  Not good, Diane.  I'm keeping the house neat and clean, and I'm ok with those chores, but all my creative plans are moldering in the dust.   Must change that behavior before I fritter my life away!

I'm Back!

We arrived home late this afternoon after a weekend in New England.  Rhode Island, actually.  Jim's brother Alan is celebrating his 70th birthday this week, and he was given a surprise party by his daughter Joni and husband Bob.   It was a really lovely party for 36 people.  Joni is a gourmet cook, self taught, who cooks from scratch without recipes.  Her food rivals the best restaurants, easily.  She has a natural gift.  We enjoyed seeing people we haven't seen in years and new people we hadn't met before.  All in all, a happy event.  

It was a full day's drive each way, but not too bad since we shared the driving.  I'm looking forward to getting back into my normal routine tomorrow.   This is a photo of the 2 greyhounds Joni and Bob own, Charles (Chubbs) and Cyrus.  Very sweet and gentle retired racing dogs.  These are very pampered pooches.  They even had a hired dog nanny the evening of the party to look after them and keep them from eating the food and bothering the guests.  A very good idea, actually!

Family Connections

Woke up to a phone call from daughter Cindy this morning, and Jim and I were on the phone with her for about an hour and a half.  Lots happening in their world in Greenfield, as well as with our granddaughter Hannah who is in Egypt on a college course through UMass.  Cindy and the family were on Skype with her early this morning, where it was noon in Egypt.  That's a whole 'nuther post, which I will do later on.  Right now I need to get ready to do my job at the library.  Usually that's on Thursday, but we are leaving tomorrow morning for a party in Rhode Island for Jim's brother, who is turning 70.  We'll be back by Sunday, so it will be another quick visit.  A long bit of driving, which I will also help with.  Jim's had a sore muscle in his thigh since pulling it on our trip to Florida, so a long drive will probably be uncomfortable for him.

I'm starting to ramble, so I'll quit for now.