12 Oakdale

Brrrr, it has been 45° the last 2 nights. During the day, in the sun, it is comfortable, however in the evenings and early mornings, it has been chilly. Our Connecticut friends were not impressed. Fortunately, we finally finished repairing William’s hut the day the temperature dipped. It had been sitting in the garage all summer. Nothing like just in time inventory. Gracie helped while we decided what to do. To keep it warm, we had built it with a reptile heater big enough for an African spurred tortoise. It had to be hung on the ceiling of the hut because it is too warm for a small turtle. However, it was the only heater that could be outside. All the smaller ones weren’t waterproof. Overkill, but what was available. We took the sides of the hut off, and I cut them the same height. Originally the top had a slant to let any rain run off, but it doesn’t need that since our house eave protects it from drips. We added 1x4s on each side and along the back to make the structure more stable....

I woke up this morning and realized I have nothing hanging over my head. I could work in the yard, get caught up on financial paperwork, or bake bread, but nothing is overdue. Just the steady drumbeat of life. Last week I was crazed with shower preparations, and even though I had a schedule and was really on top of it, I woke up a couple of nights obsessing about all the different tasks. It all got done.  People seemed to enjoy the party, and Spaulding and Molly were pleased. We did run low on bbq and have tons of potato salad and cole slaw left, but that might be just because the guests included lots of young men. * My orange cake was a hit, and my mini cupcakes were delicious. I also made cookie gun almond cookies. I was pleased with the results. This week, I had a Toastmasters speech to prepare for my Presentation Mastery pathway. and one last survey to complete to finish my Engaging Humor pathway. I had been putting the latter off for almost 3 months. Tuesday morning, I got up,...

Feeling like being run over by the proverbial Mack truck after getting the Covid booster shot yesterday, but thankful this is available for us old people. Our appointments at Publix had to be rescheduled from the previous day, because Grant had infections in two fingers and needed to see a doctor. Before we went to South Florida, I created a garden tunnel of pig wire and my anti-bird netting. This was to keep the rabbit I’ve seen from eating my new corn plants. I weighted down the edges with bricks. When we came back, no bunnies in the corn, but a dead black racer snake was tangled in the netting. My first thought was to lay the net out in the yard and let the ants eat away. That idea stank. Next plan, hang the net off the dock, so the fish could nibble. Good idea until I saw a big turtle investigating. I couldn’t face have it also caught. I hauled the netting up and only let a little part with the snake pieces hang in the water, then I obsessed all night. There wasn’t much snake gone ...

Clara and I spent all yesterday baking and baking. We made pinwheels, gingerbread, checkerboards, shortbread decorated like little packages, and Santa’s from Nutter Butters dipped in white chocolate for hats and beards. She was a trooper but wore out before we got to the chocolate drops. I was pretty done in too, so we saved that recipe for another time. She took plates of cookies to share with Nancy next door and to the little girls across the street.   She also helped me make our broccoli and bacon crescent roll appetizer wreath which was our dinner during Zoom happy hour with our marriage enrichment group. We drank what I call Noëls, appropriated from a Total Wine Halloween Bloody Good Times recipe: 1 oz cherry vodka, 1 oz vodka, 4 oz cranberry juice. Shake with ice. Serve in martini glasses or over ice; good maraschino cherries for garnish. I called them Cranberry Delights at Thanksgiving. Three celebrations just about uses up one bottle of cherry vodka. As if I needed any more...