Happy Saturday! It's looking to be a fine weekend here, not too hot and not too humid. Next week is supposed to be pretty brutal, but I'll deal with that when it gets here.
I'm starting my morning with a trip to the Amish market to find a live trap to catch the rest of the groundhog family that's devouring the garden. Jake borrowed Cindy's smaller trap and managed to snare one of the critters the other night, and he is a cute little thing. Unfortunately for them, though, they are not welcome in my garden! Once we gather the entire family, we're relocating them in the woods several miles from here where they can live happily ever after.
Good Morning, Linda Thanks for getting us started. It sounds like a great idea not to worry about next week until it arrives. Have fun at the Amish market. Now for the inevitable question-what are you doing with the already caught groundhog until you capture the rest of the family?
It was a beautiful day yesterday! I got a great bike ride in and had a aerobic experience with friends at the pool. I went into Rite Aid to pick up a prescription and they're putting out Fall/Halloween stuff. Come on folks is Summer not short enough, already! Oh, well, I'm determined to enjoy all this Summer stuff as long as possible.
Today, I'll ride to the farmers market and back...about 10 miles I think. Then I'll putter around at home and make a plan to stick to my plan. I have a nice spaghetti squash sitting on the counter. I've mastered cooking them in the pressure cooker so it will be a quick and easy dinner.
Good morning, Debbie and Linda and sleepyheads to follow. I'm a tad fuzzy this morning after a rowdy night with my book club group but coffee will fix that. I never thought a book club could be such fun!
There is nothing on my schedule for the weekend so I should be able to clear up a mess of accounting, especially the overdue tax return! I will wander down to the Mill before noon to see how the bread sales are going. I am not buying any today. Her "special" bread today will be cinnamon rolls! Repeat: I am not buying any today.
It's back to hot weather again today so I may do a bit of gardening right after breakfast to let the weeds know that I am still fighting! Then it'll be the desk for most of the day.
How does your weekend look from this perspective of the day?
Good morning, Debbie! The groundhog is in temporary residence in an old dog crate for now. I know it's not the best solution, but we want to try to keep the family together when we relocate them. We're not entirely heartless, LOL! I get so mad when I see store shelves stocked with winter things already. I was trying to pick up some last minute things to pack for the girls for camp, and all the summer stuff is pushed way in the back corner of the stores. Who wants to shop for heavy sweaters and wool coats when it's 90* outside?
How's Bing smelling this morning?
Morning, Ruth! I'm SO glad there's no cinnamon bread or rolls around to tempt me this morning. I'm currently reading an Amish novel, and all the talk about fresh cinnamon buns hot from the oven has me hankering for some.
Ruth, unbelievable that you don't have much on your schedule this weekend! I hope you enjoy the moment! I'm with Linda, glad there aren't any cinnamon rolls around. I would have to say they are one of my old favorites.
Linda, Bing is tolerable, but if you get up really close it's still on his muzzle.
Good morning chicks! You seem to be enjoying your morning chat, may I join in?
Cottage - LOL, hope you catch the rest of the family soon! Now I have to check the weather forecast...my college roommate is coming in next weekend, and we don't have a/c!
Ruth - I need to find a book club like that! Oooohhhhhh, I couldn't wander anywhere NEAR those cinnamon rolls....willpower dust to you!
Lexiss - glad Bing is tolerable! Your bike rides sound lovely.
We decided to go to the People's Choice (arts festival) with the kids yesterday, the kids actually did GREAT. I picked up a beautiful cat pin (I like to put them on my jacket at work), and an angel one for mom (yes, even though she's not speaking to me. How can I send a box of stuff to dad for Christmas, and nothing for her?). Then, DH let me buy something I really wanted...a chip and dip pottery bowl! YAY! It's so beautiful! I can't wait to use it!
It is another GORGEOUS day here, and the DD and I are thinking of going garage sale-ing. Hope we get some good finds!
Good morning I was hoping to sleep in, especially after the 4 am 2 cats + 1 mouse fiasco, but no luck (I'm sure the mouse is fine and telling tales to its little friends somewhere deep in the walls of this ancient house). It's going to be hot all weekend so I want to get blueberry picking and lawn mowing done before noon.
Cottage - I keep meaning to research Amish markets near my Mom's. I'm pretty sure there is one somewhere off Rt 20 along my drive. Of course I'd love to visit yours!
I won't tell you what I learned about woodchucks in my Master Gardener class. It wasn't completely accurate anyway because ours went away and never came back, or is happy at the neighbors.
Ruth - A deck day sounds perfect! Are you parking in the back, just to be safe?
Debbie - Care to share your pressure cooker tips for spaghetti squash? What a great idea. I'm sure I could do more with mine in the hot weather.
Are you sure you don't want to relocate to the East Coast, say maybe Vermont? I could use a bike riding buddy.
Had a good and very unexpected morning yesterday. I had a last minute interview with a green building company. It's an admin assistant position, something I'm frankly really overqualified for. I've just been looking for something nearby with predictable hours and health insurance. Other than that the economy just doesn't allow picky. A friend of mine knows the couple who started this company and really glowed about it. It's employee owned, really creative, etc. I'm pretty sure it started out as a courtesy interview on both sides. As I talked to the cofounder though we really clicked. I ended up staying for a second interview with someone else and had an even better experience. I came out really excited about the company and the possibility of working there. Basically they look for people who fit the organization and then make it all work. They are really innovative, creative and the company has more business than they can manage. This is a new position to support the five teams and they don't exactly know what they need, they just know they need something that might be different for each team. It really sounds like I will have the job if I want it and they are comfortable with my timeline (Sept. 1). No info on salary or benefits yet but the owner already started telling me the salary is very flexible because the position can expand to fit the person. I'm really surprised by how excited I was and am about this possibility. It is not anything like I expected my next move would be. I'll update you when I know more. I also am negotiating a small consulting contract with my current employer so that will keep me connected to the early childhood world just a little. Life is strange
Wow, that was long-winded! Time to start planning my morning before it gets hot out there!
Debbie - Oh I hate when stores do that! Seems to be getting worse every year.
Ruth - Such temptation. We'll be here for your report of success.
Twynn - Sounds like some great finds yesterday. Enjoy the weather.
Cyndi - How exciting! Hope it all works out for you.
I am not looking forward to my day. DH and I are spending it with BIL and his new girlfriend on her sailboat on a small lake in the middle of a heat warning. Don't like sun, heat, sailing, small talk. Sigh. But I will go and make the most of it for BIL. Packing some snacks and stopping first for healthy lunch on the road so hoping to stay OP today. Awkward to bring my own snacks (to share, or course) for a day with other people. Hopefully the teen will not get into mischief knowing we are gone all day
Cyndi, wow, it sounds like the perfect position just fell in your lap! Good luck and I hope it pans out! RE the groundhogs, please don't tell me they can find their way back home!
Twynn, the arts festival sounded fun! I hope you can find something other than chips to fill your new chip and dip bowl with, though. Have fun yardsaleing. (Is that a word? How do you spell it, anyway? )
Just waiting on Jake to finish watering the garden before we get going. I wish he'd hurry up, I'm starving!
ETA- Karen, I hope you manage to find some pleasure in your day out on the lake in the broiling sun! Maybe the rest of the gang will realize that it's too hot for such an outing and you can find another activity in the cool indoors, instead.
Last edited by cottagebythesea; 07-16-2011 at 07:52 AM.
Twynn, I read, "I picked up a beautiful cat"...whew glad to know it's only a pin. It sounded like a great festival. I love new pottery pieces!
Cyndi, your job possibility sounds encouraging! Maybe the next time we meet up it will include bikes. Spaghetti squash in the pressure cooker doesn't take long...it can easily turn to mush. With my electric I set it for 2 minutes under pressure. I've been cutting it in half the other way. After the two minutes I'll let it cool down for a few minutes on it's own then let the pressure out. The halves are so hot at that point I let them cool a bit. If I time them just right the cooling process separates the meat from the skin and I take a grapefruit knife and go along the edge of the skin. Have you ever frozen it after cooking? Or before?
Good morning from still steamy Delta. I really found gardening difficult yesterday in the heat and humidity but did get some weeding done. By 10:30 I gave up and retreated to the house.
I avoided the fresh bread at the Mill in the morning but did buy a loaf of rye to stash in my freezer when I went down in the afternoon. Luckily the cinnamon rolls were sold out almost as soon as they arrived. We are not making any money on this baking venture but it is getting people into the Mill.
Today we have Church at 8:30 and then I think I'll hole up indoors again. We are expecting temps in the mid-90s which is pretty high for us "Northerners". (When it gets over 80 we start crabbing about the heat.) I may get some gardening done this evening if the bugs aren't too bad. The veggies are looking parched again despite torrential rain on Friday.
Good morning Heat here too but it was cool over night. Yesterday I picked berries, mowed and cleared brush in the heat. Yuck. More mowing today and some gardening work then indoor chores. I'm going to fit a bike ride in there somewhere too!
Ruth - I'm borrowing your book club idea. Now that I might have time to read again I told a few friends about your club and we've already picked our first book! Is there a franchise fee?
No franchise fee! We are even officially registered with the Ontario library system under DWARPS. Some of the books we have read were pretty "dark" but the current one, The Help, is very enjoyable. I'll treat myself to an hour or so of it later today.
Weekend Beach Chat for 7/16-7/17
Thanks for getting us started. It sounds like a great idea not to worry about next week until it arrives. Have fun at the Amish market. Now for the inevitable question-what are you doing with the already caught groundhog until you capture the rest of the family?
Come on folks is Summer not short enough, already! Oh, well, I'm determined to enjoy all this Summer stuff as long as possible.
I was trying to pick up some last minute things to pack for the girls for camp, and all the summer stuff is pushed way in the back corner of the stores. Who wants to shop for heavy sweaters and wool coats when it's 90* outside? 
I was hoping to sleep in, especially after the 4 am 2 cats + 1 mouse fiasco, but no luck (I'm sure the mouse is fine and telling tales to its little friends somewhere deep in the walls of this ancient house). It's going to be hot all weekend so I want to get blueberry picking and lawn mowing done before noon. 
good morning Twynn, Happy hunting 
)
I read, "I picked up a beautiful cat"...whew glad to know it's only a pin. It sounded like a great festival. I love new pottery pieces!
