Weekending

 Good Morning!

I'm excited to tell you that it is grey and damp...it has been raining!  Yes, again.  I stepped out onto the patio when I let Mabel in this morning and took a look at our rain gauge.  Over an inch!

There are two conference calls on my calendar this morning.  I shouldn't complain (but I might) since my last two Fridays have been clear...but...Other things:  I need to get to the drug store to pick up a couple of prescriptions (one of which I only have one pill left).  I need/want to find time to be calm (maybe meditate?  maybe yoga?  maybe both?).  My friend Carol called me yesterday morning from the hospital - she had been admitted on Saturday and she is very, very ill.  She has a long history of not taking care of herself, of ignoring signs (and talk from friends) and my fear is that all that has caught up with her to bite her hard and she is now in a life-threatening condition.  I'm worried and concerned.

But, meanwhile, time moves forward and we are now in August!  Who can believe it?  The light is noticeably different in the morning...and it gets dark much earlier now.  I love it.  I can't wait to put on a sweatshirt and sit around a fire in our fire pit!

My weekend was really nice and I hope yours was too.  Saturday morning Dee and I met up at our new favorite place for some chatting, knitting and beverages.  It was lovely.  We had skipped a couple of weeks (one when I had vertigo and one when Leslie and her girls were here), so it was especially nice to get together again and get caught up with each other.  The balance of Saturday was also relaxing.  I cooked (Spicy Cuban Beef) dinner and just took it easy.

Sunday was all about being in the kitchen!  I made a Dutch Pancake for breakfast with peaches and blueberries.  Oh yum!  Then I made all the dishes for dinner that night.  Bonnie and Zhongren were coming over.  Fletch did grill a pork loin which was very good and then we had the dishes I had made that morning (Tabbouleh, Eggplant Marinara and Nectarine Salad).  All of them I'm happy to report were a big hit with Mailing's parents.  Bonnie brought a gorgeous and tasty fruit tart for dessert.

They also brought part of a Winter Melon from their garden.

The piece they brought us is only about a third of the entire melon (they can grow HUGE)!  They are often cooked with dried shrimp (reconstituted), but that is typically too strong a flavor for me.  I may try some of it in a soup and some of it in a stir fry.  I've got a little time - this piece should last up to a month in my frig (but it takes up so much room!!  LOL).

Sunday was pleasant enough that we were able to sit outside when Bonnie and Zhongren arrived.  We did put the air on and ate inside for dinner.  They left after 7:30 and it had just started to rain at that time.  After cleaning up the kitchen, Fletch and I watched Grantchester on Masterpiece Theatre and then shortly after that I went to bed.  And slept well!!

Now it's time for another cup of coffee and getting my Monday motor running.  Hope your Monday is a good one!