The Arrival of the Solar Arch

                              Happy Halloween, you goblins! 

My son lives on a narrow lane. Not much turning around places.                                      Definately not 18-wheelers! 

The Solar Arch for the boat arrived... so Michael and I met the 18-wheeler at the beginning of his lane so that the driver would have a place to turn around. The package weighed 190 lbs. and was lifted onto Michael's trailer to be driven down to his yard. 

So, are you scratching your head over what a Solar Arch is... or are you much more 'up' on things than I am. It is a frame that will be attached to the stern of his boat and will hold 4-6 solar panels so that they will have electricity when they need it. And the arch will have a pulley to bring the dingy on board. 

picture not ours and it's a smaller boat but shows the arch.

this is Michael's boat, the Kira

 I tell you this boat is getting pretty fancy... all sorts of gadgets installed to make he and Roy's sail to the Caribbean much easier. Still lots of work to do yet so that journey won't be anytime soon. 

It was fun... having such a big truck come bringing supplies. Something like that doesn't happen every day. All I get are UPS trucks at my house!! 

Healthy Eating

     Michael is a self-taught cook and a mighty good one at that.  He didn't learn any cooking skills from his mom! 

One of our topics of conversation is food. Even though I am not a good cook, I do enjoy any food that is well-prepared and well-thought out. 

So, I am on my laptop scanning through recipes that we might try while I am here. We both are trying to eat healthier. 

This recipe was so far from what I am used to and definately not what I'd call a 'man sandwich' but I wanted to make it. That's what we had for lunch yesterday. 

And surprisingly, Michael pronounced it a winner. He's even going to add the recipe to his cookbook. 

 He headed to the garden where he picked the peppers we needed.

Then we got busy and created our sandwiches. Picture is of sandwich open face before we slapped the two halves together. 

The spread is made of cream cheese, shredded sharp cheddar cheese, lime juice and chopped chives. Then the toasted bread (we used sour dough) is layered with slices of avocado, cucumber and bell pepper. (We used banana pepper instead). 

It was very filling and quite delicious. 

I think chunks of crab meat added would be excellent. And it would make a great wrap. 

Here's the picture from Eating Well that inspired our take on it. 

It was a healthy lunch. But, we just could not resist a large Mr. Goodbar sitting on the counter so we had chocolate for dessert! 

The Joy of Doing Nothing.

The weather has been incredible.... warm, sunny, just the right kind of weather for Michael to work on his boat. Next week it will be too cold... things don't set right, paint doesn't dry etc, etc, etc... when the temp gets below 70... And, it will.

So, I have been keeping myself entertained so that he could 'make hay while the sun shines', so to speak. 

I read 'Ordinary Grace' which I thoroughly enjoyed. That last chapter was a big surprise. Love books like that. 

I also started reading 'Finding Freedom' mainly because I am a huge fan of Erin French and her 'Lost Kitchen'. 

I also ordered an e-book 'Etiquette' an updated version of Emily Posts books of long ago. Thought I might need to take a 'refresher course' in my manners. 

I have also been busy making notes to work on when I get back to my computer at home and that cotton-picking book I am trying to finish writing. I swore I was gonna have it ready for publication by the end of the year but that 'ain't gonna happen.' 

So, I am keeping busy just relaxing, doing nothing. A great respite from my hard work I do back in Suffolk (ha ha ha). I am getting pretty good at this doing nothing sort of thing. 

Oh, and of course, I will be watching 'The Golden Bachelor' tonight. I was rooting for Nancy but they just didn't click and she headed home. The show keeps pushing Teresa but I don't like her. She's too mouthy. Maybe he'll end up with the pickle ball player. We'll just have to wait and see. 

Hot Peppers and Lovely Flowers

 My son is quite the gardener.. plus a lot of other things. We took a stroll out to his square foot garden and I was amazed to see a healthy crop of peppers still there even though it is late October. 

The weather has been gorgeous this week... been nice just for me, I am thinking. But, next week. Look out. We'll even have some frost perhaps and those peppers will have to come inside. 

And, if it does frost all these beautiful flowers will be gone. Well, that's just life's cycle, is it not?

I told you my son had a lot of talent. 

Just kidding.

He did get these peppers to stack but as soon as the picture was taken they fell over. 

Breakfast.... Again?

 The funniest thing happened on last Tuesday. We'd spent the night in a 'nice' hotel, had a breakfast that was extra yummy around 7:45. I even had seconds since I figure it might be awhile 'til we stop again. 

But, 3 hours later Michael is pulling into a Cracker Barrel. I looked at the clock... it said 11:30 so I thought, well okay, he must be getting hungry

We go into the restaurant and notice the menus do not list any lunch items. Michael tells the waitress that we'll take the lunch special and she said they didn't have any. She finally giggled and said, 'ya'll driving west? You are in a different time zone now.' 

Michael had seen the car clock, it said it was 11:30 so hey it must be getting close to lunch. It really was just 10:30 where we were. That time change can flat fool you. 

                                 We ordered breakfast! Again! 

The hashbrown breakfast casserole was quite tasty. Their regular hashbrown casserole topped with melted cheese, scrambled eggs, chopped scallions and french fried onion rings. I hadn't been all that hungry so I couldn't finish mine. But, men being men, Michael's was all gone!

The Color of Fall

 My goodness, I have been slow in posting. Sorry about that. You know how it goes when you are in new surroundings, though. So much to see and do. 

But, I want to share with you the fabulous Fall colors that we saw on our trip. A perfect time to be traveling through the mountains. 

As you can tell, many of the pictures were taken through a dirty windshield! 😀 but we did stop at overlooks where we got more clearer snapshots. 

I Love The Mountains!

 Where I live it's pretty flat (Tidewater Virginia). So, when I travel west I start looking for those beautiful mountains in both Virginia and Tennessee. 

Which do you like the best, the mountains or the beach? Or are you like me... in love with them both? 

Lunch at Charley's

 Michael and I left Monday morning (he heading home, me riding along for an adventure). It's a long car ride but we planned to make it fun. Anything to keep Mama from conking out on him. hehe

I was surprised when it got lunch time and he suggested we stop in Farmville, Va. He'd heard about his sister, Shirley, and me having lunch at this cool restaurant there and wanted the two of us to try it out. 

It's been several years since we girls had gone there so I was surprised when I led him right to the front door of the place. Yep, there was Charley's... the best roasted red pepper/crab soup in the world! 

It was a fun stop over. We shared the soup. Michael got a Reuben sandwich which he pronounced as mild, tasty and it met with his approval. 

My chicken salad sandwich I thought had no flavor. Michael tried it and said the same thing. That was a disappointment. 

Man, I wish I'd just had a larger portion of the soup. It is soooo good.. 

After lunch we headed west toward the Blue Ridge Parkway... that will be in another post or two. 

Footprints in a Parking Lot

 Do you ever stop to think about footprints?

We certainly leave our footprints on life, what we do, what we say, how we conduct ourselves. Long after we are gone people maybe will remember a footprint or two we left behind. 

I am not getting philosophical ... I was just scanning through some pictures and ran across this one that I took some years back while driving through an old parking lot. 

This person not only left his footprint... he left his shoe. 

A Planned Trip

 My son Michael will be swinging back by my apartment probably tomorrow. He's been having a blast at the Boat Show in Annapolis, Maryland.

And, I am nearly packed .... gonna go home with him for a visit. Yep, to Alabama. Where I was born and have lived a lot of my life. Sort of dread that long trip. These old bones ache much more readily than they used to!! 

During my visit, I'll be sharing some of my trip with you.... 

Now, for why Michael is in Annapolis. He's refurbishing a sail boat. In the beginning he began watching this couple, Mads and Ava, who had already finished building their boat and was sailing all over the place. Their YouTube videos taught Michael so much about what he needed to do. He admires and respects Mads and Ava so much and he got to meet them at the boat show in Annapolis.

That's Michael (in the Pretty Spiffy tee shirt) talking to Mads (in the dark blue tee shirt with his back to us) 

                                           I can't wait to hear all about his time at the show.

We used to live in Annapolis. My husband was on the Supertindents staff at the Naval Academy for 2 years. Loved that place. Wish we had retired there but that's water under the dam, so to speak. 

                                a picture of the harbor in Annapolis when we lived there in the mid 1960s. 

Speaking of YouTube.. you can learn how to do just about anything by watching videos featured on that site. Michael has certainly found them invaluable. 

Since, I am rambling I guess I will say Good Night. I've about gotten through this Friday the 13th without any bad luck. Hurrah! 

The Golden Bachelor

I haven't watched The Bachelor in years. Liked it to begin with but it got so silly, so fake and I just didn't have time or the energy to sit through such junk. Those young folks were really acting so inmature. 

And, then I see where they are actually going to have a MATURE bachelor and my ears perk up. About time that television recognizes that we older folks have a life, too. 

And, he's good looking!  He is 72 but at that age, I am old enough to be his Mama!! Be still, my fluttering heart!💓

                           

I missed the first segment but caught the second show and I am afraid I am hooked. At least for now... we'll see where it goes. 

It seems that life in general concentrates on youth and delegates us older ones to the corner of life's room, in the shadows, out of the way. About the only commericials geared for the seniors are ones about Depends. ha ha. 

I think we ought to have a revolt... all us seniors gang up together and show this world what we are made of! You with me??

 

Fall is in the air!

 

The air is definately cooler. I think I can feel autumn just creeping in a bit here and there and I am so ready. 

I don't have a favorite season but Fall is certainly a very colorful one and welcomes a 'resting' time in our lives. 

Just want to share some pictures with you this morning to put you in the 'fall mood'. 

What's your favorite time of year? 

On a Healthy Kick

 At this late date in my life I am so much more aware of being healthy. Up to now I guess it would just take care of itself.

But, the more I hear about the 'bad for you' things that are being sold in stores, it scares the beegees outta me. 

They say ignorance is bliss.... 

I sure was full of bliss!! 

I loved salt... still do but having that scare recently with my blood pressure shooting up to over 220 put the thing in perspective. I use Mrs. Dash or lemon juice instead of salt most of the time now. 

And, then we had a wellness coach come talk to us one day and I started thinking about how we all are killing ourselves with what we put in our mouths. 

I've had tummy problems for years so this week I went on a week's diet to try to heal some of the damage that inflammation has caused in my gut. The diet is not bad but I am glad I only have to do it for one week. 

My breakfast this morning was yogurt topped with fresh fruit. Later on during the day I can have some chicken, some veggies but no grains, no sugar, no processed foods. Man, I am gonna miss that sweetened cereal I ate every morning. 

As far as sugar goes... that has to be cut way back. Everything I read and hear says that sugar feeds cancer. I definately do not want a recurrance of my breast cancer. I'm gonna miss my sugar, too.