Having fun

Yes, I am so happy to report that there are less visits to doctors and more fun outings. James is doing great. 

There are definite signs of fall now ... meaning: it is not so very hot any more. We can take short walks in the neighborhood and hoping that our circles around the blocks will get larger and larger. 

Ha-ha, because it is not so very hot any more there is also no excuse for not deadheading the flowers and pulling some weeds. The gereniums in this planter have done well the whole summer, probably because they are in the shade most of the time.

And I have a new toy! I got the idea a little late though. I love baking and especially those individuell Zwetschgenkuchen. Unfortunately those Italien plums (or prune plums) or only available for a short while and when it seems to be the hottest time of the year. It doesn't seem right to heat up the house baking and turning on the A/C.

And there was an ECW meeting on the calendar for Saturday September 12 and the "church ladies" were happy to come to our house. Sarah was showing us how to make "flower frogs" with clay which you bake in the oven. Another good reason to do the baking not in the house.

I did a lot of research about which "countertop oven" I wanted and finally settled on Ninja Prestige Smart XL Air Fryer & Countertop Oven. 

No more "Zwetschgen" but I used some peaches with the same recipe and this too was a success.

"Our" ALDI had these Nashville hot dogs. Quite spicy and we had to try them. Delicious but found they would have been easier done my usual way. On the other hand, a pork tenderloin was incredible easy and perfectly cooked in my new kitchen gadget.

Ha-ha, we do like visitors. When this toad hoped passed me into the sunroom when I just opened the glass door to the patio, I felt like hopping to the side too. He/she was very fast. I could gently put it outside though.

September 14 was such a splendid day that we enjoyed a little outing and landed in Ashland. It was a Monday and several restaurants were closed. Need to remember these things.

Next day we had another hopping visitor. James came in from the back yard with our rain gage. By golly, it is quite tall but "Freddy" somehow managed to jump in.

We could not just gently pure him/her out but had to offer this way out.

Little while later we saw him/her there. Can you see it? Really, risking to be stepped on?

And very recently I was intrigued when somehow somewhere I had heard or read that the late Queen Elizabeth's favorite cocktail was one made with Dubonnet Aperitif. I had googled and found that one of our Total Wine stores was supposed to have it. But when we drove there especially to buy it they confessed that they actually didn't and could not get it for a while. 

Daughter Sarah had called on her way home from work and when we chatted I told her. I must have sounded very disappointed because later that evening I got a text from her "delivery soon". I was wondering what was going on. It was brought to our door because she had found that it was available at Wegmans and took matters into her hands to surprise us. 

The Queen had good taste! 2 parts Dubonnet, 1 part Gordon's Gin and some ice cubes. I substituted the half lemon wheel with a wedge of a mandarin. 

Thank you, Sarah, for the lovely surprise. Martha and Jerry thank you too. They enjoyed it too when they came to play cards the next day.