Can you say "salsa"?

The day started early yesterday. Carpenters. Again. This time they are building Mr. Macho's shop. I am excited for him. I got space that I have longed for. Now he will have new space for hisownself. I just may be more excited than he is. I am already trying to line up projects for him!!!

Shop on Monday. 

View from the front. It will have a garage door. A regular door will be on the left side. 

Today rafters were added. The right side will house yard tools, lawn mower, and a boat (someday).

******

Before we ate supper last night Uncle Jay called and asked if I wanted 'some' tomatoes. Phssh. You know I don't turn down the veggies. He gave us two 5 gallon buckets of tomatoes, more peppers, and more eggplant. Yum. 

I have a good salsa recipe that I think I am going to concoct in a few days. When these little puppies get just a little riper. 

***

Again this morning I decided to do dirty house work after my time at the gym. I have dusted blinds and furniture. I am still working on the cleaning out the kitchen cabinets. I just might go do one more cabinet before I call it a day. And start supper. Then it will be time for that long awaited shower. 

Get out of jail weekend.

Belated snaps of the bounty from Uncle Jay's garden. The okra and tomatoes that I cooked on Monday were delish, as were the peas. 

Pot full of goodness. We ate some. I froze some.

Peas and peppers. 

*****

Friday evening I met Son-in-law at the Piggly Wiggly for the weekend drop off of Lauren and Tucker. When we arrived home I had a container full of things for "scrap booking". Both Lauren and Tucker got very into it and throughout the weekend worked on their projects. This is a keeper idea. I will add to the scrap book container for them to use on future visits. 

We policed the area, but I really didn't clean up during the weekend. That way they were able to start and stop at will. 

Sometime after 3:00 a.m. Saturday Tucker appeared at my bedside because of the thunder. Sleep was lost. I am still looking for it.

We had made a date for Saturday morning with our dear friend, Kathryn, and drove over to check out her farm animals. Kathryn is a plethora of information and a wealth of kindness and generosity. Many thanks for the farm tour. Lauren and Tucker seemed delighted to see the horses, cows, barns, and random crawfish. Lauren wanted to know if she had chickens, and where were the pigs?!

Lauren feeds the horse with Ms Kathryn. 

Mr. Macho enjoyed the farm visit, too. He was pleased to see some old timber in one of the barns that had been salvaged from his grandfather's old house years ago. 

Tucker takes his turn feeding China. (Or is that Lady?)

Fun times in the barn. 

Wild animals in cages. 

Mr. Macho tries to explain the chute to Tucker. 

Checking out the crawfish. 

Friday night's heavy rain probably washed this big fellow out of Kathryn's pond. 

Only one cow stood for us while we visited. The rest were all laying down. 

A boy and a mud puddle. 

The only hospitable cow. 

****

Saturday afternoon we took the kids to see the Ice Age movie. Mr. Macho slept through most of it, but I thoroughly enjoyed it. 

Saturday evening we went to eat at the Little Dooey's. 

Lauren and her granddaddy. 

Me and Tucker. 

****

Midnight Saturday. Another bedside visit. This time by Lauren. The ant bites she acquired at the farm decided to start itching. She tossed and turned. She twitched and itched. I tried Dr. Tichener's. I tried some 20 year old calamine lotion. Finally I made a paste of baking soda and water and applied it liberally to both her itching feet. She was back to sleep in two minutes. I, on the other hand, spent several hours looking for the Sandman. More sleep lost. It was adding up on me.

After church this morning while I was reading the newspaper in the kitchen - Lauren and Tucker went back to work on their "projects". The next thing I knew Tucker was in the kitchen minus the front part of his hair. His story = Lauren told me to. It was botched beyond repair. I was panicky, knowing how his Mom and Dad love his long hair. Especially his Dad. I quick took a picture with my phone and sent it to Daughter fearing her reaction lest she arrive any minute and find him shorn. 

This is what Tucker did to his hair. (Reference this with the above pic at the restaurant.)

Playing on the porch. Waiting for Mom to arrive. 

I let Lauren and Tucker each take a series of photos. They dictated what expression we were to wear and then they snapped the shot.

Lauren's photos...

Scared. 

Sad. 

Tucker's snaps...

Angry.

Happy.

***

The Hair Cut.

We started with #4 and had to go to a #2. 

Trying to even the hair. 

Sampson loses his locks. 

New do. Ala Uncle Craig. 

Tucker and Merritt. 

Smelling better.

Laura called last night with the generous offer of okra and more tomatoes. Of course. I said yes. Before I even exercised this morning I made my way to her house and accepted the said okra and tomatoes and more. Peas and peppers. We had a nice visit in her driveway and then I dropped the veggies off at home. Back to the gym for a quick, sweaty hour of my fitness routine.
When I got home I put the sheets in the dryer and got right to work. Washing. Cutting. Putting in the pot. Okra + tomatoes + onion + (bacon fat) (said in a whisper) + garlic + celery + fresh jalapenos = yummy deliciousness. It cooked very slowly for a couple of hours. Meanwhile I took the peas to the patio and spent those couple of hours shelling them. Blanched them. Put them in the freezer. Held out enough for supper.
 Made the bed with clean sheets. Folded the clean clothes. Put dirty towels in the washer.
Somewhere in there, before lunch, I caught Dad on Skype. First time I spoke with him since last Thursday. He didn't feel so good over the weekend. Mimi told me that. He was doing better today. Mom was full of talk about her sisters' and brothers' visit and her new bargain shoes. Energizer bunnies. Both of them.
I was glad when Mr. Macho got home. We sat on the back porch and drank cold beers. I felt greasy and dirty.
Supper was brought to us by Uncle Jay and Laura. We had okra and tomatoes, peas and squash. And corn bread, of course.
After a long day of caring for the wonderful fresh veggies from Uncle Jay's garden, I finally made it to the shower. Ahhh. I smell better. Now. Showers are truly a luxury.
I feel all relaxed now. The sofa is calling my name.

Rainy day.

A reprieve from the hot temps, that is what we have had this week. Today and yesterday brought most welcome rain. The back porch is especially nice on gentle rainy days. 

This is my Dollar Tree bee. She sways as long as the sun is shining. It is a cheery little thing on my back porch. Today she is still. 

See the planter out there? It is a remnant of my chimney flue. Uncle Jay saved it for me. That lovely green plant growing in it? Sweet potato that sprouted in my kitchen. 

Mr. Macho's future shop. Getting rained on. Hopefully it will get started soon. It will be completed as a weekend project.

***

I am going to finish my thoughts another day. Dad just skyped me and while we were on he had to take 3 nitroglycerin pills. He isn't feeling well. 

Mom had a room full of company and Dad wanted to go back to bed. 

I will write another day. 

Super Mom Succeeds.

*I am reposting a series of emails between me and Daughter. It began as an email entitled "Lunch". I thought they were funny. I hope you do, too.

Me: Will you be available to lunch with me tomorrow? Tuesday?
Daughter: Yes.  Putting it on my calendar now.  Where u wanna go?
Me: What do you suggest? 

It's your birthday (lunch).

Shake your booty.

Daughter: I am thinking Newks. I haven’t had it since the day that we found out about Merritt’s milk problem.

Me: Then Newks it is. One of my faves. I read a Fox News article about breast feeding this morning. Nothing new. Same old 76. 

Does 76 = B.S.?

Daughter: I don’t know (she says,, as she is pumping)

Me: After pumping Audrey got up and saved the world. Because that is what Super Moms do.

Daughter: Ha. After pumping, Audrey got up and went to Target.  When in doubt, go to Target. 

Me: Target was where most super heroes shopped. And she knew it. It was hot and she was on a mission.

Daughter: (By text) Changed my mind. Bells. Belks.

Me: OK. Had to read in tandem. 

Daughter: Aha! She thought, as she pulled into a close parking space. It was meant to be.  The key to her destiny lay somewhere within the mighty fortress of Belk.

Me: "I will find it!" She thought as she raced through the isles, knowing that the clock was ticking.

Daughter: And find it she did. There was nothing practical about the sequined plum wedge platform, but she knew in the instant that she saw them that they must be hers.

Me: Suddenly Audrey began to have a strange tingling sensation up her spine. Then it hit her! She had the distinct feeling that her mom would repost this entire episode on her blog. She reacted with her very own super mom powers. She did the one thing that she knew would save the day...

Daughter: She realized that this is how it must be.  After all, being a lunch break super hero has it's responsibilities.  And with the greater good in mind, she entered the Starbucks with a frappachino on the horizon.

Daughter:*parts of this story may have been fabricated
(Daughter came up with a fabulous alternate ending but it didn't pass the FTC "G" rating system and so will not be included. But oh. It was hilarious. Take my word for it.)

The new normal.

Ahh. Things are feeling fairly normal around here these days. Last week was busy. I can't tell you with what. Just little things that needed doing. Friday night we enjoyed the company of sister, Paulette, and her eldest and his wife, Carl and Robin. They arrived in the midst of a terrific thunder storm. A tree actually fell in the path as they drove here. We loved getting the rain around midnight Thursday night and the storm on Friday. It was much needed. Only negative is that it washed our nice expensive top soil down the yard.
Our little soiree Friday was comfortable and casual. We dined on three kinds of salad - fruity chicken salad, green pea and cheese salad, and a spinach and strawberry/walnut salad. For dessert we had three sherbets - lime, orange, and pineapple. It was a nice light summer supper. Our conversation was light, also. We enjoyed having company. I hope to keep having company. I am liking the new space to share.
Saturday morning Uncle Jay called with an offer of peas out his garden. You know me. I don't refuse the fresh veggies. We went over and picked some and he gave us some he had already picked. He also loaded us up with egg plant, zucchini, okra, green beans, peppers, and tomatoes.

Gorgeous color palate. 

Washing the pink eye purple hull peas. Mr. Macho's personal favorite. His eyes rolled back in his head with the first bite. 

Love. Love. Summer home grown tomatoes. 

So Sunday dinner was totally compliments of Uncle Jay's garden. I even fried a little okra 'cause Mr. Macho loves it so much. Frying is not my favorite form of cooking. Not only is it not healthy, but it is so darn messy. 

Sunday afternoon we both dabbled in the yard and tried to relocate the top soil back up the yard. We even rolled out some hay so the next rain won't wash the soil away. We hope. It will take years to recuperate the grass and have the yard like we want it. 

***

Today I feel like I am getting back to a good routine.  Exercise early. I put my hands in the dirt out back to transplant a few hostas. Got a load of clothes in the wash and have swiffered and vacuumed the floors. My house is feeling fairly clean. 

It feels new and different, but a new normal routine is emerging with all the new space. 

Yesterday I even started a new crochet project. I am making granny squares for an afghan. 

I think I may trek over to T-Town tomorrow to visit the Hobby Lobby and take Daughter to her belated birthday lunch. 

Wednesday the bad ole floor man is supposed to be here. This one is the boss of all the bad ole floor men. I am not looking forward to the visit. I need to make a list of all my complaints so that I won't freeze up and forget to list any minor detail. Oh they got on my bad side. I am nice, but I don't hold back the complaints. 

Got to run get some bills paid. And I must make it to town today because I have a ring repair issue. My engagement ring needs shoring up. One of the prongs is loose. I will take it to my nice jeweler downtown. 

I hope your day is productive. See ya.

Shots of the weekend.

The family arrive in bits and pieces on Friday evening. The gathering of the clan. All children were present for our annual Juneteenth. All three of ours were born in June. Thus, Juneteenth. Mr. Macho had taken off Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday to help with organization and clean up. He worked like a Trojan. I flitted around and got a few things accomplished and much cooking. Friday night we did the traditional telling of the neighborhood stories. Poor children-in-law sat through but another session of our silliness. Good times, man. Wish I could share some, but the names would have to be changed to protect the innocent. 

I got most all my little "to-do's" finished before the guests arrived. That included sewing hems on two red checked table clothes. The fabric even has ants printed all over it. Very cute. 

Fold out table to help accommodate the numbers. In the new den. 

New bed arrived at the 11th hour. Just in time for Out of Town Son and wife to spend the night not on the floor. Bedspread not here, yet. So I topped it with what I am referring to as my "construction afghan".  Due to the many hours I sat in my bedroom to stay out of the way of the sheet rockers/electricians/painters - I completed the afghan. It is coveted by some. 

Me. Along with Sweet Pea and the Divine Miss M. (Otherwise known as Merritt the Super Carrot.)

Merritt wears her Cherios well. 

Breakfast club. 

Saturday night. Old den. 

Same. 

New den. Two sweet daughters-in-law. And Sweet Pea. 

Son-in-law and Son in Town. 

No ants picnic.

Happy eating! We served taco dip, humus, brisket, rolls, green beans, cole slaw, fresh tomatoes, banana pudding and watermelon...

...eating of the watermelon....

...out of doors. 

Merritt and her uncle, Son in Town.

Cousins. Lauren and Sweet Pea. 

Cousins. Whitt and Merritt. 

Nanny and her girls. 

Sweet Pea and Whitt playing under the walker. He is a crawling dude. I was amazed at his upper body strength. He is a G.I. Joe crawler...mostly with his arms. 

Merritt in her July 4th onsie. 

*****

All in all it was a good weekend. Good food. Lots of family. I hope this is the first of many happy memories made in our new space. 

***