La Quinta, California: Again, not a lot to post about. I get so bored when I read a blog about Ralph's doctor/dentist appointment, car oil changes, yada yada... so assume you don't need to read about us waiting around for the carpenter to arrive to repair the hole in the ceiling that leads to our attic that was damaged when the old furnace was removed through the hole? Yeah, didn't think so. Nor our Omicron boosters? Flu shots? Now that we have new air conditioners/heat pumps, the weather switched to the season where neither are needed. Perfect weather - warm days, cool nights, light breezes.
Debbie and Mark (Dave's high school teammate) have returned to the desert for the winter and we have been golfing with them at their course. Our club is STILL closed due to scalping, but I can't tell you how gorgeous the grass is now. Don't need to tell you - I can show you!
Our course reopens next week. Flowers are being planted. Tractors and mowers rove around the course like busy bees. The golf staff have been getting the carts charged up and readied. The golf shop is restocking.
No matter what we have been doing during the day (exercising and cooking for me), we stop at 5 o'clock and sit down with a cocktail and a snack and converse... no matter we have been together all day and have conversed enough? Appetizers the past days:
Feta-stuffed pepper
The new Barefoot Contessa cookbook, Go-To Dinners, is out and it has been added to my collection. Her recipes never fail and they are usually pretty simple. I've only made one recipe from her new book so far - Creamy Chicken Thighs with Lemon and Thyme. Not easy-peasy, and though the recipe said it was make-ahead, there were no instructions on how to make it ahead. Happily this isn't the first recipe I have prepared in my life, so was able to figure it out. There was enough sauce left-over - and two thighs - so they will be repurposed into "Pasta & Chicken and Lemon Cream Sauce with spaghetti" tonight. This cookbook also celebrates "two-fer" dinners. I made a two-fer without Ina's help tonight. Don't waste food!
The grandkids have enjoyed a busy few weeks. Lisa asked for Charger football tickets for her (August) birthday, and Lenny gave her four tickets. They made an entire day out of the adventure, arriving to the new stadium early, exploring Justin Herbert's new home field.
was more excited than Lisa to attend the game!
The Chargers lost to Seattle.
Leo and Lucile had a great Halloween - and this year it was back to real-live trick-or-treating in their neighborhood.
Addison (Disney Zombies Movie)
I had a Halloween "costume" as well. When Lisa was in college (20 years ago), Marie and Matt gave me a wonderful Halloween-themed silk scarf for my October birthday. Every year since then, I have rocked this scarf in one form or another. This year, I tied it to my hat while golfing:
We bought no Halloween candy and kept the porch lights off on Halloween evening. There are no/few children living in our community. No trick-or-treaters here.
fresh lemons from our trees!
That's what is happening around here - not much. We are heading to LA soon to attend "Grandparents Day" at the kid's school, but first we have several tee-times on our home course. Until my next update, I remain, your appetizing correspondent.
We too, stop whatever we’re doing (or at least wind it down) to sit down with a glass of wine and a few goodies for happy hour each day – no matter that we’ve been together all day…..A great habit to have. Our 13 year old standard poodle joins in also, and if it’s getting to late he “reminds” us that it’s time to go out and “be happy”. He enjoys a Kong toy, stuffed with various goodies (dog biscuits, asparagus tips, cracker bits, etc. all cemented in with peanut butter or spray cheese and then frozen).
I’m glad you’re back. We planted a lemon tree early this year but no lemons, yet. Also planted a peach tree and a plum tree. We’re hoping for yummy fruits.