What an Interesting Week

We are getting new cart paths on our golf course.  This project has been going on for a couple of months now and as we have two golf courses one needed to be done before the other.  We live on the golf course that was second and for some reason they decided to do the back nine first.  We live on the 16th hole.  Starting at the beginning of the week we thought that there were small earth quakes happening.  Nothing compared to waking up one morning and finding the BIG machine right outside our house.  Relatively speaking we are not right on the golf cart path but when a machine the size of this one comes by we might as well be sitting out there drinking coffee and watching it splash onto the saucer.  The china is shaking and the glassware tinkling.  It’s quite the experience.  Not to mention the smell.  So far the dogs don’t seem to be affected by it but I have heard from other pet lovers that their dogs are completely disoriented by the machines.

Mystery Table

This looks like a perfectly normal outside table with a glass top and a hole in the middle for an umbrella.  NOT!  We couldn’t believe it.  We bought a wonderful umbrella to put in the middle and when we tried it wouldn’t go anywhere.  Then we looked.  There is definitely a hole, it appears to be designed to accept an umbrella but the post can’t go farther than about 10 inches.  We have turned it upside down, looked for options to remove the obstacle but nothing, absolutely nothing can be done that we can see.  Thus we bought a stand and the umbrella is to the side, for now.  Any thoughts?  Let me know.  It doesn’t look bad but it’s not what we had hoped for.

Friends in the Neighborhood

To say that the folks on South Reeve love their dogs is an understatement.  We love our dogs, all of them.  Wyke and Bean have the best friends in the whole world here and they can hardly contain themselves when they run into each other in the morning as we go for our walks.  Here they are greeting Lulu (with whom I share a nickname and she is so worth it) they love each other and cannot get enough of the kissing and playing.  Tell me they aren’t lucky pups!!!

A Long Walk and Too Much Playing

The besosted pup! She had worked herself into a state and finally collapsed on the cushion.  This is the best yet.  So far this week she has been busy eating terrible acorns that have had her up at least three or four times a night and I am getting a bit fed up with walking out at 2:30 in the morning.  Five nights so far and I am totally done.  I remember Miss Q doing the same thing and it wasn’t fun then and it isn’t fun now.  No more acorns Bean!!!!!

The Final Game

Not much I can say about this picture except what a fabulous four years.  Jack, our grandson, was a Co-Captain of the football team after trying out in his freshman year for a sport he had never played before.  He paid attention, sat on the bench, learned the ropes, learned how to play football and lo and behold he was elected a Captain at the end of last season.  This was a tough season following on a season of no losses but he lead the team with courage and spirit.  They won some and they lost some but they had heart and I believe they were one of the closest teams ever.  Good luck to all of them next year.  We can’t wait to see where you go.

Food for Foodies

I made last week’s soup and we have been eating it all week.  Oh, my it is delicious.  I hope you will try it.  I suppose I should try them before I suggest them to you but that doesn’t always work out.  We have a very busy couple of weeks coming up and there will be lots of good food to enjoy.  So, enjoy it and don’t worry about it.  Personally I think enjoying being with family and friends far outweighs any negatives about food that you might have.  The food is part of the whole picture that includes relationships.  Enjoy it all.

Try this potato recipe with one of your family meals this month.  It looks delicious.

INGREDIENTS

5 pounds potatoes, scrubbed and cut into thin wedges (Yukon gold work well)
6 cloves garlic, minced
¾ cup olive oil
½ cup good-quality veggie broth
½ cup water
¼ cup fresh squeezed lemon juice
3 teaspoons sea salt, plus more to taste
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more to taste
1 tablespoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon chopped fresh mint

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat an oven to 450 degrees F and oil a large baking dish.
2. In a large bowl, stir the potatoes, garlic, olive oil, broth, water, lemon juice, salt, and pepper together until the potatoes are evenly coated.
3. Pour into baking dish. Roast in the preheated oven until potatoes start to brown, for about 40 minutes.
4. Add oregano and mint to potatoes, stirring to combine. If potatoes look dry, pour another ½ cup broth to dish.
5. Return dish to oven and bake about 30 minutes longer.
6. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper, if needed.

Thank you to all who Served, My father, Paul Alexander McFarlane, Jr.