This has been a sad week but also one with lots of optimism. We lost a good friend and we lost RBG who was an iconic justice of The Supreme Court. I have enjoyed reading the stories published about her and the many, many anecdotes from people who knew her and worked with her. May they both Rest in Peace.
Major Update on Jenny Lane
There is strapping on the chimney for cement board prior to stone
We had a big week with lots of progress. All the sheet rock was put up in the remaining spots in the front hall, the ceiling and walls in the bonus room and insulation in the ceiling, then the ceiling and walls in the bonus+ room. The difference is astonishing to us. We now have real rooms with real walls. The walls are ready for the mudding and taping which will take place in the coming week followed by painting and then floor installation and, we hope, electric lights and plugs that work. We can see it finally. We are coming up on our one year anniversary of buying this house and really cannot believe what we have accomplished so far. It has taken some interesting twists during that year and we have spent time, money and energy on things we honestly did not think we would be spending anything on. But here we are and it feels good.
The front hall really had very little that needed to be sheet rocked but it was in tight quarters which required a lot of cutting to make things fit. Most of it had been done before and John had made a big effort to get some of the mudding and taping done. The bonus room (formerly the under house garage) needed all the walls and some sound insulation between the furnace room and the big room. It also needed the balance of the ceiling put up. The guys had a cool assistant that held the sheet rock up there while they nailed it in place.
The bonus+ room which was the room we hadn’t actually counted on having – it was supposed to be a wood shed – needed ceiling insulation and then sheet rock on the walls as well as on the cement which required some strapping before affixing the walls. For all of us, the dynamic duo of Les and Chris as well as us, it was a week of great satisfaction at a job well done. We set the goal and they made it. Our part was one of being the cleaners up after the work was done. I think I will have sheet rock dust in my nose for ever.
The rooms look great and have given us the optimism that this will actually get finished some day. There is still plenty to do but we can see where we are going in the short term now.
Walking As Autumn Returns
The cooler air arrived and the dogs and I were able to get out and really have some great walks this week. Not as much swimming as it was much cooler but you could see their enthusiasm for running and checking out the smells along the trail was high. They seemed to have more interest in playing games and chasing each other than during the hotter weather. Wyke seems to have really slimmed down quite a bit in the last few months after gaining a few pounds when we weren’t quite as active. They would get good walks when we went south but they weren’t the kind of walks that we have here off leash. Lots more running and exploring. I am thrilled to no longer need my brace when I walk. Took it off at the beginning of the week just to see how I would do and all is good. It has been a long 2 1/2 months but the care seems to have paid off. I’ve done about 20 miles without the brace and my heel feels pretty darn good. Never, ever, walk without good shoes, ever. It was such a huge mistake on my part. I know better but I kept thinking that I could get away with it. My shoes were worn out, no support and no cushion and I was walking on hard concrete. Now I have good shoes with great support and cushion and my foot has healed.
School and Home
Libby finally went back to school after six months at home. She is happy to be back in school even though it looks a bit different. She is at least able to be with her friends again. Some classes are outside but not all. Masks are everywhere and temperatures are taken every day. Lots of hand sanitizer too. When walking the dogs today I ran into a group of new students who were returning from their shortened outdoor orientation overnight in the woods. They all looked happy and pleased with their adventure except for one poor young man who was seriously dragging his feet. He looked all in. I was really amazed when their faculty leader told me they had spent quite a bit of time looking at the stars. He said that some of the boys in his group had never seen stars. I cannot imagine a life like that.
Katie’s Cheddar Biscuits
Fluffy Cheddar Biscuits from The New York Times
We had a small dinner with another family who has a child at school with Libby. Our circle of friends and associates is pretty much limited to those who are involved with the school in order to keep everyone safe and healthy. Katie made cheese biscuits to go with her dinner and they were delicious so I am going to share that recipe with you. With the onset of fall it is nice to have something good to eat with a hot soup or stew. These would be the perfect accompaniment. Katie used a grated herbed cheddar which was delicious.
INGREDIENTS
3 cups/385 grams all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 ½ teaspoons garlic powder
¾ teaspoon fine sea salt
¼ teaspoon sweet or hot paprika
½ cup/115 grams cold unsalted butter (1 stick), cut into 1/2-inch cubes, plus 6 tablespoons/85 grams melted unsalted butter
8 ounces/225 grams sharp or extra-sharp Cheddar, shredded (about 2 packed cups)
1 cup/240 milliliters buttermilk
1 large egg
PREPARATION
- Arrange the oven racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven and heat the oven to 375 degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
- In a medium bowl, stir the flour, sugar, baking powder, garlic powder, salt and paprika to combine. Add the 1/2 cup cubed butter and toss until each piece is coated completely in flour mixture. Use a pastry cutter or your hands to rub the butter into the flour, continuing to work the mixture until the butter is almost fully blended into the dough. There can still be a few larger pieces of butter, but none should be larger than a pea. If the butter feels soft or melty at any point, refrigerate the mixture in the bowl for 15 minutes before continuing.
- Stir in 1 1/2 cups/170 grams of the cheese into the flour mixture. Make a well in the center of the bowl. In a liquid measuring cup or in a small bowl with a spout, whisk the buttermilk and egg until well combined. Pour the mixture into the medium bowl and, using a wooden spoon, stir until the mixture is combined. Near the end, you may have to fold it over itself a few times in the bowl to make sure it’s uniformly combined. (Resist the urge to use your hands so that the mixture doesn’t get too soft or compressed.)
- Scoop the dough into 12 even portions (about 1/2 cup/80 grams each) onto the prepared sheet pan. Stagger the biscuits on the baking sheets. (You should have 6 biscuits per sheet pan.)
- Brush each biscuit with the melted butter (you won’t use it all) and divide the remaining shredded cheese among the tops of the biscuits (about 2 teaspoons per biscuit).
- Transfer to the oven and bake the biscuits for 15 minutes, then brush each biscuit with butter again, and rotate the pans between the oven racks. Continue to bake until the biscuits are light golden and the cheese on top is deeply golden, 5 to 10 minutes more. The biscuits should spring back gently when touched in the center.
- Brush the finished biscuits generously with the remaining butter. Cool at least 10 minutes before serving warm (or cool completely and serve at room temperature).
