The sun is finally out after what feels like ages of solid days of rain. It was actually only two days but they were cold and very rainy. A week ago it was over 90 degrees and we were sweltering. Yesterday we had a fire in the fireplace as we watched the rain through the big windows. Such is the case for summer in New England.

Today is not only the birthday of our country but it is also our daughters birthday. Always a very special day. The family arrived about noon and one of our dear friends arrived only minutes before they did. What a special reunion. Whitney had not yet met Edie so it was very special for her to finally meet Edie. Whit lived with us off and on for most of her high school years and she is very dear to all of us. We are thrilled to have her with us for this special day.

Katie and I decided that Edie needed a push toy that made noise. We remembered having one for Jack and Libby when they were learning to walk and we figured Edie needed one too. So off we went to find one. Which we did and then proceeded to spend an hour and half trying to figure out how to put it together. It came with instructions that made little or no sense. Just pictures, no words. With a little help from John we were able to finally figure out how to put it together. “Some assembly required” – hmmm. Anyway, the proof is in the fact that Edie loves it and is now zooming around the living room knocking into everything in her way. The biggest grin on her face you can imagine.

Walking this Week

Pretty pathetic actually. It was dreadfully hot at the beginning of the week so we stayed close to home and did some swimming but otherwise no long hikes. We did manage a really good long hike mid-week with lots of swimming and just glorious fresh air. By the end of the week the rain was coming down in buckets and that just isn’t fun. Time to stay inside and try and stay dry. The dogs didn’t even want to go outside despite needing to do so occasionally. The indoor bike is going to be brought back into use. However, because we were also getting ready for the birthday and a house full of guests and family I spent a lot of time cleaning and that has to count for something!

Update on Jenny Lane

We had one really big update this week. The final kitchen cabinets were installed. What a completely different look we have now. We thought the kitchen looked great after the upper and lower cabinets were put in a couple of weeks ago but we were still missing the one over the fridge and the pantry cupboard. It is in fact a big part of the kitchen and once they were put in we couldn’t believe how the whole kitchen came together. Then the icing on the cake was the installation of the drawer and cabinet pulls. Something so simple yet makes such a difference not only in how it looks but in how we are able to use the kitchen.

We are ready to take a bit of a break from all the construction and probably will wait until the fall to do much more. Some small trim work will get done and I think some work will get done on the outside of the house. There is much to do there. We are three months shy of two years here and we are feeling pretty good about what we have accomplished.

Cooking and Baking

Lots of muffin baking has taken place and a few experiments with different foods. We have been trying out some different recipes and so far so good. We tried a new halibut recipe with a terrific potato casserole and a homemade onion dip that was delicious. Fun to have folks come to visit and be able to cook for them again. Libby and Katie made the birthday cake which is ready to be consumed today.

Here is the Potato Casserole, it was easy and delicious. This recipe comes from Plant Based Life (pblife.org) Foundation. If you are trying to go towards a more plant based life style this is a great website to help you. The casserole was delicious.

Easy One Pan Potato Bake

Ingredients

• 3–4 potatoes, unpeeled, cut into 1” chunks
• 1 cup onion, chopped
• 1 cup water
• 1/2 cup tomato, chopped
• 1/2 cup red bell pepper, chopped
• 1/4 cup kalamata olives, pitted, sliced in half
• 1 sprig rosemary, fresh, chopped
• 1 bay leaf, chopped
• 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
• Garlic, fresh, whole (optional)

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 400°F.
2. Toss ingredients together and place in a glass or ceramic baking dish. Cover and bake 20-30 minutes.
3. Drizzle balsamic vinegar over vegetables. Recover and bake an additional 15-20 minutes or until vegetables are tender.
4. Remove from oven and serve hot.