We have had a great week and lousy weather. Quite the comment if you ask me. We had family here at the beginning of the week and whenever Edie and her moms visit it is going to be special. However, the weather did not cooperate. We had more rain than we could imagine and the rivers and lakes are pretty high. We did get one afternoon when the sun was out and we were able to go to the beach. Edie loved the sand and the waves which were very gentle but very intriguing to a 13 month old. We also were very lucky that on one day when we thought we were shut out, we got to go on a boat ride on Lake Sunapee with good friends Reed and Cece. Edie thought that was terrific and the rest of us did too.

Update on Jenny Lane

Not a whole lot happened this week because we had the family here but we did get the place cleaned up. We also had what we think may be the last visit from the plumber for awhile. He came and hooked up the ice maker in the fridge which had never been hooked up before. We didn’t know whether it would actually work. Once it was hooked up to water we could hear the water going into the ice tray but then what? It occurred to us that the build up of ice in the back of the freezer might be a problem so Mason and I took two hair dryers to it and melted that junk of ice right out of there. We are not sure how it got there in the first place but it looked like it could be a problem. I promised Mason I would text him when it made its first ice cubes and sure enough it actually started producing ice about two hours after he left. Talk about small things giving you a big grin. Mason also attached the dishwasher to the cabinets so that when we opened the door and pulled out the trays it didn’t fall out into the ktichen. In addition, Kenny (Mason’s son) took the valve apart on the bath tub in Libby’s bathroom and installed a new one and now she has an actual spigot in the bath tub. Again, small things that make you smile. We had no idea how awful it was until we didn’t have to live with it anymore. The icing on the cake was when Steven came and installed the new light fixture over the sink. He made a mess but my goodness does it ever look better. We have a really cool light bulb that is controlled by our phones and changes colors. Something a little different but rather unique and fun.

We have settled into the kitchen in its new configuration and all of us seem to be pretty happy with it. Everything works and we have a place for pretty much all the food and equipment. What a tremendous accomplishment. Life is really starting to be good on Jenny Lane. Right now I choose to see where we have come from not where we need to go to. John is painting the cedar shakes that will be the outer coating of the addition which houses the sun room and the office/guest room. He is having fun painting them and then hanging them on the clothes line to dry. It’s a good project and is going to make a big difference once the guys start doing the outside of the house.

Walking This Week

We had two days at the beginning of the week when the sun was out and we were able to get in a couple of good walks. We were able to get out there with Margot and Hadley’s dog Brewer who along with Wyke seems to love swimming. They were in the water every chance they could get. Then the rains came. At the end of the week the river was so high we couldn’t do our walk that we like because the fields were flooded but we were able to go on the rail trail. A few trees and branches came down during the storm but otherwise we were fine. The weather has not been very cooperative for outdoor activity for the last couple of weeks but we are doing the best we can. Katie makes me walk super fast which is actually good for me. I think I have become rather lazy and let the dogs dictate the speed of our walks. Most of the time they are sniffing out the wonderful scents left by the various wildlife that crosses that path on a regular basis.

Cooking and Recipes for the Week

We made an Onion Dip recipe that was over the top. It was so good that I don’t think we will ever use another recipe again. It is easy and it is delicious. Serve it with your favorite crackers or chips. This is really, really good. Enjoy!

Pan-Fried Onion Dip Recipe (Ina Garten)

2 large yellow onions
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/4 cup vegetable oil (I used good quality olive oil)
1/4 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
4 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
1/2 cup sour cream (you can use yogurt as a substitute)
1/2 cup good mayonnaise

1. Cut the onions in half and then slice them into 1/8-inch thick half-rounds. (You will have about 3 cups of onions.) Heat the butter and oil in a large saute pan over medium heat. Add the onions, cayenne, salt, and pepper and saute for 10 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook, stirring occasionally, for 20 more minutes until the onions are browned and caramelized. Allow the onions to cool.
2. Place the cream cheese, sour cream and mayonnaise in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and beat until smooth. Add the onions and mix well. Taste for seasonings. Serve at room temperature.

Have a wonderful week with love from all of us. Lou