There never was a dog that loved the snow as much as Wyke does. He just loves to stay out there and watch the world go round. John took this photo of him this week and to me it looks almost like a painting and not a photograph. With the new snow from this weekends storm he has a nice clean layer of the white stuff to lie in.

Update on Jenny Lane

What a week we had. We knew the guys were coming back this week and they were going to begin to put up the framing for the new walls and replace the cement in the floor where the new drains were installed. Sounds simple enough but remember, this is Jenny Lane, and nothing is simple here. Last week John removed the rest of the old walls and we found another leak in the “bad corner”. We weren’t exactly sure where it was coming from but suspected that a joint in a drain pipe in that corner was the culprit. Running along the base of the wall was a copper pipe that carried water from the kitchen sink, the dishwasher and the laundry room into the main sewer pipe (that we just replaced 10 days ago). The baseboard around the pipe was black with the damp so we also knew it had been that way for quite a long time. Little did we know.

We made a decision to take the old copper pipe out so the guys proceeded to do just that. As soon as they removed the board, the pipe started leaking all over the place We were dumbfounded to say the least. When we ran water in the kitchen sink it just poured out all over the floor. So the pipe had to go. Chris, who I think has secret plumber aspirations, said he would figure something out so we could use the sink over the weekend and until the plumber could get here. Our plumber was busy with frozen pipes and no heat issues at other locations.

The guys were then able to finish the cementing of the floor and they got a few walls up so we can sort of see what the space is going to be like when it is done. The pocket door for the bathroom proved to be a challenge and the back wall behind the washer and dryer is another odd spot. Our fingers are crossed that our favorite foam insulation guy will be able to get here sooner rather than later to do the outside wall and that the electrician will be able to come and put in the outlets – this has to be done before insulation and wallboard. Yikes, timing is everything. We cannot use the washing machine but we can use the dryer. Our good friends Sally and David have opened their laundry room to us until we can get our washer hooked up again.

A Six Day Riding Week

According to my Peloton app, I have completed 83 workouts since November. This past week I added to that total by have a six days in a row riding streak on my indoor bike. It was cold out and snowy so I was very happy to be able to get on the bike every day. My new cadence sensor is working great and the ability to cast the rides onto the tv in the bonus room is terrific. Katie is almost completely recovered from her Covid but I haven’t been in the room with the treadmill for two weeks. Every day I did a 45 minute ride and then added a 10 minute cool down ride to it. Discovered that the Peloton app actually syncs with the cadence sensor and displays right on the app. My Apple Watch also syncs with it so I can keep an eye on heart rate as well. So I have turned my cheap indoor bike into a very satisfactory indoor exercise experience. The dogs and I did get out for a couple of outdoor walks as well. Now the snow is too deep to walk so I will have to dig out the snow shoes. We are going south for a couple of weeks so will do that when I get back.

Update From France

The picture says it all. Libby is learning to cook and this week traveled with her group to Paris. From what we could see they had a wonderful time. We follow along on the Proctor Euopean Art Classroom Instagram page. Love seeing the pictures and videos. Can’t believe she has been over there for almost four weeks already.

Katie’s Recipe This Week

Made another big batch of soup which we have been enjoying for lunch every day. Plus we are trying to eat up leftovers from the last big cooking spree so no new recipe for this week. Katie did make one of her favorites this week and even made homemade Naan Bread to go with it.

Roasted Chicken Gyros with Tzatziki from Half Baked Harvest (we didn’t have the fries)

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup plain full-fat Greek yogurt
• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
• 5 garlic cloves, finely minced or grated
• 1 tablespoon smoked paprika
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano
• Kosher salt and black pepper
• 1 1/2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts
• 6 fresh pitas or naan bread, warmed
• Tzatziki, pickled onions, radish, and lettuce, for serving

Instructions

• To make the chicken. In a 9 x 13-inch baking dish, combine the yogurt, olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, paprika, oregano, and a pinch each of salt and black pepper. Add the chicken and toss to coat. Cover and marinate in the fridge for at least 1 hour or up to 12 hours.2. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Remove the chicken from the fridge and let it sit at room temperature while the oven preheats.3. Transfer the chicken to the oven and roast for 20 to 25 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through. Remove the chicken from the oven and let cool for 5 minutes. Shred the chicken with two forks or thinly slice it.