This is the week of storms – lousy storms. I like a good snow storm in the winter. It looks pretty and it is quiet (unless there is thunder snow) We couldn’t seem to get a snow storm like any good January storm should be instead we got storms that brought snow and then turned to ugly, messy rain on top of the snow. Then it turned cold and froze all that awful snow – rain to ice. A friend fell on the ice and broke her hip. She is considerably younger than I am and now I am left with doubts about going outside even with one of my walking sticks. I don’t want to fall and break a hip thank you very much. So all my miles this week have been on the Peloton Tread and it has been a good week. I’m behind in my quest for 70 miles for the Nature Conservancy but I am working on it.
Lulu’s Laundry
I wish I had taken a picture of the laundry room after the gang left this week. They were so good and stripped beds of sheets and blankets, collected towels and dumped the lot into the laundry room. I appreciated that very much. However, the laundry was as high as the washer and dryer. I am sure it was at least 15 loads later that I had washed, dried and folded everything that was in the laundry room including all of the grandson’s clothes. Guaranteed I am getting a sign to put over the door of the laundry room that says “Lulu’s Laundry” just cause I think it is funny. There is a huge sense of satisfaction in getting a massive amount of laundry done. Seems it is my “thing” to do massive loads of laundry and bring order out of chaos in the month of January.
Where is Everyone?
You can just see the back of Jack’s head as he and Libby and Libby’s friend Mary headed into the Delta terminal at Logan Airport. Katie tried to leave on Tuesday for Dallas where her convention is now up and running but got delayed because of the first of the week’s storms. She ended up getting there on Wednesday. On Thursday I drove the rest of them to Boston as Jack and Libby are both working at convention and Mary was heading home to Colorado. I’ve never seen so much luggage. Libby looked like a pack animal with a backpack and a front pack plus a rolling bag. Mary had both sets of skis in her ski bag as well as her rolling bag and Jack had two backpacks. Incredible. Libby will head right from convention back to college. Jack and Katie will come back here but not until the 19th. Hence the reason I had the laundry to myself and that all the rooms in the house are staying way to clean and tidy. Percy always in attendance just in case I might feed him or take him for a walk.
Surprise New Year’s Gift
I have a good friend who has some lovely hand painted wine glasses which I love and she allows me to have a glass of wine in one when I go for a visit. I actually asked for some for Christmas but Santa didn’t bring me any. However, when we got home from Canada, waiting for me next to my chair with a Christmas bow were these beauties. Hand painted by grand daughter Libby. They are absolutely unique and beautiful and, as she pointed out, top rack dishwasher safe after curing. I will not put them in the dishwasher but hand wash them. They are just so pretty. I couldn’t be more grateful to have these to make me think of Libby every day at wine time.
Important Public Announcement
Well not really except this is interesting. Saturday morning at about 8am our smoke detector went off in our bedroom (forget that idea) and with its screaming fire and beeping scared the daylights out of us. We didn’t see or smell any smoke so figured it was anomaly. Then when I was making up beds the one in Jack’s room went off three times and the one in our room followed. When I pushed the center button it said smoke detected. The woman in that thing has a very high pitched voice. I called grandson Jack who is a volunteer with the New London Fire Department and he called his colleagues at the department and Lt. Miller came out to make sure we were alright. He checked all the smoke detectors in the house and checked the house for carbon dioxide and found everything to be in proper working order. I must say I was relieved. He said it could have been the high humidity from the, yet again, another rain storm or maybe it was something in the air. Not sure but we are now happy to know the smoke detectors work. A big thank you to the New London Fire Department. Meanwhile, the alarm at the house in Canada was going off and the alarm company called us to check on what was going on. The tenants helpers were moving them in and didn’t know how to turn the alarm system off so it did its thing. What a day that was!!!!
A Salad Recipe to Share
I just had to share this one. I made it for a foyer dinner we went to Saturday night and my it was yummy. Of course I forgot to take a picture of my own. I hope you enjoy it as much as we all did.
Cape Cod Chopped Salad by The Barefoot Contessa
- 8 ounces thick-cut bacon, such as Niman Ranch
- 8 ounces baby arugula
- 1 large Granny Smith apple, peeled and diced
- ½ cup toasted walnut halves, coarsely chopped
- ½ cup dried cranberries
- 6 ounces blue cheese, such as Roquefort, crumbled
For the Dressing
- 3 tablespoons good apple cider vinegar
- 1 teaspoon grated orange zest
- 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed orange juice
- 2 ½ teaspoons Dijon mustard
- 2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
- Kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 2/3 cup good olive oil
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
Place a baking rack on a sheet pan and lay the bacon slices on the rack. Roast the bacon for about 20 minutes, until nicely browned. Allow to cool. NB: This is a wonderful way to cook bacon
In a large bowl, toss together the arugula, apple, walnuts, cranberries, and blue cheese. NB: I peeled and cut up the apple beforehand and squeezed lemon juice on it to keep it from browning.
For the dressing, whisk together the vinegar, orange zest, orange juice, mustard, maple syrup, 1½ teaspoons salt, and the pepper in a bowl. Slowly whisk in the olive oil.
Chop the bacon in large pieces and add it to the salad. Toss the salad with just enough dressing to moisten. Sprinkle with ½ teaspoon salt and toss well. Serve immediately.
