Flooding
This years hurricanes have been devastating in Houston and surrounding areas of Texas and in the Carribbean Islands, Florida, Georgia and the Carolinas. We were hit last October with Matthew and it was months of cleanup, repairs, chain saws and machine noise but we recovered. We considered ourselves lucky. This year brought Irma and the flooding. Friends have evacuation stories, again. We are getting good at making lemonade in the Lowcountry. We believe our house is fine but once again we find ourselves heading back a week after a hurricane has gone through. We know many who left their homes not knowing if there would be a home to go back to. We also know many who are sighing with relief that their house or condo made it through. There certainly are risks associated with living in the south but who would have thought we would have two hurricanes in 11 months.
Packing It Up
Getting the house ready for someone else to live in for eight months is a very different story than closing it up for the winter or just until Christmas. I think we are pretty good about it after so many years of going from one home to another but this seemed different. It had more to do with me clutter clearing and getting a good handle on the cottage than anything else. I actually really enjoyed the process of packing room by room. I love the sense of accomplishment when a room was done and I could close the door and move on. My mother always said I was lousy at day to day maintenance, read picking up my clothes, making my bed and tidying my room but that I loved what she called a “Grand Ménage”. This particular one took weeks. It is done and we are headed for South Carolina.
Kitten Adjustment
We welcomed Lena into the family and gave her five whole days to get used to us and a dog and another cat before bundling her up and getting back on the road. She is either the most well adjusted kitten ever or she is going to get even at some point. It took her approximately one day to accept that she now lived in a household with a giant dog, to her, that was not going to eat her. He may play with Cleo by dragging her gently in his mouth but he seems to be more interested in just licking Lena to death. Gentle Giant. She figured out where food was, learned how to drink from the pet fountain, discovered treats and found the litter boxes. Smart kitten. We weighed her out of curiosity, Cleo is 10 pounds, Lena is five. I bet she catches up fast.
Road Trip
Our first stop was in New Hampshire to celebrate an early birthday with our granddaughter Libby who is turning 12 on the 21st of this month. We celebrated with her favorite steak, roast potatoes and carrots and grilled asparagus. Dessert was a real carrot cake birthday cake from the bakery in Lennoxville. Lorraine was wonderful and she decorated the cake with purple flowers and had it ready for noon the day we left. I love people who care. Everyone traveled well and once again adjusted to a strange spot. Katie really wishes we could leave the cats there because she has a mouse problem. Well, she does live in a 100 year old farm house what do you expect. What she didn’t expect was the nest of baby mice in her sweater drawer! Oh country living is so fine!!!
Big push to get to Winchester Virginia from New Hampshire. Wyke was with me, the cats with John. Cleo howled for the first half of the trip yet I had the headache. We found a pet friendly motel and settled in. The next day we got up super early and were on the road at 6AM. I loved watching the sunrise over the Virginia mountains. Ten hours later we are back in South Carolina and we begin the settling in.
The Last Perfect Summer Walk
John and my brother Paul returned from fishing with no fish but I think everyone had a good time anyway. I think they should rename it an eating trip with a side of fish. Not a single fish and there were six of them trying. Paul and I went for my last big hill walk after I had already done a shorter village walk. It was a glorious day and we truly could have walked miles and miles. Total was 8.5 miles and I loved it. Sometimes you just get into a groove and it all works. This was one of those times. A great walking memory to get me through to next summer. Our Pledge the Pink walk is this coming week. Katie will fly in from Atlanta on Thursday and we walk Friday, Saturday and Sunday. There is still time to make a donation should you wish to. Just click on this link. I will be wearing my pink hat that I wore in 2002 when we did the Avon Breast Cancer Walk in Massachusetts. That one was 60 miles, 20 each day. This should seem easy but it is 15 years later.
Have a wonderful week everyone. No recipe this week as I didn’t do any cooking and I wasn’t looking.
