Monthly Recap

What a month it has been. We started with a bang celebrating Jack’s birthday on the 2nd of the month and here we are already at the 25th and the first day of March is this Friday. I always think once we get through January that time really does go fast. The days are longer, the sun is warmer even if the air is not, and the month of February is shorter. We even had a chance to sit outside by the firepit one Saturday.

Family Visitors

The second weekend in February we welcomed Edie, Orin, Hadley and Margot for four days. It was a fun and crazy time. Orin is three months old and he wasn’t too cooperative about sleeping while he was here but since he got home he has decided that he likes to sleep around eight or nine hours which has given his parents a new lease on life. We worried about how Percy would be with the children but he was as good as he could be. Once he got over the excitement of them arriving he settled in just fine. The rest of the four-legged members of the family were interested but respectful.

While here Edie went skiing with her Mom at Ragged Mountain, went to church with us, and then John and I went with her to The Montshire Museum of Science which was fabulous. We could have spent days there. So much to do and see and very hands on. She even went to Science Class and did an experiment with vinegar, cabbage water and baking soda. How cool was that.

Walking This Month

Has mostly been on the treadmill. The weather was not cooperative and the footing even worse. It’s not just the icy spots but the uneven ground which causes it to be so difficult. We have done a couple of woods walks but mostly I spend my time on the tread. I am off to Asheville for 10 days this Wednesday and when I get back the walking should have improved some. It seems like spring is right around the corner. I really do miss being outdoors with the dogs but I am not interested in falling and breaking something so am playing it safe.

My Newest/Latest Adventure

My latest adventure outside the house has been to work at the Thrift Shop that is part of our church. I have been working at least two mornings a week and loving it. I have had fun with the jewelry and trying to make it look more appealing. This past week I worked with another volunteer and we dressed a mannequin in a suit and added accessories, purse, jewelry and shoes. It really improved the look of the store so we did some more and made quite a number of displays. It was rather a fun morning.

Percy and THE CONE

Percy had his appointment with the veterinarian on the 15th of the month. We knew it would be a challenge to keep him quiet and calm when he got home but little did we know how much of a challenge. He didn’t seem to realize that anything had happened and continued to run and bang into things in his excitement to see what was going on and to not miss anything. He came home with what is commonly called “the cone of shame” made out of hard plastic. Within a couple of hours he had started to bash it into the side of the door whenever he went in or out, he crashed into the walls, hit the furniture and the backs of our legs. After three days we were all hysterical at his duck taped cone. Katie and I went to the local pet store and bought a soft cone which was way too small and didn’t do the job it needed to do. So on Monday Jack went back and got the bigger one. This proved to be successful and he has managed to adjust to it quite nicely. John says he looks like an Elizabethan personage. Only a few more days and he can give it up. What an adventure life is with this guy.

Lent started on Valentine’s Day which seems sort of mean but there it is. Has something to do with the full moon and the equinox so it changes every year. Anyway, I decided to give up alcohol, specifically wine, for Lent and now 11 days into Lent it’s not too bad. The one thing I have noticed is that I am sleeping better – no longer really but for longer stretches at a time. I think that I feel better, have more energy and am clearer headed which isn’t a bad thing at all. It could feel like a long six weeks but as I said above, the time flies once you get through January. The flowers are from John to Katie and me. A really lovely gesture on his part and one that we certainly enjoy.

Cooking Lots

Lots of cooking going on around here. Sundays are for pizza and with Jack’s new schedule he is home on Sundays now so he can be our barista or whatever they are called. He is happy to use the pizza oven and we are happy to have him do so. With the weather getting better it won’t be quite as awful to be outside. His new schedule seems to suit him. Works late days and evenings rather than starting at 10PM and going til 8AM the next day. Much more reasonable. He made a batch of homemade pasta the other day and tossed it with Alfredo Sauce and some grilled chicken and broccoli. It was delicious. His pasta was so lovely and fresh. I don’t know what recipe he used but I can tell you it took a very long time to make the pasta. He and Katie were in the kitchen for quite a long time. Here is a recipe to try.

Chicken Broccoli Alfredo from Food.com

INGREDIENTS

6 ounces angel hair pasta (Jack made his from scratch)
2chicken breasts, cut in pieces
3tablespoons olive oil
2cups broccoli florets
1⁄4cup butter, melted
1 1⁄2cups heavy cream
1⁄4teaspoon garlic powder
1 cup parmesan cheese, grated
salt and pepper (to taste)
1⁄3 cup milk (optional)
1⁄4 cup parmesan cheese (garnish)

DIRECTIONS
Cook angel hair pasta in salted water until a la denta stage and drain well.
Cook broccoli florets in boiling water for 3 minutes and drain.
In a large saucepan, saute chicken pieces until done. Remove and set aside.
In same pan melt butter and add cream, garlic powder, salt and pepper. Heat for 2 minutes without boiling. Add parmesan cheese and stir to melt. Add chicken pieces, cooked pasta and broccoli florets lightly tossing to coat. If you want more sauce, use optional milk.
Serve and sprinkle parmesan cheese as a garnish.
Enjoy!

It’s amaryllis time on Jenny Lane, here is our first one to bloom from the Christmas batch.