leder legends

  Old age necessitates routine.  I’m 74. Is that considered old age? I sure did think so when my mother was that age!  We make the bed every day! Whoever gets up last usually gets that chore.  So, get out of bed, get slippers and bathrobe, turn up the heat, turn off outdoor lights, take meds, So then I shuffle to the kitchen to make the essential 8 cups of coffee- grind beans, add water and let it brew. It’s odd that 8 cups of coffee in the coffee maker really only gives us 2 cups each! I guess our cups are not the same as the manufacturer’s measure. Then it’s computer time while the coffee brews... I love doing puzzles like Connections and Wordle as well as a few games of solitaire. Messages and messenger also get checked as well as email. None of that ever is very interesting.  Sitting at the kitchen table with my coffee, breakfast, and iPad is especially pleasing when it’s sunny like today, What happens next is completely random! Also a sign of old age but so...

   Making dinner to serve to guests at my home versus making dinner to bring to a family are two very different things! This week,  I offered to bring dinner to a couple from church  t hat could really use a break.  While I really enjoy doing that sort of thing, surprisingly, I found this rather stressful! What should I prepare? They said that they were not fussy and had no allergies...so I had a blank slate! Generally, the fallback plan is a casserole dish of some sort, right?  I don’t like casseroles anymore so I decided to make a Sunday meal! Salad, meat, potatoes, vegetables,  and dessert. Sounds simple! Caesar salad- but of course I made homemade croutons with garlic salt and a homemade dressing which has plenty of garlic. Potatoes- rosemary, garlic oven roasted  Green beans- green beans almondine... more garlic and lots of almonds and lemon juice. Meat- marinated grilled pork tenderloin which Arie prepared... more garlic. Dessert- Elegant ch...

  Our kitchen is done! It's been an interesting experience that has definitely been more positive than negative!!  We met a "handyman" last spring who said he could do what we wanted done and that he charged by the hour- not the job. He said he would be available in the fall and to let him know when we had the supplies picked out and ordered.  In August he said that the job was still on his list, so I ordered Formica from Lowes and tile from The Tile Shop.  He started Nov 1st and was done on Nov 14.  Our "handyman" is very particular about his work so nothing happens too quickly but it certainly gets done well.  He told us that neither the old formica nor the old tiles would be ripped out but that he would glue the new over the old. We were a bit skeptical but he said that was what most were doing these days. So the old counter did not have to be removed and rebuilt but just prepped. The old tile could stay but the row of accent tiles that were no...

While I'm enjoying the new look in the kitchen, I am getting tired of the waiting! 4 days to get the one side done and so far, 4 days for the other side. The first 4 days I was without a sink and now I've been without a stovetop for 4 days! Amazing how one can adapt!! Filling the crevices!   New faucet, new countertop, new backsplash!

  Our kitchen counters were wearing thin after many years so we decided to up-grade.  We got new Formica and a new tile back splash.  Instead of pulling everything, the handyman convinced us to just cover the old with the new.  We were a bit skeptical but he convinced us that it works and was much cheaper and faster. The only thing that had to be removed was the row of accent tiles. Thin and spotty Formica. Trim that was removed. It was easier than we thought it would be. A cold chisel and a bit of muscle.  

  Our first time at Ed Dunneback's and Girls. It's impressive! Animals, pumpkins, apples, a corn maze and lots of physical activities....only $11.95.

 It’s art! Family bonding too! Whose is who's?  

  Two Alaskan malamutes with the kids from Alaska!

 I can hardly believe it's been a month since I posted.  At the beginning of  the month I thought life was pretty boring.  Everyone defines boring differently, I suppose. But life goes on with all the mundane things that we are always busy with- eating, sleeping, breathing, cooking, shopping, Facetime, Instagram stalking, Facebook, puzzles, reading, laundry, church and the never ending cleaning even though there are just two of us! My friend R goes with me each fall to a nursery/greenhouse around 20 miles away and we buy hardy mums. They were only $3.99. We also get a variety of pumpkins for the annual pumpkin stack. It does brighten up the dreary fall days. Our daughter and 2 grandkids came to visit from Alaska. She wanted the kids to enjoy all the fall colors! In Alaska they only have yellows. They went to the zoo the first night for The Zoo Goes BOO! Fun with cousin Asher. The weather was very mild the entire time they were here. Apple picking was also on the...