Saturday, October 5, 2019

Saturday Catch-up and Coffee

    

     Thank you all for the great participation in yesterdays post. I didn't know I was in such good, or I guess the same, company. Though as Anne so wisely says, if the rogue shopping is the worst habit, it can't be that bad. We didn't go to the football game. When I came through town it already looked like they were gearing up for a packed house. I learned from my niece  who brought her kids that the lines to get in were winded back through the parking lot. Plus it was cold and damp, and we both are fighting colds. Instead, my sister had an impromptu  Minnesota Twins watching and bon fire get together. 

     My brother has been staying with her while in town and he is heading back to Florida on Sunday, with a few stops on route to see other friends. He really has quite the retirement life-good for him. He only had one child, who is now 48, a son-in-law and grandson, who live here in Minnesota. He made decent money when he was younger, and has very little wants in life other than good food, drink, and company, and  lots of camping and road trips. He lives near the beach and is an avid reader, and still pretty handy and in excellent health to help out in his community after the oh so frequent storm clean-ups during the hurricane and tropical storm season. 

     Oh the Twins. The New York Yankees are our curse, and they lost 10-4. They need to get their act together the next two games or there will not be a fourth! I don't know the team inside and out, but the rest of my siblings are die hard fans, and know the line up and any variation. I just look at the boys at bat and think they look as young as my 18 year old. My sister's husband grilled old fashion hotdogs and we, as normal, had a smorgasbord of yummy food. As this was impromptu and I worked, I didn't really have time to make anything. On Wednesday our friends sent me home with  a tub of caramel apple dip that was unopened and they didn't want it in their house. I was going to bring to work and forgot it,  but since I had it, I brought that along with a bag of apples. What a hit. The dip was licked clean, and probably went through at least 1/2 dozen apples.

     My sister C made a tray of Apple Squares. While pretty good they are not quite as good as the ones my mom made, but I wouldn't complain. Apple squares are kind of like an apple tart, but baked in a jelly roll size pan. They have a pie crust bottom, and a layer of apples, but then topped with a corn flake topping. Once cool, they are drizzled with  icing. I took one home for my morning coffee. Delicious. My mom was also a pretty bland cook, but  as can my mother-in-law, also of Norwegian heritage, she could bake!  



     Speaking of this sister, she was first married to a man 14 years older than her, who was a good guy, but very much a traditionalist, wife stays home kind of guy. He sadly passed away of cancer when her boys were 13, 11, and 8. She remarried seven years later to a good guy with four kids, all also nearly grown. She still pretty much never has worked out of the home. The kids all get along, but then never really had to be a blended family as other than the two youngest, all were college age. Two of their grandchildren, one each from two of her husbands daughters were confirmed last Sunday. They had a combined big after church party for the cousins, who had made up a Bible trivia game. C shared how she and her husbands ex-wife teamed up and kicked the pants off the other teams, having both been Sunday school teachers  for years. The grandsons I guess just answered Noah, Moses, or Jesus for every answer. It was nice to hear a story about extended family, ex spouses and new  spouses (though my sister has been remarried for 23 years), just being the kid's family.

     It has been raining all night and is raining now. I had planned to go to my nephews little guy football game, but with rain and field conditions, they are cancelling. Not having a day off this week and working a bit later, I have a housework list that is quite long, plus the matter of the cushion to deal with. We picked a book for the November book club meet-up, Before We Were Yours and I'd like to get a start on it.The new members for the club seem like a good bunch, lots of avid readers amongst them, and a wide spread of ages, which I think should add to the discussion. I hope you stay warm and dry where you are at. I hoped to not turn on the heat until November, but it's pretty chilly with no sun. Guess I'll just keep a sweater on. 

10 comments:

  1. It is sunny but chilly here. We are supposed to get the rain tomorrow though... I can't complain as we need it. Today I have been cleaning up a bit. I am hoping to tackle the closet of doom today so I can get the boys' pants out and see what is needed for winter and to clear out the spaces where the window a/c units get stored for winter. I am hoping to get them out of the windows this weekend. I have a laundry list of cleaning to do too but it has been so nice to move at my pace without anything on my schedule for today. Enjoy the rest of your weekend.

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    1. We do not need rain. the poor farmers couldn't plant to the end of May and now they can't harvest. I hope your to do list gets accomplished-I've been lazy.

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  2. It is sunny and not so chilly here. In fact, it is already about 95 and the pool is calling me.
    I watched the Twins game last night also, but we did not have good food or company. I was pulling for them and will pull for them the next game. Since there is no team here I feel obligated to support I feel comfortable being for anyone on any given day.

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    1. Please root for our Twins-we need something to keep us happy this fall. They seem like an agreeable lot of athletes and have made for a fun sports summer.

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  3. Now you've given me lots of ideas for our next board game evening which is at my place this month. I love using recipes from the US because they are so different from what we would make here (any and all recipes/ideas gladly received)! And isn't it nice that those blended families all get on! That speaks to the lovely characters of all concerned!

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    1. Since my sister was a widow, and her step kids mom actually decided after 20 years of marriage she was gay, his kids had no resentment towards my sister. Her boys were glad to see her happy as they were fast growing up and would be gone from the house. We all have friendly extended family well wishes when we see any one. I still remember when one of his daughters got married and in he receiving line I was congratulating their mom and her partner. Her partner later came up to me and said how nice my sisters family was and how she actually felt included as a parent. Well of course she should be included, but apparently, that wasn't the reception she got from all the guests. Sad.

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  4. No problem staying warm and dry here. It's in the high 90s this weekend. Sigh. At some point it WILL cool off, but we'll probably go straight into winter temps at this rate. Which are still mild for any normal person. But once you've lived in this climate for long, 50 starts to feel awfully chilly.

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    1. I know it can get pretty cold though in the winter evenings in the desert states. We need t figure out where we will eventually winter because I a not going to be here in my late 60's, 70's, and 80's.

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  5. Your cool weather sounds so nice, Sam. I would love to wrap up in a blanket right now. The apple recipe sounds interesting, I don't think I've had anything like that. I love the cornflakes on certain casseroles, they are really yummy. I hope you have a great week, Sam. :)

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    1. I need to get the recipe form my sister if I can't find it in the ones I copied form my mom. I am rubbish at pie crusts, but sine this is just the bottom, it doesn't need to look nice. If I do find the recipe and make, I'll post my results.

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