Nine Below Zero

 That was the temperature this morning when I went out in my jammies to get the newspaper.  Happily, it was right on the porch, not wedged in a snow drift or marooned on the driveway.  I was surprised to see this pair of House Finches on the feeder this morning.  It was sunny out but so darned cold.  You can see how puffed up they are to try to stay warm.

I did a load of laundry this afternoon.  I'm addicted to wearing my not-so-new-anymore jeans so that means I do laundry, at least one load of jeans, more often.  I threw in all my heavy socks too so that I don't run out of those.  It's definitely thick socks weather.

I had a knitting guild board meeting this afternoon but I managed to capture this sundown shot just after the meeting ended.  I like the sweep of pale peach clouds across the navy gray sky.

I carried up the last week's worth of frozen suppers today which means I will be doing a big shopping trip this week so that I can start the next bout of Investment Cooking in the next few days.  I can't believe that it's been six weeks since the last one already.  Time sure flies when you're eating right.

After supper I cast on February Cast Sock #2 but didn't get very far.  I got distracted by a virtual concert on YouTube (I had to sing along a lot) and then DD called so I got to spend time talking to her.  I'd much rather do that than knit.

14 February--Barbara Malcolm, The Seaview. 

            The afternoon passed quickly, Marie finished getting all the fruit and cheeses cut and into the fridge.        

            Elizabeth baked off her smokies in blankets two trays at a time.  I admired her patience wrapping all those tiny sausages one at a time.  While the last trays of smokies were in the oven she made a dipping sauce which was divine.  I finished prepping the salad long before she was done so she talked me through making the salad dressing in a quart Mason jar

            Will and Silas came up the road carrying one of Johnno's big grills made from a barrel cut in half.            

           Silas said, "Man, are you lifting it or dragging it?  Use your muscles, I can't carry the whole thing myself."

            Will said, "Quit banging it into my shins.  I'm going to be bleeding by the time we get there."

            They both laughed.

             I was glad to hear them banter and tease like they'd known each other for years.

            "Mom," Will called, "when are you planning to serve so we know when to start the grill?"

            I looked at the clock, it was nearly five.  "I'm thinking everyone will get here around seven, so you can either light it now and grill everything ahead and let it stay warm in the oven or light it at seven and grill while everyone's here."

            I heard him say, "She does this all the time and it drives me nuts."

            Silas said, "My mother does the same.  You can not win no matter what you choose."

            "I heard that," I said.  "Light the grill now so no one has to stand there once the party starts.  Okay?"

            Two voices answered, "Okay," then they both laughed.

            By that time Marie and I were washing and drying the dishes, getting the kitchen cleaned up before we all scattered to get changed.  All afternoon I had kept an ear cocked to hear if anyone came into the lobby.  I heard a lot of comments from people walking by on the sand but no one ventured in.  I definitely needed an "Open" sign. I smelled the charcoal lighter waft in through the back door and wished the wind would shift and blow it right back out.  I looked out and saw that they'd parked the grill right outside the door on the edge of the patio blocks.  Too late to ask them to move it but I'd make a grill pad off to the side before I got my own.  I wondered where you buy a grill like that.  Silas would know.

            "Mom?"  Marie's voice startled me.  "Are you okay? You were staring off into space."

            "Oh, I'm fine," I said.  "I was just thinking about where to buy a grill."  I handed her the whisk I had been holding and noticed that it had dripped on the floor.  I swished my hands through the soapy water.  "That's everything, sweetie.  Thanks for helping.  Why don't you run along and have your shower and get ready?"

            She hung her towel over the rack and hugged me.  "Thanks, Mom.  I think I'll grab a quick swim first since I'm flying back home tomorrow and there isn't a beach anywhere near me."

            Will came in and said, "The coals are about ready.  Can we have some tongs and a place to put the cooked sausages, please?"  I pulled down an aluminum pan, got the bag of the hot dogs and sausages out of the fridge, and handed him the pan and the tongs.  "Here, you can put the food into this, cover it with foil, and tuck it into the oven to stay warm once everything's done."

            "Will do," he said.  We both laughed because he'd said that repeatedly when he was an independent toddler.

Today's toss was a cooking magazine.  I paged through it, drooling over the recipes especially the ones for cast iron skillet desserts, but didn't find any that I could easily WW into something I can eat, so out it went.

The prompt today said to choose a family member to swap places with for a week.  I chose OJ who is 4 1/2 and goes to 4K.  I thought I might like being a kid for a week, playing and learning and not having to make adult decisions.  But it might also be frustrating to be at the mercy of grownups for everything.

--Barbara