Quarantine is getting old

So... I have had an electric skillet for years. It used to get used very often for weekend pancakes. I was an expert at animal shaped pancakes. That is if you wanted a bear, cat, mouse or snake. 

Sophie even borrowed it during her kitchen renovation. Well I had always carefully washed it so I wouldn’t get water in the outlet. This was per instructions from previous appliances. 

As I was putting it away (I also use it for salmon croquettes), I happen to see this. 😑. Years of washing it. 

I kept seeing people at the pool wearing these crazy puffy shoes. I was at the pool with Sophie and Paul and mentioned them. She pulled out her phone and ordered a pair for me. Late birthday present. What do you think. Also I’m immediately going to paint those nails. Yuck. 

Little man decided to make the final break. Oh well

He will just have to start over. 

Quarantine bakes

When I get a craving nothing can cure it but eating it. 

Carrot cake got on my mind. I made a half recipe. This recipe goes back to my days of working at the downtown McRae’s. Oh how much fun was that?!? My friend Sue got me the job in the junior department. We had access to the bargain basement. There was fabulous stuff that was really great designer stuff. I bought some great things down there. I even got a pair of soft , thin gorgeous leather gloves that I still wear. Gloves in that time came in sizes so they fit...like a glove. 

Darlene was a few years older than us, married with a young child and way more sophisticated than us. She brought great desserts for us and the guys in menswear across the aisle from us. 

I went to work in 4 inch stiletto heels , tight black jeans , tuxedo shirt and menswear vests ( ala Annie Hall). 

More cat yoga. 

Trixie. 

Tried to replicate McAllister’s chicken tortilla soup. Pretty good. 

My cutie. 

Quarantine designs

Ok. Can y’all stand a bit of Interior Design nerdity? I know it’s not a word , like thst but just accept it. I get such a rush out of finishing a project and this one has draaaaaaaged on because of Covid and other factors. 

Here is before. Look at the wall to the left of the door. 

New floor. New shelves with lower cabinets. New lighting. Chris helped me ( he could reach the top shelf easily ). It was such a pleasure to display all of their beautiful things from travels around the world. Chris was especially enamored with the African sword in the center. He said it needed to be there. I was nervous about it but DANG it really helped the design. Diane said they had a heck of a time getting it on the plane home! Now it would be impossible. Great job! 

Ok...Pepper took it to a new level when he THREW UP on the runner. 

New minimalist look for table. 🙄

Quarantine grows back.

Remember that big ole tree mushroom ? It grew back. It is even more beautiful. 

It looked like wings. 

It grows on this tree which has some problems. We will probably have to cut it one day. Ed swears it’s pproblems started when one or more of the girls hit it with their car. It is right where each of them parked at one time. And the damage was bumper height....hmmm???

Little Man decided to break off again. I guess I better look this up. All the babies from last time are thriving. It must be too much sun and heat making it grow too fast. Wish I could share some with y’all. 

Truff reading her favorite book for the millionth time. 

I almost didn’t post this. Cravings for mint chocolate chip ice cream have been plaguing me. Hope this doesn’t inspire any other visually motivated craver like me. It was a tiny bowl.  See the spoon for size. Yes I ate thst big chip first. Also why autocorrect can’t correct thst to that is ridiculous. So from now on both spellings will be accepted. Sorry for the inconvenience.  

Quarantine gains weight

This blog seems to be turning into a food blog. Made these excellent steak fajitas. Marinated in soy sauce, lime juice and ....

...this. It is so good. 

Accompanied by these. 

Another perfect tomato sandwich. 

Sophie asked for my eggplant casserole recipe for Sital. I don’t have one and really make it by feel and looks. I tried my best to come up with one. My date planner was close and had PLENTY of empty pages so I used it. 😆

Here is Jill’s dog Tiffa. She lays on the diving board when we swim at her pool but this is what she does when I get out my phone. 

Ordered a new bed for Truff. Somehow she knew it was hers. 

She likes it. 

Quarantine clicks on

As I was having coffee in my chair this morning I heard distinct tiny ticking noises. I narrowed it down to an area near our back door. Headed to the pool and forgot about it. Well Ed heard it since it was right by his chair. 

We assumed it was one of his devices. But no, it was coming from the wall. When he tapped on the wall, it tapped back. He decided it might be that the plug in the wall was going bad and sparking. He unscrewed the plug plate and a bug fell out. What kind of bug makes a tapping sound? 

A CLICK Beetle!!! We really are going to have to move. The click is their defense system. Well his didn’t work too well.  

Quarantine still trapped

Want to know how the roach story turned out?

Still pending. I keep waiting to see when Ed will turn it over and he is waiting to see when I will. 

Couldn’t resist this one. Even casting it’s own little shadow. 

Truff says it is nap time. Ed is so wrapped up in genealogy that it might not happen today. 

Quarantine bugs out

Since y’all managed to get through that long A last post, I’ll make this one short. 

So. We have been invaded by giant spiders, and now those huge disgusting roaches that come in occasionally. They get sick from our quarterly bug spray but manage to stagger around or hang on the wall for a while. Ugh. So one was in our bedroom and I shot him with wasp spray. Oh did I mention I also killed a wasp in there too? Well he was still running so I clapped the trash can over him...yesterday. Neither one of us wants to deal with it. 

Beef finally quit costing an arm and a leg so this happened. Made it in Mamaw Brown’s deep iron skillet. Tried a new method where you cook it high (425) for 20 mins and then low (300) for 2-3 hours. It turned out great. Those are potatoes, carrots and turnips. 

Quarantine shoulders on

They are here! Chilton County peaches. They would be better enjoyed at the beach but you know...quarantine. No comments on the rest of the bowl contents. They got me thinking about peach cobbler. They are too good to waste in cobbler so I bought some canned peaches. 

I know this sounds crazy but you put in peaches.  Then yellow cake mix gets packed in and then you pour SPRITE over it all. It bubbles up like this. 

Some kind of chemical magic happens. 

It comes out crunchy on top and gooey inside. 

And then this of course. 

So good. Want more mushrooms? 

Apparently orange is the new black. 

Doughnut. 

This log is lichen orange as well. 

Love this little guy. 

Orange popsicle. 

More puffballs. 

These 2 were so delicate. 

Some of my focus was not good because I was so stinking hot and mosquitoes were also enjoying the weather along with my blood. 

Look at this big ole boss hog. 

A little perspective. 

Tending like we are at the beach. Yes. The corn was good. And then this finally happened. 

Perfect backyard tomatoes. Chris grew them. They were the best part of a BLT that couldn’t wait to be photographed. 

And then because spending hours chopping, boiling etc seemed like a good idea. I made soup on the hottest day of the year. It is Pasta a Fagoli soup. Turned out good. 

And finally there is this. Been waiting for the library to get it. Yes, I’m ok.