pie and projects...

Independence Day has come and gone, and so has the heatwave that nearly melted us the first week here...this week it is again a scorching 90 plus degrees and we are filling water bottles with ice and leaving them in the fridge to keep cool.

I made my traditional dessert for the 4th of July, a strawberry and a blueberry pie served with whipped cream (or vanilla ice cream). Both flavors were big hit, and in two days the pie dishes were emptied. I admit that I helped the process along : )

Things also look pretty different here around the house...E, being the active personality that he is, has undertaken several big projects around the house. The pine bushes at the front of the house are trimmed and neat, and the handrail by the front door is repainted. In the backyard you can actually see the chain-link fence that runs around our property, and the jungle that separated us and our neighbors has been tamed with a machete. All the neighbors are immensely pleased, asking E to come and clean up their yards as well...!
The next big project was cleaning and re-staining the deck in the back. After power washing and repairing several boards, Dad and E brought back a beautiful mahogany stain that matches the red trim of the house, and it is so beautiful that looking out the backdoor you can hardly believe that the deck is the same one that was there last week. It looks completely different!

Later this week E and I hope to make a trip to visit my grandma, and next week family vacation is scheduled, our annual trip to Wisconsin. I am looking forward to returning to the beautiful Northwoods!
The last few days were a preview of seeing our extended family, as our house was FULL with cousins visiting from Virginia. We were a houseful of 17 people, and it was wonderful to see so much activity and spend time with everyone...!!! There were some cousins that I had not seen or talked to for quite a while, and it was great to catch up, even briefly. I wish that family was closer, to be able to see each other more.
Make the most of your time with one another!
I have enjoyed a few outings with my brothers to the movies and out on a local lake with the boat...I haven't lost my old waterski skills, and that is another reason I am looking forward to visiting the lake : )

Pura Vida