BBQ

We are having a kayak lesson tomorrow, 6 hours of how to kayak in the sea. 3 hours theory and 3 hours practice. Betcha I will be knackered at the end of that. So we have decided to finish the event with a bbq. I have made tzatziki and mango/peach salsa (the peaches are in season mmm so wonderful) and steamed blue and pink spuds for a salad.

My friend B has soaked fruit for sangria and we are all set with pork loin, steaks and sausages so JD doesnt feel its too girly a bbq. There will just be the three of us but of course there is food for 10. Just the way it should be!

To date - 27% - Goal is 52% by Jun 2011

create your own personalized map of the USA

Planning

We are in for a busy autumn!

Aug - 2 camping weekends - CT and Maine then JD goes to Belfast for a weekend

Sep - parents visiting - Washington visit - then Johanna comes over for a few days

Oct - Gunnhild visiting en route to South America, we have a week in Bermuda and Amina is planning a visit. We will try and squeeze in a weekend in Vermont as well.

Nov - no plans! Thanksgiving might be an opportunity for a road trip or if someone who likes food comes over I will happily engage in marathon cooking!

Dec - no plans! We are hoping JD's brother might make it over for Christmas.

Note that in these plans I only have to fly once, which makes me very happy. The thought of spending time in airport just makes me tired. The thought of driving my lovely car around the country though (or taking the train to Washington) makes me happy.

Weather

Weather is a lot more exciting here than in Sweden or UK! Yesterday we had rain come through and when it rains it pours. Suddenly all the cars are driving around in lakes with mega splashes and walking home it felt as if I was in a sauna where someone had been a bit too keen with the water splashing onto the stone - increadibly humid.

Today we are promised more rain and thunder so I am planning an evening on the balcony admiring the nature show.

Sunday doodles

Its Sunday and we are back from a great weekends camping, saw a bunch new birds (for us - most locals have probably seen them a million times) and we either saw a turtle (my guess) or Loch Ness monster (JD's guess) poking its head up in the lake.

The tent is water proof if correctly set up and even if set up half arsed in the semi darkness its almost water proof. So that is good!

We still bring way too much stuff but have reduced somewhat from the first time. We are working on it. We have also realized that anyone who comes visiting will have to buy corned beef as we cant find it in the stores - just ready canned corned beef hash but that just isn't what we want.

And we found a lovely cup cake shop in New Milford (which is a lovely town to start with) where we bought a Violet Beauregard's Blueberry cupcake and an Elvis Banana cupcake with peanut butter and bacon topping. The Elvis was great! Surprisingly scrumdiddlyumptious!

JD has about 10 tomatoes on the plants at least and 2 peppers. The heat is on here so we should be able to start harvesting tomatoes from next weekend I suspect.

Dinner tonight is Spinach Lasagne as our surprise veggie back has contained spinach for the last three weeks and I have been blanching and freezing. No more lettuce and I have to admit I miss it already.

Hot

Its hot and humid here. So I have turned American and driven to work (and left JD on the train station on the way) all week. Except this morning we walked as we were not in a rush. So we strolled along slowly as its so hot that anything faster than that is a killer. Strolling past the circus on the way! The Big Top is up and lots and lots of caravans around it. Might have to get us tickets for next week...

We are going camping - again- at Lake Waramaug - this weekend. Fingers crossed the new tent will be water proof as weather forecast says thunder and heavy downpour at some point during the night. I am an optimist though so think we will be fine. JD's suggestion is putting up the smaller tent inside the larger one. Double water proofing.

No cook dinner is planned for tonite - cheese, wine and salami.

4th July

We celebrated 4th July in the way I was told that all Americans do - with a bbq. Now we were in a camp site in upstate NY. Its hot outside so a dip in the pond was lovely! The mosquitoes breeding in the pond less cute but with some super strength mozzie spray I avoided most bites except on hands where I washed and didnt reapply - silly me.

We could hear the fire works but not see them - but I have seen enough fireworks to be able to picture in my head the view behind the trees. Giant new tent is great although I doubt it will hold up in a lot of rain, we might find out next weekend when we go camping again.

3 course lunch

Its the Friday before a long weekend. Noone is in. Well I am and about 3 others. Feels a shame to waste a PTO day on an opportunity to be in the office on my own.

Lunch consisting of - due to lack of self control or ability to choose today:

1) Maryland Crab Chowder - its great. Very creamy.
2) Roast Vegetable wrap with cheese and chipotle mayo - mmm good - its toasted so extra nice.
3) Banana bread - they must have decided to use up old bananas hanging around, its still warm and just so moist and delicious I had to start with a bite in case I wouldnt have space by the time I had had the soup.

Will try and finish all as its rude to leave food I hear.