oh what a feeling

There is nothing quite like the feeling of going hard on the treadmill, getting all hot and sweaty in the process, then stripping down and slipping into the refreshing waters of the pool. The water is cool, but not cold, the perfect temperature for floating with my noodle for ages. So relaxing. Seriously, it is almost euphoric.

When I opened the back door I stepped out into an oven, a steam oven. Oh my, it is hot and humid. We've been keeping the house at around 78F, which in the summer we've been having, feels cool.

Our friends Bruce & Tina arrived at our place Monday afternoon. After the echos of hello and how are you's settled we jumped in the pool to escape the 33C heat. We floated around, talking and laughing, until all our fingers and toes were pruned. Late in the afternoon, or was it evening at that point? the rumble of thunder drove us inside. No eating outside last night - rain lashed the air.

We were comfortable inside though and everyone gathered at the island while I got the instant pot and actifry busy with our supper. Italian beef in the instant pot was accompanied by roasted zucchini & red pepper tossed with feta, and our new fav, roasted potatoes with sun-dried tomatoes and arugula. Oh what a feast. We ate and ate until buttons popped.

I can't forget dessert though! Tina brought her most excellent blueberry pie, oh my! Now we were really stuffed, but managed to stay upright (oh to lie flat for a few minutes) until late in the night. Luckily they were sleeping over so there was no commute back to the city for them until this morning.

We had an excellent time!

Carm and I had a brief rest after Bruce & Tina left, and then dragged ourselves outside to prepare for the generator installation. Oh, have I mentioned yet? We have bit the bullet (and it is a BIG bullet), and are having a 'whole house' 20KW automatic generator installed. After the two power outages we had this spring we were concerned about leaving Pat with the house with no generator. This giant unit will take care of her just in case.

Anyway, the side of the garage has been a depot for all sorts of rocks and wood.

Years ago a bit of insanity struck... we were dropping off a horse about 1 1/4 hours from here, and on our way back passed a construction site with all kinds of flat rocks for the taking... we loaded up the horse trailer thinking they'd make a good quasi flagstone path in the garden... once home we decided we needed another load so drove all the way back. As it turns out, they did NOT make a good path and have been in the way ever since. We've moved these ^&*# rocks a million times and today makes a million and one times.

Another time we collected rocks from all over our property, thinking that we were going to make a wall or some such fool thing... we've moved those rocks countless times as well. Finally they ended up along the back of the barn and are now overgrown with shrubs.

"Remember, 'No one's more important than people'! In other words, friendship is the most important thing--not career or housework, or one's fatigue--and it needs to be tended and nurtured.” 
~Julia Child