Amen!!
At 5:00 a.m., I woke up to a thunderstorm, so I jumped out of bed and headed for the patio, where I witnessed the rain pouring from the sky like a cow peeing on a flat rock!
The clock strikes 6:00 a.m., and we are ready to take on the day! Coffee first! I love it when the coffee kicks in, and I realize what an adorable badass I’m going to be today.
It rained 1/4″ this morning.
The house and grass were all wet and clean. Our grass survived summer’s heat and looks wonderful; time or croquet!
What do you call a bear in the rain? A drizzly bear!
Everything is green and clean.
We went to the Z’s to inspect everything and found everything in good order. Mary attended to a couple of plants that needed attention. We sent them a few photos but don’t know how messaging works in Europe.
“Drink up little plants!”
On our way home, we quickly stopped at Hon Depot to buy a new rose plant. The previous one was in a pot with a broken bottom, causing it to sit sideways on the rollers. To fix this, I found a piece of wood with a diameter of 18 inches and placed it under the pot. After emptying the pot, I replanted the new rose plant in it, using nearly three cubic feet of good soil.
Mary came out the next morning and examined my replanting work; I passed with flying colors!
Our neighbors, the Tongs, brought us a big bag of Shishito peppers, so we decided to have a pierogi meal, and Bob could fix up a plate of blackened or charred Shishito peppers with his unique ingredients.
Shishito peppers from our neighbors.
We had invited Dianne to join us so she could get out of the house and celebrate with a bottle of champagne!
Bob’s creative pierogi flavors included snail and artichoke, sardines and sauerkraut, and Limburger cheese with oysters.
Bob prepares sliced sausage and his secret sauce, which can also be used to repair cars.
Chef Bob whips up lunch!
Traditionally considered peasant food, pierogi eventually gained popularity and spread throughout all social classes, including nobles. Some cookbooks from the 17th century describe how, during that era, the pierogi were considered a staple of the Polish diet, and each holiday had its own special kind of pierogi created.
Yummy!!!
Pierogi are commonly topped with yogurt, sour cream, dill, or chives. A popular dish of dessert pierogi includes a blueberry filling and a farmer’s cheese or fruit compote topping. Savory pierogi usually make a complete meal, though sometimes they are served alongside stew or borscht (Polish barszcz).
Shishito peppers and champagne, lunch of champions!
Over the teeth and through the gums…
Bob arranged the plates and put tongs down so they would not have to touch the pierogis with their hands and potentially burn their skin.
Bob calls everyone to “Come and get it!”
So Bob was asked how big the sardines he used in today’s creation and showed us! That’s Bob showing us what six inches looks like!
I told the group, “I’ve got a great fear of speedbumps. They’re a real hurdle!”
“Derned thing almost got away!”
The finished product was beautiful! The peppers disappeared in a flash!
Blackened and spiced up!
Everybody hit the counter, filled their plates, and headed for the table. David showed up just in time to get his plate filled.
Serve yourself.
During the gathering, David shared some exciting stories about his collections and the people he has encountered. Robin then revealed that she was once offered a dancing job by Jerome Kern while in Las Vegas four decades ago! All I could boast about was sitting in a hot tub with Florence Henderson.
David tells us stories.
I purchased two umbrellas on Amazon and gave one to Mary and one to Dianne. Upon opening the box, Mary playfully placed the umbrella on her head.
Gift wrapped!
We enjoyed a delightful two-hour lunch, sharing tales of the past. We love family, and family get-togethers are always exceptional!
Champagne is great!
During lunch, Robin, Mary, and I used the computers to finalize our plans for the upcoming trip, including excursions and dinner reservations.
Mary and I recently visited the US Government Border Security website but were disappointed with the experience. To obtain our Global Entry passes, we had to fly or drive to San Francisco for a meeting that lasted only ten minutes. Although we found an office in San Diego, we could not make reservations for the meeting. Tomorrow, I plan to call the agency and voice my frustration. It doesn’t make sense that an 80-year-old man like myself would have to travel 1,000 miles for a meeting that only lasts ten minutes.
After everyone left, we watched TV before bed, as we had to visit the doctor’s office early tomorrow.
