Greek Night… Bifteki… Maroulosalata… Horiatiki… Sautéed Beet Greens… Roasted Chayote, Carrots and 1 Baby Green Pepper

 Resurgence supper tonite… Live from NYC…

Bright blue skies… a break from the haze… temps in the mid 80’s… humidity comfortable… overall a lovely day.  Still no squirrels 🐿 visible… though today one of her nests fell to the sidewalk… fortunately uninhabited 😳 she busily made another…  letting many small branches fall as she interwove them in the nook of the tree.  Couldn’t spot the noisy blue jay squawking in the neighbors bushes… but a flash of red brought attention to the cardinal pair flirting in our oaks.

Iced coffee 🧋the hubs enjoying his hot java with oatmeal and blueberries… fridge looking bare… time for a market run.  Dropped the hubs off at PT… dashed to the market… grabbed our weekly produce needs… a few dairy items… zoomed back to pick him up… then home.  

With Mom doing double PT sessions this week and a big accident on the roadway leading out to rehab… skipped today’s visit.  Gave her a call to chat for a while… she was resting in bed before supper… tired from the days activity….  looking forward to seeing the hubs tomorrow and both of us on Sunday.  A much needed day off for self care and relaxation 😁

Spent time in the greenhouse today… so refreshing to commune with the plants… fuss over them… give them drinks and love… the tomatoes 🍅 are beginning to ripen here and there… parsley 🌿 thick and luscious… couple more cucumbers 🥒 getting bigger by the day… pulled off a pile of dead leaves to prevent mold or rot… readjusted the fan to blow directly on the tomato plants… all the babies are happy and healthy 😁 Mr Sam lying on the deck a few feet away eyeing the greenhouse door… wishing he could munch… parsley sprig…  a snack for the puss 😻

Supper tonite… Greek night… bifteki… sautéed beet greens… roasted chayote squash… carrots… one teeny pepper that fell off the plant in the greenhouse…  maroulosalata… a delicious green salad with scallions and dill…  horiatiki… tomato cucumber salad…  a glass of Cabernet for the hubs… Sauvignon Blanc for yours truly 😋

Covid delta variant exploding across the US…  #GetYourJabOn  mask up… limit interactions… buzz through the market and wash those germy hands 💕😷

How was your day?   What’s on your plate?   Thoughts?

Meat Loaf, Mashed Potatoes and Green Beans - Hospital Food

 Resurgence supper tonite… Live from NYC…

Temps in the mid 70’s…  brief interlude of sun early on followed by an afternoon of dark cloudy skies… downpours… thunderstorms… wild winds… tornado warnings and stickiness.  Gulls flying over the house… retreating from their usual water perches… clear indicator of storms.

Iced coffee🧋and a granola bar to go… the hubs enjoying his hot java with  salami mini wrap… off to visit Mom at rehab… Mr Sam & the hubs waving bye bye at the back door.  Mom looking perky… big smile upon arrival… completed two PT sessions along with her other therapies today… so proud of her hard work and diligent effort at recovery.  Chatted for a while before supper arrived… hospital food at its finest… meat loaf, mashed potatoes and green beans…  Mom eats better when joined at supper. 

Stopping at a farm stand on the way… picking up chard… beets… beet greens… dill… incredibly fresh… Mr Sam immediately munched chard leaves and some dill soon as the bag was set down… very appreciative of fresh leaves 🍃 😻 they’ll make terrific sides in the days to come.

The hubs on his own for supper… made a plate of leftover penne with olive oil, black pepper, grated mozzarella, grated jalapeño jack… a salad and a glass of Line 39 Cabernet…  pretty tasty pickings 😋

Covid surge continues… take care of yourselves folks… make that appointment and #GetYourJabOn in the interim… mask up… limit interactions… jog through the market and wash those germy hands 😷💕

How was your day?   What’s on your plate?   Thoughts?

Penne with Chicken and Marbled Banana Bread

 Restoration supper tonite…. Live from NYC… 

Mild temps today with low humidity… comfortable day… haven’t seen our squirrel in a few days… wondering if she’s having her second litter about this time… more little mouths to feed… loads of birds about… lots of chirps and songs overhead… a musical cacophony to feed the soul.

Iced coffee🧋out on the deck… the hubs scarfing down his cottage cheese and blueberries 🫐 before zooming off to meet Mom for family training.  Spent the day catching up on paperwork  (it never ends)  phone calls delayed  📞 appointments to schedule 📅 bills to pay 💰 all the stuff of daily life put on hold during times of emergency 🆘 

Late afternoon finally some me time… baked Smitten Kitchen’s Marbled Banana Bread… one of our favorites… sorely needing a treat these days… didn’t have three bananas 🍌 so added two bananas and the meat from three very ripe peaches… came out superb 😋 chocolatey… with notes of banana… vanilla… peach and of course… chocolate… with extra chips inside 😛

The hubs ate with Mom… she enjoyes company for supper… pork loin… yam… beets… cake and coffee… rehab feeds guests well on family training days.   Made penne with the last of the leftover spatchcocked chicken diced on top dressed with olive oil Parmesan and black pepper…  quick and tasty 🍝

You’ve certainly noticed the name change… covid is no longer easing back in the US… it is surging in more than two thirds of the states… majority of new cases delta variant…  almost exclusively among the unvaccinated… time to make that appointment and #GetYourJabOn… mask up folks… limit public interactions… sail through the market and wash those germy hands 💕😷

How was your day?   What’s on your plate?  Thoughts?

Burger night with Salad

 Resurgence supper tonite… Live from NYC…

UPDATE…  NNYTCC wouldn’t post this today… they suggested I revise it… nope… it stands as is…

Folks… so sorry to have to change the name of this post once again… 

Covid is surging in America due to the combination of the delta variant and the unvaccinated… we can longer celebrate covid declining… sad 🥺😢

A warm day… almost 90°F on the old thermometer… luckily humidity comfortable… sparrows taking dust baths at the bottom of the drive… a blue jay squalking in the oak tree… gulls soaring overhead… flying inland before the approaching storms…  blue skies dulled by the haze from western wildfires… air quality alert in effect 🚨 

Iced coffee🧋and a banana 🍌 the hubs enjoying his hot java with cottage cheese and blueberries 🫐 Sun beaming down on the deck making outside breakfast too warm for comfort.  Taking two days off from rehab visitation… spent all day Monday with Mom doing family training and observation… spoke with all three therapists… social worker… doctor… progress is being made… hubs going for family training Wednesday with Mom… our sweet aide this coming Monday.  

Supper tonite… hubs request… NO CHICKEN please… hahahaha… he says he is sprouting pin feathers… enjoyed burger night… two grilled beef sliders with Muenster cheese 🍔 crisp green salad with greenhouse cucumber 🥒  tomato 🍅 red onion 🧅 and creamy Caesar dressing… cold glass of Sauvignon Blanc alongside…  Wild Berry Zinger tea 🫖 for the hubs… delicious.   Had a new experience tonite… 90/10 ground sirloin wasn’t forming a patty… needed to add an egg for binding… not sure why it happened… usually no issues… any ideas? 

Covid delta variant a big risk… please reconsider if you aren’t vaxxed yet… you can still be protected… over 2 billion people have taken a shot… be part of the solution… let your fears be resolved… ask questions of your doctor… read facts on the CDC website… make that appointment and #GetYourJabOn in the interim… mask up… limit public interactions… zip through the market and wash those germy hands 💕😷

How was your day?   What’s on your plate?   Thoughts?

Grilled Spatchcocked Chicken, Green Salad, Grilled Turnips and Fennel, Rosemary Focaccia & Cubed Watermelon and Blueberries

 Restoration supper tonite… Live from NYC…

Spectacular day… low humidity… temps in the around 80… bright sunshine… happy to be outdoors… birds celebrating with chirps, twitters, squawks, songs and caws… a cacophony of music for the soul.  

Iced coffee 🧋and a banana to go… packed up the hubs… lunch… and scooted off to visit with Mom in rehab…. perky and smiling we wheeled her  onto a flowery terrace for a relaxing afternoon outdoors in the mild air.  Chatting and enjoying the warmth of the afternoon… she was pleased and refreshed. 

Coming back home to spend some time with the babies in the greenhouse… watering… checking stems and roots… making sure all are happy and healthy… thriving in their safe space… Mr Sam nosing the basil leaves… munching trailing spearmint stems… finally getting booted as the screen door snaps into place. 

Supper tonite… grilled spatchcocked chicken… turnips and fennel with olive oil salt and pepper in a foil packet… grilled until softened…  some of the rosemary focaccia… warmed on the grates… crisp green salad with the last of the creamy garlic dressing… cubed watermelon with blueberries… a glass of Cabernet for him and Sauvignon Blanc for yours truly. Too full for dessert… thoug we had planned to go out for coffee… another time 🙃

Covid is climbing back into daily life once again… surging among the unvaccinated… the Delta variant even more contagious and virulent than originally thought…. Please folks… be brave… make that appointment and #GetYourJabOn  I hate needles too… but dislike being sick as a dog even more… mask up… limit interactions… trot through the market and wash those germy hands 😷💕

How was your day?   What’s on your plate?   Thoughts?

Grilled Spicy Chicken Skewers… Caprese Salad… Green Salad and Cantaloupe

 Restoration supper tonite… Live from NYC…

Mild temps… low humidity… a welcome break from the typical NYC summer weather schedule…  perfect day for being outdoors… local squirrel contingent apparently agreeing… chasing one another up and down the trees in earnest foreplay.   Robins and sparrows enjoying dust baths at the bottom of the drive… a lone hawk circling overhead on rising currents. 

Iced coffee🧋and a granola bar to go… dropped the hubs off at PT… dashing out to spend a couple of hours with Mom at rehab… hubby feeling well enough to walk the mile home after his workout.  Mom all smiles today post therapies wide awake and chatty.  Walked the length of the gym in PT & was excited to share… had an appetite for supper… ate on her own with minimal assistance…  minimal hiccup… an itchy red rash being dealt with by the MD’s… other than that recovery going well… feeling hopeful and relieved.

Spent time in the greenhouse over the past two days… feeding the babies… thinning dead branches and leaves from the undersides of tomato plants as they grow up and out the vent and across the roof…  cucumbers growing tendrils atop one another… many flowers appearing on both as the mature plants begin to fruit…  Mr Sam ever trying to get inside the greenhouse… wanting to munch leaves and nibble… disappointed as the screen door closes without his success he flops down on the warm deck boards to stretch out in the shade. 

Supper over the past two days… caprese salad with balsamic and olive oil… spicy grilled chicken skewers… garlic and cheese sausage ring… crisp green salad… sliced cantaloupe with spearmint… rosemary and olive oil focaccia and a crisp Sauvignon Blanc from Melbourne… delicious 😋 

Unvaccinated folks now becoming the victims of a relentless surge in covid… the delta variant sickening younger folks faster and more seriously than ever… be brave… make that appointment and #GetYourJabOn  

France now requiring proof of vaccination for attendance at most public events, restaurants, bars, theaters, museums… the covid rapid and antigen test no longer free of charge to its citizens… NYC following suit with requirements falling into place for health care workers is just the beginning… please folks… make the decision to be proactive… don’t get left behind… mask up… limit public interactions… glide through the market and wash those germy hands 😷💕

How was your day?  What’s on your plate?   Thoughts?

Salmon, Roasted Potatoes and Salad with Feta… Pork Taco Lunch

 Restoration supper tonite…. Live from NYC… 

Cooler temps… a good solid rain rinsing the skies from the smoke and haze…  squirrels nest building again… finding leaves and small branches littered on the ground under the trees… discovered that each female squirrel builds three nests for protection and safety in case she has to flee a predator 🐿 

Iced coffee🧋and a peach… the hubs enjoying his hot cup with oatmeal once again…  family volunteering to visit Mom today giving us a much needed respite for chores and food shopping… the larders we’re getting kind of bare 😂… took the hubs over to our local masonry spot to pick up a stone step and all the fixins for a front porch repair…  then scooted over to our local market for a grocery run.  Prices have soared… many items up more than 15% in the last few months…  grateful for our bargain bags to help rein in the budget busters! 

The hubs created a delicious soft taco for lunch… sliced leftover pork chop on a bed of romaine with red onions, fresh parsley and delicious Mexican crema…  a winner 😋

Supper tonite…  roasted salmon filet with creamy garlic sauce… oven roasted new potatoes… crisp green salad with cucumber, red onion & feta and the last of the delicious White Bordeaux 🥂cheers 😋

Covid cases hospitalizations and deaths climbing in all 50 states… our NYC Mayor has instituted vaccination requirements for all NYC Health and Hospitals as well as clinics… the choice? Vaccination or weekly covid tests…  NYC schools are considering masking for kids in the fall… the delta variant extremely contagious and more virulent than other strains… be brave… make that appointment and #GetYourJabOn  be smart… in the interim… mask up… limit public interactions… sail through the market and wash those germy hands 😷💕

How was your day?   What’s on your plate?   Thoughts?

Chicken Thighs and Kasha with Greenhouse Sliced Salad and White Bordeaux

 Restoration supper tonite…. Live from NYC… 

Smoke and mirrors… the west coast is burning 🔥 wildfires out of control… smoke in the jet stream sailed 3000 miles to the Big Smokey Apple 🍎 obscuring the sun this afternoon… the celestial orb turning fuzzy then disappearing entirely in the deepening haze.  Air quality warnings here… worries for our western friends out there…  we know how frightening the fires are… last summer a wildfire came within 8 miles of our summer cabin in Colorado 😢🥺

Ice coffee🧋the hubs enjoying his hot cup… his breakfast… oatmeal topped with a sunny side up egg…  flying out the door to visit Mom at rehab… hubs having PT today… staying behind.  The usual traffic slowing a 30 minute drive to almost an hour… arriving early enough to meet with physical and speech therapists for a review of Mom’s progress.  She is doing well… making strides in all areas… feeling so pleased  😃 

Supper tonite… chicken thighs and kasha… the Jewish version of arroz con pollo… delicious… cooked in veggie stock with (as our son says) 1001 herbs and spices 😂 served with a sliced salad of greenhouse lettuce, tomatoes and cucumber… dipping sauce on the side… and a delightful crisp White  Bordeaux… absolutely divine… comfort food at its finest 😋

Covid exploding among the unvaccinated… more than 80% of new cases the delta variant.  We are choosing to mask up in public (we never stopped) even though we are vaxxed.  Not vaxxed yet?  Be brave… make that appointment and #GetYourJabOn  be part of the solution… in the interim… mask up… limit public interactions… slide through the market and wash those germy hands 😷💕

How was your day?  What’s on your plate?  Thoughts?

Grilled Pork Chops… Baked Potato… Salad and Watermelon

 Restoration supper tonite… Live from NYC…

Cooler temps… lower humidity following an early rain giving the Big Sweaty Apple 🍎 a much needed break from summer swelter…  puddles on the deck… grass greening under the rainfall…  flowers and bushes perking up… skies a touch bluer…  as the west burns the northeast is enveloped in a soggy summer… ah yes… climate change… that notion from so many years ago… finally coming home to roost 🥺🥵

Iced coffee🧋with the hubs… his hot java and oatmeal a reminder of winter  breakfasts…  zipped out the door after a few morning chores to visit Mom at rehab.  Tuckered out from therapy… reclining in bed… her head raised… smiling broadly as she opens her eyes from a brief nap… brought her a crossword puzzle book 📖 if she has free time (doubt it… they keep her moving) and chatted for a while… Picked up a cream cheese bagel 🥯 to nibble in the hospital coffee shop… hubs taking his turn… one visitor at a time…  glad she is making progress… sounding like her old self… complaining about the lousy hospital food 😂🥰

Supper tonite… grilled pork chops… baked potato 🥔 with sour cream… crisp green salad with balsamic vinaigrette… fresh watermelon 🍉 and a cold glass of Bogle Sauvignon Blanc… simple and quick 😋

Covid delta variant climbing among unvaccinated folks… pediatricians concerned about kids going back to school… recommending masks 😷 even if vaxxed… we have never stopped masking in public… at the market… at the hospital and rehab…  on public transit… only in groups where we know everyone is vaxxed do we feel safe enough to unmask… or outdoors with plenty of fresh air and lots of distance… be smart… make that appointment and #GetYourJabOn  and remember… mask in public for your own safety and the safety of others… you can be infected yet show no symptoms when

vaxxed…  so mask up…. limit public interactions… sail through the market and wash those germy hands 😷💕

How was your day?   What’s on your plate?   Thoughts?

Weeknight Bolognese over Penne… Pinot Noir Rosé… Arugula and Zucchini Salad and Garlic Bread

 Restorations supper tonite…. Live from NYC…

Muggy…  mid 80’s…  thin film of haze over the Big Apple 🍎 smoke from the western wildfires caught in the jet stream… filling the skies over the northeast with a light smokey film 😟  worried about our western friends and their safety 🥺 so many folks at risk 😳

Iced coffee 🧋and a quick granola bar… the hubs enjoying oatmeal and hot tea 🫖… zipping out the door to visit Mom in rehab… Sunday her day off from therapies… a chance to rest up for the week ahead and socialize.  Brought the hubs…  her grandson and his other half visiting as well…  her happy personality returned… speaking normally without raspiness or running out of breath…  eyes bright… sitting up in a chair fully dressed in her own clothes…  smiling… pleased to see each of us… visiting one at a time 🥰

Brought four more pairs of work out pants… glasses… a puzzle book and pencil… hung up her clothes… fixed her hair… asked the nurse to have her doctor clear her for a full shower… feeling so relieved to see her happier and on the mend ❤️‍🩹 

Got home at a reasonable time… put together a quick supper…  enjoyed it with friends… so important to relax and take the mind off medical issues for a bit…. Pasta with weeknight bolognese… made with ground turkey over penne… garlic bread… arugula and zucchini salad with purple onion and balsamic vinaigrette… a delightful rosé from Pinot Noir grapes brought by our sweet guests… crisp and dry…  as the empty bottle attests… Belgian chocolate and coffee chip gelato for dessert… also brought by our guests… loads of laughs and a fun evening rounding out a terrific weekend 🥰

Covid infections up in all 50 states… delta variant dominating… CDC director warning delta much more virulent and highly infectious…  current infections and hospitalization rising almost exclusively among the unvaccinated… so sad and unnecessary…. PLEASE folks… don’t make the post name change to Resurgence Supper Tonite (thanks Beth) make that appointment and #GetYourJabOn  be brave…  be part of the solution… in the interim… mask up… limit interactions… hustle through the market and wash those germy hands 😷💕

How was your day?   What on your plate?   Thoughts?

Beef Jerky & Caitlin’s Baby Shower

 Restoration supper tonite…. Live from NYC…

Rumbling thunder…  torrential downpours…  loads of lightening strikes…   heat and humidity sparking massive storms late afternoon…  temps dropping  20°F in under an hour…  a break from the stifling near 90°F temps earlier in the day…  several bunnies on the side of the highway nibbling grasses… their cute grey fur visible among the greenery…  seagulls soaring overhead… symbolic of the storms fury… flying inland for shelter.

Family baby shower today… a much needed break from the daily trips to the hospital and rehab… such fun to see the new Mom enjoying all her gifts… hanging with loved ones… relaxing with a glass of champagne 🍾 🥂 delicious food…  and a special treat… cannoli cake 🍰😋

Mom settled in at rehab… worked out today… Sunday a day off to rest up before Monday’s hectic schedule resumes…  she is happy in her new digs… getting stronger and more confident daily 🤞❤️

Friday… while home post PT…  the hubs made smoked beef jerky… didn’t think it would be so incredibly delicious… but LOVED it… salty… well spiced with a terrific umami flavor and a good poke of heat… more to come as these few slices won’t last very long with us both nibbling 😋

Covid delta variant ramping up again in all states…  a pandemic among the unvaccinated… so incredibly sad and unnecessary…  those who are vaxxed are not immune from catching the virus 🦠 but spared serious infection, hospitalization and possible death…  seems like a good idea… make that appointment and #GetYourJabOn 💉 be part of the solution… not a statistic… with 600,000 souls already lost we can’t afford to lose any more… be brave 💕😷

How was your day?   What’s on your plate?   Thoughts?

Let’s Have Shrimp For Supper

 Restoration supper tonite…. Live from NYC….

Hazy hot and humid… the signature weather of NYC in the summer…  the Big Sweaty Apple 🍎  temps at or near 90°F with 70% humidity…  sitting on the deck just as the sun sets… sharing a cold ale with the hubs… … pair of cardinals flirting… hopping from branch to branch in one of the oaks just overhead… so fun watching them chirping…  their red crests flashing brightly in the late afternoon sun ☀️ 

Iced coffee 🧋and a dark rye bagel with cream cheese wrapped and ready to go… picking up the hubs from PT… dropping him off at home… taking off to visit Mom at REHAB… yay!!  

Mom is out of the hospital and in an acute rehab facility about 35 minutes away.  She is exhausted… hospitals are anything but restful 🏥  Checked into rehab yesterday just before supper… today she did three hours of work… physical, occupational and speech (swallowing) therapy… by rest time she was fast asleep 😴 having a snooze 💤 hated to wake her but visiting hours end promptly at 6pm and her therapies end at 3:30pm… not a lot of time for a visit… it’s okay with us… she is there to work and regain her strength! 

Got back late… 35 minute drive taking 1 1/2 hours due to TRAFFIC 😩 Hubs had already prepped a salad and set up the kitchen for supper… too tired for anything fancy… defrosted a few cooked shrimp… hubs enjoyed his skewered grilled beef… made a quick sauce…  poured a cold glass of Sauvignon Blanc… voilà 🍤  

A covid delta variant pandemic surge is now happening among the unvaccinated… numbers of infections increasing exponentially… if you haven’t been vaxxed make that appointment and #GetYourJabOn 💉 this isn’t over folks… LA county reinstated their mask mandate effective today and cases are rising in all 50 states… don’t become a statistic… we have already lost over 600,000 souls 😢💕😷

Chicken Kebabs… Grilled Pita… Yogurt Dill Sauce… Watermelon & Summer Fruit Salad

 Restoration supper tonite…. live from NYC…

Pea soup… humidity over 70%…  air thick and heavy…  temps climbed to  88°F… feeling like a steam room…  lawn and greenhouse loving the dampness… humans and felines? Not so much 😓 

Iced coffee🧋badly needed in this oppressive weather…  no appetite… the hubs tummy feeling much more settled… able to scarf down a jammy egg and water for breakfast… a banana and some cottage cheese for lunch… a couple of string cheese and four graham crackers as an afternoon snack… so pleased… giving him probiotics to repopulate his intestinal flora 💊 

A morning of laundry (it seems never ending) before popping off to the hospital to visit Mom… she has improved over the past week… 80% of water out of her lungs and pleural cavity… infections and pneumonia cleared… a fib under control… sinus rhythm still intact… CHF managed… she will be transferred to acute in patient rehab later this week.  She is weak and tired but looking much more hopeful 🥰

Arriving home late… supper tonite… leftover chicken kebabs…small salad… none for the hubs just yet… grilled pita 🫓 yogurt dill sauce… fresh lemon 🍋 squeezed over the chicken…  cubed watermelon 🍉 and mixed summer fruit salad…  felt good to relax and eat a meal with the hubs…  feeling relieved that Mom will be out of the hospital and onto rehab in a day or two 😊

Covid Delta variant is spreading rapidly across unvaccinated populations… please reconsider if you haven’t already gotten your jab…  make that appointment and #GetYourJabOn  don’t put yourself or your loved ones at risk… in the interim… mask up… limit interactions… fly through the market and wash those germy hands 💕😷

How was your day?   What’s on your plate?   Thoughts?

Sandwiches for Supper… and Flowers

 Restoration supper tonite…. Live from NYC…

Steamy… the Big Sweaty Apple 🍎 humidity feeling thick and soupy… little breeze… stagnant… oppressive…  a typical New York City summer feel…

Out on the deck early… checking in on the greenhouse post rain storm… flowers abound… the myriad of bird song… chirps… warbles… clicks… caws… tweets… screeches and twitters… the music of Earth bringing solace to the world… if only folks would stop and listen 🌎

Iced coffee 🧋and a banana 🍌 the hubs enjoying his hot java with a mini wrap…  packing up sandwiches and an apple for lunch at the hospital with Mom… hubby’s tummy suddenly in an uproar…  time for him to rest at home…  

Off to visit Mom… showing improvement today… blood pressure level… oxygen saturation 97%…  no audible wheezing… edema lessening… still in sinus rhythm 🤞🥰 impatient to leave the hospital (a good sign) and get on with rehab… enjoying the visit by the men yesterday… so pleased… she was able to speak whole sentences today… big improvements ☺️🙃

Arrived home quite late… 9 PM…  no interest in supper for the hubs… a piece of toast with jam didn’t settle well… couple of hours later was able to eat a banana comfortably… progress… seems he is moving past the tummy troubles.  Enjoyed a turkey and salami sandwich with cheese and a few pretzel snaps for a light no work meal… not very hungry after a late afternoon cookie and tea snack with our sweet aide… while Mom ate her supper…  lots of leftovers from Sunday’s barbecue will make a lovely dinner for tomorrow.

Heard a statement that hit a nerve today… let me clearly state… 

No one in America is going to force anyone to get vaccinated against covid... or any other disease for that matter… against their will…

We are a democracy… not a kingdom or dictatorship… no one will ever be forced to take a jab against their will… hogwash!!  

We may encourage… that is all 💕😷

How was your day?  What’s on your plate?  Thoughts?

Tilapia Cajun Style with Lemon… Greek Peas… Crunchy Fries… Crisp Green Salad.. Empty Nest & Spider Web

 Restoration supper tonite… Live from NYC…

Delightful weekend weather… a bit on the humid side… temps in the low 80’s… quite nice with a stiff breeze to keep ones cool…  the robin family has flown the coop… hubs took the nest down on Saturday… shot a couple of photos of it empty… incredible how mama robin wove the exterior out of sturdy twigs then lined it with dried grasses to make her babies a soft landing spot… just lovely… we will enjoy it for a few days before it begins to deteriorate 

Iced coffee 🧋and a banana out on the deck…  the hubs enjoying his hot cup with a jammy egg and some toast.  Packed up some sandwiches… water and an apple and off the hubs and our son went to visit Mom… giving a much needed day off to recharge and relax.  Spent the day relaxing… grocery shopping…  cooking and hosting family for a cook out and chatty evening… just what the doctor ordered!  

Mom is in day three of sinus rhythm… a good omen for her staying that way…  infections cleared… next issue… dealing with the edema from CHF… still around her lungs making it difficult to breathe freely.  Doctors working on it with medications and dietary changes…  she was thrilled to see her grandson, Mark for a visit… made her day 🙃 

Our fish supper from Saturday night… tilapia with Cajun spices and lemon… Greek peas in a garlic tomato beef broth… leftover fries crisped up in the oven… and a cold Modelo Negro split with the hubs 🍺 

Following supper on Saturday our kids stopped by to cheer us up after the visit to Mom at hospital… so sweet and considerate of them… their support allowed us to feel loved and cared about… we are lucky to have them in our lives 🥰

On the way off the deck this photo…  taken by Mark… of a spider in its web between the tree and the bushes along the driveway… a perfect shot! 

Covid Delta variant rising rapidly in unvaccinated populations… please think hard about getting vaxxed… we don’t want to lose any more souls… make that appointment and #GetYourJabOn  meanwhile… mask up… limit interactions… glide through the market and wash those germy hands 💕😷

How was your day?   What’s on your plate?   Thoughts?

Fry-day… Burger King Chicken Sandwiches… JrWhoppers and Fries

 Restoration supper tonite…. live from NYC…

Elsa has left the Big Apple 🍎 we survived to face another day…  temps  more seasonal… mid 80’s… humidity still in the ‘feeliin’ it’ range… over 60%… not quite pea soup…  am seriously missing our little robin family… seeing the fledglings now and then in the grass or flying low into the trees… they’re teenagers… spreading their little wings and figuring out who they will be as adults next season. 

Iced coffee 🧋and a pb&j on rye for breakfast… the hubs duplicating the sandwich with his hot morning java… Mr Sam on the deck… humidity be damned… stretching on the warm boards he is thrilled to be outside after so many days of rain and confinement…  

Dropping the hubs off at PT… zooming off to the hospital to see Mom post procedure…  she is exhausted… somewhat hungry (no food or water permitted before) BUT her rhythm is back in sinus with a pulse of 67!!  So hoping it holds this time… the nurses carefully monitoring her… they have high hopes that she will stay in sinus rhythm as her medications are adjusted… her infections cleared and her edema much lessened 🤞🤞🤞

Our adorable DIL picked the hubs up from PT and brought him home to shower up and take care of Mr Sam… coming home from the hospital feeling emotional and weepy… not in the mood to cook tonite…  had take out…  a Chicken Sandwich from Burger King along with fries (cause it’s fry-day) the hubs having a chicken sandwich and two Jr Whoppers with a few fries…  since we almost never eat fast food it was kind of a junky treat… loads of calming carbs… along with a Modelo Negro to wash it all down 🍔 🍟 

Covid Delta variant is now the dominant strain of new infections… almost exclusively among the unvaccinated… please… make that appointment and #GetYourJabOn  Why wait? Being sick is no fun… especially in the summer ☀️ mask up… limit interactions… gallop thru the market and wash those germy hands 😷💕

How was your day?   What’s on your plate?   Thoughts?

Kielbasa, Roasted Tomatoes and Shallots…Roasted Eggplant… Garlic Bread

 Restoration supper tonite…. Live from NYC…

Pea soup… thick choking humidity… making temps in the mid 80’s uncomfortable and sticky… tonite all is eerily quiet as The Big Apple awaits the arrival of Elsa early Friday morning.  No sounds outside save the whoosh of air conditioners and the occasional car tires splashing through puddles…  in typical NYC style we batten down the hatches… close our patio umbrellas… put away our light outdoor chairs and tables… close our windows and wait…  

Iced coffee 🧋and the last banana… the hubs enjoying his cottage cheese and fruit… dashing off to the hygienist for a cleaning before morning coffee…  returning for his hot java and a warm jammy egg.  Packing up a couple of sandwiches 🥪 an apple 🍏 couple of bottles of water and a bag of trail mix then off to the hospital to visit Mom.  

Cardioversion tentatively scheduled for Friday morning…  the doctors determined to get her low sodium to its proper level… she has completed the 10 day antibiotic regimen eliminating her infection prior to any procedure…  her edema is significantly lessened… we are hopeful that the shock corrects her rhythm this time 🤞❤️

Coming back home after rounds of earlier rain… the greenhouse wet… plants looking moist and happy…. Supper tonite… keilbasa… oven roasted tomatoes with thyme and shallots… roasted eggplant with balsamic dressing… couple of slices of garlic bread alongside and a cold glass of Sauvignon Blanc to top off the meal 😋

Delta covid variant infections and hospitalizations climbing in states where large numbers of folks are unvaccinated…. Make that appointment and #GetYourJabOn  spending the summer in hospital is a lousy way to pass the time…  until then… mask up… limit interactions… gallop through the market and wash those germy hands ☺️💕

How was your day?   What’s on your plate?    Thoughts?

Pizza Night

 Restoration supper tonite…. Live from NYC…

Another heat blast today…  93°F with virtually no breeze… bright sun… hazy humid skies… a lone hawk sitting atop a light pole surveying for lunch… proud head held high… waiting for that perfect moment to pounce… endless patience.

Iced coffee 🧋a banana… the hubs with his hot cup… cottage cheese with berries and banana…  too warm for breakfast on the deck… the greenhouse registering over 95°F… spent time cooling down the plants with a good watering and misting…  removing dead foliage and tying up drooping limbs on the humongous tomato plants… all the way to the ceiling and continuing to grow scrunched up against the peak and out the hatch… incredible!  lots of baby cucumbers, peppers and little tomatoes forming… so exciting to see fruit appearing 🍅 🫑 🥒 lettuce bolted a bit in the heat… nasturtiums climbing into the cucumbers… delightful ☺️

Packed up sandwiches… an apple and trail mix for lunch… off to the hospital to visit Mom… her heart rate is closer to normal varying between 80 and 115 bpm… down significantly from earlier in the week… the plan is another shock tomorrow to try and get her back in sinus rhythm…  hoping for a positive outcome 🤞she is understandably nervous 😬 trying to reassure her 🥰

Pizza night! Quick and easy… the dough has been fermenting in the fridge for about 10 days… it was super pliable and made a nice thin crust with excellent flavor…  coated in olive oil… stretched… rested and stretched again… topped with mozzarella and jalapeño jack… sliced tomatoes… garlic and onion flake… thyme… parsley… arugula… a bit of olive oil to moisten the arugula… finally more mozzarella and jalapeño jack… 450°F oven for 20 minutes… rested for 5 minutes… topped with fresh basil chiffonade and voilà… pizza 🍕 we ate the whole thing with a glass of chilled Sauvignon Blanc alongside… so refreshing 😋

Delta variant of covid spreading across the US rapidly… responsible for the uptick in cases and hospitalizations… apparently more transmissible and more virulent… as per the CDC… #GetYourJabOn as soon as possible to avoid getting sick this summer!!  Meanwhile… mask up… limit interactions… fly through the market and wash those germy ha ds 😷💕

How was your day?   What’s on your plate?   Thoughts?

Salmon with Roasted Tomatoes & Roasted Potatoes … Cantaloupe and Peaches

 Restoration supper tonite…. Live from NYC…

Another hot one today…  94°F and humid… searing the Big Steaming Apple… one of those when outside is just too hot 🥵 even for birds and squirrels… not a soul to be found save a couple of butterflies in the herb garden…

Mama robins babies have fledged… the nest lies empty… the family has flown the coop… all successfully cared for by momma and poppa… missing their cute little chirps but glad they have flown off to find their own mates and create more robins next season 🐦

Iced coffee 🧋and a banana today… the hubs classic cottage cheese and fruit along with his hot cup of Java… outside temperature insignificant… he likes his cup HOT ☕️ packed up a couple of sandwiches 🥪 and off to the hospital to visit Mom.  Her breathing has improved…. less labored…. Her heart rhythm still out of sync but pulse slowed enormously…  successfully treated for her underlying infection…  next step is correcting her sinus rhythm… conference tomorrow to discuss options… we shall see…

Special thanks to all of you folks who have shared your own experiences with a fib… either personal or close family member… the information is invaluable and gives great hope for Mom’s positive outcome… thank you for your caring and supportive outpourings… it is all so incredibly appreciated ❤️❤️❤️

Got home just in time for a blast of wind and torrential downpours followed by several hours of thunderstorms… took out a large tree which fell across the street miraculously not injuring anyone or taking out power lines…

Supper… salmon with roasted tomatoes and roasted potatoes… a chilled glass of Sauvignon Blanc alongside… cantaloupe and peaches for dessert… a light and quick supper… a smidgen of self care and relaxation after another long day

Covid delta variant now the major threat… infecting unvaccinated folks… #GetYourJabOn if you haven’t done so yet…  not worth the risk of getting sick this summer or fall… meanwhile… mask up… limit interactions… sail through the market and wash those germy hands 💕☺️

How was your day?   What’s on your plate?   Thoughts?