Mike, getting used to the way we do birthdays
Before August becomes nor more than a dim memory I suppose I should bring you up to speed on all we've been up to.
See what I did there? Up to no good.
I had a funny experience a week or so ago. If I'm honest I can say it is the first time this has ever happened to me and will most likely be the last.
It transpired at the grocery store where I'd gone to pick up maybe six or eight things. Not my usual order but it was for a particular and rather narrow purpose.
In fact it was part of the shopping I did for Henry's meals, which by the way, he has been raving about.
August is slipping from the calendar
Particularly well received was the meatloaf. Let's pull over and park here for a mo.
Throughout the decades I have made meatloaf by adding to the lean ground meat one egg, a handful of dry oatmeal, a generous squirt of ketchup, and whatever seasonings I saw fit.
One of the secrets of good meatloaf if you're asking me, is to bake it on a rack so that it does not rest in its own grease.
Towards the end of cooking, I take it out of the oven and apply a generous amount of ketchup to the top, spreading it all around so everything is covered, then bake until the ketchup forms a glaze.
And, et voilà, Bob's your uncle! That's a good meatloaf.
Persistent rain cloaked our area for days
But this time, while looking for the canned goods I would need for my chili, me pirate eye fell on this product: Hunt's Seasoned Tomato Sauce for Meatloaf. Basically a meatloaf starter.
If this product has existed for any length of time, it had previously escaped my notice.
I decided to give it a try.
To two pounds of lean ground beef I added about two-thirds of the starter sauce, plus the egg and oatmeal. At any rate I followed the recipe on the can.
I shaped the meat into two one-pound loaves -- one for TG and one for Henry. But even if I were not sharing, I would make this with two loaves. You can always eat one and put the other in the freezer for a rainy day.
Rhett was having a high old time
Towards the end of cooking, I added the remaining one-third can of starter sauce to the tops of my meatloaves.
Henry has raved about that meatloaf both to me and to my sister, to the point that she has texted to ask that I share what I did to that meatloaf to garner such a response.
(TG liked it but by no means raved; I'm not sure what to make of that, but I will make this meatloaf again.)
So now you know. If you want to wow someone with a humble meatloaf, go and do as I did.
Anyway, Henry also enjoyed everything else I made for him and I cannot tell you how glad I was to hear that.
Erica's compact canine unit, Sibi, matches the recliner
But I was at the store to get a few things I needed -- as I said, maybe ten things tops -- and in the checkout line, it not being a busy time of day, I was the only customer after the person ahead of me cleared out.
The cashier was an older lady, neat and tidy, having put on makeup and everything. She looked really nice.
Of particular interest to me was the wig she was wearing; it was a bobbed style dyed black at the roots and platinum blonde from the ears down. It actually looked cute on her.
She asked if I had one of those cards you scan to get the everyday low low prices and I said no, I thought I did but I don't.
Our Dagny loves a family get-together
We have just really started shopping at that store since we got fed up with the store where we used to shop.
So she encouraged me to visit a kiosk near the door as I left, to apply for said card, and I said that I would.
And then she said: That will be two thirty-eight. It all happened so fast.
I said, Excuse me?
She repeated: That will be two-thirty eight. And looked at me as though it was my turn.
Audrey got this balloon for Mike. No he is not a gamer.
It looked as though all of my purchases were still on the conveyor belt. I was the only person in line. I mean is that even a line? Does the pirate all by her onesie constitute a line?
Anyway I honestly thought she was asking me to pay for that card that they would later scan in order to give me access to the low low everyday prices.
So I said, I mean what is that for?
She replied; For your order. And she pointed to one item that she had scanned and put into a bag. I hadn't noticed that before.
I looked at my other stuff. But, I said, what about the rest of my groceries?
The sun did not shine! It was too wet to play!
She looked down and gasped. Oh I am so sorry! she said, and quickly began scanning my remaining items.
I'm old! she exclaimed by way of explanation for her error. I'm nearly seventy!
Well I resemble that a little more than I am comfortable with but I just said: Oh girl don't think a thing of it! I thought you were saying I had to pay for the discount card, haha!
She said: Of course you don't have to pay for that! I saw that stuff but I just thought it was someone else's order.
? ? ? ? ?
Erica's musical selections added to the cozy ambience
There was no one else but I let that slide because what does one say at such a time?
At any rate I soon paid for my purchaseS but not before she had apologized eighteen more times for being such an airhead, and I assured her it was absolutely not a problem and suggested that she forget it immediately.
But you know, I feel every day as though I am forgetting something. I think it's the wedding mode I'm in.
However we did not forget to celebrate our Mike's birthday on the sixth of this month.
Erica's incredible disappearing brownies
That was the week that we had rain, rain, rain, a brief lull, more rain, then more and more and more rain, until on his actual birthday it rained all day without stopping.
It was the storm they named Debby. We had none of the catastrophic effects as they did in the Low Country of South Carolina, from that weather event; we were fortunate.
But it was a rainy week and as I said, on the day, it did nothing but rain.
Erica had made her wonderful white chicken chili, and she'd also made brownies. Audrey made her beloved a batch of oatmeal raisin cookies, his favorite.
We had brought a small gift and it was cozy to be inside Erica's homey house full of lamplight, the skies all gray and weeping, and eat and visit and love on the babies.
I did the dishes. Yay me.
I always say I'll do the dishes if there are gloves to wear to protect my manicure, and Erica didn't have the right kind so Audrey dodged raindrops to go to her car and retrieve her heavy housecleaning gloves (they were in her car because she cleans houses for a living), so that I could wear them.
So the dishes got done and the dishwasher loaded and so forth, and that was my contribution.
Erica had lovely music floating from her bluetooth speaker that looks like a vintage retro radio, and the rain fell and Mike opened his gift and we all had a great time.
Rhett did not become emotional at the music. We are attempting to immunize him ahead of the wedding, where there will be a glut of lush, romantic tunefulness.
Mike appreciated our efforts on his behalf
You won't believe this. Mike had at first said, when I asked, that he didn't want to "do anything" for his birthday.
? ? ? ? ?
I told Audrey: Well chickie that hound won't hunt, and she prevailed on her intended to submit to being fêted on the day.
It's just how we roll. As you well know.
I told Mike when we arrived that evening, waterlogged but none the worse for wear: If you want to avoid observation of your birthdays, you are marrying into the wrong family.
Everyone misted with mirth because if that's not the truth, God didn't make the little green apples.
Audrey produced a batch of Mike's favorite cookies
No birthday left behind, is our motto. Or if it isn't, it should be.
And then a few days later, TG and I embarked on a trip to Cleveland, and later this week I will tell you about that adventure.
It involved relatives, cemeteries, ice cream, and baseball.
Oh and it involved me forgetting something: my ankle-length black Shadowline nightgown with roses embroidered at the neckline, without which garment I cannot live.
I left it hanging from a hook on the back of the bathroom door on the day we departed for home.
It's been awhile since anyone around here has had to water their grass
When I called the InterContinental Suites Hotel to make sure they had it -- they did -- I learned that if I wanted it back it would cost up to one hundred and seven dollars, depending on how quickly I wanted it.
They have a contract with FedEx.
Hmmmmm. After careful consideration I opted to send them a self-addressed, postage prepaid padded mailer into which they have promised to stuff my nightgown and zip it right back to me.
I think it's interesting that they get kickbacks from FedEx can't -- or won't -- simply put a forgotten item into a mailing envelope or box and send it back to the careless guest via the United States Postal Service, and put the charge for that on a credit card.
Ahoy and avast! That would be too easy. And that's not how we do things in the big city!
Elliot a/k/a Skippy is a sought-after lap buddy
The takeaway: Do a thorough sweep of your room before checking out of a hotel.
Ironically, I had thought to remove TG's hanging shirts from the closet, and drape them over his suitcase, lest he forget them.
I am not suggesting that he would have; I'm just saying that's what I did. Also I snagged his aviators from the bedside table and put them beside his wallet. Pirates are nothing if not helpful.
Later he told me that he had noticed my gown hanging on the back of the bathroom door, but ...
I snagged some snuggle time with my Skippy
But what? Just fill in the blank because you know what.
Dearest! Repeat after me: If you see something, say something!!!
Speaking of what, what have you left behind in hotel rooms? Did you let them keep it, or did you pay through the nose to get it back?
Tell me in the comments.
And that is all for now.
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Happy Tuesday
