Grandma's activities

In the evenings I have been knitting again (it keeps me from munching too!). Lion Brand yarn has the most wonderful newsletter and they have had free, washcloth patterns all summer long. I have already given away at least a dozen of the wash cloths I have knit so far to neighbors and friends who have seen my stack of finished product and asked for one (sometimes I hear, "whoo, can I have 2 ?" ). If you knit or crochet, check out Lion's web site at http://lionbrand.com . They also have a great "Learning" department with mini movies of how to do knit and crochet. I had forgotten long ago how to do the knitted cast on for things that need to be stretchy, and the cast on for things that need to be tight - and all the learning stuff is free.

Shopping with Grandpa

Today

we went

to JoAnn's with our coupons and got the muslin for Reg's Mummy costume.

You know, halloween is the only time that Grandpa will shop with me at craft stores. He has already been to Micheal's and Joann's a couple of times without me ! This year he was really glad I collect all those Joanns and Micheals coupons. AND - he gets me out of the craft stores before I go crazy !!! So much fun stuff at Halloween !

We stopped at Albertson's for coffee beans and bananas - we will now start saving all leftover coffee to dye the muslin mummy cloth. After we got home Reg finished his Pumpkin Pie maker (except for the book he will be holding) and finished up a second Tomestone. I picked out the saying - it is really funny . Reg says next week-end he will start the making of the life size Sarcophagus for him to be walking out of on Halloween night.

Halloween is Coming

Grandpa has started his Halloween preparations. Last week-end he made a neat Gravestone and this week-end he is working on a "pooh-pooh" Pumpkin pie making Pumpkin. He wants to have a big collection of Gravestones for a spooky cemetary this year.

Last warm Day for Swimming

I can't believe how fast the time has gone. Rob's pool is still in the 90's but our pool had it's last warmth on Saturday, Sept 4th. It was barely 87 degrees, but Audrey still jumped in - Avery took a little longer - then - as usual - nobody wanted to come out! Both Avery and Audrey have really gotten comfortable in the water this year. Avery can swim across the pool and Audrey just needs someone next to her to give her tummy a boost ( just as Sydnee and Kylee used to when they were small ). Of course, we always have someone next to them at all times. The nights are now in the middle 70's and the pool is usually the temperture of the nights. On this day the kids painted the bottom of 2 stools with the color "Ariel Turquoise", made their own pizza's for lunch, jumped on Grandma and Grandpa's bed, and played with toys. Great day was had by all !

I am scanning all the old Floppy's that were in those 2 big boxes from the fire restoral people. Eventually I will make master CDs so I will safely have the pictures and will have gotten rid of 2 big boxes at the same time. Whew - I spent 4 hours doing this Tuesday - it's a bigger job then I thought it would be. Of course, since I keep looking at the pictures, it is taking 3 times as long.

On March 17, 2000 I took Shelby and the 3 grandkids (the only grand-kids in existance at that point) to the Mesa Museum. A lot of people don't realize that Mesa now has a truly world class museum - but it has kept the things that make it individual - like the 1st Mesa City Jail that kids can now go into. Here's some pictures from way back in 2000.

Eating Healthy even when it's hot.

What do you do when it's just too hot to cook - plus it cost to much to cool off a kitchen after turning on the stove or over. Answer - Salads and grilling outside.

Today I got all the vegtables ready, having Reg's garden is so much better than running out to the market, and put a bag of Reg's homemade Italian Sauage out to defrost. While Reg grilled the Sausages outside on the grill I quickly sauteed in olive oil 2 chopped cloves of garlic with 1/2 of one of Reg's sweet onions from the garden. Then I added some chopped cauliflower and brocolli, Reg's cherry tomatoe's (it's what I had on hand, peppers and zuchini would have been good too) and just sauteed them slightly, then tosed them into a deep bowl. In the same pot I had used to sauteed in (the fewer the dishes to wash the better) I quickly boiled some water, then cooked about 1/2 of a box of angel hair pasta.

While waiting for the pasta to cook I cut up a dozen or so fresh basil leaves, also from Reg's garden, and threw them into the bowl. When the pasta was done I saved about 1/2 cup of the pasta water, drained the rest, and added the pasta to the bowl also. I tossed all this with some olive oil, then added some soft Mozzarella cheese cut in small chunks and some largely grated parmesan cheese and a few tablespoons of the pasta water and "Voila" (yes a French word for an Italian dish - but I have not entirely crossed over yet) a perfect Italian dinner, pasta and sausage.

I also have been making a different cold Italian salad a couple of times a week. I buy a 1/2 pint at DelFalco's, then I take it home and fiddle until I have made a salad as good or, as Reg has told me, better than bought at the Italian store.

Fun at the Movies

Sunday July 11 was so hot (nothing new there). It was a good thing that Rob invited us to the heavenly air conditioned movies with Avery and Audrey. They had recently watched "Toy Story" and Toy story 2" at home, so the new Toy Story 3 was a good movie for their 1st movie experience. They both liked the movie and so did Rob, Grandpa and I. The ending was so wonderful, I cried. When we walked outside from the theater it was like walking into a wall of fire - but - walking under the misters that are all over the San Tan shoping center made the heat bearable. We went to lunch at "Johnny Rockets", a place I have been to with Kylee and Sydney too. Audrey tried my Vanilla malt but she decided the chocolate shake was best. The waitress drew different faces with catsup squirt bottles on the catsup and Avery loved it.