Henri Couture

 We've been living the 'too much of a good thing' lifestyle around here.  The dogs are beginning to sound mutinous, the chickens are perpetually damp and are withholding eggs in lieu of sunshine.  The only one to come through this unscathed is Slimmie, who never has to put a paw outside.  I am forced to put on my slicker multiple times a day, which, thanks to the unrelenting 100% humidity, clings to me like a damp sausage casing.

Gearing up

If you biggify, you'll
see the only bright spot(s)
around - my shiny silver toenails
with purple flowers!

I am not going to moan and groan about the weather, as having too much rain is preferable to what a lot of people are going through right now.  It seems as if half the country is on fire and the other half is underwater.  I find myself hesitant to say that "next year is bound to be better".  

On a lighter note, here is my sister's dog (my four-pawed nephew), Jasper.  He's a Golden Doodle the size of a Shetland pony and as sweet as can be.  He had a summer 'do' and his lustrous platinum curls are just starting to grow back.  As you can see, he loves his mother.

Be careful for what you wish.

Not only did I strim my little heart out, I weed-whacked my little back out.  There's nothing like freedom from pain to make you think you're invincible!  Now back (ahem) to good repair, I am delighted to be forced into the house, in close contact with my portable AC.  We seem to be back to summer with a vengance.  Walking outside is like passing through a veil of damp sponges.

Slimmie refuses to look until it's
autumn.

Droopy cat syndrome

I am looking longingly at next week - because I do not have to leave the house four out of seven days.  Last week was end-to-end appointments, errands, family shenanigans.  Last Friday, my sister's birthday, my mother (bless her heart) decided that we (two nonagenarians, my sister and yours truly) should celebrate at a local dinner club.  I had called in the reservation, asking for a small room to accommodate the Ns and all their paraphernalia, and to keep out of the path of the 30 somethings that frequent the place.  Our two-car caravan pulled up to the place (we were there right when they opened, because....90+ y/os) and in we paraded - wheelchair, walker, oxygen and all.  The 'room' we were assigned was about half the size of a walk-in closet with two sofas and a low coffee table between.  Using tactics a four-star general would have been proud of, we maneuvered my aunt (96) and her oxygen tank onto one sofa ("Table?  I don't see a table?  Did I mention the mood lighting?), then we rolled mom up to the table and shifted the furniture around so that my sister could sidle into the slot for the other sofa.  The owner/manager oversaw the operation with barely a flinch, although I swear I saw beads of sweat break out on his brow.  He was only a little non-plused when I asked him to store the walker until we left.  Bless his heart, he quietly turned up the lighting so that we could see each other.   I got to show off my newly minted bionic hips by bobbing up and down throughout the meal, passing glasses, plates, napkins, etc.  I also left a hefty tip to compensate for all of the triage that would be needed after rearranging the set up and two diners with limited eye-hand coordination.

My neighbor brought over a half-bushel of green beans so I have been freezing them non-stop in the few hours that I am home this week.  I picked up a great tip from an Instagram post that made it bearable in this heat.  You put the beans in a baking dish and cover them with boiling water (electric kettle) and leave them for 5-7 minutes.  Then you drain, rinse in cold water and allow to cool.  It's magic!

I have also made my favorite summer dish - zucchini crust pizza!

Just before putting it in the oven

I swear I could eat it every day.  It's easy-peasy:  grate 2 cups of zucchini, toss with a bit of salt and let sit in a cheesecloth-lined (or whatever similar cloth you may use) sieve for 10 minutes.  Squeeze out as much liquid as possible.  In a bowl, beat two eggs.  Add zucchini, a half-cup of almond flour and a half-cup of grated cheese.  Mix well and spread out on parchment paper on a baking tray.  Bake for 10 minutes in a 400 F oven, take out and add toppings and bake for an additional 10 minutes.  Let cool slightly before cutting.  My favorite base is either sun-dried tomato pesto or garlic scape pesto,

This week has been optomitrist, dog groomer (Peanut was bathed and his nails were clipped - halleluiah!), dinner with a friend who doesn't drive at night.  Tonight is dinner with my neighbor who has to be at the restaurant exactly when the doors are open, tomorrow is a day spent with my sister at the NH Craftsmen show, Saturday I collapse in the sanctity of my own home and I AM NOT LEAVING.  Sunday is dinner with mom and my sister.  This retirement thing is wearing me down to a frazzle.

Here's an interesting sight - spotted during errands in VT.