Dinner With Friends

 HERE COMES SUMMER!  May holds the secret to gorgeous days.  It most likely won't last long, but I'm enjoying it while I can.  50 degree nights, 75 degree days.  Perfect for patio sitting and lizard watching.  You've got to love any critter that eats ants ... and we have a HUGE buffet just waiting for them.

Here's the other occupant of the house that doesn't get much photo time.  Jonathan is still talking up a storm in the late afternoons.  I'm sure he would be eating the ants too if he had the chance.

Instead, we did the toeney dance.  I've mentioned previously how he almost died twice, having contracted one of the worse bird diseases there is.  He required two shots a day of antibiotics ... in the belly.  That meant grabbing him with a bath towel and wrapping him up in it in order for my fingers to remain intact.  Poor baby ... it made me feel horrible.  

Amazingly he survived all that, but in the end, he's highly suspicious of ANYONE around him with a towel.  Why would I need a towel?  Because their claws grow very fast and very long.  They can get terribly distorted ... and so must be cut like you trim your doggo's nails.  The difference is that beak can take your finger off.

I try to be oh so sneaky ... getting him on my finger, reaching around my back for the clippers and quickly attacking one claw before he realizes what I'm doing.  Jonathan is NOT a dummy.  He instantly tries to bite me and moves his feet around.  If I'm really lucky, I can get one every other day.  Such a PRETTY BOY Jonathan ... yeah, he's actually a she.  

Anyway, he's still hanging in there quite nicely at 50 years old, though he can't see very well any more.  Who would have thought he would live this long!!

Cyndae had a morning appointment while I lounged on the couch.  I did let Mr. Cooper out, to discover my squash is growing like crazy!  So are the weeds of course.  

And look at the cherry tomatoes!!  This particular plant is covered in them.  The biggest plant only has maybe three on it and the fourth plant ... nothing, zero ... zilch.  That one must be named the black thumb tomato.  

Cyndae came home with her hands full.  Apparently they had a sale on milkshakes at Habit Burger.  I chose the coffee, which disappeared faster than I could retrieve my camera.  This is what's left over in the freezer.  Definitely NOT on my diet.

And it only got worse.  Nancy was a bad girl and skipped the lodge dinner and meeting.  Played hookey as it were.  Instead, I went to dinner with Cyndae and her friends Diane and Eric.  Diane is a quilt guild member.  We had a great time discussing everything under the sun until we headed to the restaurant.

I of course will eat ANYTHING ... so they chose Thai food.  We probably have more Thai restaurants in this town than we do Mexican restaurants ... and boy are they GOOD.

We each ordered something different, then shared everything.  Pineapple fried rice, orange chicken, cashew chicken ... what a plate full!  No pictures, since I don't know these nice people very well, though I did learn a lot about them. 

They RV in a tiny little tent camper and are full of information on everything small and useful.  Perfect for someone in a van who is struggling with very little storage space.  This was one of the cooking hints.  Although rather pricey, when open, it makes two burners with heat adjustable from 1 to 10, meaning much less chance of me burning something.  Small, easily stored, and can boil water in 80 seconds.  What could be better?  You use it outside with a little canister of propane, so I wouldn't burn the van down!  

Yes I have an electric built-in induction plate, but it doesn't heat up well and the heat is not the least bit consistent.  I could also hook this up to my van propane tank if I wanted.  Something to think about.

Eric and Diane have been back packing and camping for years ... the perfect folks for me to talk to about minimal camping.  I hope to see them more often in the future.

And so we headed back home just in time for bed ... full to the brim.  No use worrying about the diet, because tonight is yet another dinner with Elk friends.  This time I will definitely take pictures!!!