FIRST RAIN

 Lookie here ... lookie here!!  Those are RAIN CLOUDS hanging out overhead at 6:00 in the morning when Mr. Cooper and I went for our morning walk.  The sun wasn't even awake yet.  The good news is his foot has healed up nicely and he actually wants to check out the smells.  YAY!!  Next time he doesn't want to go out, I'll know something is wrong and I need to be more vigilant.

Even though it was looking like rain, it was still 73 degrees, making more tomatoes ripen on the vine.  I measured that thing yesterday ... one tomato plant is now 6 feet wide and still producing these chocolate ones.  Too bad they don't TASTE like chocolate.

Having had way too much stuff going on with little sleep, I didn't really get much more done, other than to prepare for company coming today.  I did boring laundry and returned two more Amazon buys.  Can you just imagine the amount of stuff returned to that place?  This is just small town America ... I can't imagine how much gets sent back in the big city, especially since covid shut down businesses everywhere.  We have little choice here, but to order on-line or drive 40 miles.

I spent most of the afternoon sewing binding on this quilt ... the second to last one.  Oh yeah oh yeah ... I only have ONE MORE TO GO!  The finally tally is 16.  Next year I'm voting for NO embroidery unless I can find a real company to do it at a reasonable price.  These ended up costing me twice the money I received to make them.  It's for Veterans ... so you know I can't really complain about that.  Next year I'll ask for more moolah!

I tried hard to veg out on the couch before the Lodge meeting.  I don't know why they have so many of these things ... twice a month and a Trustee Meeting makes three.  

It was an unusual night however.  Our Head Honcho's daughter was the chairman on this night, and thank the Good Lord above they decided NOT to have steak.  Truly, if they had reduced the price, they would have sold more, but this was some of the best Mexican food I've had in a long time.  

The appetizer, which I did not get a picture of, was something you may want to try.  It was Tostitos (those little cup tortilla chips) filled with smoked salmon, Mexican crema, a slice of jalapeno and a tiny piece of cilantro.  I think I ate six!!  WOW that was good!!  Who knew?

The homemade cabbage salsa was the BEST (I need to get a recipe for that) with the pico de gallo coming in a close second.  We had shrimp tacos, grilled chicken tacos and for #3, carnitas!!  And just how do they make that rice!!!  I brought most of it home, having OD'd on the appetizers.

Okay, I admit chocolate cake did not exactly go with dinner, but I ate it anyway!!

That came from this Costco cake for this wonderful Bingo volunteer's birthday.  AND they boxed up a piece for me to take home.  Not that I need any since I still have six months worth of dessert in my freezer from the shrimp feed!!!  I'll just add it to the pile.

Thank goodness the meeting afterwards was short and sweet.  We were out of there in 40 minutes.  I mean really, why do we go through all that for a meeting where we say ... yup ... nothing is going on.  Good night.  I suppose it's the get-together ... the talking ... the hanging out thing.  My bad, I prefer doing that with Mr. Cooper!!

Outside, I ran like the wind to my truck.  It was raining big drops heavily.  From right here, I have to make a big U turn out onto the street.  There's nothing like having a big diesel truck with absolutely NOTHING in the back for weight, spinning all four tires on a first rain wet road, trying not to get hit.  

I wasn't the only one, guys were gunning it right and left having a little fun spinning their tires.  

And so today I'm exhausted!  Little sleep and too much movement (not to mention food) has caused this body to complain ... and I have company coming in a few hours.  Hopefully that gives me enough time to crash on the couch before she gets here.  Then it's BACK to the lodge for dinner ... her request.  Maybe I can con her into helping set up my two remaining cameras!!

Oh, and by the way, automatic kitty feeder #2 is on its way.  Anyone taking bets if it works or not?