Birthday Trip ~ Weekend Updates

Friday afternoon, I got this wonderful surprise delivered. . .

I was excited and shocked beyond belief.  What a nice surprise.Looks small, but it's HUGE!  Oh my heart!

Just about the same time the flowers showed up, I get a text from Hubby.  He is now going from 14 hour days to 16 hour nights 7 days a week for at least a week, possibly more.

The good news is he was of Sunday and didn't have to return until Monday evening.  Here's an update on our weekend fun!

I took our now 20 year-old on a weekend trip to Amish country.  She was more interested in antique shopping and good food than anything.  Also, the pool at the hotel brought a smile to her face. I also brought along her younger sister.  We were reluctant to go without my husband, but we didn't want to cancel reservations.  However, this meant I was doing all the driving. 

We could not plant popcorn this year due to the amount of rain we have had, so we stocked up on organic popcorn.

We have been reading reports that it'll be hard to find due to the farmers not being able to plant.  We can live without it, but we do like it for a healthy snack too.

I also picked up another brown sugar container for my dark brown sugar.

I took her to all the nice shopping places we normally go to, , grocery store (best place to find other goods such as organic oats, which saves me a trip to another town), flea markets, craft barns and more.  Hubby wanted me to stop and get his growlers filled, but we forget them (again).

We returned home Sunday morning.  Hubby had the day off, so we high-tailed it home.  Hubby had the Harley out and two guys with their bikes awaiting our arrival.  I unloaded the truck, changed clothes and took off on the Harley.  When we returned home I gave, whatever plants that needed it, a drink of water and we retired for the night.

Now the fun begins with juggling Hubby's odd work hours.  He's going to nights tonight.  12-14 hour shifts for at least a week.  He picked nights over days, as our heat index will reach 100°F tomorrow. 

Garden work resumes after a weekend of fun, but I'll have to do it super early this week.

Back to Weeding ~ Window Peeper who was almost dinner ~ From Pile to File Recipe

Wednesday Hubby and I got the air conditioner in downstairs, so the electric bill will start soaring, but we'll be comfortable indoors - humidity will hit us like a ton of bricks early next week.

As for the long work hours, it's felt like eternity.  There is no talk as to when it will end and Hubby is completely worn out.  We are just exhausted from it - lack of work done here, so much to do that can't be done, him being exhausted beyond belief, me trying to do late dinners so we can all eat together, and so much more.  Keeping up with the weeds has been so stressful on me, as I'm doing it myself, and there has been no tilling done either.  

Good news:  Mower guy showed up about 10am
Bad news:  Hubby messaged me - they are now forced to work 12 hour days, 7 days a week. Just not what we needed.

Oh, farmers are out in the fields now.  Thankful to see that, as the deer are increasing in numbers, and they are looking for food (it'll help keep them off our property).

Thursday was another hot day.  I am now spending the mornings dragging 100-some feet of garden hose (early morning workout) from way out to the garden to back to the front of the house, watering everything.  There were possibilities of thunderstorms, but only a slight chance. 

In the midst of weeding, I brought in some cilantro to dry.  I was grabbing the door handle to go back out, and a ground hog was standing up looking in.  It was almost dinner.  I do have a friend who I believe knows how to butcher and cook them, so it's not out of the possibly realm.  In all honesty, I am wondering if he came to the door to enjoy some barn cat food.

Weeds.  Weeds everywhere.  No end to them at this point.

Tasted the rhubarb vodka.  It's more of a cinnamon flavor than rhubarb, but good.

Also strained the strawberry vodka, and tasted it too. It's smelled great, but the flavor was so-so.

Made the Garlic scape-Radish spread.  This time I put it in the food processor so it looks different, but it tastes the same.  Thankfully, our radishes that were planted late, are not hot in flavor, but delicious.

I laughed when I saw Tiger sleeping in a heep of packing paper.  Poor guy must of worn himself out playing in it.

Dinner - bourbon marinated steaks on the grill.  New recipe we tried (Americas Test Kitchen, video online).   An 8:30pm dinner no less, sigh.  His 12 hour shifts started yesterday (which turned into a 14 hour day and never saw him until this morning), and we are now told that it will continue into the July 4th weekend, and possibly beyond.  I'm so beyond this work schedule, I thought I'd retire last evening with a little adult drinky drink. 

By the way, that was only the second time to grill anything.  Hubby is the grill man, but guess who is the grill gal now.  I grilled the steaks to perfection.