Weekend the 27th & 28th

Saturday: Liv's birthday - We mailed her card and got it in time for her birthday. We texted her and she replied.

It’s a wonderful Saturday morning a bit cloudy and actually some drizzle rain which was not expected. We both slept in until six so it was a great night for both of us. I decided to make a new blueberry muffin recipe I had saved that is a little different (uses plain yogurt, a full cup of it along with a quarter cup of orange juice). After making the first batch, I felt the batter was very dry so I made a second batch, and added 1/3 of a cup of buttermilk to make the batter a little smoother and I over baked the first batch and thought it wasn’t a good representation, and I forgot to put on the sprinkle of sugar on top that the recipe recommended. The second batch came out a little better and we will taste test tomorrow, as we already tasted the first batch and I think it is a good recipe but because I needed to modify it quite a bit. I’m thinking I may just keep looking for the next best blueberry muffin recipe. 

After that, Alyzabeth and I went out and sprinkled baking soda all over the fabric seats of her car as Larry’s green Subaru, definitely still has a smoky smell in it when it’s hot out. At first we noticed an odd smell and thought it was just from cleaning and whatever smell that car had but after sitting in the sun and it’s been hot the past couple weeks it is definitely cigarette smoke. We put a RidX desiccant that is hanging in her car, now we’ve added baking soda the next two things we will try is Febreze, extra strength and Greg from Suburban suggested coffee grounds and pans in the backseats for a week or so will absorb odors too. Her car may smell like coffee after that! 

I then decided to bake the desiccant from Charlotte's cracker crisper, yellow tin and have added our open boxes of crackers to it, hoping it keeps them fresh here in this Florida humidity. 

Alyzabeth and I reviewed her summer list of tasks and fun and educational items. It was a draft I put together from ideas that we’ve all talked about: researching something historical to go to; planning our vacation, getting her involved in some sort of volunteer time in a subject matter, she feels will help her career and usual chores of dishwashing, vacuuming and walking Ginger. 

Ford and I went to Walmart to pick up prescription and then to Fresh Market to pick up blue cheese and crostini bread for our appetizer at the River House tonight. We went home and I made Nana Joy's chocolate sheet cake with icing, then made the appetizer with fig jam and blue cheese, which actually I bought Gorgonzola cheese, and a little snippet of basil on each one. We drove to the River House and was very windy, I convinced Hugh and Maureen to sit out on the deck, but the wind was too strong, were going to sit inside, but people were setting up for a retirement party, so we sat out on the covered porch. Kathy was not there as she had a UTI infection. We enjoyed people watching as a wedding party came over with very handsome, tall, groomsmen, and then many women and children. The children were all dressed in suits or white dresses and it was quite the handsome wedding party. Hugh loves chocolate cake and texted me Sunday morning as he ate it for breakfast too! 

We came home, and Alyzabeth baked the broccoli in the oven, I heated up the linguine mushroom and chicken leftovers. We caught the end of the NFL Draft - Mr. Irrelevant - Last pick of the draft - picked by the Jets.

Here's Jaguars 2024 picks:

Round 1: No. 23 (From MIN)- Brian Thomas Jr, WR, LSU

Round 2: No. 48- Maason Smith, DT, LSU

Round 3: No 96 (Compensatory)-Jarrian Jones, CB, Florida State

Round 4: No. 114-Javon Foster, OT, Missouri

Round 4: No. 116 (from NO)- Jordan Jefferson, DT, LSU

Round 5: No. 153-Deantre Prince, CB, Mississippi

Round 5: No. 167 from Chiefs through Vikings — Keilan Robinson, RB, Texas

Round 6: No. 212 compensatory selection — Cam Little, K, Arkansas: Little never missed an extra point and connected on 53 of 64 career field goals in college.

Round 7: No. 236 — Myles Cole, DE, Texas Tech: Cole's college production is surprisingly low considering his athletic profile. His height and arm length, along with his power, make him a worthwhile project in the NFL. 

We watched part of the Guernsey Potato Peel Pie Society movie and then switched over to a new Hallmark movie about a sperm donor and a woman with her daughter. AA wasn’t too keen on it and said several times it almost made her cry. These type of movies with children who are either adopted, abandoned, sperm donor, created or whatever are touchy for her. which, of course she does not know any of her biological family.

Sunday: Ford and I both had a bad night sleeping, both only a couple hours of sleep, I spent five hours on the living room couch. We had homemade blueberry muffins for breakfast and I got ready for church. After church Alyzabeth and I went to Carolyn‘s (we took a few blueberry muffins and some chocolate cake) - first we picked up sandwiches from Newks, only bought five sandwiches as did not know Mike was in town but all went well as they were still cooking a late breakfast. Alex and Carolyn were out separating many perennial plans bushes, planting them in the front yard and cutting back vines, basically doing lots of yardwork, so were not ready to jump in the pool. Kayla, Mike (he skimmed the pool and jumped in!), Alyzabeth and I washed their outside patio furniture, wooden table, swept and got things ready so they could enjoy the outside area by the pool, and hung up the clean wet laundry. We did not take Ginger as Bella is getting weaker, walks slowly, barely has any vision left. She seemed to be fine when I petted her, she is aging.  

We had met Mike once before on May 29, 2021:

On the way home, shopped for hamburger and buns at the Publix. I tried to nap for a little bit as I was tired, but that didn’t seem to work; I enjoyed watching an old episode of All Creatures Great and Small. Ford baked french fries and pan cooked smash burgers (two 2 oz. patties per serving). Very good (photo of my burger with toasted bun). 

Laurie was not feeling well, so AA did not have her math tutor tonight (she finished History and English assignments). Watched American Idol, the last 12, including Julie Gagnon, Maine.

Mom posted about Andrew, Britney and Chloe helped Melissa rake the camp yard.