Delicious!

Last night, we went to Roast for dinner.  I have a thing about trying the restaurants owned by the celebrity chefs on the Food Network.  This one is Michael Simon's.  But, it also carrys the endorsement by Aaron Sanchez, for the fried brussels sprouts being the "best thing I ever ate".  I must agree.  Of course, they are fried in lard, with garlic and walnuts.  They were fabulous, and the Hubs (the brussels sprouts hater of all time) even liked them, for crying out loud!  We ordered a nice bottle of wine, and I had pork shank, while the Hubs enjoyed a steak.  It ranks right up there as one of the top 5 dinners of my life.  I am definitely going back, despite the price.

Happy Anniversary

Today is our 23rd anniversary.  We decided to start the day with "nine and breakfast", which we haven't done in quite a while.  We got to Bald Mountain at 6:15AM, played nine holes, and were at breakfast by 8:00.  Then reality set in and we spent the rest of the day grocery shopping, housecleaning and doing laundry.  But tonight we are going to treat ourselves to a nice dinner at Michael Simon's restaurant in Detroit.  Looking forward to that.

Being Proud Of The Hubs

The day before yesterday we were invited to a dinner at the OPC.  Apparently, a former customer had used their transportation services during the last years of his life, and his widow made a sizeable donation in his name.  She specified that it was designated for the transportation division only.  They decided to mark the occasion by inviting all the drivers and their spouses to a dinner to thank them for their service.  It was really enjoyable.  The Board was there, and several of the regular customers joined them to serve dinner to us.  Then they gave testimonials about what the drivers meant to them.  They talked about the door-to-door service, the extra care they took in making them comfortable, and the fact that they take the time to get to know them.  It is such a great service to the community, and I was proud the Hubs could be a part of it.  He enjoyed the recognition too, and could barely get his head through the door afterward!

Off To The Beach

We went to our friends house on the lake last Sunday.  It was the annual Memorial Day kickoff to summer, and boy did the weather cooperate!  We don't often get to enjoy real summer weather in May, but with the thermometer approaching 90 degrees, I felt the need to bring something really summery.  I decided to try a new recipe for a lemon-berry tart.  It's the first tart I have ever made, but I think it turned out pretty good.  And it tasted even better than it looked! 

Spring Blooms

Now that my yard is in shape, I am able to enjoy it from the inside as well as out.  I have a few spots of color strategically placed so I get a nice view as I pass by the windows.  I put a pot of pansies on the new table in my front patio area.  (The peonies are beginning to bloom just beyond the wall, too)

And we hung a pot of bright red begonias outside the den window

It sure brightens up the house

Time To Catch Up

Last night the Hubs asked me if I had been blogging recently.  I knew it hadn't been "recently", but I was a bit surprised to see how long it has been since my last post.  Time to catch up.  Since the last time I posted, I have been on vacation (the annual Myrtle Beach trip).   I golfed great, and had a wonderful, relaxing time.  The day before we left, I went for a walk on the beach in softer-than-normal sand.  I seem to have wrenched my knee, and have now been limping for a couple weeks.  These old bones aren't what they used to be!
Regardless, it is spring, and time to get the yard in shape.  So, we pulled weeds and prepped beds.  But, we both agreed it was time to pay someone else to spread the mulch this year.  Then we went out for our annual flower purchase, and went a little crazy.  My garage is now hung with bags of geraniums, and there are various baskets of color around the yard.  Beautiful!
Last weekend (while the Hubs was out golfing), I decided to wash all the inside windows and screens.  It took several hours to finish, and all those trips up and down the stepladder were no help to my knee at all.  I think I am now ready for another vacation...

We're A Chrysler Family Now

A couple weeks ago, I decided 71,000 miles was my limit, and it was time to buy a new car.  So, as usual, I headed up to my local GM dealer and looked for something that was within my budget, while still affording me the comforts I'm used to.  No dice.  After several visits and lots of haggling, we couldn't seem to come together.  I left that last time, feeling pretty crummy about the whole thing.  On the way home, I pulled into the Chrysler dealer.  The 300's had been catching my eye for a couple years, and I have always liked the look of the Sebring too.  I was pleased to learn the Sebring had been replaced by a sporty model 200 that I could get fully loaded for a very reasonable price.  To top it off, the salesperson turned out to be someone I had worked with nearly 30 years ago.  Since the car practically sold itself, we spent most of our time catching up on the past.  It was a very pleasant experience, and I picked up my new car the next day.
The Hubs, not to be outdone, decided the Dodge Journey he had been considering was just the right car for him too.  So, that's 2 new cars in a week.  I'm sure the neighbors must be wondering if we won the lottery.