Ten on the Tenth | Enjoying Fall.

last week's lake view ... those trees are nearly bare now, but wow!

Ten on Tuesday is now a monthly thing and I couldn't be happier today to share my first Ten on the Tenth post about things I'm enjoying this fall.

1. The colors. The trees have put on an amazing show for us this year; it's nearly over now, but it's been spectacular.

2. Getting back to knitting wool. I knit a lot of silk, cotton and linen during the warmer months, but my heart belongs to wool. My hands enjoy getting back to it, too.

3. Planning holiday menus.

4. Seeing Sara (she'll be here two weeks from today!)

5. Family gatherings (my mom arrives a week from yesterday for two weeks).

6. Lower humidity (good hair days :-)

7. Our anniversary. Marc and I will celebrate 33 years next week and that's not a very exciting milestone, but now we're only two years away from one that should be memorable!

8. Having a fire in the fireplace (haven't actually done this yet, but I think it might happen this weekend).

9. Snuggling.

10. Making lists like this one. being mindful of all the goodness. saying thank you.

Thank You Carole for getting us back together! If you'd like to join in the fun, click here to sign up.

Ten on Tuesday | Game Day Favorites.

from October 2009 (!! deep in the archives for sure!)

Professional football kicked off this weekend. Carole is a huge Patriots fan and she won't miss a game. She'll also enjoy some great food while she watches; this week, she's asked us to share our game day favorites.

Football food around here means "fun" and "easy" (but not necessarily "healthy"). Here are ten of my favorites:

1. Vegetables and dip. That's homemade spicy peanut dip in the photo above and it's outstanding. I haven't made it in a few years, but I need to. (and because I love y'all, I've included the recipe below.)

2. Cheese and crackers.

3. Mixed nuts.

4. Popcorn.

5. Roasted shrimp cocktail (the shrimp above is not that - it was marinated and while it was delicious, it was really messy).

6. Guacamole, cheese dip and tortilla chips.

7. Chicken chili.

8. Turkey wraps (Costco does these brilliantly).

9. Potato chips and blue cheese dip.

10. Something sweet. I can't decide between grapes, M&Ms and chocolate chip cookies ... maybe all three?!

Food lists are always fun - I can't wait to see what delicious ideas y'all share. Thank you, Carole, for hosting us! (If you're not already playing along, click here to join.)

Spicy Peanut Dip

4 cloves minced garlic
2 T finely minced cilantro
2/3 C soy sauce
2/3 C rice vinegar
3 T hot chili oil
6 T sugar
2 pinches red pepper flakes
1 C creamy peanut butter

Blend in a food processor. Make it the day before

Ten on Tuesday | Labor Day Weekend.

With a nod to Labor Day, today Carole's asked us to share about our weekends. Here's a quick recap of ours.

1. Marc played four days of golf. He also watched more college football games than I can count, plus a little golf and a little tennis. He even handled Saturday and Sunday's dinners ("football food" at its finest - potato chips and homemade blue cheese dip, deli sandwiches, cole slaw, potato salad...and beer!) 

...and now for my part of the weekend :-)

Monday morning with Becca

2. Four days of golf means a lot of time for "me". I spent Friday afternoon with Katie (we knitted while Charlie napped), Saturday morning (via FaceTime) with Diane, Sunday afternoon with Lydia, Monday morning with Becca, and Monday lunch with Lauren. It was wonderful to have so much one-on-one time with each of them. 

3. I enjoyed the cool(er) mornings - runs on Saturday and Sunday and a walk in the park with Katie on Monday.

Sunday morning's run

4. I was on the lookout for signs of fall...and I was surprised by how much color I saw!

Monday morning at the park

5. I finished up my summer reading (topic for another post) ... and started Laurie Colwin's wonderful Home Cooking (thank you Bonny for the recommendation!). Sharing a wonderful meal and talking about eating is the best. Lydia and I did that on Sunday and Lauren and I did it again on Monday :-)

yep, unsurpassed double whammy for sure!

6. We watched movies. Lydia and I saw The Light between Oceans in the theater on Sunday (it was really true to the book and highly recommend if you loved the story as much as we both did ... it's been a while since I read the book, but I think I might even like the movie better!) Marc and I watched Hello, My Name is Doris (Sally Field is marvelous) and Courage (meh, college football tearjerker, but still an ok story and I loved the late 1960's setting).

7. I knitted. still no FO's, but I'm close - next week for sure! I'm especially happy that I worked more than a repeat on the blue baby blanket and now "get" the pattern. The last six rows flew by when I didn't have to consult the written instructions. I wish Rowan used more charts!

.... and that's really it! I didn't mean to "ish" this list, but I couldn't figure out a way to turn it into a list of ten. And after a day with this guy, seven is really gonna be just fine!

"Hi!" from the playground at Whole Foods (after ice cream)

I hope you enjoyed a wonderful long weekend, too!  Thank you Carole, for giving us a great excuse to share all the details! ... and if you're not already playing along with the Ten on Tuesday fun, click here to join.

Ten on Tuesday | Home Sweet Home.

Carole's back from her two weeks at the Cape and this week, she's asked us to list things we miss about home when we're away. Of course it's a timely topic for me as well - here are ten things I missed last week:

1. early mornings at my desk with my journal. this is always my favorite way to start the day.

2. this spot at the kitchen counter where I spend most of my waking hours when I'm home. (it's also the spot where I usually read blogs...and I've missed reading about what y'all are up to!)

3. all the clothes in my closet. it's not that I'm bad about packing, but I always seem to want something else. (last week it was another clean top for walks with Holly - I underestimated just how hot those walks would be).

4. all the toiletries in the shower and under my sink. I really could've used hairspray and a leave-in conditioner (but sadly had neither with me).

5. seeing my neighbors when I walk Holly. I feel really out of the loop about what's happening on my street.

6. the lake, the park and the greenway

7. and meeting up with friends to run/walk there.

8. Wednesday morning yin yoga class at the Y. I just don't have the discipline to do yin on my own.

9. Tuesdays with Charlie - especially selfie opportunities

10. and finding out what's new with him. today it was hummus! I served him cucumbers for lunch (I know it's a favorite); he pointed to an empty spot on his plate and said "hummus?". The only kind I had was roasted garlic, but he didn't seem to mind it. He even asked for more (cucumbers and hummus :-)

Traveling is wonderful. But as much as I love visiting friends and family and seeing new (or sometimes familiar) places, I am a homebody at heart. Home sweet home for sure.

Thank you, Carole, for hosting another fun week - if you're already playing along, click here to join in.

Ten on Tuesday | M is for ...

Today, Carole's asked us to share ten words that describe us...and they all have to start with the first letter of our first name. How about:

1. married.

2. mother.

3. Marmie.

4. maker.

5. Mozart lover.

6. mathematical.

7. morning person.

8. mostly vegetarian.

9. miniature schnauzer snuggler.

10. motivated.

That photo strip to the left was part of my Marmie fun today. my first time using the Pocketbooth app (which I might've downloaded from one of Starbucks' free app deals months ago?) We had a lot of fun with it and hey! - more black and white!

Also, when I was little - maybe the early elementary school years - I didn't like my name at all. I wanted to be a Candy (caring, curly-haired) or a Susie (strong, sophisticated) or a Kim (kind). But now - I know my name is just right for me. look how well it fits!

If you're not already playing along, click here to join the Ten on Tuesday fun. And thank you, Carole, for another great week!

Ten on Tuesday | A(nother) Bucket List Update.

We shared our summer bucket lists back in June and today, Carole's suggested we post an update. Perfect timing since August is already here (and most of the kids around here are back in school this week and next!)

I shared my list back on June 8

and got off to a great start. But it felt like - except for July 4th when I saw fireworks from Sara's balcony - I hadn't made much more progress.

Thank you, Carole, for suggesting we check in. Because turns out I have!

First, summer cocktails. I owe y'all a round-up and a few recipes because, so far, I have four favorites, and I've purchased ingredients to try a few more recipes. Katie and my sister Karen are my cocktail muses and I'm not gonna lie - having Katie out of cocktail commission this summer is making this one a lot harder :-)

I'm just three books away from covering my bingo card. and yep, another update is due here too.

I saw Me Before You and Finding Dory in the theater and I'm hoping to see The BFG with my sister soon (I still need to read the book, but I'm thinking I can do that once we have our movie date set).

...and for the rest -

That popsicle mold I purchased back in June is still sitting in the box. I know. pitiful. especially when Deb of Smitten Kitchen shares photos like this one on Instagram. Charlie, however, has been enjoying "ice" every Tuesday afternoon. If we don't visit Whole Foods for gelato (like last week), he has a frozen yogurt. easy, healthy and nearly drip-free.

Also still to do - a bike ride, the botanical gardens (this is probably going to wait until after Labor Day when it might be a little cooler?), a picnic (ditto), travel postcards (I'll be in Florida for a week later this month), and sparklers.... August and September look like they'll be fun!

Can't wait to read about what you've been up to ... celebrating summer!

(and if you're not already playing along, click here to join the Ten on Tuesday fun.)

Ten on Tuesday | Keeping It Cool.

As the heat wave continues, it seems most appropriate that this week, Carole's asked us to share ways to keep it cool. We topped out just under 100 degrees this afternoon, so Charlie and I had the opportunity to put a few of these ideas to good use!

1. Drink something cold. For me that's been water, iced coffee and (now that he's back with his mama) chilled pinot grigio. For him, water and milk.

2. Eat something cold. That's actually last night's dinner (but if I hadn't used the last avocado it would be tonight's too). Charlie and I also ate cucumber, carrots, berries, yogurt, cheese and a hardboiled egg.

3. Go out for ice cream. Gone are the days when I'd have a carton or two in the freezer, so this requires an outing. Today we went to Whole Foods and shared a bowl of strawberry and pineapple. (Also, he now loves ice cream, maybe because he can eat it all by himself?)

4. Read a book set in a lot of cold, snow and/or winter. The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo comes to mind, as does Little Women, Anne of Green Gables and The Shipping News (which I still need to read!)

5. Wander the aisles in a book store or library (because books and air conditioning!)...bonus points if there's also story time (which our local Barnes and Noble has on Tuesday mornings - today's theme was "back to school"...which is next week for some kids!)

6. Find an air conditioned playground. Who knew...our Whole Foods has one!

7. Watch a movie set in a lot of cold, snow and/or winter. My three favorites are Love Actually, The Holiday (also because sweaters) and The Family Stone.

8. Go to the theater to see one of the big summer blockbusters (because movie and air conditioning and also maybe popcorn and wine). Hoping to do this soon...Ghostbusters and The BFG are both on my list.

9. Dive into a pool, a lake, the ocean, or even take a nice long soak in the tub.

10. Plan a trip to Alaska for next summer...and think about how cool you're gonna be then. My mom has booked our cruise...we're headed there next August! (lots more to come on that, I'm sure - my first "planning" step was to add Vancouver and Anchorage to my weather app :-)

I had a lot of fun thinking about this list - it almost made me "beat the heat" - and I'm sure your lists will be the perfect chill! Thank you, Carole for cooling us all off!

If you're not already playing along with the Ten on Tuesday fun, click here to join.

Ten on Tuesday | An Atlanta Playlist.

Today, Carole's asked us to share songs "about where we live". What a fun excuse to make a playlist*!

I've lived in the Atlanta, Georgia area for over 35 years. Those first eight songs have been part of my playlist since college (well, except for Love Shack which didn't come out until 1989 when I was already married with a child :-) ... but "heading down the Atlanta highway" of course I had to include it).

The Ramblin' Wreck is Georgia Tech's fight song. I remember hearing that one as a kid. My dad was a Georgia Tech alum and that's probably the biggest reason I went there, too. (and then met Marc, and ...we made Atlanta our home).

I added those last two songs because they bring me back here. or when I'm here and missing folks who call (or used to call) this place home, make me smile (or sometimes cry, but almost always in a good way).

...and speaking of "making me smile", here's today's Charlie story:

me: let's go home and have lunch
Charlie: ketchup?

Fun as always, thank you, Carole! and if you're not already playing along with Ten on Tuesday, click here to join.

*and yeah, I'm still using Apple Music; I didn't find anything I liked better and I kind of know how to use it!

Ten on Tuesday | Summer Camp.

This week, Carole has us reaching way, way back...to things we loved about summer camp. I did go to camp - a few times to Girl Scout day camps and twice to sleep away church camp - but I struggled to come up with ten things I loved about those experiences.

Maybe 7 year old me - off to a day of Brownie Camp

or 12 year old me (bottom row, 2nd from the right) in 1975 - midway through a week away from home (this was the last time I went to camp) would've felt differently. So I'm giving myself the benefit of the doubt and here's what I think were the things I loved:

1. Getting ready. supply lists and shopping and packing.

2. Being outside. a lot.

3. Campfires.

4. Singing songs.

5. S'mores.

6. Crafts. I think I still remember tie-dying that t-shirt when I was seven and I definitely remember rug-hooking and pottery from that last church camp.

7. Staying up late, giggling, telling stories and secrets in the dark.

8. Hikes.

9. No parents. at least in the beginning. but then,

10. Getting picked up to go home on that last day. I remember my parents arrived a day early for pick-up in 1975. I think I cried I was so happy to see them.  And I left with them then...no thoughts of what I might be missing on that last night.

Flipping the pages of my photo album (thank you, Mother!), I found three photos from camp (I spared y'all the lone cross on a hill from my first year at church camp in 1974) and pages from the weeks-long camping trips we took as a family.  Now I joke about how much I hate camping, but those family trips are a very special part of me and of the five of us. (and fodder for a whole series of blog posts... daily November, beware :-)

Thank you, Carole, for hosting another great topic - and if you're not already playing along, click here to join the fun!

I'll close on a happy note - Charlie and I had a wonderful day. I snagged this photo after Charlie threw his last penny into the fountain. #makeawish

Ten on Tuesday | Listening and ...

I think we're getting serious about Summer Book Bingo with the Ten on Tuesday crowd. Today, Carole's asked us to share things we like to do while listening to books. Listening to books, "reading with my ears", has changed the way I read. For sure, it's allowed me to read more - which is, I think, a very good thing. But it's also allowed me to experience books in new and different ways; the right narrator can engage me in a story better than that little voice inside my head (it can pronounce all the names, do an accent, speak Russian, or Spanish...and of course, English!)

And it's allowed me to multi-task. Here are a few of the things I love to do while I'm listening:

today's nap time entertainment...along with my audiobook

1. Knit (unless I'm counting or trying to figure out a pattern).

2. Walk Holly.

3. Run.

4. Drive.

5. "Watch" golf. Sometimes Marc just likes to know I'm around, ya know?!

6. Fold laundry.

7. Unload the dishwasher.

8. Clean the bathroom or the kitchen.

9. Dust (this is H-U-G-E - I hate to dust!)

10. Sit in a waiting room...when I don't want to talk to anyone. Earbuds in my ears....

I'm seven hours into a 45 hour audiobook (Drums of Autumn, for the "with a season in the title" square). Obviously any and all suggestions on what else I could be doing are gonna be most welcome - thank you in advance! (and thank you, Carole!)

If you're not already playing along, click here to join the Ten on Tuesday fun.

p.s. I did that bit of listening and reading while this was going on in the other room.

Ten on Tuesday (ish) | A Bucket List Update.

Today, Carole's asked us to share our summer bucket lists. Since I did that last Wednesday, I thought I'd "ish" today's topic and share a quick update on mine.

First up, I played the 2016 Mah Jongg card at my aunt's on Thursday afternoon.

...not well...my aunt actually won all four of the hands we played. Clearly, practice helps; she plays two to three days a week! Hopefully I'll have another few opportunities to play soon (before I forget how all over again).

And Mother and I visited the Leesburg farmer's market Saturday morning. In addition to a big bagful of fresh vegetables, we also brought home fresh grouper.

...which she steamed (with a yummy combination of flavored olive oils) for Saturday's dinner.

I also purchased a popsicle mold and I've been doing lots of research on boozy treats. Stay tuned!

And because of course today is Tuesday, here's a quick glimpse of Charlie. Being silly...one of his favorite things to do right now!

Hope your summer's off to a fine start...can't wait to see what you've got planned! If you're not already playing along, click here to join the Ten on Tuesday fun (and thank you, Carole, for hosting another great week!)

Ten on Tuesday | Curious.

This week, Carole's asked us to share things we're curious about. Hmmmmm... curious....

(I'm not sure where to credit this - it was the image that popped up when I googled "curious")

I'm curious about a lot of things in the sense of being eager to know or learn something. especially the eager to know part. I thought about making this a smart list, but after 11 hours with my favorite 21 month old, I'm just going to let it fly:

1. Why Carole chose this topic!

2. What features will the next iPhone release offer (and should I upgrade)?

3. Charlie and I picked up the mail from the mailbox this afternoon. And put every single piece of it into the recycling bin. How much longer will we have mail?

4. How hot is it really going to be in south Florida this week? (I'm headed to visit my mom tomorrow and then we're taking a quick trip to visit my aunt and cousins further south).

5. Who will be the next president? (as I type this, Marc is watching the news...and I hear that Trump has a 9pm news conference, so...)

6. Who will be Trump's VP? (Clinton's?)

7. I'm planning to play the 2016 Mah Jongg card for the first time when I visit my aunt. How will it go?

8. A lot of y'all are planning to read Pax after two rave reviews from me and Bonny...will you love it as much as we did? (we hope so!)

9. How much traffic will there be on the metro Atlanta highways tomorrow morning ... if I really do leave at 6am like I plan?

10. Could this little guy be any cuter?!

at the photo booth this morning...not at all into the whole Curious George vibe ;-)

Thank you for reading to the end of my crazy list! I hope you're playing along too - and if not, click here to join the fun!

Ten on Tuesday | Memorial Day Weekend.

We celebrated Memorial Day yesterday, which means a long weekend - and an excellent opportunity for sharing ten things we did. My weekend actually started last Wednesday when Holly & I drove to Lake Oconee to spend six days with my family in one h-u-g-e house. First - a few of my favorite photos. 

And now, a sampling of what we did there:

1. Shared a bunch of photos on Instagram (check out #reynoldsmay2016).

2. Knitted a lot...sometimes with wine, sometimes with coffee, and sometimes in a big chair with friends.

3. Played with Charlie. He had great fun finding golf balls and sticks...and then putting them into his pockets.

4. Cheered on the puzzle mavens. I usually make a point of fitting in one piece...but this year I didn't even manage that. The entire 1,000 pieces were assembled by Saturday morning.

5. Cooked (and ate...and drank).

6. Played games. Rob and I won (Junior) Trivial Pursuit. I lost everything else (I think he did, too).

7. Read. (I got a great start on Summer Bingo...more to come!)

8. Walked. I saw a lot of the golf course and many beautiful homes ...and yesterday morning, finally saw the lake :-)

9. Took a family photo. 

10. Remembered all those who served and gave their lives so we could freely live ours. Driving home yesterday I passed so many flags...and it was nice to drive into our driveway and see a few more. 

If you're not already playing along, click here to join the Ten on Tuesday fun. And thank you (yet again!) Carole for hosting another memorable week.

Ten on Tuesday | The Sweet Stuff.

First up - I missed y'all yesterday. I had good intentions about a weekending post, but Monday's reality got the better of me. The best part of my day was spent with this guy...I'm sure you understand!

And now today's topic. Apparently we've never done a Ten on Tuesday about desserts, and Carole's suggested that for this week's list (although after her weekend adventure, I think I'd have been more likely to suggest cocktails :-) I did a quick look through the mere-et-filles archives and turned up my first four favorites:

1. browned butter tart at Bistro VG (or from the restaurant's bakery, Theo's Brother).

2. cheesecake, especially cranberry or pumpkin for the holidays (always homemade!).

3. a cheese plate.

4. sorbet and fresh berries.

I was surprised I didn't find these next five (other longtime favorites):

5. "good chocolate" (imagine Ina Garten saying that and imagine it's about a 1-1/2" square of really dark chocolate with a touch of sea salt)...that goes perfectly with

6. another glass of "good red wine".

7. homemade pound cake.

8. plain shortbread (store-bought is ok!) with a glass of dessert wine.

9. homemade ice cream. special favorites are peach or strawberry in the summertime and rum raisin in the winter.

but this last one is a relative newcomer. I guess I've never had an opportunity to share it!

10. a bit of sugar from this sweet one.

riding the caboose and ♥ little boy eyelashes!

Not that I'm looking for more "inspiration" about sweet stuff, but Ten on Tuesday is always fun. If you're not already playing along, click here to join. And thank you, Carole, for another sweet week!

Ten on Tuesday | Help for a New Mom.

Today, Carole's asked us to share ideas for helping out a new mom. I asked Katie to share a few ideas (I figured that might also be a great way to get ideas for October!) and she graciously replied with nine... wonder if y'all can guess which one I added to make ten!

see #7 below

1. Send an email or text that you are thinking of her and sending love - and be sure to include "no need to reply!"

2. Bring lunch or dinner or help set up a meal train for the first few weeks.

3. Drop off a "nursing" or "late night" gift basket - easy-to-eat snacks (cheese & crackers, snack mix, nuts), chocolates, fruit, fresh juice or herbal tea.

4. Gift or lend her your favorite books about motherhood - one of Katie's favorites is Great with Child (it's beautiful!)

5. Offer to run some errands for her - send a quick text when you are planning to run to Target or the grocery store and offer to pick up a few things she might need.

6. Don't drop in unannounced...and never if you're feeling even the slightest inkling of a cold, cough, etc.

7. Help with the older siblings - when you visit, offer to take them out for a bike ride or babysit for the morning. It would be also be thoughtful to bring a craft or activity for them...something that doesn't require too much adult supervision. Charlie's latest favorite tabletop activity is Mess Free Coloring. Who knew such a thing even existed?!

8. When you visit, offer to hold the baby if she wants to make lunch (or you can make lunch for her!) or take a shower.

9. Don't stay too long when you visit.  Keep your visit under 45 minutes unless it seems like she needs/wants help and the baby is awake. If the baby is asleep, there's a good chance she might want to catch up on sleep too!

10. Tell her that she looks wonderful and is doing an amazing job!

Thank you, Katie! and thank you to Carole for hosting another great week! (if you're not already playing along with Ten on Tuesday, click here to join the fun).

Ten on Tuesday (ish) | Welcome to the Neighborhood.

When I first read Carole's prompt for today - about welcoming someone new to the neighborhood - it sounded easy. But when I put pen to paper this morning to make that list, I got stuck. It feels pretty lame, but all of my ideas are really just variations on these four:

1. Introduce. yourself, other neighbors, your dog, your favorite place to go for coffee. follow-up with a text or email to share your contact information.

2. Invite. make (and keep :-) a date for coffee, lunch, a walk in the park. host a neighborhood gathering - coffee or cocktails? - to meet and greet.

3. Include. your new neighbor in anything regular the neighborhood does - ours has a ladies bookclub that meets monthly and all the adults get together for Halloween. Be sure to update neighborhood emails lists, directories, etc. with new contact information.

4. Inform. share recommendations for doctors, hair dressers, dry cleaners, grocery stores, etc. also traffic tips, directions, and anything else that comes up.

Can't wait to see what ideas y'all have shared. We don't get new neighbors in our little neighborhood very often (just 17 homes...and none for sale right now!) but I want to be ready when we do!

...and yes it was a Tuesday with Charlie. Today is close to the 16th month anniversary of our weekly dates and to his 20 month birthday. about time, yes?!, that he and Holly became friends!

If you're not already playing along with Carole and the Ten on Tuesday fun, click here to join!

Ten on Tuesday | Mother's Cooking.

This week, Carole's asked us to share favorite foods* our moms used to make. Lucky me, my mom has always been - and still is - a very good cook. Family dinners and Sunday brunch (after church) were fixtures in my childhood home. We didn't have an eat-in kitchen until I was in high school (and even then, I think we used the kitchen table more for projects and homework than for meals). We ate in the dining room. family style.

porch view. 6pm today.

unless we ate outside. and we never had popcorn for dinner! (or maybe she did have popcorn dinners when she was my age ... and her husband was out of town ;-)

In any event, here are ten of my favorite foods from then, and now.

1. macaroni and cheese, custard-style.

2. swedish meatballs. such a favorite I asked for this at my 16th birthday party.

3. cornish game hens, with cornbread stuffing and an orange glaze. I remember this as our standard Christmas Eve dinner in my high school years.

4. enchiladas.

5. zucchini fritters. Mother had a vegetable garden when we lived in New Jersey (my high school and college years). Of course she grew zucchini and of course there was too much. I remember an entire meal of zucchini fritters...just us...one summer when I was home from college. (that might be the closest we came to a popcorn meal :-)

6. chicken and dumplings.

7. eggnog french toast. this recipe is really easy and it uses dairy eggnog. what a holiday treat it was!

8. taco salad. do y'all remember this one? fritos and catalina dressing ... I haven't had it in years, but it always seemed like a special occasion when she made it.

9. marinated grilled chicken. I do not have this recipe. I'm not even sure it is a recipe. but she'd marinate all the chicken parts in a mixture of (I think) white wine, lemon juice, oil, and LOTS of herbs. and then grill it over a slow heat. I remember having this fairly often during the summer, and I probably didn't appreciate it as much as I should have.

10. baked fish. a fairly recent addition to her repertoire and one she always makes when I visit now. It's especially good with catfish or salmon and I try not to think about the mayonnaise in the topping.

p.s. we rode in the caboose today.

I promise Charlie did smile...just not for the camera!

*Mother always baked dozens of different kinds of Christmas cookies. many of those are still holiday favorites around here, but that's a post for another day!

Thank you Carole for the delicious walk down memory lane! If you're not already part of the Ten on Tuesday fun, click here to join.

Ten on Tuesday | Surfing.

This week Carole's asked us to share ten movies we'll always stop to watch ... when we find them while channel surfing. Marc does all the channel surfing in this house, and sure enough, I came home last night to find him watching The Greatest Game Ever Played... yep, that's on his list. I grabbed my chance (along with a pen and paper). Here's what he shared:

1. The Greatest Game Ever Played.
2. The Natural.
3. Love Actually.
4. For the Love of the Game.
5. Field of Dreams.
6. The Blind Side.
7. Pretty Woman.
8. The Godfather (Parts 1 and 2 only).
9. The Quiet Man (especially if I'm in the room).
10. Tin Cup.

Honestly, I share more than just #9 - for my list, I'd delete 1, 4 and 6 so I could add:

Charade, Runaway Bride and Titanic.

Sadly, tonight's TV looks like election results. I'd much rather watch a movie! How about you?!

Thank you, Carole, for another fun week! If you're not already playing along, click here to join.

Ten on Tuesday | D.E.A.R.

In honor of Beverly Cleary's 100th (!!!) birthday and D.E.A.R. (Drop Everything and Read) Day, this week, Carole's asked us to share ten books we have dropped (or would drop?) everything...to read. 

Charlie will drop just about anything to read ... just about anything. Today he read a little bit to me, too*. This is Mac Barnett's Extra Yarn, which features a cute dog in a sweater. and a magical message about knitting. Highly recommend for anyone who reads this blog! Today's other favorites (which I read to him...more than once) included Farmer Duck, Where the Wild Things Are and It's a Little Book.

And now to my part of this list. I have just a few that I've DEAR'd:

5, 6, 7 - The last three books of the Harry Potter series. All three were released the day before our annual summer beach vacation. I did wait until we'd arrived (and unpacked, provisioned and somewhat settled in...but not much else) before I dropped everything...until I finished.

and that leads nicely into three books I'm looking forward to DEAR'ing...soon?!

8. the next Robert Galbraith installment. I'm quite attached to Robin and Cormoran and think I'd plan a little vacation to escape again with these two.

9. the next Dan Brown/Robert Langdon. ditto.

10. the next Louise Penny/Inspector Gamache. and ditto. thankfully this one is probably going to come sooner than later! ...and likely won't take even a "little vacation" to read. Maybe just a  nice free weekend.

Can't wait to read more about what y'all would DEAR. Be sure to click here and join the Ten on Tuesday fun. Thank you, Carole, for another lively week!

*my voice is still not 100%. I know! But it's definitely better. and I'm still loving all the coffee, so I'm still thinking it's allergies. But geez....

Ten on Tuesday | Finding Calm.

This week's topic - ways we find calm amidst the storms of life - is a timely one for me, now a mere 13 hours from when I head off to the airport for a weekend of fun with Sara in the BIG city.

Lululemon window. see #4.

A very unexpected storm blew into my life on Sunday when I woke up with a nasty sore throat...fast forward to Monday evening: the throat was better, but I had no voice. I'm hoping it's just allergies (our pollen count is off the charts) because I'm still passing the coffee test - you know, when you're sick and coffee sounds awful? yeah, not - and I don't feel ... sick.

But Katie (wisely, I know) found other plans for Charlie today. So I now I've missed Tuesday with Charlie...and still...no voice.  Fortunately Holly hasn't minded the silence too much!  Here are ten things I've been doing today to keep myself not worrying calm about spending four days in New York without a voice.

1. Make lists. even better when I can actually check off many of the things as "done".

2. Investigate airport parking. this is Spring Break week in Atlanta and I'm really glad I had time to do this. turns out my favorite park and ride spot is full. as is my fallback lot at the airport. I found a "park and ride reserve lot" at the airport where I could prepay and make a reservation. whew!

3. Investigate transportation in New York. Sara and I are old hands with the Metro, but now there's Uber and we weren't sure if an unlimited Metro Card was still the way to go. Turns out the break even point is just 13 rides. Given the weather forecast, I think it will be nice to hop on and off without worrying about it...so yeah, an unlimited card makes sense.

4. Run a few errands (groceries for Marc and travel bottles of hair stuff for me). I had planned to do these with Charlie ... and it was certainly faster on my own. I snagged the photo above while I was at Avalon getting the hair stuff. Side Note - Lululemon marketing ROCKS! Side Side Note - great sale at Lou & Grey and I have a fun new outfit - black leggings and a gray turtleneck dress - that will work great with my boots (and my coat, and a scarf, ...)

5. Take a nap.

6. Knit.

7. Read.

8. Surf Ravelry for inspiration about what to knit with the Linen Quill yarn I plan to buy at Purl Soho. (I made a bundle. would welcome your input!)

9. Clean up around the house - the dishes are done, the laundry hamper is empty, the bills are paid. (hopefully it will be just like this when I come home Saturday night!)

...and now that I've written all this, I guess it's finally time to

10. Pack!

I did call my doctor this morning but she had no openings to see me and the receptionist wouldn't even let me talk to a nurse. aarrgghh. "They won't diagnose you over the phone," she said. Well of course not, but still...

Thank you to Carole for another great week - and so many shared suggestions for finding calm. Click here to join the Ten on Tuesday fun!