We're leaving for Connecticut on Friday. I'm so excited....I get to visit with one of my dearest friends. We get to cook together. We get to shop. And we get to pick apples. 
On the way up, Rick and I will stop at Penzey's for my yearly supply of spices. And then tomorrow night, Lia and I are shopping at Stonewall Kitchen. Followed by us cooking dinner together. We're going to make beef pot pie, the kind where the beef is braised (I'm doing that tonight at home), then you add chunked potatoes and a home made dough that is rolled out, cut into squares and then dropped into the simmering broth. It's an old PA Dutch recipe and we love the stuff. Not sure about dessert yet, but I'm bringing a pan of sticky buns with me (lots of high-calorie stuff, which I don't do that often, so that, in itself, is a bit of a treat).
Saturday, while Rick is doing his casino thing, she and I are going to hit the Book Barn (all three of them!) for used books; it's a wonderful place and we'll spend hours there. Trader Joe's and Whole Foods are on our list, too. Followed by dinner at the Outback....I love their French Onion Soup and, as much as I try, I cannot duplicate it right.
On Sunday morning, before heading for home, we'll go over to the orchard and pick apples. I love Mutsu apples for eating, baking and for applesauce. And then we'll start for home.
Our petsitter will take care of the RugCats and my sister and BIL will be stopping by the house, too, just to make sure things are OK. Actually my sister said she might stay there so that she can work on her dissertation in peace (I told her there are seven cats in the house; what peace is she talking about???).
Lately it seems that there's no time to go on a vacation. Rick is gone 4-5 times a year to Oregon and to Nevade for union stuff. I could go with him, but.....well, you all know by now that I don't fly. And we're always so busy at home that I never seem to get away longer than a day or so. So I'm excited to be getting away for a weekend.
My sister and I are still planning to go to NYC around the beginning of December for a weekend, but it all depends on the weather and such. We'd like to take the train, so that neither of us has to deal with driving. But we'll see...it's all very much up in the air yet, especially since she has little Liam now.
On the way up, Rick and I will stop at Penzey's for my yearly supply of spices. And then tomorrow night, Lia and I are shopping at Stonewall Kitchen. Followed by us cooking dinner together. We're going to make beef pot pie, the kind where the beef is braised (I'm doing that tonight at home), then you add chunked potatoes and a home made dough that is rolled out, cut into squares and then dropped into the simmering broth. It's an old PA Dutch recipe and we love the stuff. Not sure about dessert yet, but I'm bringing a pan of sticky buns with me (lots of high-calorie stuff, which I don't do that often, so that, in itself, is a bit of a treat).
Saturday, while Rick is doing his casino thing, she and I are going to hit the Book Barn (all three of them!) for used books; it's a wonderful place and we'll spend hours there. Trader Joe's and Whole Foods are on our list, too. Followed by dinner at the Outback....I love their French Onion Soup and, as much as I try, I cannot duplicate it right.
On Sunday morning, before heading for home, we'll go over to the orchard and pick apples. I love Mutsu apples for eating, baking and for applesauce. And then we'll start for home.
Our petsitter will take care of the RugCats and my sister and BIL will be stopping by the house, too, just to make sure things are OK. Actually my sister said she might stay there so that she can work on her dissertation in peace (I told her there are seven cats in the house; what peace is she talking about???).
Lately it seems that there's no time to go on a vacation. Rick is gone 4-5 times a year to Oregon and to Nevade for union stuff. I could go with him, but.....well, you all know by now that I don't fly. And we're always so busy at home that I never seem to get away longer than a day or so. So I'm excited to be getting away for a weekend.
My sister and I are still planning to go to NYC around the beginning of December for a weekend, but it all depends on the weather and such. We'd like to take the train, so that neither of us has to deal with driving. But we'll see...it's all very much up in the air yet, especially since she has little Liam now.
