Just finished a wonderful weekend with a friend of the hubby. All three of us had a lovely time catching up, shopping, and relaxing in the community pool. If you've never done that, then I recommend you do it at least once in your life. The experience is interesting to say the least.
To give you an idea, we have a U-shaped deck to the pool. On one long side, all the lounge chairs were taken up by 5 shirtless young male models sleeping on 4 layers of towels each (why? I have no idea. All I can think of is that they have tender skin), all about college age. On the other side was an older couple. He reminded me of Billy Joel now. My friend and I were on the short edge of the U. In the pool were five kids playing happily until one of them decided to be the baby sea turtle from the great beyond and that had magical powers and was faster than light. Well that was the last straw for the littlest of the group. She was a baby sea turtle and no one was to replace her. (Though I doubt she had magical powers) Because the boy "stole" who she was, she began to cry. Actually, cry isn't the right word for it. Let's try moan, wail, sob, snivel, repeat ad infinitum. The grandmother with the five of them called the mom and then let the girl cry. Told her to get out of the pool which is code for "child go into hysterics now". Now by this time, the college models all had awoken, walked to the edge of the pool and pretended to shoot themselves in the head and fall in the water. Bill Joel man woke up from his lounge and told the girl that there was a $5 fine per wail in the pool. Grandma scowled at the man, but did not get up from her chair to relieve small crying 5 year old from pool. All kids were now circling their prey (5 year old girl). Little boy tried to tell girl she can be turtle. No avail. Finally after 15 long minutes, Mom comes, none too happy to be disturbed. Little girl stops wailing immediately upon seeing Mom. Discussion ensues. Mom says Grandma blew all out of proportion and all kids are told to go home with Mom, littlest girl almost left because she suffers from a Cinderella shoe complex (i.e, can't find other shoe). More sobbing. Then all scowl at Billy Joel man as they leave. Everyone left after that. Poor little thing. She was probably tired and hungry and all. I didn't mind the activity so much as the reaction of the people around them. They were pretty upset by the child. I did wish that the Grandma could have gone to the girl and done something other than sit in the chair the whole time. But, oh well. Each family has their own rules and such. Who am I to judge? I thought it was amusing anyway. :-)
After that A and I went home. So A's visit was a great time. Plus, I got a chance to use my grandma's pot roast recipe (adapted for the crock pot due to the heat):
Grandma's Pot Roast
1 Beef roast (5lbs)
garlic powder
salt
pepper
flour
Various vegetables (6 small potatoes cubed, 4 carrots cut into logs, 2 medium onions chunked)
Rub seasoning on meat. Rub meat with flour to coat. Brown meat in 2 tbsp. vegetable oil until browned on all sides in a hot pan. Put meat into crock pot. Add vegetables all around. Add one 8oz. glass water to crock pot mix. Sprinkle all with salt and pepper. Cover with lid and cook 8 hours on low.
Voila! Dinner when you get back from a day's activities (especially good when it's hot and you have company!) Turned out yummy. :-)
Also made doughnuts from a 1920s recipe for breakfast. Still working out the kinks in this one, but they were pretty good.
4 cups flour
1 tsp. salt
1 cup sugar
1/2 nutmeg, grated
2 tsp. cream of tartar
1 tsp. soda (baking)
2 eggs, well beaten
Milk
Mix and sift dry ingredients, add eggs, well beaten, and milk, the amount required being about three-fourths cup, sometimes more but never as much as a cup. Toss on a slightly floured board, pat, roll, shape, and fry. Remove from fat, using a two-tined fork, and pass quickly through water kept at the boiling-point. The fork must be wiped each time before putting into fat."
Have to gauge my oil temp more. Some browned too fast on the outside and were slightly gooey on the inside. I adjusted the heat and they went better. Also, as we all know, oil and water don't mix. However, drops of water in hot oil explode.
Note to self: Wipe off slotted spoon when transferring doughnuts.
That's it for today, I guess.
"Afterall...tomorrow is another day." -Scarlett O'Hara
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