Busy in Michigan

 

My daughter and son in law moved from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania to Grand Rapids, Michigan last weekend and I arrived on Monday to help with the unpacking.  Since Megan is expecting, it was the least I could do. We have accomplished quite a bit, including unpacking and organizing the kitchen.  It is a beautiful kitchen with a lot of cupboard space, so that was mostly fun. We also organized closets, I planted some flower pots and cooked a few meals for the freezer. They still have a lot to do, but the unpacking is mostly done.

It wasn’t all work, with Megan showing me their lovely new area with cute coffee shops and a fun Farmer‘s Market.  Daughter number two, who lives a two hour drive away in the Detroit area also made the trip to see the new house and me.  It makes me happy that they are now in the same state and can see each other often.  Especially with the baby girl coming in the fall.

I’m heading back to Florida with a happy heart.

Top Books Read So Far in 2023

 

We are halfway through the reading year and my reading has stepped up lately.  The only television I am watching currently is the new season of Outlander, major golf tournaments and Tigers baseball.  There are shows on my to watch list, but I find myself preferring to read.  When it is so hot outside, my way to feel cool in the afternoon (besides pool time) is to be in the air conditioning, close the blinds, have a fan blowing on me, use a light blanket and read.

 I have read 46 books so far this year, but luckily for my bank account, the majority are borrowed from the library.  Of that 46, I have been reading my way through the Sue Grafton “alphabet” series featuring private detective Kinsey Millhone.  First published in 1982 and set in the 1980’s throughout the series, it is amazing how well a revisit holds up. The lack of cell phones and laptop computers is a little jarring and a reminder how much more difficult it was to communicate when you had to find a pay phone to make a call away from home. Or go to the library to do research rather than trusty google.  Kinsey is a great all time fictional women detective.

My favorites so far are in no particular order and linked to Amazon.  

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Happy Reading!

Chocolate Topped Frozen Yogurt Cup (Tik Tok Recipe #3)

 

This is the perfect summer snack and it is so easy, In fact, I hesitate to actually call it a recipe.  The Tik Tok buzz found me intrigued again and I had to try this simple method to jazz up a yogurt cup.

I have been looking for ways to add protein to my diet, not being a fan of protein powder, so when the cottage cheese pancakes I tried were a fail, adding a bit of chocolate to the yogurt always stocked in my fridge seemed too delicious not to try.

Here is what you do and there are a few variations.

Take a container of yogurt, any flavor and pour 2 -3 T of melted good quality dark chocolate (melt in glass measuring cup in microwave for 1 minute) over the top.  Sprinkle with chopped nuts, cover with foil and freeze until chocolate is hard.  Use a spoon to break the hard shell of the chocolate and enjoy!

I used key lime yogurt, but for other flavors you can stir in 1 T of peanut butter to the yogurt before adding the chocolate.  Toppings could be any kind of nut, frozen raspberries or even small candies like m&m’s.  

My version with key lime yogurt took me right back to Key West and the chocolate covered key lime pie on a stick that I enjoyed when there.

Happy Saturday!

Nana Time

 

 

I have been keeping keeping a secret, but my daughter has now shared on social media, so I feel comfortable sharing too.  In October, Megan and Adam will be bringing home a sweet little girl and we are all very excited and thankful.

We are in the midst of planning a baby shower and I have to control myself from buying all the things; especially the pink ones.  I notice playgrounds in my city that I never really noticed before.  Life for our family will change in a big way and I can’t wait to do all the girly things I enjoyed so much with my daughters. 

When we moved to Florida and finally did the big downsize, I got rid of many of the toys that had been saved in my basement.  What I did keep in the hopes for a future grandchild was a well used tea set that my daughters and I had so much fun with over the years.  We would spread a blanket on the floor and have tea party picnics, complete with peanut butter and jelly sandwiches cut in fun shapes and pink lemonade.  

I have never been one to push for a grandchild or felt lacking in my life, but now that Nana time is close, I am so looking forward to all those sweet and special times a little one brings to a family.  

Happy Friday!