TG, another miserable week. My SIL flew back to Iraq on Wednesday, got in this morning - it's 118 degrees there today. He thought the 95 degree days we had here in the mid-Atlantic were just fine.

My DD and the grandchildren and I will spend a quiet weekend, though it looks like the weather will be good so we'll have to find something to do, because they go back to Texas next Saturday. Boy, I'll miss them.

Hope everyone has a good weekend.

Happy Friday May, I know you'll really enjoy having the boys home even if it's a short visit.

I'm in the midst of doing my first batch of tomatoes. Such a gorgeous day here I'd rather be on the dock but come February I'll be happy to open a jar of fresh tomatoes!

Sunday my GF and her husband arrive for a few days so plenty of time for R&R then.

Happy weekend everyone!

Sorry Mom was posting at the same time. My thoughts will be with your SIL and DD, may he stay safe and be home soon...for good!

Just another busy summer day...and Friday the 13th! Yowzaaaa!

I can't remember a tomato season this great before. I cannot pick them fast enough. About 20lbs a day! I've been giving a lot of them away. Just too busy to can...but I might have to make time soon....or at least skin and freeze. Can't them them go to waste.

I have twelve dogs at the house today and I have to pick up my new car. I bought a brand new 2009 Chevy Aveo. I'm going to park my 2010 Dodge Challenger R/T for the winter and drive the Aveo. What a strip down number this is....this is how the conversation went with my insurance agent:

Does it have...

Alloy wheels: No
Cruise control: No
CD player: No
A/C: No
Power anything??? No

Roll down windows...stick shift...but it does have a radio and of all things ON-STAR LOL.

But...$7900 for a brand new car...the payment is less than the payment on my first new car..a 1979 Fiesta.....that was $145.00 a month 31 years ago!

Hope everyone stays out of the heat as much as possible.

I feel sorry for SIL in Iraq...118! But I thank them with all of my heart and soul for their duty to our country. God bless em.

Duane

Best wishes to our boys and ladies in the Middle East.

I have 15+ high schoolers descending on us for a pool party tonight.

chips/salsa, burgers, dogs, corn, chinese chicken-less salad, pasta w/bottled italian dressing, watermelon, cheesecake. Most of this store purchased but even with this limited menu, still lots of work all day. Kids will mostly be happy in the pool and jacuzzi, then watching a movie/playing Nintendo, or sitting by a fire, LOL.

Tomorrow night we have friends coming over and DH wants to work on his grilled pizza skills. One stone has cracked already, it was a cheap thin one, still usable. I have spinach balls and mozzarella sticks in the freezer for sides/appies.

Sunday I'm recovering!

TGIF is right. I need a break from school and studying for tests. And the weather is cooling off for the next week. Low 60's at nite and mid low to mid 70's for high temps. And lower humidity and dew points!

I might even be able to stain my cedar entryway!

Happy Friday! I'm with Teresa about the cool down, although we won't have such great temperatures as hers. Even so, high 80's/mid 60's sounds almost perfect to me, and I'll bask in it. (One more miserable, hot fugly day here while temperature bliss approaches, which won't be quick enough for me!) We are also staining cedar this weekend, so I guess the time is now. (I only hope the color I've picked is the right one. It's my third try, so maybe the third time's the charm.) Maybe once that's done, I'll feel like having someone over.

May, enjoy your boys. I'd love watching GWTW with them; that sounds fun.

Mojitos this evening, and I'll drink and clink to all of you on the CF!

Please offer my thanks to your SIL & his family also, Mom.

Enjoy the visit & movie, May.

You also, chase, enjoy the visit & find some dock time! The season will be over so soon. :(

Duane, congrats on the new car. Tomatoes - 20 lbs./day?! Wow!! Our tomato pot ghetto that I posted about this spring is producing but is really just getting started...tons of green tomatoes & about a dozen/day ripe.

Jessy, OMG! You are being invaded...take care (and take cover, if necessary!!).

Last night, I received an email about midnight from a second cousin I've been searching for since the late 70s or early 80s. Turns out she's been looking for me & found me thru the historic society. We've not seen each other since we were little kids. Her dad was a LIFE photographer & took that iconic photo of JFK & RFK sitting across from each other on the eve of the 1960 election. Later in life he built boats in Florida & make a couple for Jacques Cousteau. Her dad & my dad grew up together. Anyway, she's in CA right now looking for me...Ooops, I'm not there anymore! We're in the middle of making plans to get together. She's now living in Chicago. I'm very excited.

It's the Art Festival weekend & the village is in gridlock. We normally get about 100,000 people from all over the world. We'll stay home & charge for parking in our yard. lol :)

Seriously, because of the crowds we won't leave the house.

Have a great weekend everybody!

/tricia

I also say a big thank you to all those in uniform!! 118 degrees is not really fit for human habitation! Poor thing!

Sharon, you and Duane can just send those extra tomatoes on down my way. Oh well, I'm just not a gardener!

Talk about stripped down, I didn't even know they MADE cars without A/C anymore. Anyway, they sure don't ever ship those down to Houston!!

Sounds like lots o' fun for you this weekend Jessy. 15 teenagers. Uh huh! You will definitely NEED Sunday to recover!

Teresa, sounds like your weather will be getting back to normal. Normal here is 90s and HUMID so we're right on par. We'll get the 60s and 70s and lower humidity..... in novEMber! LOL

Clink and TGIF!

May, glad to hear the boys will be home before heading back to college. I know y'all will have a great time. I've never seen GWTW, guess it's time to or read the book.

Sharon, I think you have plenty of toms to keep you more than busy this weekend. I know you will chill and have fun with your company when they arrive. Guess Clive will give them a good ride on his new toy.

Mom, it's so hard to send them off that's for sure. Thank him for his service. Our Marine is just got back in June. Enjoy your time with those grandchildren.

Duane, congrats on the killer crop this year. I'm giving up trying after this year. Love my local farmers markets!

EJ, oh man, you are in for something else. I hosted my nephews party a couple of weeks ago. 15 turned into 30 with no warning at all. Fun, I think...LOL

Teresa, I can't remember what 60 feels like anymore. 105 here today and they just told us the cold front has stalled again. They promise mid 90's for some time next week.

Claire, same for you. Enjoy that cooler weather. I see a big line of storms is headed your way tonight. Hope the staining project is a success and you like the color.

Tricia, sounds like a festive weekend for your area. I can understand avoiding the crowds being a local though. I did the same at times when I lived up at the lake...not often but some times. : )

Hosting my DN birthday party here tomorrow. She is having a few friend over and requested beer butt chicken on the grill. Went to the farmers market and picked up toms and cukes so it's Annie's salsa, Sharon's dills and chile sauce, and I'll start the nine day process for sweet chunks too. Bread and butters if I have enough cukes left. I'm off to fill up water balloons for my attack on the party tomorrow....LOL

Have a great weekend everyone!!

David

Happy Friday Friends!

May, great movie! I know you and the boys will love it.

Sharon, OMG you have a TON of tomatoes! Are you making chile sauce from all of them or will some be canned in other manners? I can;t even imagine making so many batches of chile sauce in a row.....

Mom - Many thanks to your DS and to you for raising such a great kid. We are all in debt.

Duane - good luck. It sounds like the attack of the killer tomatoes!

Jessy - good luck indeed! I helped with the food for the combines 18th B-day/graduation party earlier this summer.. OMG what an ordeal!

Claire - good luck with the staining

David! Water balloons! OMG Now I knwo what will be the perfect ending to our first annual "smokefest" this Labor Day weekend. I am going to bombard the entire party with water balloons! That is BRILLIANT!!!!!

Everyone else have a great weekend... you deserve it!

We have another action packed weekend - today was lunch with a GF and her kids, that turned into afternoon cocktails at my house while we watched our 11-12 yo Little League Team destroy another team in the semis to move into the Mid-Atlantic finals to be held on Monday night (on ESPN2 against Toms River, NJ who we beat by 1 in the regular season) It was so great to see our boys win by 10 in the 4th inning (Mercy rule) and move on to the finals.

Tomorrow is another friends Family Olympics - basically an afternoon of Minute to Win It type challenges with gag gifts for prizes. In actuality, an excuse to eat and drink too much while watching other make complete fools of themselves. I chose wisely and will be an "official judge" this year so I can be pretty sure there will be no incriminating evidence on Youtube. Sunday is our towns first annual Musicfest. There will be 15 live bands, food vendors, beer & wine, crafts and other stuff on this big farm outside of town..... we"ll see how that goes.

Hope everyone has a wonderful and safe weekend!

Alexa

May I'm sure you'll enjoy the time home with your boys.

MomJ, so hard to see them go, but very proud, eh?

Duane, what a coup on the vehicle and all the tomatoes! If I were closer I'd can and we could share.

Jessy, has your DH tried doing the pizza right on the grill. It's easier than you'd think. I wipe down the grate with a oily rag but other than that, no problemo. Doesn't stick and cooks pretty quick, five minutes maybe.

I'm mostly happy this week is finally over for Christy's sake. Her company is going through major overhauls and they've about run her ragged. She's going to be home on vacation next week so I'm just glad they didn't cancel that on her. Yayy for Friday, now Saturday.. phew.. Clinking with my seltzer and lemonade mix.

It sounds like a power-packed weekend for all who've posted before me.

May- you bring back such memories, I loved that book and the movie. How great that your SON has enjoyed it too! Time to watch it again!

Mom- Thank your soldier and all who serve with him. What awful heat!

Sharon- have a nice weekend-- I was inspired and might find time to play with your sauce recipe. I know DH would adore it! At the farm stand today they had small roma's that are very ripe. Not much to eat raw, but I could make some kind of sauce.

Jessy- Have fun and be thankful that they want to hang around YOUR house!

Duke- Wow you have a house (or kennel) full. Ditto what May said about no A/C but enjoy the new wheels!

Teresa good luck on the project, you're certainly industrious!

Tricia- that's exciting about finding a "lost" family member. I bet you'll have tons to talk about. Her father sounds like a talented guy!

Claire- You're also industrious, but instead of a mojito (which I can't develop a taste for despite my love of mint) have you tried a Caiphirina? Yum!

David-- You're absolutely the best Uncle--ever! No wonder they all want you to be part of their parties. I see you're putting your Canny Camp learning to great use! Will you share a bottle of Chase's Chili sauce for DH? LOL

Alexa- your crowd and your town seem to have a bunch of family fun activities-- Enjoy!

As for us, it's a busy weekend. Dad was in the hospital for 5 days and then released back to his "home". I'll be visiting and feeding him lunch. Later we're going to an engagement party --oops, better get a gift first!
Sunday we're seeing a play and then going to dinner with friends. In between we'll be packing and sorting, our redecoration project will begin in two weeks. 33 yrs of carp to sort through!

Clinking now with some *Perrier* and a good weekend to all!

I know it's Saturday and I'm a bit late for the TGIF posting, but I have such exciting news to share!

Thursday was the final court date for the State vs. my EX & his current wife regarding their drug problems & custody of his children (including my daughter). As you may remember, my daughter has been with me since March.

After hiring a lawyer and spending beaucoup money, the EX & wife ended up caving in and admitting everything. They now have 11 stringent stipulations placed on them that they must meet before Sept. 21st (when we meet again for a status review) before the court will even CONSIDER letting them have the OTHER TWO children back. They will NOT EVER have a chance to get my daughter away from me!!!

Folks, I can assure you that they will NEVER meet those conditions and that the next move by the court will be to terminate their parental rights.

It's taken FIVE years for this to come about - many angst-filled nights for me.

I've happy-danced all over town. Now you all can dance with me. My daughter & I continue to move forward with our lives. She's in a new school this year and has already made new friends. In fact, she had her first girlie sleepover last night. She finally gets to be a KID - and not have to be responsible for two smaller children because her Dad & stepmonster are drug addicts who are incapable of caring for themselves, much less the kids. She's only NINE, for God's sake!

OK - I've ranted enough. Thanks for letting me share part of my saga. Be happy for me. I'm ecstatic!

Pat-- Congratulations! I knew that your Ex was a piece of work, but somehow I had missed that he was a druggie. Your poor little girl! I also didn't realize that she had been living with them, or was it just visitation weeks? In any case, I'm glad that they are out of her life and hopefully will never be allowed to have kids again.

You and your daughter should do something wonderful to celebrate her freedom from slavery and responsibility! Parental abuse comes in all forms and as a society we should have no tolerance for "parents" such as those!