Confessions of a Grandma

It's strawberry season in Vermont. Such a brief time frame, but oh those delicious, sweet strawberries! My friend Donna called me this morning and asked if I wanted to go strawberry picking with her.  She had heard it was a good year.  Big berries fill up the boxes faster. Now to the task of cleaning and freezing.  Mostly they will be used for smoothies, one of my go-to lunches.  But I will have to maybe find a recipe for a strawberry daiquiri too.

VT State Capital Building Guarded by a statue of Ethan Allen My grandson visited for a week as soon as school let out for the summer. We got to go swimming, do some painting, watch some movies, go out for lunch with my sister and my friend, Donna.  Dane likes to walk around downtown Burlington...it can be entertaining. When Dane asked me to toss an empty ginger ale plastic bottle around in the back yard,  I thought maybe time to go out and buy a ball.  Then we had lots of soccer and volley ball skills practice sessions.  The kids in the neighborhood are mostly toddlers so I got to get lots of fresh air and exercise.  Dane called me his BFEV(best friend, elder version. ) Of course there was a lot of story telling.  Even though he started out saying that he was maybe getting too old for my "Adventures of Dane" stories, he willingly listened.  He has started writing his own stories, too, so I feel as though I had some good influence ...

School has let out for the summer.  My grandson has arrived for a week long visit and getting spoiled by grandma time. Today we painted. Dane has been watching Bob Ross on Netflix. I think he has learned a lot.

Yard Work You might think it is spring time in Vermont from looking out the window.  Rhododendron coming to bloom Peonies thinking about blooming In fact it is more like the dead of winter from the perspective of a Florida snowbird.  Cold and cloudy and very windy.   Most of my neighbors have air conditioner units sprouting from their windows.  We did have unseasonable hot weather last week, but nothing that tempted me to wrestle with one of those window units. Kitchen Work The woman I bought the condo from had put a lot of work into the place -- new windows and large patio door, new flooring throughout, all freshly painted, updated bath and half bath, all new appliances including a gas fireplace insert (which I fired up yesterday, in  June !)  I am really happy with it. However, I did decide to treat myself to new kitchen countertops. The old laminate was worn and I know from watching HGTV house hunters that stain...

I am not usually up and out first thing in the morning, but I set my alarm this morning because I was taking my friend, Ginnie, to an eye doctor appointment after her first cataract surgery. I knew from experience that making coffee and then going about my routine would result in my losing track of time -- something that is not at all helpful around doctor appointments -- even though technically I had plenty of time. I got dressed and decided to stop at the Dunkin' Donut shop which was on my way to Ginnie's house. Little did I realize that today is National Donut Day.   I noticed how full the parking lot right in front of the shop was, but the penny still didn't drop.  C'mon, no coffee in my system yet. Unfortunately, I didn't see how congested the drive through line was until too late.  I was already hemmed into that line.  And cars kept pouring in.  My thought was what are they giving out free donuts today?  Come to find out, yes, that is exactl...