Gimmee a Brake

It's cloudy again when I wake up at 8am, shuffling my way to the door for the dogs to go outside. Warmer than I expect though. Watch the news while I drink my cappuccino, nothing new, switch to Food Network to see what Anna is making. Nothing new there either. Hmph.

Richard is off to the doctor and I am off to the store for groceries. He tracks me down at Walmart and we wander around, then go out to the van with my purchases. He had parked his car at Extra Foods, not knowing which store I was in, and was going to walk back to get it while I drove. Starting the van, I did my usual and put my foot on the brake before putting it in gear and the pedal went right to the floor with a clunk. Uh Oh! That can't be good. I shut it off and holler out the window for Richard, who had just walked away. Back brake line is broken. Well crap! I still have front brakes, so can still drive it home - CAREFULLY - where he can fix it, after I finish getting groceries. Good thing he showed up, I would have been in a real fix. Good thing I didn't go over to the other side of town like I considered, hmmmm?

Back home, groceries are stored, I'm in front of the computer with an iced tea and my Mediterranean Chicken sandwich from Extra Foods. I love these sandwiches, filled with Feta Cheese, slices of red onion, Butter Crunch lettuce, and shaved Mediterranean Chicken on a Cheese Bun fresh made today. The dogs gather round hoping for a taste, but I'm greedy, eat it all, and enjoy every bite.

Kate texts me with farm news. It seems one of her cats, Whispurr by name, is now officially a farm kitty. Kate is like me in the morning, groggy and bleary eyed and Whispurr had been out and brought her mom a real treat, a fat juicy mouse, leaving it on the bathroom floor for her to miss stepping on by thismuch! That woke Kate up fast. I text back and ask her what she did with it. She texts back with "I put it ouside on the deck, in front of Jon's chair where he has his coffee. If I would have had the stuff, I would have drawn a chalkline around it and put up yellow crime scene tape and a note to hold it all for Horatio Caine!" I snicker.

Then I text her about my near miss with the ceiling spider. She counters with her latest experience with a big, hairy, teeth gnashing brown one, again in her bathroom, that Jon had to rescue her from. Time for Horse Chestnuts, a really great spider repellant.

Time for some sunshine, so I wander out with my entourage to the garden yard. They search for Mole People, I for tomatoes. There are more Tumbling Toms ripening and a few Brown Berry's. I think of Rylan, my granddaughter, and how much she loves tomatoes. These tomatoes are unbelievably sweet and juicy. I decide to pick the ripening Yellow Mortgage Lifter tomato to have with dinner one day soon.

Richard says he thinks he can easily fix the brakes on the van. I am relieved to hear it, not wanting to be house or yard bound again. The next day he is off to Canadian tire, and soon back with some parts, happily working away under the van. Once a mechanic, always a mechanic.

I decide to try a recipe I have been wanting to make for a while. Easy Cheesecake Ice Cream. Oh yum, it's good. I put frozen raspberries in it, but next time I think I will just leave it plain, maybe a bit of lemon zest. I found the recipe online, of course, and on an Australian site of all places. It uses 8oz softened cream cheese, 1/3 cup sugar, 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract, 1/2 cup whipping cream, 2 pints softened vanilla ice cream. Using a mixer, beat cream cheese, sugar and vanilla until smooth. Gradually add cream, beating constantly until combined. Fold cream cheese mixture into softened vanilla ice cream. Transfer to airtight container. Freeze for 4 to 5 hours until firm. Eat.

And we do. Eat the ice cream. You see, eating ice cream makes the cares of the day wash away.

And they do.