Peaches, Nectarines, or Apples?

I am very lucky. I don't need to drive to work. I walk two blocks from our tiny condo to the Madison Building. In Wisconsin I had to drive to and from work, plus to a variety of health care sites during the day related to my job. The winter months were dreadful. So I go home for lunch every day and return with some fruit in the afternoon. You could call it dessert. What's so nice about it is that it is prepared by my husband - all cut up and ready to eat by the slice. It feels like   being a little kid again in school. In my clinical nursing career I went many days without eating, or taking a break - running all over the place taking care of real people. I'm not sure it got much better working in the corporate office. I think I much prefer the schedule today - in more ways than one!

Don Beyer Loyal Subaru Customer Reward

We have never owned a car for ten years. Since we moved to DC we have no desire to park a brand new car on the street to get banged up and scratched. But keeping a car for a longer time means repairs every once in a while. The air conditioning on our 2004 Subaru Forester was beginning to fail last summer and all but did this summer. It would turn on but quit after driving short distances. This was unreliable for us and intolerable if we had passengers. So we decided to bite the bullet and have the AC system overhauled with a new compressor to the tune of $1200. We pondered the option of a new car but decided against it. However, because it had to be serviced in Alexandria on Richmond Avenue, we insisted on a loaner. We got a 2014 Outback and couldn't find the parking brake until we realized it was electric. Someone left a pair of glasses between the seats. The ride felt rough and uncomfortable; the view forward seemed smaller. We also had to refill the gas tank for another $12.00 before returning to pick up our car. Because we are such "loyal customers" - I shudder to think how much we've sunk there over the years - the $70 loaner fee was waived. We were very happy to get back in to our old silver faithful vehicle and were thrilled to feel the cool air conditioner blowing on us in the 90 degree heat of the afternoon. And when we returned to the neighborhood to park, we weren't worried if the car got hit or even if a tree fell on it. 

The Mayflower Moving Van Leaves an Empty House

It finally happened. My husband stood on the sidewalk - mouth agape. We knew they would be moving, but to see the truck actually piled with furniture and memories was a little hard to swallow. For those leaving they are looking forward to new adventures. For those staying behind it feels a little lonely. One of the major reasons we moved to DC from Wisconsin was to be near our grandson and his family and try to be of help if and when our son was deployed, and any time in between. That happened three times over the last eleven years. Now our army surgeon son has retired and is living the new civilian life in Virginia. Obviously we wish them the best and we may even see them more now that they have actually moved three and a half hours away. Our neighbors in Wisconsin said they felt the same way when we packed up and left after thirty years. I remember them waking up very early and waving from their front window as we pulled out of the driveway. The contents put in that truck left a very empty house. Each room was well known to us and filled with good people. The neighborhood will never be the same. 

The Muffuletta

Our first encounter with a muffuletta sandwich was in New Orleans more than twenty five years ago. We were sitting on the second story porch encased in the regional black metal decor in the middle of the French Quarter for lunch. On the advice of a colleague we had already tried a Po Boy at Mama's, and were now on our own. Perhaps on the advice of the waiter we tried our first muffuletta - and it was a great choice. When we returned to Milwaukee, it became a weekly habit to make our version of it. That lasted for quite some time until we grew tired of it and moved on to some other flavor of the day. For whatever reason, last week I was reminded of this tasty meal. So we headed to Safeway in McLean and scooped up the  familiar ingredients - ham, salami, black olives, provolone cheese, Italian oil with herbs, and some really nice bread. We made the sandwich for dinner along with some jalapeño chips and a salad. We decided that two large "subs" were a bit too much and the next time we would make just one and cut it in half. There are a million ways to make these things, but it was a fun reminder of our travels, and that for whatever reason some things come and go based on boredom and reignited interest. I'm glad we remembered this one. It's easy and hits the spot. 

Smithsonian Castle Gardens and the Giant Dutchman's Pipe

We have been avoiding it because of the heat and humidity. It's been a while since we took a walk on the Mall on a Sunday afternoon. But because it was only 79 and cloudy we thought we would give it a try. By the time we got to the Smithsonian Castle, I know that nature really loves the heat and humidity, even though it is only 79 degrees - but we humans need to avoid it for a lot of reasons. It feels more and more like Florida here, even with all the recent rain storms. But to walk around the castle grounds is spectacular to say the least. The birds fly about and all the houses are occupied by the feathered creatures. The east garden is not a better known and traveled path, but it has some of the most unusual inhabitants. Take the Giant Dutchman's Pipe as an example. It is the strangest looking thing we have seen and looks sort of like an orchid. If it is the same plant hanging above us on the vine it looks like tennis balls stuck in something. A few of the flowers fell to the ground and my husband thought he might try to plant them. I don't think anything will come of it. In fact I hope nothing does. They are probably quite unique, but pretty ugly - to me. It hardly matters when we pass through this way, we always see something quite different. 

 

Yekta Persian Cookie Treats

I like cake. My husband likes cookies. But once in a while when there is no angel food cake in the house I will steal one or two of his cookies. Usually he picks a few fancy brands up that are on sale at Harris Teeter or Safeway. But for the last time, our grandson brought over some Persian cookies from Yekta - a Persian restaurant and grocery store in Rockville. It's probably the last time we will get these random treats because they are moving to Virginia at the end of next week and we won't be seeing them much even though it is just a few hours away. I usually won't go after these cookies because my husband really likes these, even though he says he doesn't. I don't particularly care for the rose water taste so he is in luck. And I'm sure he would like to stretch this batch out as long as possible for sentimental value. We'll probably go to Yekta this weekend for dinner. Maybe we'll have to pick up some dessert too while we are there. 

Dyke Marsh Wildlife Preserve and Belle Haven Marina

After lunch we drove down the GW Parkway and noticed a sign for Dyke Marsh Wildlife Preserve. We have passed it many times before, but since it was so nice out today we decided to park the car and have a look around. Of course, neither one of us had on the proper shoes for the expedition, so we just roamed about a bit to get an idea what this place was all about. It started with a view of National Harbor across the Potomac River in Oxon Hill, Maryland. The Woodrow Wilson Bridge connects this place with that, and we could see the new Ferris Wheel that offers great views of the city, but it didn't look like much from this angle. Then came the ducks swimming and quacking along the shore. A variety of waterfowl or otherwise foul nests could be seen by the Belle Haven Marina - a very busy place on a lovely Friday afternoon. Several vehicles were unloading their water craft on the landing. A man in a canoe was just coming ashore. When we reached the stretch of trail in the Marsh, we saw a few birds, including my favorite Cardinals. We really do need to come back to this place when our neighbors come to visit in October. It sounds like the animal activity could be more vibrant at that time...eagles, red fox - but I could do without the water snakes. Dyke Marsh is the last large tidal freshwater wetlands in the DC area. We saw a lot of these types of places in Wisconsin...Horicon Marsh to name one. But there is something interesting about having a marsh like this so close to DC. You wouldn't think one would be there, and it's only a few minutes away.