Monday, July 22, 2013

Burned meatloaf

It was my turn to cook for the neighborhood group that gathers on Sunday afternoon for dinners together, and I was pretty reckless.  I tried a new recipe for meatloaf, which was dumb because my recipe is just fine.  I tried a new recipe for potato salad and another new recipe for vegetables that was called (according to Martha Stewart) tian.  That was the most successful part of the dinner.  The meatloaf recipe was very complicated and involved prunes, bacon and a food processor.  There were a lot of other ingredients but they didn't really have much of an impact.  I overcooked the meatloaf--I made 2, one regular size and another smaller one (because the dogs ate about a pound of the meat before I mixed it in).  The smaller one was burned but everyone ate it anyway.  All the meatloaf got eaten, the vegetables were a hit, the potatoes were undercooked and the dressing for the pot. salad was not flavorful at all.  I ended up going to town before the lunch to buy dessert because we had a power outage for 24 hours and my original dessert melted.  So I bought a Marie Callendar coconut crème pie that turned out to be quite good.  Even if 2 people in the group can't stand coconut.  Oh well, I guess I learned not to try new complicated things when you're serving a group of 8.  Stick to what you know how to do.  Everyone was wonderful, said the food was good, and drank the 3 bottles of wine I'd brought.  It was a success.

I stopped at Nadal's on Friday for a very nice visit sitting on their porch.  We watched a very dramatic storm develop and blow through.  The lake did amazing things.  Everyone on OHR lost power because of the storm, though, and this caused quite a stir.  I had been grocery shopping so had to open the refrigerator a bunch, but I was convinced the power would be back on in a matter of hours.  Which it was, but the "matter of hours" turned out to be all night and all day Sat.  So I read.  And read.  It was very hot so I didn't use my Coleman lantern (it gives off too much heat) and went to bed instead.

Saturday Bill and the PINS came to stack firewood.  They did a wonderful job and I enjoyed being with them.  They stacked probably 6 cords, leaving 2 more to stack and no place to put them.  I have to figure out where the last of the firewood will go--the wood shed is full and the "good" places have been used.  A tree fell on the spot where I used to put wood so that's out.  It rained off & on and was still pretty warm but not too bad.

I haven't been to the boat house (cousins in camp) and now that it's quite cool at night I probably won't be down there, either.  It was 56 this morning--very comfortable.  Now it's sunny and clear and a perfect day here in Platts but I bet it's cool at the lake with a cold wind blowing.  70 or so degrees.  Ahhhh, weather I really like.

The dogs are fine and have been sticking around mostly.  The did take a long walk one day last week which resulted in my getting to work an hour late.  I don't know where they were but they weren't in any of the usual places--I looked everywhere.  Anyway, they're having a good summer and are very happy dogs.  I need to make reservations at the kennel for the 2 wedding weekends in August but keep forgetting to.

I GOT A DRESS.  I ordered a not-very-fancy dress online and it arrived last week.  It fits and looks OK but not great.  It's not terribly pretty but has pockets so I think I'll wear it.  My cousin's daughter is having a wedding and it turns out that it's a formal wedding with 7 attendants and an expensive wedding dress.  Yikes.  I have to wear a dress.  The only dresses I have don't fit very well and so old and out of fashion that they're long and make me look Amish.  I need to throw them out.

I've been busy seeing summer people, had dinner with a couple last night, went to a program of our shoreowners' association on Sat. and saw some people there.  Tonight I might stop at Linda's but we have a board meeting so I won't get out of Platts. until 5 or so.  That makes it a little late.

I cataloged about 100 music CDs for Saranac Lake.  Yikes it took a long time and was a good typing exercise.  They got a gift of 1000 CDs and want them all cataloged and put in the data base.  So away I go.  I'll do them in batches.  That will keep me very, very busy.

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