Thanksgiving and another adventure

My Thanksgiving turkey.

Jess preparing a delicious dinner in her kitchen.

Yolande preparing her stuffed pumpkin... wish you could have tasted it!

The finished stuffed pumpkin... a work of art.

John and Jess working on dinner.

Dave was in charge of the rolls!

Early b'day presents for John and Dave.... marshmallow guns.

And the adventure part..... Dad had a TIA (minor stroke) at 3 a.m. Thanksgiving morning but we didn't find out until Mom called him around 7 and he said he felt sick. Mom was waiting at the rehab center for dad to pick her up. Jim & Sandy followed the ambulance to the same hospital mom was in two weeks ago. They spent most of the day waiting for tests and to get him admitted. Mom spent the day anxiously waiting for news and for someone to bring her home.

As of today Dad is doing well and mom is home. Dad has to go to the same rehab center for about a week and it looks like mom is really rising to the occasion and coping at home on her own when Jim & Sandy aren't around.

Ask me how happy I am that they are in Ohio and not on their own in PA!!!!!

A Weekend of Food

I loved my cooking/ eating class Friday night. These are the Southern Shrimp Cocktail Skewers.

I could have eaten the whole plate of Pull-Apart Ham & Cheese Bread. I am going to make them sometime this week!.

Me with a glass of wine..... and a smile!

The evening's cooking lesson and dinner was held in a great kitchen shop that is right around the corner from my home. I see some Christmas shopping there in my future.

Then on Saturday I went downtown for a Food Tour (http://www.lizbiro.com/home.html) that had us tasting wine & cocktails and sampling incredible food at 8 different restaurants. The best part was getting to talk with all of the chefs. I would do this again!

The rest of my weekend included seeing the new Harry Potter movie with David, watching the almost full moon rise over the ocean, and cleaning my house & planning menus for Yolande who arrives tomorrow!

More Ohio Pictures

My mom's cat, who she calls "the pretty little kitty with the raccoon tail and the little pink nose", but whose real name is Lacy.

Garfield (Emily's kitten) .... who entertained me a lot!

My brother (Jim) and sister-in-law (Sandy).... who take amazingly good care of my parents!

Dad and Jim walking the dogs. Aren't they cute!!!!!

Another picture of my parent's new home.

Mom's first day in the hospital... watching the Ohio State game!

The Nolens in Ohio

This is the back of my brother Jim's home in Ohio which is where my parents moved to in August. I just spent a week there with them.

Jim, Sandy, Hannah, Landon, and Emily Nolen

Dad takes the dogs (Sam and Gordie) for a walk every day.

This is mom and dad's new home!

More Ohio pictures to come. But tonight I am off to a "meetup" at the Seasoned Gourmet where I will join 15 others and enjoy an evening of learning to prepare holiday menu items and sip a little wine and enjoy dinner while we learn.

Here is the menu:

1) Shrimp Cocktail Skewers (seasoned with Wilmington-made 8th Wonder Spice Blend and served with Mother Shucker’s Cocktail Sauce from Columbia, SC)

2) Pull-Apart Ham & Cheese Bread (an egg bread with ample country ham and Gruyere cheese made in a wreath shape to pull apart and eat)

3) Mini Artichoke Pesto and Asiago Pizzas

4) Roasted Halved Cornish Hens with Gremolata Butter over Fluffy Riced Root Vegetables with Lemon-White Wine Ver Jus

5) Mini Pumpkin Tarts with Cinnamon Cream

Hooded Mergansers at Airlie Gardens

I returned to Airlie after being gone for 10 days to find that the Hooded Mergansers have arrived!

I'm back!

My trip to Ohio turned into a bit of an adventure. While I was there my mom had to go to the emergency room, which turned into a colonoscopy and a five day stay in the hospital trying to regulate blood, sugar levels, etc. Got her checked into a rehabilitation center yesterday for a "tune up". It is only 2 miles from where my dad and brother and his family live. Hope she is able to get back on track and home quickly.

Returned to Wilmington this afternoon and am now getting ready for visits from Yolande and Bruce, who will be here for Thanksgiving and the boys' birthday.

Looking forward to getting back to the beach and Airlie Gardens.

a quick trip to Airlie

LOTS of cormorants all around the lake

hooded mergansers and a ????? (nutria, maybe)

http://hubpages.com/hub/Nutria

Home from Arizona, On to Ohio

do you see the cactus face?

a BLUE sky

roadrunner #1

roadrunner # 2 (check out the feet!)

roadrunner #3

Arizona is a beautiful state. I have been there several times before (including a trip to the Grand Canyon that taught me what the expression "take your breath away" meant) and I am definitely in love with the desert. Spending time in Phoenix, with my high school friend, Sandi, and her family felt so good. And then on to Tuscon to see Joanna (and her family) was perfect. Arizona gives new meaning to a "blue" sky. One of my bird highlights was seeing a road runner and I heard coyotes at night! Tomorrow I head to the Ohio Nolens for a family reunion!

Taking a "Vacation"

Going to Phoenix, Arizona Wednesday morning to spend some time with a high school friend and then to Tuscon to have some fun with Joanna, Peter and Joanna's sister.

Coming back Monday and quickly regrouping before heading to Ohio to meet up with my sister (!) and have a family reunion at my parents' new home with my brother and his wonderful family. Will be back with pictures of all.

John is providing airport transportation and Dave is staying here while I'm gone to take care of the cats and the mail (as well as help clean out my refrigerator and do his laundry).

Yolande (my friend from Santa Cruz, CA) is arriving 11/22 and staying until 12/1. We get to share Thanksgiving and the boys' birthdays together. I can't wait to share my new home, the beach, Airlie Gardens, and so much more with her.

And NJ friends... mark your calendars. I will be in NJ 12/10 to 12/19. YEAH!!!