Off to Hook

I've been having a little trouble getting in here to post. So didn't even try yesterday. I have a little summer cabin that my husband and I built about 15 years ago. Our plan was to retire there, and to enjoy the birds and watching the waves, and looking toward the distant mountains. It is probably my favorite spot in the world. Or was before a real estate agent bought the lot next door to me and proceded to have his McMansion built. It takes up almost the entire lot...he built it so close to the property line that he can look in my living room window from his kitchen. For fourteen years I had no curtains or blinds, but quickly put a set of mini-blinds up on the window between the two houses. During the summer he and his wife entertain from Friday afternoon until Sunday evening, all summer long. So I try to make good use of my place in the winter when I know no one will have the speakers out on the deck all night long. (it's soft rock...but still) They are nice enough people, but have no sense of the privacy of their neighbors.
Don't know how that digression started...but anyway, I had a party of my own yesterday. Actually I just had a couple of friends down. We barbequed salmon. Well, my cousin in Georgia says that's not barbeque, that's grillin'. In my neck of the woods, if you put something on the barbeque...you are barbequing. We also had whole wheat pasta with mushrooms, and zucchini...also cream and parmesean. I admit I did make a blackberry cobbler for dessert...but no ice cream. So it wasn't too awful. It was a very nice evening. They are from the midwest and tried to teach me how to play Euchre...but it was a dismal failure. They and my husband and I played pinochle once a month for 20+ years. I spent the first two or three of those using a crib sheet. My mind just doesn't work that way. My husband would remember every card in everyone's hand...and I couldn't even remember what I had unless I kept checking it. We decided next time we would play pinochle...I'm already trained for that.
After everyone left, I cleaned up and went to bed. The next morning I was enjoying a cup of coffee, and watching the bay when something swooped near the edge of the bank. Before long it came back into my line of vision, and perched on the limb of my maple tree. It was a very large bald eagle and he sat there for quite awhile. I was inside, but afraid to move for fear he would detect the movement and fly away. They are such impressive birds, and I consider myself very lucky see them so close at hand. I understand that, although they appear to be quite large, they do not weigh much since their feathers are filled with sir. Too bad that isn't the case of people. I would probably only weigh 20 pounds.
I leave early tomorrow morning for rug camp. I'm looking forward to getting away for a few days. It's only about an hour and a half away, but very different surroundings. I will try not to indulge in the desserat each meal. They make a wonderful oatmeal every morning and thet is usually my choice...sometimes I succumb to the other breakfast choices as well. Wouldn't want to become so weak that I can't hold up my needle. It's interesting to watch the eating habits of others. I always wonder what they do to balance things out. Such as: there is a average sized older woman who puts butter and gravy on her potatoes, and eats few vegetables, as well as always drinks the juice (more sugar that juice) and has seconds on the dessert. But she doesn't ever seem to gain weight. Then there are three sisters, one of them is average sized and the other two are quite large. They eat fairly amazing amounts...the average sized sister eats quite a lot too, but is much smaller than the other two. I know...metabolism and all that. Nothing else would account for the fact that most of the women eat the same amounts of food while there, and there ia a huge disparity in their sizes. Please understand, I spend very little time making these observations while I'm there...Iam only doing so here since this is the place I think, and talk about, about size.
I have to finish packing and get it all in the car. I will be back with more to say in several days.