A Neighborly Gathering

With preparations under way, Alfonsina was ready to usher in the fall with a gathering of the neighbors. There could not have been a better venue than her garden to showcase the summer's glory.

Colleen and Mike made gorgeous arrangements of the foliage from the garden (and from their own garden as well). 

And everyone else brought something to eat.

Alfonsina's famous empanadas.

Chunman's baked chicken.

Katherine's orzo salad.

The neighbors: 

Bob and Katherine (not the same Katherine who brought the orzo salad).

Katherine.

Tom and Grace.

Steve and Ann.

Karen.

Ron.

Ray and Cindi.

Steve. 

Dennis and Teri.

Leif and Audrey.

Chunman and Paul.

Glen and Betty.

Brennan and Hiromi, 

with their two kids.

Ken and Lois.

Ana.

Ryan & Drew (brothers)

and their parents whose names I won't even try to 

recall incase I get them totally wrong!

And I forget the other guests names. Forgive me. 

In all, there were forty-one guests present (according to Palomino's count), including Mike, Colleen, Scotty, and me who aren't from the block. 

The Hostesses. 

Good night.

Curry Rice Salad

  The Ingredients:

Rice

Indian Curry

Cumin

Chicken Broth

Sesame Oil

Olive Oil

Onion

Asparagus 

(Miko's favorite veggie... when he was 7 anyway.)

Cilantro 

This recipe was adapted from Simply Recipes.

Huh, huh, huh... This made me cry.

 5-Star Scotty taught me to slice the asparus thin and on an angle not only for presentation, but it actually helps it cook better. And, you're able to use more of the stalk rather than discarding them.

You always have to have a taste tester other than yourself.

Have I told you how much I love Preachie and Sonie? I do. 

My Poor Kitchen

It started out with some "bubbling" on the surface of the floor. After some investigating, we found the crawl space underneath the kitchen soaking in water. We have radiant floor heating throughout the house, so we figured the water could be coming from a) the heating tubes, or b) the kitchen plumbing. Unfortunately, we had to gut the entire kitchen floor to find the answer.

I was devastated. 

This was my kitchen BEFORE the gutting.

This was my kitchen DURING the gutting.

This was my kitchen during the REPAIR.

This is my kitchen NOW.

Hello gang! Come on it, have a stand. 

We're still waiting on electrical, finish carpentry, and our furniture.

My poor kitchen...

It's Worth Every Savory Bite

This is exactly why THIS won't last.

Oooooh, but it's worth every savory bite!

Fourteen Going on Thirty-eight

Okay, okay. So I'm going on thirty-eight. But sometimes I feel like I'm fourteen!

Taxi Driver.

You talkin' to me?

Beach Bum.

Peace out man! 

Book nerd.

Computer Geek. Not to be confused with book nerd above.

Madonna, True Blue.

State Patrol. 

License and registration, please...

Step out of the car please, sir...

How much have you had to drink, sir?

Me. Just plain ol', yours truly, crazy Netty. 

I love you too!

Ah, is Madonna's Boy Toy look coming back in style?

I would have put on the rubber bangles, but a fellow shopper started to give me the funny eye.

Sophia Loren. 

Good bye, dahhhling... 

Kiss-kiss...