Septembering

 

As September comes to a close, I went back and looked at my photos to see what the month brought, because for some reason, it flew by and here we are ready to begin a new month.  For us in Southwest Florida, so far so good on the hurricane season and making it through September without a major storm is a good sign.  In fact we have a cool morning (in the high 60’s) and I have my windows open for the first time since April.  

We were out and about this month, but also stuck close to home.  A good mix of both.  The highlight was renting a boat for the day and exploring the Intercoastal Waterway on our own.  We used to own a boat, so no worries there, but just figuring out a different type of boating.  We are considering a boat club, where you have access to boats, but still have some thinking to do.  

We have enjoyed sunsets on our own and with friends and went to breakfast on the scooter one sunny morning.  I took an unexpected trip to Michigan and once again my air travel experience felt very safe.  It was for a sad reason, with the sudden death of a friend, but did get to see Melissa.  In fact, we have much to look forward to this fall with visits scheduled from both girls in the upcoming weeks.

Finally, I am late to the party on this one, but am enjoying binging Ozark on Netflix.  It’s dark and twisty and the characters and actors portraying them are so good.  The story of normal people thrown into abnormal circumstances and how they react is fascinating.

Happy last day of September!

Easy Apple Dump Cake

 

There really are nothing like fall desserts and while I like to save the pumpkin flavors for later, September is all about apples for me.  

I saw this recipe and since I like my baking as easy as possible, it went on my list to make.  It is a dessert, but for me, it sounded like the perfect breakfast as well.  I didn’t calculate the carbs (probably bad), but limited myself to a small serving and added a dollop of vanilla yogurt and a sprinkle of cinnamon.

So, think outside the box and have this cake for breakfast.  It has all the fall flavors you crave and with the yogurt, is a delicious treat to start any day off right.  Especially if sweet versus savory is your breakfast vibe.

Life Thoughts

Sometimes life comes at you hard.  And there are two ways to react to a sudden loss.  You might question your faith and rail against the unfairness of it all.  Or, you might choose to appreciate the good that you have and continue to rely on your faith for strength and comfort. 

My group of Michigan friends lost a great guy suddenly last week.  These are my people; the ones we have history with, the ones who know my daughters and my daughters consider them family.  My friend, the wife of the great guy, is understandably sad and broken, but we will all lift her and her four young adult children up the best we can.  It’s one of those situations where there are really no words, but just your presence can make a small difference.

I flew to Michigan for the funeral and am so glad I did.  It reminded me that there was a reason all those years ago, that we became friends and navigated the child raising years together in our close knit parish.  We will need each other even more as life’s most difficult moments come.  But, we will also find a way to celebrate the happy moments as well; weddings, grandchildren and retirements.  

I plan to get my friend to Florida as soon as she is ready.  She can sit with her face to the sun or experience the beauty of a sunset and maybe heal just a little bit.  And we will keep the faith.

Copycat Starbucks Frappuccino

 

I wish there was a Starbucks a bit closer to where I live, and I have high hopes there will be soon, when a new hospital a few miles away is completed.  In the mean time, a craving on a hot day for a frozen drink, led me to research and ultimately put together a copycat version that suited my tastes.  And, it’s pretty delicious.

To make:

In a blender or bullet, add 1 1/4 cup crushed ice, 3/4 cup chilled coffee (I used decaf), 1/2 cup half and half (or any milk substitute), 1 Truvia and a drizzle of chocolate syrup.  Blend until smooth.  Put in a tall glass and if you like, top with whipped cream and an additional drizzle of chocolate syrup.

Enjoy!