Hurricane Aftermath

 

Just a quick post on my thoughts on going through another hurricane.  First, we were lucky that it remained more like a tropical storm for us here in Southwest Florida and did not make a turn. But, the storm surge was pretty significant for the coastal areas with some roads washed out and street flooding.  I was worried about one of our favorite areas - St. Armands Circle, but to my amazement they just posted the waters have receded and all will be open at noon.  That is the thing about Florida.  Hurricane prep and hurricane clean up are second nature, efficient and quick.  Obviously it’s not as simple for other parts of the state, but still things are getting done.  The bridges are open to all the barrier islands, power has been restored to hundreds of thousands and help from first responders is there.  We are lucky to have a leader like Governor DeSantis and he is truly amazing during these stressful times.

In August

 

August is a month that is flying by and here are some of the things I did, as well as how the month is finishing up.

The biggest thing was my trip to Michigan at the beginning of the month.  I wrote a blog post about the baby shower I helped host for my daughter, but didn’t mention all the other things I did on what was a whirlwind of a week.  I was able to meet up some good friends for breakfasts, lunches and dinners.  Melissa and her boyfriend took me to a really great new restaurant in downtown Detroit and we were able to celebrate Melissa’s 30th birthday with a family dinner on a beautiful Michigan night.

The middle of the month was quiet and relaxing, but I did oversee the planting of 23 trees in my neighborhood which was a big job.  As landscape chair for my HOA, the recovery from Hurricane Ian has been challenging and is ongoing, even many months later.

Speaking of hurricanes, we are preparing for Idalia, which will hit somewhere on my side of the gulf coast Tuesday and Wednesday. At this time, it looks to be going north of us, but change in direction is possible, so we are under a hurricane watch.  Hopefully for us, we will only have to worry about the outer bands with rain and some wind.  It’s not a hurricane shutter event, but we may be securing anything that could fly around. We will know by Tuesday.  I know there are blog friends in hurricane states that totally get the uncertainty.

Finally, Megan had another baby shower on Saturday and I was sad I couldn’t be there.  I love living in Florida, but part of that means you can’t do everything.  It’s these bigger life events that are the hardest to miss, but I do my best and will continue to go back as much as possible.  The next trip will be for baby girl’s birth in October.  

Happy Monday and send Florida all your good thoughts as we start hurricane season once again. And I will try not to stress about the constantly updating forecast models and maps and the ever changing path :-)

Tomato Jam

There is a phrase going around instagram called “girl dinner”. It means not cooking a traditional meal, but just putting something light and snacky together in the evening like cheese and crackers and some fruit. More and more, that is how I like to eat dinner and luckily my husband does too.  

When I saw this recipe for Tomato Jam, I decided to try it as a yummy “girl dinner” idea.  It was really easy to make and can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 2 months.  My idea was to take a toasted baguette, spread it with a soft cheese and finally the tomato jam on the top. 

It was the perfect little bite.  Flavorful, slightly spicy and also with a crunch factor from the toasted bread.  It is a perfect pairing with a glass of wine too.  Savory jam was not on my radar, but this recipe has me wanting to scroll Pinterest for more ideas.

Happy Wednesday!

A Pink Baby Shower

 

My daughter Melissa and I hosted a baby shower for my oldest daughter Megan this weekend and it was a special day for all of us.  

We wanted a small, intimate family shower and achieved that by putting up a tent in Melissa’s pretty backyard.  We brought in details like pretty dishes, pink striped linens, pink poufs hanging from the tent roof and colorful florals.  Menu cards listed our catered menu of Caesar salad, Chicken Picatta and mini Strawberry Shortcakes.  We also served pink sangria in a pretty beverage container, along with lemon water and assorted wine.  The weather was a little damp at times, but we were cozy and dry under the tent.

Megan was showered with so many cute pink gifts, as well as all the practical things you need for a first baby. We had asked the guests to bring bows in lieu of cards and sweet baby girl will definitely have a bow for every occasion. The love for her and baby girl was evident all afternoon.

Melissa is excited to be an Auntie and I am over the moon to be a Nana.  This was our way of showing Megan that we can’t wait for baby girl to join our family.