Monday, August 4, 2025
It’s Monday link up day with Sarah and Holly!
How was your weekend? One highlight of mine was the weather and all of my reading time outside! You all know that I am a fair weather reader! I did improve my ability to read indoors this year, but I can’t tell you how happy outdoor reading makes me.
Yay for lower humidity! The mosquitoes are still here, unfortunately, but we can’t get everything we want.
Friday morning I finally set a timer for 30 minutes and tackled my basement storage room. I am lucky to have a storage room, but it had gotten out of control with some school boxes I brought home and some of my mom’s things that my sisters and I divided up. And, you can see there is a Christmas tree just hanging out by the door since Christmas.
I donated an entire back of my car’s worth of stuff but I still have lots more to go through. It didn’t spark joy.
I went to lunch with Mason at his favorite Cafe Classico on Friday. I honestly have not gone out to breakfast or lunch much this summer so this was a nice treat.
Ok, guys, I have an announcement. I received a sourdough starter Thursday night from a friend of a friend. I had just listened to Midlife Matters podcast about sourdough and really felt that I could do it.
I don’t think I can do it! Look at baby’s first loaf! She ain’t pretty!
It looked a little better on the inside but it was gummy and not done all the way. Also, I don’t have a Dutch oven. It’s just like me to jump into something without having all the right tools and thinking I can make it work.
Also, if it isn’t going to taste super sourdoughy, I would just prefer to do the delicious and easy no knead bread. I have my hands full with Eddie Otis. Do I need to have to feed something else?
It is now Sunday afternoon as I type this and I am feeding this starter like it’s a freaking pet and I am attempting another recipe to see if I can make it work. But, do I want a loaf of bread that requires over 24 hours of time! I was told that at this age I have to pick sourdough, pickleball, mahjong, or I don’t know! Who decided this?
I have so many library books right now! I picked up three more summer requests!
I read and finished this book this weekend and it took me a bit to get into it but once I was in, I was in. It’s so cute!
I got the nicest piece of mail. My aunt was telling us stories in Michigan and then took the time to type up more details and send this to my sisters and I. These were stories we had never heard and we were just enthralled. Turns out the my mom’s brother met his wife/my aunt at teacher orientation and they were married by the end of the school year. We counted that we have 12 current or former teachers on my mom’s side of the family. Did I tell you that?
Friday night Tom and I went to some outdoor music mainly to see our friend who invited us. The evening was so pretty but the food trucks were a fail. They said they would have food trucks plural but only had one with food we didn’t want so we ended up driving through McDonald’s on the way home at 8:30 and my stomach paid for it.
Saturday I delivered a birthday gift to my sister in law and then went to Haymarket.
The tomato display was oh so cute!
I had a lazy Saturday but I was on Eddie Otis duty because Tom went hiking with a friend. I was so ready for Tom to be home and handle him. When I have him outside he barks at every little noise and we have never had a dog that barks like this.
I literally never blow dry my hair, but I needed to wash my hair badly before Saturday night out. I got so hot that I had to call in my fan necklace.
This is middle age in a photo:
Also, that’s fun – my nostrils are now lopsided in middle age.
We hadn’t been out with my Heathers and their hubs in a long time and we had this reservation for a new Japanese place for maybe a month. They have only been open for two months and usually it’s good to wait a bit.
The decor was super cool. Some people were eating in these booths that kind of looked like beds and we realized they had to keep their legs and feet out in front of them while eating. Awkward. Can you imagine that on a first date?
Luckily we had a normal table:
I loved that the restaurant was super air conditioned since I still had my blow dryer sweats.
The details were great but the menu was not. It was so small and they were out of like three of the menu items. They only had 4 types of sushi and my friend is a vegetarian and had to make a special request for a vegetarian sushi roll. So, I just did the same that she did.
It was underwhelming. Fresh Market sushi is better especially on Thursdays when it is $5.
Tom is a notoriously bad orderer. He takes forever and then picks odd things. Like, we went to a fried chicken place and he ordered a Sloppy Joe and then didn’t think the restaurant was very good. Plus, who orders a Sloppy Joe at a restaurant? That’s like ordering spaghetti.
He ordered something that had three pieces of raw tuna and caviar and came in a lit up bowl of ice.
We all left hungry. I said, “You get food at home”. It was kind of like a Saturday Night Live skit.
Sunday morning and the air was cool…
Look at that froth!
I started this!
Isn’t the cover pretty?
Am I becoming negative? I hope not. I am just not fake (or I don’t think I am) so I am going to tell it like it is.
Sunday morning I had the house to myself for a couple of hours! Like, no one and no dog. It’s so rare now. I try to balance that time with relaxation and chores.
Today is the first teacher work day in my old district so I am feeling for my friends. I am feeling pretty giddy. How should I mark the first day of school for students on Thursday? I think I should get a massage or a pedicure and do something I could never do as a teacher. Any ideas? Last year I told the students that I would be sitting in a lawn chair heckling all the teachers and students as they pulled in to the parking lot. I also think I should do a first day of school outfit pic!
Tell me what you did this weekend!
Amy
Coffee and Cocktails at the Casa 
I’m definitely on the sourdough making fence. On the one hand, I want sourdough bread and would rather not buy it as I know I could make it cheaper (not to mention brag, er mention in passing (to anyone!) that I make sourdough, lol) BUT, do I want to deal with a starter and feeding it, etc? I also have a good no knead bread recipe. I thought sourdough was healthier than regular bread? I need to look into that. If so, then maybe I’ll tackle it. I do have a Dutch oven. Your weekend looks nice- the restaurant is super pretty but too bad about the menu options and other oddness of the place. Enjoy NOT going back to school!
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Exactly! I threw my starter away yesterday. Also, it’s really a messy process. It is supposed to be healthier, but I would eat too much and that would not be healthier. I can continue to buy it from Haymarket or a farmers market.
I am feeling really happy to NOT be sitting in meetings today!
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I just can’t with the sourdough; Alec brought home some dehydrated starter from his semester and told me he’d teach me but he never did and I haven’t asked. I like my no knead bread too and while I love the taste of sourdough I really don’t walk to be making and eating fresh bread all the time. I can promise you I won’t be picking up pickle ball (I don’t think that’s even much of “thing” up here) or majong either. LOL. That restaurant sounds like such a disappointment! But at least you had great company.
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And, you and I are both pretty skilled cooks! That makes me feel better! That was my other thing – I don’t really need fresh tempting bread around all the time.
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I just started making “real sourdough bread”. I also make a yeast bread that I have to feed but it isn’t the actual sourdough. I received a sourdough starter from a farm market a few months ago. I do not feed mine every day. I keep it in the fridge and feed it just before baking. The key is the stretch and folds. The bread does require several of these over a period of time. It took me a few times to get it down. I did watch a lot of YouTube videos. There’s some really great ones out there. You got this!!!
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I don’t know if I got this! Lol! I threw the starter away yesterday after a second failed attempt. I didn’t have a dough that was the consistency for the stretch and folds. Oh well. Thank you!
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Well I have done that a couple of times too. You will know when it is right for you. I have had one of my starters for twenty years.
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I am cracking up at that restaurant and you saying “you can have food at home” -ha! Tom looks thrilled 🙂 It does look pretty though- at least you got to try it right?! Ha!!
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I swear it was like an SNL skit! He said he liked it! He also had had a big bbq lunch with a friend. Right!
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I think you should go out to breakfast and then get a pedicure on the 1st day of school!
Too bad about the restaurant on Saturday night and the food trucks Friday.
I’ve been learning to play Mahjong and it takes some time! Plus once you learn you need to play often so you don’t forget. I think that’s why so many retirees play. The friends I learned to play with are all single and work so trying to find a convenient time for the 4 of us is hard.
Happy Monday!
xo,
Kellyann
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Sounds like a plan! I need a pedi! It’s ok. I get food at home. Lol. I want to play mah jong again but I would prefer like a late afternoon because you need to concentrate! We have a new studio near me so I might try one game there.
You too!
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I love that you got that letter from your family member! What a sweet gesture. What are the chances that you’d have two dinner out fails in one weekend? I laughed over this, not gonna lie. I don’t love trendy restaurants for this reason…some are definitely better than others, right? I’m sure y’all laughed and had a great time anyway, and it’ll be a memory forever. You DEFINITELY need to take a first day pic of you! I love your idea of treating yourself to something; do it and enjoy every second! This is such a new season full of hope and possibility for you. I honestly feel the same for my life, and I’m grateful for all that is coming my way! I hope your week gets off to a great start, my friend. xoxo
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First, your skin looks flawless in the fan picture! Sorry to hear about the sourdough. I should have probably picked playing pickleball, but I am not athletic or good at the sport, but I guess it would keep me moving vs eating bread every day, ha! So nice to have that letter from your aunt! I am not a big fan of fancy restaurants as most seem to be overpriced and I leave hungry. I love the idea of you doing something special for yourself on the first day of school!
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I hate eating at a restaurant, spending a lot of money and leaving with the thought that we could have had better food at home! 😬 We are quite spoiled with regards to sushi. Even though we live in a city with lots of Mexican food we have some amazing sushi places. I can’t imagine the joy you are feeling right now while you are watching all your teacher friends go back to school! 😂 Hope you have a great week!!
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The weather this weekend was a tease. I’m afraid we won’t see it again til end of September. I’ll be celebrating school by….doing school at the kitchen table with an unwilling participant. I hear about friends who homeschool their little girls and I don’t know that he’s going to be all in on handwriting, you know?You can do the sourdough. I got a new starter but it’s unconstituted so I will start it maybe after labor day when it’s not as hot and I can bake multiple times a week. Try this recipe. It was my preferred method.
https://www.pantrymama.com/bake-sourdough-in-a-loaf-pan/
Also, get a scale. It’s better than a measuring cup.
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So many of you had nice weather this weekend and I am a bit jealous! It’s still sweltering hot here in Texas! Lol! Lunch with Mason sounds like a special treat. I love that for you guys! I love all of those sourdough magic workers but I don’t think I have the patience for it! Lol. I don’t even like sourdough enough to put in the time/work. Sounds like you had a great weekend. Happy Monday!
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I don’t have a lot of time at the moment, but am going to weigh in on the sourdough, pickleball, mahjong dilemma. I’ve got experience with all three and am a little older than you. Sourdough is a commitment. Reminded me of when my kids would go off to school and tell me to feed their tamagachis. The pressure! Also, you can buy delicious sourdough now in any little bakery and most markets. Pickleball is so much fun but has a very high and real injury factor. Two guys in our neighborhood ended up with brain bleeds after rolling over the ball. I don’t chase the ball when I play for this reason. Also why I won’t win any tournaments. My friends doctor asked her what kind of exercise she was getting and she said golf and walking, but occasionally pickle ball and he said ‘I recommend dropping the pickleball’ The injuries! Now you are several years younger, so maybe less likely but my son-in-law the orthopedist says ‘tell your neighbors to keep playing pickleball’ lol. It’s good for business. Mahjong is just plain fun, exercises your brain and you won’t end up with a wrist fracture or broken ankle after you play. You can go home and have a nice sandwich on sourdough bread you bought from the bakery : )
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You had some lovely weather and how nice to spend lots of time outside.
Oh dear, that sourdough loaf. I am sure practice will make perfect. Good luck with it. I wouldn’t know where to start.
That Japanese restaurant is beautiful, such a shame the menu wasn’t great.
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There are some recipes for a “faux sourdough bread” made with yogurt, I’ve been meaning to try because they are not so time consuming and complicated. Food52 has one recipe, the photos look good. I live at a high altitude with low oxygen, dry and hot so the flour and baking is tricky.
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Oh thank you for the tip! I have made cake with Greek yogurt and it’s wonderful.
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Theoretically, I think I would love making sourdough bread. But practically, I know it is not for me. I think a pedicure sounds like a great plan for the first day of school.
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I loved reading all the details of your weekend. You did so much! The neck fan made me chuckle. Sourdough definitely seems overwhelming! I do love sourdough bread, but I don’t know that I can handle making it from scratch. We have many books in common. I’m currently reading Seven Summers. Our kids don’t start until next Wednesday…is Jeff Co starting earlier than usual? My alarm will go off early tomorrow. *sigh*
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I just realized I read 7 summers in the winter!
JCPS starts Thursday and yes I do think it’s about a week earlier than usual. Enjoy your last moments!
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Why did they start earlier this year?
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Because our calendar committee sucks?
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lol! You got out just in time!
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You had me giggling (a few times out loud) as I read your post and I found myself wondering when your podcast will be premiering! You have such a great sense of humor!
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Do you remember Amish bread starters? They made the most delicious coffee cake, but they took forever to feed and baby. Then, you had a leftover that you gave away. Pretty soon, people were running in other directions! I would almost kill for basement storage again. I hate being in our crawl space even more than being in the attic! I think, for the first student day, you should take a first day of school pic with one of those signs in front of you and post it on TikTok. Then, go have a big margarita!
https://marshainthemiddle.com/
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