Weekend Lens| July

The past weekend was pretty exhausting-lots of activities and things to do.  The weekend sorta started on Thursday with Book Club, this is our fourth meeting, and I really enjoy this group of ladies.  The book we picked wasn't one I'd tell my friends to run out and get, but it did generate some great conversation.  Isn't that the point of book club anyway-aside from the munchies and wine?!

Friday was Quilt Club, we haven't gotten together as a group in a long time, and we were still missing Brenda.  It was fun hearing about Joyce's trip to China with her adopted daughter Mei-it was an interesting 3 weeks.  I didn't feel like lugging my sewing machine to Kathy's, so I did some knitting instead.  The boys and one of PJ's friends came home for the weekend.  I love having them home.

Saturday morning included an indoor bike ride [my bike was in the shop], then to oversee the HOA Board meeting.

Right afterwards it was time to take Mom to her hair appointment-I then headed to the bank, the store, went through the car wash, picked up some food for lunch, and then back to get Mom.

I ate lunch quickly and then proceeded onto my errands which included a trip to the library, Total Wine, 2nd and Charles, Barnes and Noble, Stein Mart, Performance Bikes, and then to Costco which was a ZOO!!!

 I tried Starbuck's new ginger-ale soda-pretty good and not too bad on the calories.  Definitely refreshing on a very very hot July day.

Finally home, and after all that running around a cocktail was definitely in order!  My own concoction of muddled peaches, peach-pear la croix, simple syrup, bourbon [of course], and peach bitters with a lemon garnish.

 

 Andrew had agreed to cook burgers on the grill, and they were awesome!  Better than what I had last week when I was really craving a cheeseburger before the Peachtree Road Road,  A real simple dinner of just burgers, chips, beans and ice cream sundaes.  Lots of laughs around the table.  Some reading time then off to bed for me.  Not sure how late the boys stayed up, but it was muuuuuch later than me!

Sunday up early and another indoor bike ride, church, and then home for breakfast with the boys before they headed back to school.  They packed up the Tahoe with extra things I had around they house that they'll be able to use when they move into the house they are renting at the end of the month.  I'm really liking that I can pass things along to them.

Sunday afternoon was a baby shower for my sweet niece, Katie.  It was so much fun seeing the little baby stuff, and the food was so-so good. 

 Fortunately, I had a very light dinner planned of poached cod.  It was my first time making poached fish-it was really good.  More like a soup, and I added some fresh spinach for extra vitamins!  I seem to be doing this a lot lately.

 I spent the rest of the evening doing some knitting and hanging out with Sophie, we were both pretty exhausted when bed time came around.  There were a few minutes of reading, and a quick conversation with Steve before I turned out the light.  I'm glad I got to mark a lot of things off my to do list, but would have liked to have been able to do an outdoor bike ride-that's planned for the next coming weekend.

 
As I look over my calendar for this next week, it is a very light schedule, so I hope that means a little Tour de France replay, and some serious knitting.  There are dinner plans with Steve on Saturday, not sure where we're going yet, but it's been a while since it's been just the 2 of us for a meal out.  Weekends are wonderful, just wish they didn't always end so quickly.

Mostly cocktails.

Carole's prompt for this week are favorite summer drinks, and i have many that i enjoy. In my early days beer and wine coolers were the drinks of choice, yea I know, I'm a child of the 80s.  As usual my in-laws taught me an appreciation for a varied [finer] array of beverages.  Aside from plain old-very cold water, coffee and white wine here's my list in no particular order:

10.  Sangria-love the added fruit that makes this drink more like a punch.
  9.  Margarita- tartiness of the lime is what summer is all about.
  8.  Mojito- summer isn't summer without fresh mint.
  7.  La Paloma- introduced to this on Memorial Day- tequila, grapefruit soda and cayenne pepper- I sprinkle this in the drink instead of on the rim-uh yum!
  6.  Mint Julep-yea!  I discovered bourbon a few years ago, and watching the Kentucky Derby and drinking mint juleps seems like the perfect prelude for summer cocktails drinking.
  5.  Strawberry-Mint smash (photo above) featured on Oh So Beautiful Paper this week- bourbon-fruit-mint-what's NOT to love right?!
  4.  Mali-Nali-tequila-green chartruese-pinapple juice-lime-simple syrup AND a sprig of rosemary.  My favorite cocktail from Escorpion.
  3.  Bourbon and (Diet) Ginger Ale-not sure if this exists outside of my kitchen or not
  2. Gin and Tonic-again with the lime
  1. A very cold light beer




I'll be trying this cocktail tonight, thanks to Katie's suggestion.  What beverages keep you cool during the summer?