LISA'S TOMATOES AND SQUASHES

Lisa's little victory garden seems to be coming in right nicely! I keep hoping that the bugs and the rodents stay away long enough for her to enjoy the fruits of her labors.

CHEYENNE, IN THE OLDEN DAYS

Aaron's tireless protectress -- and ever-patient pillow and sufferer of baby hugs.

THE WIZARD OF OZ

Last night, Luxford Elementary School in Virginia Beach did an AWESOME Wizard of Oz. The kids outdid themselves, the staff prep was long, arduous, and worthy of Broadway.







Talk about professionalism!

WHA-AT?

My new in-sink garbage disposal came with an interesting tool. Very nice, very useful, I am sure, but could they not have come up with a less disquieting name?



I think I'll carefully walk this seemingly innocuous device to the garage, place it in a secure box that is stashed far away from the door to the house, and leave it there until it's really really REALLY needed - for something.

IN MEMORIAM, TO CHEYENNE

This was a wonderful dog, a true G-dsend to myself and the whole family. This sixty-pound package of long fur was an indispensable family member for twelve years: intelligent, gentle, sweet, well-behaved. She died last summer of very old age, but my heart still aches.

GOOD RECIPE FOR EYE OF ROUND ROAST

Pretty good recipe, from Cooks.com.

Ingredients:

Eye of round roast
Salt & pepper to taste
Kitchen Bouquet

Procedure:

Preheat oven to 500 degrees. Trim fat off meat. Rub some Kitchen Bouquet in roast; completely cover until dark brown. Sprinkle with seasonings, as desired. Place on a rack in pan (line pan with aluminum foil). Bake at 500 degrees for 4 to 5 minutes per pound. Turn off oven. Do not open door for 1 1/2 hours. It will cook to a medium or to medium-rare.

Note: instead of rushing out to find Kitchen Bouquet, I just caramelized some brown sugar by boiling it in water until is was a gooey mass, and coated the meat with it. Results were delicious.

POWER-WASHING THE DRIVEWAY

It does wonders for the looks, but I created a river of mud that ran past a neighbor's lot before reaching a drain. Cleanup will be odious.

Also, it is stupid not to wear sturdy shoes, since the water jet cuts skin easily.

As my right foot found out, the hard way...