July Issue of Tea With Dee newsletter...

Only 11 days late:

Tea With Dee newsletter

Being Cool...

I was out of the house from around 1:15 until almost 5 p.m. yesterday. As I walked in the door I instantly knew something was wrong. When it is pushing 100 degrees outside, stepping into a properly air conditioned home should actually feel a little chilly by comparison. It didn't. Oh, shoot. I put away the groceries and checked the thermostat. We normally have it set on 72 degrees. It was 78 degrees and the a/c was not running. I checked the breaker but it was okay. David was on his way home and I hoped it would be something simple that he could fix. It wasn't.

We scrapped our dinner plans and headed to the North Lounge (our version of "Cheers" - where everybody knows your name). We joked with the manager that we were going to spend the night on their sofas. He actually offered to let us have the key and stay. Perhaps that means we are there a lot. ;) We ate dinner and hung out with everyone there until 10:30. Just soaking up all that cool air.

We stepped outside and when hit with air that was still nearly 90 degrees David decided to get us a room at the Holiday Inn Express. We called Chris and had him put up the chickens and feed the animals for us, telling him of our plans. He had come over to our house to watch television and said he was sweating. That sealed the deal.

Since we hadn't planned this in advance, we didn't have anything with us. The hotel gave us toothbrushes and toothpaste and I fortunately had some of my asthma medicine in my purse. It did seem a little weird checking into a hotel late at night with no luggage. Almost illicit. ;) We rode the elevator with a man who had seen us check in. The next morning the same guy rode down the elevator with us. He couldn't have helped but notice our lack of luggage. The fact that I was wearing my dark sunglasses no doubt added to the overall impression. But hey, I only had a few makeup items for touch-ups, hence the sunglasses.

We slept comfortably in a king size bed in a cool room and enjoyed a free breakfast the next morning. Works for me. The repairman showed up before 9:30 and we now have a functioning air conditioner.

Parts to repair air conditioner - $20

Labor to repair a/c - $85.50

A cool house (and giving strangers something to talk about) - Priceless

Menu Plan Monday...

Monday:

• roast in crockpot
• potatoes, carrots, onions
• corn on the cob
• salad
• fresh fruit salad

Tuesday:

• roast beef sandwiches
• potato salad
• baked beans
• fruit

Wednesday:

• smoked sausage/fresh veggie medley
• leftovers (potato salad, beans, fruit)

Thursday:

• ham
• fresh pineapple
• macaroni salad
• green salad
• homemade bread
  

Friday:

• date night

Saturday:

• burgers on the grill
• leftover macaroni salad
• French fries or chips
• fruit
  

America the Beautiful...

O beautiful for spacious skies,
For amber waves of grain,
For purple mountain majesties
Above the fruited plain!
America! America! God shed His grace on thee,
And crown thy good with brotherhood
From sea to shining sea!

O beautiful for pilgrim feet,
Whose stern impassion'd stress
A thoroughfare for freedom beat
Across the wilderness!
America! America! God mend thine ev'ry flaw,
Confirm thy soul in self-control,
Thy liberty in law!

O beautiful for heroes proved In liberating strife,
Who more than self their country loved,
And mercy more than life!
America! America! May God thy gold refine
Till all success be nobleness,
And ev'ry gain divine!

O Beautiful for patriot dream
That sees beyond the years
Thine alabaster cities gleam,
Undimmed by human tears!
America! America! God shed His grace on thee,
And crown thy good with brotherhood
From sea to shining sea!
by Katharine Lee Bates - 1913

Menu Plan Monday...

This is going to be an unusual week for us meal-wise for a few reasons. First of all, David is working in Texas at least until Wednesday. I'm trying to kick-start a new eating plan and one night this week we'll be celebrating our daughter's 22nd birthday with a meal out. For those reasons, I'm not making a menu. I've plenty of food in the house so Chris and I will just wing it while David is away. However, if you'd like to see what others have planned for the week, take a look at the originator of "Menu Plan Monday", I'm an Organizing Junkie. Not only will you see her menu for the week, but there are links to many, many other blogs which have posted menus for the week. You're certain to find some good ideas. And if you see an especially delicious-sounding recipe, please leave me a comment with a link to it!

This will make you feel better...

Watch this short video and I can almost guarantee you'll feel better about your appearance:

Rock On!...

Last fall, David and I started a fellowship group for young adults in our church. We have such a great time with these fabulous young people. They met at our house last night for food, fun, fellowship and...

Rock Band!