Stocking up…

You can’t get Libby’s pumpkin just anywhere in the UK, and sometimes it can cost a fortune.  However, I’m lucky enough that a local grocery store stocks it and at a reasonable price. Unfortunately, they don’t get very much in, (unlike the Wal-mart I went to when I was back home), and it always seems that I’m behind the crowd. Last year I was too late, and they were all out, so there was no pumpkin pie in the Rudders household. It was a very sad time.

But I’m ahead of things this year. I’ve stocked up.

Cans of pumpkin

I stopped by the grocery store today in order to get some pumpkin puree. I am now officially ready for fall and the holidays. Let the pie making begin!

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Late nights, long days

Well, I’m back in the UK and trying hard to get myself over my post holiday melancholy before returning to work tomorrow.

I’m not feeling particularly creative this evening, so I figure I’ll talk about the weather. There’s no denying that here in the UK fall is definitely upon us. That’s ok, though, because the weather had turned on my last day in the US. I don’t mind arriving to poor weather if that’s what’s going on back home as well. 😛 That way I don’t feel like I’m missing anything.

The weather was so lovely when I was home we were able to have two cook outs. It’s so nice to have a fire in the backyard to cook a hot dog over.

Campfire

If you are interested in the results of the guys’ big trip north, please head over to Rudders’ Ramblings. I’ve made Paul put up pictures. I’ll be updating things regarding my trip to Ohio soon, as well as some other random things that came out of my three week trip to the States. Stay tuned.

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My Wheels for a Week (or two)

Sometimes I forget how nice it is to drive over here. I avoid driving in the UK like the plague, but when I arrive Stateside I jump right in and go. Normally Paul and I don’t rent cars while we’re in the States, unless we have plans to travel. But, this time I rented a car for while I’m home with my mom and the boys are off on their trip. Mom and I are headed off to Ohio soon to visit the one of the largest communities of Amish in the world. I trust this Dodge Caliber will get us there safe and sound.

Dodge Caliber

This is actually quite a reasonable car to drive. I’m loving it. it’s hard to believe that Paul and I saw one of these in our local mall the last weekend we were in the UK and exclaimed how huge it was. Somehow it doesn’t seem that big at all when I look at it from this angle!

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Powerless

I’ve been home at my parents’ now for four days, and during 2.5 of them, we’ve had no electricity.

We got hit by a mighty powerful wind storm on Sunday night, remnants of Ike, making it all the way up here to the Northeast. Our power went out on Sunday night and we haven’t seen it since. Rumor has it we’ll get it back sometime tomorrow. We had no rain with the storm, just extremely high winds. There were trees down everywhere. I’d forgotten how storms like that work in places like this.

As the boys left us early Monday morning for the jaunt to the Canadian wilderness, my mother and I have had nothing but each other for entertainment. It’s been fun. I’ve been doing a lot of reading. But today, we took up an offer of a generator, because well, the deep freeze was becoming unthawed and the risk of losing so much food was getting to my mother. Probably not so much, but it makes things a bit more dramatic saying that.

The generator also means that I have a connection to the internet and can catch up on some quality reading. And to add a post to this little old blog here. So, here are some pictures I took in the back yard on my first morning back in the USA.

Here’s some poppies, or jewel weed. My mother discovered the real name of this plant was jewel weed a while ago. Apparently when it blooms, you’re supposed to stop feeding the hummingbirds because it’s time for the m to migrate. Who knew?

I grew up calling them poppies because if you touch the green pods on the plant, they pop and fly everywhere!! It’s a bit out of context on screen here, but if you’re six, or well, thirty even, it’s a very good source of outdoor entertainment.

Jewel Weed, or Poppies?

Here’s a photo of some mums in the flower garden by our deck. It was pretty dewey out and the sun just glistened off the droplets on the flowers.

Flowers and cobwebs with dew

And finally, some black eyed susans for your viewing pleasure.

Black Eyed Susan

I hope our electricity comes on soon. Meanwhile, I’m going to go takeover Paul’s blog a bit and post some photos of them getting ready for their trip.

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Preparing for home

I made Paul get the suitcases out last night. Four years ago, I would have had them packed and waiting at the door by now! My, how things change.

Instead, I’ve had to bully Paul into getting them out. And he wasn’t thrilled about it either.

Getting the suitcase down

So, the suitcases are down, and now all we’ve got to do is tackle the packing. 🙂

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