June 16, 2015
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| Bridgewater backyard |
Today is the last day of this years summer trip. Tomorrow we are on a Delta flight home via Minneapolis. Auntie Janice is taking us down to Philadelphia for our 2:40 pm departure. It's about an hour from Bridgewater. We saw family and friends that we see only once a year. Visited New York City and the Jersey Shore and in general had an excellent adventure.
We have a tradition when we visit places and stay with family or friends. On our last full day the lovely Lisa makes Paella. If you've never had it it's a rice dish full of seafood, chicken, chorizo and seasoned with saffron. But first there's shopping to do.
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| Gone Shopping |
Costco the best store in the world if you want too much of everything! Or a giant hotdog for $1.50. I wanted one but the lovely Lisa and Auntie Janice reminded me that we were going to a Jersey Diner for lunch in an hour. Costco had no fresh seafood so we bought nothing. I did however eat tiny samples of hemp seed and pomegranate juice. Auntie Janice had a short list of things and she purchased that while I stared longingly at the 10 foot hot dog billboard above the cafeteria.
Our next stop was Wegmans. An upscale grocery store across town. We bought 2 pounds of Mussels and 2 pounds of Scallops. Auntie Janice already had some prawns in the freezer, 8 -10. That means the number of prawns to the pound. I've seen porn stars with smaller appendages!
We stopped off at the house with the seafood, it was 90 degrees again and the seafood wouldn't do well in the trunk. Groceries put away we headed out for lunch. We were going out to the Colonial Diner about 15 miles from Bridgewater so we could stop in and see Kathy after lunch. Kathy had knee replacement surgery last week and we wanted to see her before we left. As Jersey Diners go this one had a limited menu. They only sold maybe 100 different things! Some of the diners have 10 page menus! I couldn't help myself. Nor did I want to. They had my favourite sandwich ever and I'm on vacation. The Monte Christo Sandwich! The king of sandwiches!
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| Monte Christo |
Okay, the Count of sandwiches. For those of you who have trouble reading the directions on a shampoo bottle, that's a classic tale written by Alexander Dumas. Auntie Janice had an Omelet and the lovely Lisa chowed down on Potato Pancakes and Buffalo Wings.
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| Potato Pancakes |
After lunch it was off to see Kathy. Kathy is a long time friend of the Decker family and was part of our group that went on the Alaska cruise last year. We saw her when we first got here and she had knee replacement surgery while we were up in Montague. What a recovery she is making! She is mobile and mostly pain free. She lives in a quiet neighbourhood in a town called East Brunswick and she has a very nice swimming pool in her yard.
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| Wishing I'd brought my Speedo |
"I think we'll stay with you next year" I told her. She said that would be great. I think she thinks I was kidding! I am at heart, a water baby. She has several bird feeders and a peanut dispenser for the squirrels who come up and scratch at her window when it's empty.
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| Bluejay at Kathy's |
As 3:00 rolled around we said our farewells and took off to avoid rush hour. Which as in most places in the East turns the 20 minute drive into a ninety minute drive. Here's a fun fact. Central New Jersey has the population of the province of Ontario in one tenth of the area! And they all come home at the same time!
Back at the house Auntie Janice was in her office catching up on the work she wasn't doing while she drove us around and the lovely Lisa had a power nap on the couch before starting dinner. I went out in the back yard, they have a half acre property, and sat under the Mulberry tree. I never saw a monkey or a weasel!
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| Monkey/weasel free Mulberry Bush |
I did however see raindrops and actual Mullberries being dropped on me by the dozens of birds eating the berries. I went around the back of their garage were they have yet another garden and found a Robin caught up in the netting that was there to protect the Brussel sprout plants. The Robin was freaking out! I ran into the house to wake up the lovely Lisa to video me saving the Robin. By the time we got back, protected by Uncle Charlies gardening gloves, it had managed to free itself. Stupid bird! It started to rain a little harder which was good because the humidity was at 85% and we were hoping to eat on the front porch.
The lovely Lisa started prepping the Paella and I watched the news and waited for my turn in the kitchen to make a Squatch salad.
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| Chef Boy R Lisa on the Paella trail |
There was no rush as Uncle Charlie doesn't get home until 7:00. With the Paella well on it's way and the Squatch Salad made I put together an avocado dressing for the salad and kicked back. The rain had reduced the humidity quite a bit and it was comfortable on the porch now though it was still 82 degrees. When Uncle Charlie got home and saw that Chef Boy R Lisa was in full catering mode and had made Paella for 20 he called Professor Dave and his wife Dani and invited them for dinner. Dave is a University Professor and Dani is a High School teacher. Dani was picking Dave up at the train station on his return from meetings at Yale University in Connecticut.
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| Paella |
We held dinner for 30 minutes and they arrived just as we were putting the food on the table.
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| Dani and Professor Dave |
We had as always interesting conversation and caught up on the doings of their grown children who were also on the cruise last year. They had to eat and run as Professor Dave is off to California in the morning.
The Paella was as always, fabulous. Everyone had seconds and there was still enough for Cousin Laura to eat when she got home from NYC at 10:30. She was kind enough to pick up some things that we forgot to buy when we were in the city last week. She teaches fencing in Manhattan and is considering a full time position she has been offered. I think I told you that she has travelled the world competing and refereeing. She is going to be the U.S. Referee at the Pan Am games this summer in Toronto.
I watched Golden State beat LeBron and the Cleveland Cavaliers for the NBA championship, Yay, not a LeBron fan. Then called it a night.
That's all I've got
Till next time
Peace out Y'all
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