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Queenabelle's Visit - Part 3
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Only I would write a blog starting with Part 3, when there are no parts titled Part 1 and Part 2. Sigh. It’s hard to be me. I suppose I could go back and change the titles on Parts 1 and 2, but you and I both know I’m not going to do that. If you missed the earlier installments, let me help:
Part 1 is Weekend Fun and Part 2 is Flying Lessons.
Note: You can always click on Archived Ramblings to find a listing of all my stories and catch up on any reading you may have missed.
Ok – is everyone thoroughly confused, because I am!
To summarize, Queenabelle arrived from France and spent a few days with me. She spent her time sightseeing and getting airsick (so sorry about that part, Queenabelle), before going back East to meet her brand new granddaughter, Eva.
She spent about a week drinking in the joys of the new baby and returned here very late on a Saturday night. Of course she brought rainy weather with her. We hunkered down on Sunday, except for sneaking in to our favorite restaurant, Katrina’s, for a delicious lunch.
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"Mirror, mirror, on the wall ..."
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If you haven’t noticed by now, Queenabelle and I take our cameras everywhere. We rarely get a picture with both of us in it, so when we were seated next to a mirror we just looked at each other and started laughing. It took me awhile to figure out where to position the camera to get the picture without the camera covering my face. Did I mention it’s hard to be me?
The rest of Sunday was a lazy day of watching old movies, enjoying catching up with each other, working on our computers, and snoozing.
We woke up Monday to a rainstorm even more wicked than that which the weekend had brought us. We had plans to head to the coast and visit Katrina’s sister, Cindy, who has been inviting me to her new house for a few years. Katrina was planning to rendezvous with us there, at which time we would all spend a few days showing Queenabelle the Aptos – Monterey – Carmel areas of California.
Cindy called to say, “It’s raining sideways here and if you want to change your plans and not drive down, I’ll understand. We can’t even see the ocean.”
We were facing a 3½ hour drive under the best of conditions. We decided to go for it – it was raining everywhere, but we felt that, if we proceeded with caution, we would be ok.
At times the drive was absolutely treacherous, but we made it in one piece. Katrina also made it in one piece. Cindy had a bubbling pot of hot soup and a bottle of wine waiting for us. All was good.
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Queenabelle, Cindy, Katrina
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While they talk and eat, let me take you on a little tour of Cindy’s drop-dead gorgeous house.
That tree to the left of the front door is a corkscrew willow (aka tortured willow). Butterfly gives sticks of it to everyone and tells them to put ‘em in the ground. Cindy did as instructed a few years ago and look at what she ended up with! She’s already had to top it as it was obstructing their view from their bedroom deck. I wonder how long before she’s cursing at Butterfly and chopping the thing down.
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imagine this on a hot day!
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a picture wherever I look
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This is looking from the main house across to the garage. Queenabelle and I stayed in the guest house atop the garage.
I spied this cute little greenhouse from my bedroom window. Don’t dare show this to Butterfly or she’ll want one just like it.
Back inside the main house …
Wait? What’s this? A dining table for really short people?
Aha! Cats are in residence. Three to be exact. This is Scooter, who was rescued from a daisy bush in Carmel Valley in 1997.
This is Stevie, who was rescued by Cindy’s daughter about 13 years ago. She found him in some bushes on her way to work. Stevie lost his ear to cancer.
And last but not least we have Zoe, the Hurricane Katrina kitty. Cindy took this great photo and I love it. She sent it to me long ago and it’s been scrolling by on my screen saver ever since. Baby Zoe scored a plane ride to California from Slidell, LA, when Cindy and I volunteered there after the hurricane. She initially went home with another friend, but they were unable to keep her, so she wound up working her way to Cindy’s house.
Oh my gosh, everyone’s vanished! I kid. I actually took this photo the next morning, after the kitchen had recovered from dinner the night before. And quite the dinner it was!
When Queenabelle and I asked if we could help with preparations, Cindy suggested that we grate some parmesan cheese.
I don’t know about you, but my grater is this 4-sided boxy thing, with a choice of hole sizes. Apparently I am living in the dark ages. And I thought I was sooo smart. Until recently I was using a rusty old thing from my childhood. Even Butterfly was complaining about it so much that I bought a new shiny one. But apparently Martha Stewart I am not. Rachel Ray I am not. Chef Boyardee I am not.
Cindy handed us what looks like the hoof rasp my horseshoer uses every 8 weeks on my nags’ feet. Queenabelle and I looked at each other in dismay.
“Do you know how to use this?” I asked her, hopefully.
“No,” she giggled.
We started hacking away at this ginormous wedge of parmesan. It practically took both of us to hold it up.
“Oh. My. Gosh. Let me do that!” Cindy said, disgusted with the two of us.
I, of course, grabbed my camera.
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if you two don't knock it off ...
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To be continued …
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