Note: The above photo is from this date in 2013 while we were sailing on a ship, soon to enter the Gulf of Aden, known for pirate attacks.
Today, for our new guests coming for dinner, we decided to make what we’d planned to make on Mother’s Day; baked ham, cheesy potatoes, green bean casserole, salad, and lemon pineapple poke cake for dessert. This morning I bolted out of bed and got busy making the cake.
I’ll start baking the ham about an hour and a half before dinner. So far, by 10:00 am, I had the cake baked, the salad made, and the first stage of the green bean casserole. Later, after our guests arrive, I finish the cheesy potatoes and have them ready to go into the oven with the green beans, allowing time for sundowners on the veranda.
I can only eat ham and salad, but I am OK with this. Tom will enjoy leftovers for the next few days until our next guests arrive on Saturday, when we’ll make another Asian dish for dinner.
When I serve the cake, I’ll have Fage Greek Yogurt, topped with a dollop of Cool Whip, products we haven’t been able to purchase for years. Tom loves a few cake recipes with Cool Whip, which I plan to make for him while we’re here. His weight is as low as it’s been in years, and with no health problems, he can indulge in some of his favorites while here. Besides, I enjoy making them for him, especially the easy desserts.
We can purchase countless products here that we haven’t been able to buy in South Africa and other countries we’ve visited over the years. Finding these products at the market and when we shop online is fun. Yesterday, we stopped in a Publix supermarket to easily find all the cake ingredients.
I purchased two batches of ingredients for the cake to make a second cake for the weekend when our friends Carol and Mark are here for three nights. That way, we’ll have plenty of dessert to get us through the time they are here. I don’t know if they eat desserts, but if they don’t, Tom won’t have any trouble savoring it for days.
We just returned from our walk. We’ve been walking for about two months, minus the days I was in hospital, the week afterward, and the days we traveled. I had trouble with the pain in my legs after standing in the kitchen for a few hours, making the walk tedious. I continue to hope that, over time, the pain in my legs will subside, but no luck so far.
We also missed walking several days after we arrived here when I wasn’t feeling well after the Afib episode on the plane. We’re back on track and haven’t missed a day since we started again. This Sunday, we’ll have been in The Villages for three weeks and have developed a lovely daily routine. Regardless of any challenges we may experience in our daily lives, we always appreciate the simple things.
We’re thoroughly enjoying the socialization and look forward to many more get-togethers in the future. Plus, we always enjoy our alone time together, day after day. We are truly blessed.
Be well.
Photo from ten years ago today, May 17, 2013:
